"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step"
I landed on the planet. The same grass, the same atmosphere, the same light illuminate. But something wasn't feeling right. I couldn't see the castle; I only saw a large area barricaded by walls of iron. I approached towards the castle… I was only eager to meet Areli and Karalos again, hoping they would not forget me…There was a large wooden gate held by the giant iron structure. I knocked on the door … no one answered. I kept knocking again and again but no one answered. I lost my patience and started kicking the door. All of a sudden, I felt someone was going to attack me. I dodged his attack and his sword went through the wooden gate, making his sword stuck into it. The attacker was a muscular, tall man, with white hair tied in the back, a gold in his neck, where a name was written, "Vasiliás Tou Fotós" … which I think meant King of Light.
"What is it that you are seeking, young one?" asked the tall man.
"I am looking for a man named Karalos. He is one of the Kings of this world…" I answered.
"Karalos? Scourge, is this the man you have seen?" questioned the tall man. And behind him stood an old man with a long grey beard, torn clothes, scars all over his both hands.
"What is your name, child? the old man asked
"I am Fuego (II) Kyran, I also go by Alev. And what you mean by that? I am all confused and I don't see any castle here." I argued.
"Calm down, child. You are about 12 years early. He is currently in his world, trying to find his way to murder his father." the tall man stated. "I am Fotis, the son of Eros, one of the four Gods. You may wonder how I know all these. The future generations of a God can see through time and even shift between alternate timelines without causing any destruction to the universe…"
"Stop this crap! I spent more than 5 decades and now you are saying I travelled back in time. Tell me how do I return back in time." I fumed.
"You didn't travel back in time; you rather came too much forward in time.
Every 47 years, our world faces a dire curse. The planet's core swells, consuming everything in its path until it becomes as large as the world itself. Two months later, it shrinks back to a planet again. But amidst this chaos, there's a constant: certain people are destined to arrive, no matter what. They bring change, renewal. Our world dies and is reborn in the same way, over and over. It's a cycle of destruction and resurrection, guided by fate's unyielding hand.… In simpler terms, the planet just gets killed and gets resurrected in the same way…" Fotis explained.
"Why does this happen?" I asked.
"Because of you…" He replied. "The consequences of your actions in your original world have rippled into ours, turning it into a nightmarish existence. Had you not chosen to end the immortal Lucius, none of this would have unfolded. Now, time itself has become twisted, no longer a linear path but a small, frenzied circle spinning faster than comprehension.
While the outside universe remains oblivious to our plight, here in our realm, time has warped, elongating our suffering. Fifty-six years for you, but more than two centuries for us, during which our world has been ravaged by destruction five times over.
But there is hope, my child. Only you possess the power to alter our fate and bring an end to this ceaseless cycle of devastation. You alone can stop the destruction and breathe new life into our shattered world..."
I started to feel guilty. I killed one world just to save my own world. The only thing that had hurt me the most is that neither Areli or Karalos knows me anymore…
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As time sped on, I found myself immersed in aiding King Fotis with his endeavors, notably constructing the magnificent Golden Castle. Nearly a decade slipped away in the blink of an eye.
However, our peaceful existence was abruptly disrupted. The land was engulfed by floods, leaving only the castle perched atop high ground. Amidst this turmoil, I was unexpectedly crowned the new ruler, bestowed with the title of the Time King.
Yet, on the very day of my coronation, our realm was shaken by a tremendous earthquake. Fearing the intrusion of trolls or the arrival of unfamiliar entities, I braced ourselves for whatever new challenge lay ahead.…
I mounted my horse and ventured out into the unknown, determined to uncover the source of the earthquake. As I traversed the area, scouring every inch of land, my efforts seemed futile. Yet, just when hope began to wane, I stumbled upon a figure lying prone amidst the dust and mud.
Instinctively, I rushed to the fallen form and gently cleared away the grime obscuring the face. To my disbelief, it was not the familiar visage of Karalos or Areli that met my gaze. Instead, it was a sight that defied all logic, a shock that reverberated to my very core—it was my own body.
A wave of surreal realization washed over me as I grappled with the inexplicable truth before me. This was not a mere coincidence or trick of the mind. It was a revelation beyond comprehension, a phenomenon known only to the people of Earth—a concept I never thought possible in our realm. Yet here it was….MY OWN BODY! MY OWN FACE! Which was lying lifeless before me…a puzzle begging to be solved.