Chapter 1 – The Echoes of Time

The battlefield was loud and full of chaos—cracks split the ground, ice shards flew through the air, and flames burned all around. I couldn’t move. Not because of magic, but because I was scared.

In the middle of the fight, Ram—our class rep who helped me survive the first few weeks—was trapped under a huge boulder. He groaned in pain. Nearby, Deeksha, the ice-powered class rep, stood strong. Her ice shields clashed with the fists of a huge rock golem.

Everything felt like it was falling apart.

Then, out of nowhere, a memory came back.

"Buy me my favorite butterscotch ice cream, Ash!"
My sister’s cheerful voice echoed in my mind. That simple promise suddenly gave me strength.

I looked at Time Dock and said, my voice shaking,
"What do I do? I’m not ready. I’m scared… I don’t even know how to use all these powers."

Time Dock answered, calm but firm:
"Hero of Time, your power comes from what you believe. Look at the mark on your palm—that's the Hero Seal. It gives you control over the Five Basic Elements. You also have a secret form called the Shadow Mantle. Use it to hide your identity. But remember: your greatest strength is your will."

I looked at my hand. The mark glowed like a tiny clock. Then I understood—I wasn’t just a kid with a weird device.

I was the Time Hero.

I remembered something from science class—E = mc². Energy = mass × speed of light squared.

What if I used time to increase my speed?

I imagined time flowing through my blood. My body  felt full of energy. I focused everything into one powerful punch.

BOOM BOOM

I disappeared and reappeared in the air—a red blur, fast like the wind. I punched the golem’s core with all my power.

It exploded like shattered glass.

Silence.

Dust floated around. The monster was gone.

Deeksha stared at me, shocked. Her ice shields melted. She rushed to Ram, still hurt and groaning in pain.

I stepped forward, voice calm and deep.
"Don’t be afraid. I’m here to help."

Tears filled her eyes. The "Ice Queen" had melted.
"Please, Hero… save my friend."

I nodded. Time Dock glowed. I placed my hand on Ram’s wound. Time flowed backward. His bruises faded. His wounds in the arm and his cracked bone healed. He opened his eyes and smiled.

"You saved me…" he whispered.

Deeksha looked at me, full of questions.
"Who are you?" she asked. "Can I… have your mail ID or something?"

I laughed a little.
"Sorry. I’m running late. I have a promise to keep."

And then—I vanished.

They ran through the school halls, trying to find me.

But I was already gone.

I landed outside an ice cream shop just as the sun was setting. My body hurt. My mind was spinning. But my heart felt warm.

I walked in and gave the cashier a small note:

"One butterscotch. For my little sister."

He smiled. I smiled. The world felt calm again.

Later, I sat under the Bangalore sky, eating the ice cream, and asked myself:

What now?

The monsters would return. The Hero Seal was only partly awakened. I still had a lot to learn—about Time Dock, about my powers, and about the other heroes like Ram and Deeksha.

But I had taken the first step.

And now…
The clock is ticking.

[To be continued…]