A few moments before Lil'blackie and the river of time vanished into the cosmic void, back on the moon, the man stood in the shabby hut, his gaze fixed on the unfolding events with a mixture of surprise and grim anticipation.
The dilapidated walls of the hut creaked in the eerie silence that followed the river's appearance, the faint light of the twin moons casting long shadows that danced across the worn floorboards.
As the golden light of the river began to stretch across the cosmos, bathing the entire galaxy in its ethereal glow, the man's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat.
He hadn't expected the river to manifest so quickly or with such intensity, but deep down, he knew this might happen. The cosmos was delicate, and tampering with the very fabric of time was bound to provoke a reaction of this magnitude.
His hand instinctively reached for the amulet hanging around his neck, a simple yet intricately carved piece that pulsed faintly against his skin.
The man's fingers tightened around it, feeling the warmth emanating from the amulet, a warmth that offered a strange comfort amidst the chaos.
This amulet, given to him by a mysterious figure whose motives he still did not fully understand, was his only protection against the cosmic forces he had dared to disrupt.
The man's mind raced as he watched the river of time engulf the boy in the sky. He knew that the boy's reckless actions had thrown the cosmic order into disarray, but what truly surprised him was the river's decision to swallow the boy whole.
He had anticipated a reaction, but not one so severe. The amulet around his neck began to hum softly, resonating with the immense power that was now coursing through the galaxy.
For a fleeting moment, the man felt a pang of guilt, a rare emotion for someone who had spent countless years manipulating events from the shadows.
He knew he was partially responsible for what was happening; his own actions had also nudged the cosmic balance towards this tipping point.
Yet, he had the amulet—a shield against the wrath of the universe, a tool that allowed him to bend the rules just enough to survive unscathed.
As the river of time receded, the man's surprise turned to a cautious relief. The amulet's protection had held, shielding him from the river's gaze and preventing it from dragging him into the temporal abyss.
But he couldn't shake the feeling that he had only narrowly escaped a far worse fate. The man exhaled slowly, his breath visible in the cold air of the hut. The cosmic order had been disrupted, but not beyond repair—not yet, anyway.
His eyes, sharp and calculating, took in the final moments of the event. The river seemed to linger for a second longer, its golden-silver currents swirling in contemplation as it gazed at the sun.
The man's grip on the amulet tightened, his heart pounding in his chest as he waited for what would happen next. He had seen the river of time before, in visions and ancient texts, but never this close, never so intimately tied to the fate of those he was observing.
When the river finally disappeared, taking Lil'blackie and the boy with it, the man let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The golden light that had filled the galaxy faded, leaving the universe once again in the cold, indifferent embrace of the void.
The man relaxed his grip on the amulet, his mind already working to piece together what had just occurred and what it meant for the future.
His thoughts drifted to the mysterious figure who had given him the amulet. What was their true purpose in all of this? Had they foreseen this outcome, or was this merely another step in a plan that stretched far beyond even his understanding?
The man didn't know, but one thing was clear—he had survived this cosmic event because of that figure's intervention.
With a final glance at the now empty sky, the man turned away from the window and back into the shadows of the hut. The eerie silence that followed the disappearance of the river of time was broken by the sound of soft, trembling breaths.
The woman behind him had fallen to her knees, her face pale and her eyes wide with shock, struggling to comprehend the enormity of what had just occurred.
Seeing her in such a state, the man's expression softened—just slightly—and he approached her with measured steps. He crouched down beside her and gently patted her shoulder.
As soon as his hand made contact, a strange energy surged through his fingers, sending a controlled jolt into her body. The woman gasped, her eyes flickering with life once more as the shock dissipated, replaced by a calmness that wasn't there before.
"You should be grateful," the man said in a low, steady voice, his tone carrying an undercurrent of something almost like concern, but more distant. "Grateful that you were in this hut with me."
The woman blinked, her mind still reeling, but she focused on his words, trying to make sense of them. The man continued, his eyes darkening with the weight of what he was about to reveal.
"This hut, and I, protected you from the energy of the river of time. If you had been outside, unshielded by these walls and without my presence, you would have suffered a fate far worse than you can imagine." He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in. "The river of time is not something to be taken lightly. It can make you live all your past and future lives simultaneously, force you to experience every moment of your existence in an instant."
His voice lowered, almost to a whisper. "Many who encounter it go mad, unable to bear the weight of their own lives. Some... simply cease to exist, their minds and bodies unable to withstand the sheer force of it."
The woman's eyes widened in horror as she realized just how close she had come to such a fate. She looked at the man with a mix of fear and gratitude, understanding now the depth of what he had done for her, even if his motivations were still unclear.
The man straightened up, his hand leaving her shoulder, and she felt the absence of that strange energy almost immediately. He turned his back to her, his thoughts already drifting elsewhere, as if the events of the past few moments were merely another fleeting occurrence in a life filled with such anomalies.
The woman slowly nodded, acknowledging his words, though she still struggled to process everything that had transpired.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to regain her composure. "I didn't realize… I didn't know…"
The man gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod, his expression unreadable. "There is much you do not know, and much you do not need to know. But understand this—your survival here is not by chance. The protection I offer comes with a price, one that you must be willing to pay when the time comes."
His words hung in the air, a veiled promise of things yet to come. The woman swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to find the words to respond. She knew that she was indebted to him now, tied to whatever plans he had set in motion.
The man released her shoulder and stepped back, his gaze shifting to the amulet that still pulsed faintly against his chest. He could feel its power, the protection it offered, and the mystery that even he couldn't deduce.
The river of time had come and gone, but the consequences of that event were far from over.
"Rest now," he said, his voice softer but no less commanding. "You will need your strength for what lies ahead."
The woman nodded again, slowly rising to her feet, though her legs felt weak beneath her. She glanced at the man one last time before retreating to a corner of the hut.
As the man watched her go, he allowed himself a brief moment of contemplation. The river of time had disrupted the cosmic order, but he had been prepared for it, just as he had been prepared for everything else.
His grip on the amulet tightened as he turned back to the window, his thoughts already moving to the next step in his plan.
The galaxy was vast, and its secrets many, but he had come this far, and he wasn't about to let anything—or anyone—stand in his way.