Hella

The cave was quiet, save for the sound of water dripping from the ceiling and the soft rustle of the leaves outside. Hella, the mysterious woman they had saved, sat cross-legged on a rock near the fire, her expression focused as she stared into the flames.

Lucius and Jones sat a little ways off, processing everything that had happened. Hella had been surprisingly calm about the whole situation, despite the fact that she had been tortured and nearly killed just hours ago. She seemed… older than she looked. And not just physically—there was a depth to her eyes, an ancient knowledge that Lucius couldn’t shake off.

He wasn’t sure how old she was, but she didn’t look older than thirty. And yet, when she spoke, her voice carried the weight of centuries.

“You’re not from this world, are you?” Lucius asked, breaking the silence. He had been meaning to ask her for hours, but the right moment never seemed to come.

Hella turned her gaze to him, a slight smile touching her lips. “No. I’m not.” She paused. “And neither are you, Lucius.”

Lucius raised an eyebrow. “How do you know my name?”

She just nodded, as though it were obvious. “I know much more than you think. I’ve lived long enough to know when something—or someone—feels out of place.”

Jones shifted uncomfortably beside him. “You said you were 380 years old. How is that even possible?”

Hella’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of quiet contemplation. “Time is different in many places. But to answer your question, I’ve lived that long because of magic. Magic that was given to me when I was young. I was chosen to be a keeper of knowledge. A historian. But not just any historian—one who sees the fabric of time itself.”

Lucius felt a chill run down his spine. “You mean… you can see the past and the future?”

Hella nodded. “Not just that. I see the flow of timelines, the birth and death of universes. I see the way they all connect, like threads in a vast web. It’s a dangerous gift… but it’s also a curse.”

Jones looked at her with wide eyes. “So… you can see everything? Everything that happens, or will happen?”

Hella’s gaze became distant, as though she were staring at something far beyond them. “Not everything. But enough to know that the multiverse is in danger. And you, Lucius… you’re at the center of it all.”

Lucius’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

Hella turned to look at him, her eyes piercing. “You were born of forbidden magic—twisted threads of time, souls, and power that were never meant to meet. You don’t belong in this world, Lucius. But that doesn’t mean you’re not important.”

Lucius felt a knot in his stomach. “Then what am I?”

Hella sighed. “You are a creature of many worlds, a being that was never meant to be. But now that you exist, you have the power to either save this multiverse… or destroy it.”

A silence hung in the air. Lucius couldn’t speak. What was he supposed to do with that kind of information? He was just a boy—a boy who didn’t even understand the magic inside him.

Jones cleared his throat. “So… the timelines. The universes. The gods. What’s the deal with all of that?”

Hella gave him a slight smile, as though glad for the change in subject. “Ah, the gods.” She leaned back against the wall of the cave. “There are many gods, each one tied to different realms and timelines. They are the rulers of their worlds, the keepers of order, balance, and chaos. Some are benevolent, others are cruel. But there’s one thing they all share—they cannot see the bigger picture. They are limited by the boundaries of their worlds.”

Lucius frowned. “So… the gods are stuck in their own worlds?”

“In a way, yes,” Hella replied. “Their power is immense within their own realms, but they cannot cross into other worlds without breaking the laws of reality. And that’s where the problem begins. There are certain… beings like you, Lucius, who were never meant to exist. You can slip between timelines. You can break those boundaries.”

“And the gods don’t like that,” Jones muttered.

“Exactly.” Hella’s expression darkened. “They are afraid of what you might do. Of what you could become. And so, they will stop at nothing to destroy you. Or, in some cases, to use you for their own purposes.”

Lucius shook his head, trying to process all of this. “I don’t understand. If I’m supposed to save the multiverse… why does it feel like everything is falling apart?”

Hella smiled softly. “Because you’re not the only one with power. There are others like you, beings born of forbidden magic. And they will try to use you—or destroy you. But in the end, it will come down to your choice. You can become a god… or you can be a weapon.”