Chapter 23: Fragments of Time

The world was a storm of shattered light and distorted echoes. Alaric felt himself suspended in the chaos, the Zeton’s energy surging through him like a wildfire he couldn’t control. Time seemed to fragment around him, moments splintering and shifting in ways that defied reality.

He saw flashes of the past and future: a younger version of himself running through the streets of a city he barely remembered, Liora standing in a place that looked like a ruined palace, Jorin laughing with a group of children in a peaceful village. But each vision was broken, disjointed, and filled with a sense of dread.

This can’t be real, Alaric thought, his mind spinning. What have I done?

With a final, gut-wrenching pull, the Zeton’s energy snapped back into place, and the world reformed around him. He was thrown to the ground, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs. The forest was still, the golden light of dusk filtering through the trees, but something felt... off. Time itself seemed to vibrate, unsettled.

Alaric struggled to sit up, his entire body aching. The Zeton lay in his hand, its glow dim and erratic, and he knew he had come dangerously close to losing control. Too close, he thought, his heart pounding.

Jorin was beside him, his face pale and eyes wide with fear. “Alaric!” he said, his voice trembling. “Are you okay?”

Alaric forced himself to nod, though he felt anything but okay. “I... I’m fine,” he said, his voice hoarse. “But what about—”

He turned, and his blood ran cold. The silver-haired woman and her hunters were scattered around the clearing, frozen in place. Their bodies were suspended in mid-motion, as if time itself had locked them in a single moment. The woman’s sword was still raised, her expression twisted in anger, but she was utterly still.

“What... what happened to them?” Jorin whispered, his voice barely audible.

Liora approached cautiously, their blades at the ready, but their expression was one of awe and fear. “You did this,” they said, their voice tight. “The Zeton’s power... it’s fractured time around them. They’re trapped in a time lock.”

Alaric’s stomach lurched. A time lock? He hadn’t meant to do this, hadn’t meant to wield the Zeton’s power so recklessly. But the alternative had been losing everything—and everyone—he cared about. “Is... is it permanent?” he asked, his voice cracking.

Liora shook their head, though they didn’t look any less worried. “No,” they said. “But the lock will hold only as long as the Zeton’s energy remains stable. We need to get out of here before it releases.”

Alaric nodded, his heart still racing. He pushed himself to his feet, every muscle protesting, and looked at Jorin, who seemed shaken but unharmed. “Let’s go,” Alaric said, his voice steadier than he felt. “We need to keep moving.”

Jorin didn’t argue, and together they followed Liora into the forest, putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the frozen hunters. The path was rough and uneven, and Alaric’s legs felt like lead, but he forced himself to keep going. We can’t afford to stop, he thought, fear gnawing at him. Not now.

They finally reached a small clearing, hidden beneath a thick canopy of trees. Liora signaled for them to stop, and Alaric sank to the ground, his body trembling with exhaustion. Jorin sat beside him, his hands still shaking.

“What just happened?” Jorin asked, his voice small and scared. “That... that power...”

Alaric swallowed hard, the weight of the Zeton heavy in his hand. “I lost control,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I tried to stop them, but the Zeton... it’s too powerful.”

Liora knelt in front of them, their amber eyes filled with a mix of concern and urgency. “You must understand, Alaric,” they said, their voice serious. “The Zeton is a relic of immense power, but it’s also incredibly dangerous. If you keep using it without mastering it, you’ll do more harm than good. The echo we encountered in the caverns was right—without the Oracles, you won’t be able to control it.”

Alaric’s jaw tightened, guilt and fear churning inside him. He had never asked for this burden, but that didn’t change the fact that it was his to bear. I have to get stronger, he thought, determination hardening his resolve. I can’t keep putting Jorin and Liora in danger.

Jorin’s voice was shaky, but he placed a hand on Alaric’s shoulder. “We’ll figure this out,” he said, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and hope. “Together.”

Alaric managed a weak smile, though the weight of the Zeton’s power pressed heavily on him. “Yeah,” he said, trying to believe it. “Together.”

But before they could rest, the ground beneath them trembled, and a low, rumbling sound echoed through the forest. Alaric’s heart lurched, and he scrambled to his feet, adrenaline surging through his veins. “What now?” he whispered, dread pooling in his stomach.

Liora’s eyes narrowed, and they drew their blades, their body tense and ready. “Something’s coming,” they said, their voice grim. “And it’s not friendly.”

The trees at the edge of the clearing swayed, and a monstrous figure emerged from the shadows. It was a massive creature, its body covered in dark, chitinous armor that gleamed in the fading light. Its eyes glowed an unnatural red, and it moved with a predatory grace that made Alaric’s blood run cold.

The creature let out a guttural roar, and the ground shook beneath its feet. Alaric’s hand went to his dagger, but he knew it was a pitiful weapon against something so massive. We can’t fight that, he thought, panic clawing at him. We’re not ready.

Jorin’s face was pale, but he gripped his staff, his eyes wide with terror. “What is that thing?” he asked, his voice cracking.

Liora’s expression was grim. “A Sentinel,” they said. “A guardian of time, awakened by the disturbance we caused with the Zeton. It’s here to correct the imbalance.”

Alaric’s heart pounded. A guardian of time? The Zeton’s power had attracted something far worse than hunters or mercenaries. “How do we stop it?” he asked, desperation lacing his voice.

Liora’s jaw tightened. “We don’t,” they said. “We run.”

The Sentinel roared again, and Alaric didn’t need to be told twice. He grabbed Jorin’s arm, and they sprinted into the forest, Liora close behind. The ground shook with each step the Sentinel took, and Alaric could feel the creature’s presence closing in on them.

Branches whipped at his face, and his lungs burned, but he pushed himself to keep going. The Zeton pulsed in his hand, its energy wild and unstable, and he knew they were running out of time. We have to get to Tarvos, he thought, his fear propelling him forward. Before everything falls apart.

The forest was a blur, and Alaric could hear the Sentinel crashing through the trees behind them. But he refused to give up. They had come too far, fought too hard, to be defeated now.

Hold on, he told himself, his heart pounding. Just a little longer.

Because the journey was only growing more dangerous, and the price of failure was too high to pay.