Point of No Return

Jessie’s heart thundered in his chest as he locked eyes with Viktor Magnus. His mind reeled, trying to make sense of what was happening.

“What’s the meaning of this, High Arbiter?” Jessie demanded, his voice shaking but firm. His scarred face burned with confusion and anger.

“There is clear evidence,” The High Arbiter began, “that you are the Eternal Hourglass. A living anomaly. A being of immeasurable power that poses a risk to the stability of our world. That risk cannot be ignored.”

The weight of his words settled heavily on Jessie’s shoulders. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as his squad erupted in protest.

“This is insane!” Mira shouted, stepping forward, her voice trembling with anger. “Jessie’s not a threat—he’s been fighting to protect people from distortions just like the rest of us!”

Talia’s formal tone carried a sharp edge as she added, “Surely the Knights are better than this. We do not imprison our own without just cause.”

Even Liriana, usually soft-spoken and shy, stepped forward with uncharacteristic defiance. “You… can’t do this! Jessie is a hero, not a criminal!”

Magnus’s expression remained cold, as he regarded squad GX. “Your loyalty to your friend is admirable. But if you defy this order, you will be stripped of your rank and imprisoned alongside him. That goes for all of you. Surely you know better than this, Captain Solstice?”

The squad glared, their weapons absent but their resolve clear.

“Then you’ll have to imprison all of us too,” Rhea declared, standing her ground.

“Damn right.” Dax nodded.

“Analysis: Squad GX won’t obey. And I have no intention of doing so either.” Even Tidus affirmed.

Magnus raised a hand, and the guards stepped forward, their weapons trained on the squad. “Take them.”

At gunpoint, Squad GX was forced into formation, as they were marched through the winding corridors of the Time Tower. Mira took ahold of Tidus so they wouldn’t shoot it down on the spot, and the others had their hands strictly to their backs.

The air felt heavy with tension, and Jessie’s thoughts raced.

If they lock me away, it’s over, he realized. The Eternal Hourglass will fall into their hands. I can’t let that happen. But what if I put everyone in danger?

His gaze flicked toward his teammates, each of them silent but resolute. When his eyes met Rhea’s, she gave him a single, firm nod. It was all the reassurance he needed.

The decision crystallized in an instant.

As they neared a junction, Rhea acted. In one swift motion, she grabbed the nearest guard’s weapon and flipped him over her shoulder. The crack of his armor hitting the ground echoed through the corridor.

“Rhea!” Mira shouted, reaching out, but before anyone could react, the remaining guards raised their weapons.

Instinct took over. Now that he knew it existed, Jessie felt it—the raw, untamed power of the Hourglass surging within him. He reached out, his mind focusing on the flow of time.

And then, everything slowed.

The guards froze mid-motion, their weapons inching toward their targets at an agonizingly slow pace. Jessie moved through the frozen tableau, as he knocked the guard unconscious one by one with precise strikes. The strain of using the power was immense, beads of sweat forming on his brow, but he didn’t falter.

Time snapped back into place as the guards crumpled to the ground.

“Run!” Jessie shouted.

The team sprinted down the hallway, their boots echoing against the cold metal floors. “Where do we go?!” Mira shouted, her voice barely audible over the blaring alarms.

“No clue!” Jessie replied, his chest heaving. “Just keep moving!”

“More Knights! Confrontation imminent!” Tidus’ scanners blared.

True enough, as they rounded a corner, another pair of guards appeared, their weapons aimed and ready. Jessie braced himself to use the Hourglass’s power again, but before he could, two figures emerged from the shadows.

Erling Krause and Ilka Rain.

With practiced precision, Erling’s chrono glove shimmered as he sent a pulse of energy that slowed the guards’ movements. Ilka moved like a shadow, knocking them down in an instant.

“Move!” Erling barked, motioning them forward. “No time for questions. Follow us!”

Jessie hesitated for a split second, but Mira grabbed his arm, pulling him along. The squad followed the members of Squad AX through the time tower, the sound of pursuing knights growing louder behind them.

Finally, they burst into the garage, where a Strider sat waiting. Its sleek design glimmered under the harsh fluorescent lights, and Elias Dune, the team’s brilliant mind who sat out the big fight of the hourglass, stood by the open hatch, waving them in.

“Hurry up!” Elias shouted, already packing their weapons into the Strider’s storage compartments.

“Elias Dune?!” Mira exclaimed, her eyes wide. “What are you—”

“Explanations later,” Elias snapped, shoving a crate into place. “You’ve got knights on your tail, and this is your only way out.”

The sound of boots pounding against metal echoed closer.

“Move!” Krause shouted, shoving him toward the Strider.

With no other choice, Squad GX scrambled into the vehicle. Dax and Rhea, despite their injuries, helped load the remaining supplies before collapsing into the nearest seats. As the hatch sealed, the Strider roared to life, its engines humming with power.

“Hang on!” Elias called from the cockpit. The Strider shot forward, the garage doors sliding open just in time for their escape.

As they barreled out of the Time Tower and into the sprawling city beyond, Jessie glanced out the window. His heart sank as he saw the massive screens across Neotera’s skyline flicker to life. His face appeared, alongside the rest of Squad GX, with bold red letters flashing beneath their images.

WANTED: DANGEROUS FUGITIVES.

That’s when he realized… he could never go back. The end had come abruptly, almost too abruptly.

Jessie leaned back in his seat, the weight of everything—his father’s revelations, Thane’s betrayal, and now this—pressed down on him like a tidal wave.

“Why did you help us?” Rhea asked, crossing her arms.

“Nice attitude to have against someone who saved you.” Ilka rain said coolly, half her face still bandaged. Before Rhea could retort Erling raised a hand. The last time Jessie had seen him was during his verbal attack on him after the fight in the cave. This time though he appeared way more composed. Almost back to his old self. Almost.

“I soon as I saw you walk into the tower I knew something shady would unfold. That’s why I followed you.” The ace of AX looked at Jessie.

“You followed us?” Dax raised a brow.

“I did. I knew there was something about you, kid…” Erling sighed, “But to believe you were the hourglass all along.”

“Did you… eavesdrop?” Talia asked, eyes narrowing.

“Oops, that was me.” Elias stated from the cockpit, aloof, “You know the whole of Time Tower is full of surveillance cameras, right? I just hacked into it.”

“That’s also probably how the High Arbiter found us…” Mira sighed, “Man, I’m stupid…”

“Don’t worry, Mira…” Liriana tapped her on the back.

“Analysis: main question still hasn’t been answered. Why is AX helping us?” Tidus inquired.

“Smart for a tin can.” Ilka quiped once more.

“The answer is simple,” Erling leaned forward, “If I let you fall into the wrong hands, then the death of my comrades for protecting you would be in naught. And I can’t let that happen.”

The ace of the knights’ gaze was resolute as he locked eyes with Jessie. His resolve was true and burning.

“Got it.” Jessie nodded, “I won’t let their sacrifices be in vain.”

There was a momentary silence as everybody realized the stakes they were dealt with.

“What now?” Talia asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil.

There was only one place Jessie and the others could find the resolution they were seeking…

“We go back where it all started… back at that cave.” Jessie declared.

“Can you take us there, Valis?” Ilka Rain asked.

“From my dad’s memories… I’m positive I can.”

“Splendid. Did you pack the anchor suits, Elias?” Erling turned to his friend.

“‘Course, it wasn’t hard to surmise we would be heading back where it all began after all.”

“So smart…” Mira muttered, in awe at seeing her idol.

“Well then, no time to waste.” Rhea said resolutely.