The Weight of Choice

Kai sat in the corner of Moia’s apartment, his fingers absently tracing the worn edges of the map. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, a storm of doubts and fears that refused to calm. The ticking of the cursed clock was louder now, almost deafening, each beat reminding him of the time slipping away.

How many more times would this happen?

The question had been haunting him for days, ever since the figure had spoken those words—the 22 quests were the easy part. The rest? The rest was his to fight for. And yet, he felt something darker looming over him, something that could not be ignored. The weight of the world was pressing against him, the weight of Moia’s safety, the weight of their love, and the weight of the choice he had to make.

The quest seemed simple in theory, but as Kai’s hand tightened around the sword he had sheathed beside him, he knew nothing was ever as simple as it seemed.

Every time he stepped into the forest, every time he fought another creature, another demon or monster that threatened the world, he felt the pull of the clock—a reminder that even in his victories, there was always something more. Always a deadline. Always something left to lose.

"I’ve been thinking," Moia’s voice broke through the haze of his thoughts. She was sitting across from him, her gaze focused on him, her eyes always so full of understanding, of clarity. "You’re worried. I can see it in the way you look at me."

Kai’s chest tightened. He couldn’t hide it from her. She always knew.

"You always know," he muttered, his voice hoarse.

Moia shifted, moving to sit next to him. She didn’t speak right away, just placed a gentle hand on his, grounding him. The pressure in his chest eased, just for a moment. He wished he could feel her warmth and comfort forever, but the clock was ticking, and that was something he couldn’t ignore.

"I know you're carrying a heavy burden," Moia said softly. "But you don’t have to carry it alone, Kai."

"I’m the one who made this choice," he replied, his voice shaky. "I’m the one who keeps failing, no matter how hard I try. I don’t even know if I’ll make it this time. The clock keeps ticking. The world resets. Everything keeps resetting… and it feels like I’m losing something every time. Every time I fail, something slips through my fingers, and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep doing this."

Her fingers tightened around his, steady and firm. "You’ve never failed, Kai. You’ve only been learning. Every reset, every failure, you’ve only grown stronger. Stronger than you think. And you're not the only one who's struggling." She paused, her gaze shifting to the window, the moonlight casting a soft glow on her face. "But I know that it’s not just the quests that scare you. It’s the time. The fact that no matter how much you try, you can’t control it."

Kai swallowed, a bitter taste rising in his throat. "You don’t know what it feels like. To carry this, to know that every single decision I make could be the one that breaks everything. To know that time is slipping away, and I may not even have a future with you."

Moia’s eyes softened with compassion. "I know more than you think. And I know what you’re afraid of. Losing me. But, Kai, you can’t live your life by constantly looking over your shoulder. You have to trust yourself. Trust us."

Kai closed his eyes, fighting the urge to break down. "I want to. But I’ve been manipulated. Blik, the figure, all of this… I don’t know if I’m making the right choices anymore. I’m scared that I’ll do something... wrong. And lose you anyway."

There was a long silence, the weight of his words hanging between them. Moia shifted again, this time taking both of his hands in hers, her touch steadying him.

"You’re not being manipulated, Kai. You’re making choices based on what you believe is right. And that's all you can do. It’s not about perfection. It’s about doing what you feel is best in that moment."

"But what if I’m wrong?" His voice cracked, the vulnerability slipping out before he could stop it. "What if I choose the wrong thing, and everything is lost? I can’t go through that again. I can’t lose you again."

Moia shook her head, her eyes locking with his. "You’ve already fought so hard, Kai. And no matter what, you’ve always been fighting for us. Fighting for me. That’s all I need to know."

Kai let out a shaky breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the weight of everything, the pressure of the quests, the weight of the love he had for her, but more than anything, he could feel the looming dread of what was coming next.

"Blik told me the quests would be the easy part," Kai muttered, his mind spinning. "But he also warned me—time will be the hardest part. And I feel it. Something’s coming, something bigger than I can handle. I can feel it, Moia."

She nodded, her expression unwavering. "I believe you. And I know that you’re going to find a way to end this. But just remember, no matter what happens, we’re in this together."

Her words were like a lifeline, and Kai clung to them desperately. "But what if it’s not enough? What if I don’t have enough time?"

Moia didn’t answer at first, just let the silence stretch between them, the ticking of the cursed clock the only sound in the room. Finally, she leaned in, her forehead resting gently against his. "Then we’ll make it enough. Together."

Kai’s breath caught in his throat. He wanted to believe her. He needed to believe her. But as the seconds ticked away, each moment dragging him closer to the unknown, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was truly ready for what was coming next.

The figure had warned him that the 22 quests would be easy. He had thought he understood, but now, standing here with Moia, he realized that it wasn’t just the quests that he had to worry about—it was everything else. The choices, the consequences, the way time could bend and break at his will. And Moia, the love he had fought for, was the one thing that kept him grounded, that kept him human.

But would it be enough to save her?

Would it be enough to save them both?