CHAPTER FOUR- LET'S END THIS FIGHT

The battlefield burned with rage and sorrow. Cyborgs and ancient humans clashed in a storm of fire and steel. Laser blasts cut through the air, spears pierced flesh, and the ground trembled beneath the cries of the dying. Smoke, blood, and dust hung heavy, choking the sky itself.

From within the chaos, Michael staggered forward, his eyes wide with horror. His trembling hand reached for his throat, pressing a small device that pulsed with a faint blue glow.

“STOP THIS NONSENSE!”

His voice thundered across the battlefield—stronger than machine, stronger than man. It echoed in both ancient tongue and modern speech, carrying the weight of desperation.

But the killing did not stop. The chaos drowned his plea.

Michael’s face twisted with bitter resolve. “I knew this would happen…”

He sprinted to a tree at the battlefield’s edge, ripped a concealed device from his pack, and slammed it into the ground. A flash—then a deafening shockwave tore through the noise.

BOOOOOOM!

The ground shook. Dust surged outward. For the first time, silence spread across the battlefield.

Every soldier—ancient or modern—turned to him.

Michael’s chest heaved as he shouted, “Please—STOP THIS! I can explain!”

From the crowd, a figure emerged. The King of the ancient village, his body streaked with dirt and blood, raised a spear dripping red. His eyes burned with grief.

“Who the hell are you people?” His voice cracked with fury. “You are not welcome here. Look what you’ve done—my people… my family… DEAD!”

Michael’s gaze faltered, then hardened.

“We didn’t come here to fight,” he said, steady but pained. “We were pulled through time—by the comet. We’re from the future. From Neon. Hundreds of years away. None of us asked for this.”

The King spat into the dirt. “And how do I trust your words? You slaughter my men, destroy my home, and beg for mercy?”

Michael’s voice lowered. “We lost people too. This war… it’s stealing lives from both sides. Please. Don’t let grief become more death.”

The silence was heavy. The warriors on both sides held their breath.

The King’s spear wavered. His chest rose and fell with a long, tortured breath. At last, he lowered the weapon.

“Fine,” he growled. “Stay. But hear this—you will never step foot into my land again.”

Michael bowed his head deeply. “Agreed. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The survivors regrouped at the jungle’s edge. The vines glowed faintly under the setting sun, a strange beauty in this hostile land.

Michael gathered the wounded and the weary. “We’ll move into the forest,” he said firmly. “This place will be our base. From here… we’ll find a way back home.”

And so they marched—cyborgs, doctors, engineers—into the living maze of ancient Neon.

Days later, at a clearing deep within the forest, an energy generator came alive with a gentle hum. Its glow cast light upon the leaves as though the forest itself was breathing.

Steve knelt beside the machine, tightening a last bolt. Stella wiped sweat from her brow, watching the core stabilize.

Michael entered—and froze. His eyes widened as he took in the sight.

“Unbelievable… You actually did it. The last cores we had were failing. But now… they’ll live.”

Stella smiled softly. “Steeve did most of it. I just followed his lead.”

Steve grinned, chest puffed out. “Told you. Professional engineer.”

Cyborgs lined up, connecting one by one, their cores flickering back to strength. For the first time since the war began, hope filled the air.

In a makeshift lab, blueprints and fragments of metal lay scattered across a moss-covered table. Michael’s hands moved quickly, guiding a small team of scientists.

Steve picked up two weathered sheets. His eyes narrowed.

“What’s this, bro?”

Michael hesitated. “Weapons. Military-grade. Found them in our old house. Dad’s work.”

Steve’s expression darkened. “Why the hell are you using his things? You know what kind of man he was.”

“I’m not following his path,” Michael replied calmly. “But his research… might be the only way we survive.”

“If he were still alive,” Steve muttered, voice low and bitter, “I’d kill him myself.”

“That’s enough,” Michael warned quietly. “People are watching.”

Stella stepped in, catching the heavy air. “What’s happening? Are you two fighting again?”

Michael forced a smile. “No. Just… discussing.”

“Really?” she asked, suspicious.

“Yes.” He tapped the blueprints. “These… may be the key to getting us home.”

Stella leaned closer, confused. “But… they’re weapons.”

“Not just weapons,” Michael corrected. His eyes glimmered. “These designs create an energy burst so fast, it looks like speed. But it isn’t. It’s time manipulation. A temporary void in space-time. Crossing distance in zero seconds.”

Stella’s breath caught. “That’s… insane. Who designed this?”

Michael’s lips pressed shut. He couldn’t speak the truth.

Steve stepped in quickly. “Stella—you can’t meet him.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“Later. Please… just trust us.”

Hesitant, she nodded and walked out.

Steve turned back to his brother, voice soft. “I didn’t know you were using his work for the time machine.”

Michael lowered his gaze. “We need everything we can. Even his sins.”

The brothers stood in silence, the weight of the past between them—then stepped forward and embraced.

Night fell. In the forest workshop, the brothers and their team unveiled the glowing blueprint of their salvation: a machine unlike anything the world had seen. The Time Machine.

Steve’s voice trembled. “This… this might actually work.”

Michael’s hand tightened on his shoulder. “Then let’s build it. No matter what it takes.”

As tools clanged and sparks flew, thunder rolled outside. A storm gathered, heavy with warning.

Then—

A scream tore through the night.

“FIRE! THE GENERATOR—IT’S OVERHEATING!”

Michael and Steve bolted outside.

The generator flared violently, its glow searing bright. Sparks exploded. Cyborgs collapsed nearby, their cores shorting out.

Michael’s heart pounded. “No—no! The energy overflowed!”

Steve’s eyes widened. “It’s going to explode!”

They lunged forward, hands flying over controls, tools clattering.

From the shadows, Stella screamed—“Michael! Steve! LOOK OUT!”

And then—

BOOOOOOOM.

A white flash devoured the forest.

Silence.

Darkness.

To be continued....