Chereads / Guardian of Time / Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Ripples in Time

Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Ripples in Time

After weeks of grueling training in various locations, Kronos had finally brought me here—to an empty dimension, a place devoid of life, sound, or color. It was the perfect place to focus, away from all distractions. The last time I saw Elara, we were just beginning to understand each other, learning how our powers connected, how time and space moved together in harmony. Then, our paths diverged.

Kronos said it was necessary—that sometimes, we needed to grow separately to realize our own strengths. So, Elara went with Solara, and I stayed with Kronos. I could still feel the weight of her absence, the way space had folded around her presence, leaving an emptiness when she was gone. It made sense to be here, in a void, where I could feel only time itself.

Today, though, felt different. There was a tension in the air, as if time itself was holding its breath. I reached out, feeling for the familiar current of time, but it was scattered, fragmented. Something was wrong.

---

Kronos appeared before Isaac, stepping out of a fracture in the air, his face grave. "Isaac, there's a disturbance. Something has thrown time off balance."

Isaac looked at him, surprise and worry flickering across his face. "What do you mean? I've been following your instructions. I haven't tried anything dangerous."

Kronos placed a hand on Isaac's shoulder, grounding him. "This isn't about your training. There are forces beyond our control, and sometimes they ripple through time in unexpected ways. We need to find the source of this disturbance before it causes irreparable damage."

Isaac took a deep breath, steadying himself. He had been training for this, for moments when time would require his intervention. "Where do we start?"

Kronos gestured to the fracture he had emerged from. "We leave this dimension and follow the ripple. It will take us to the source. But be warned—this may not be like anything you've faced before."

---

The fracture shimmered before us, a doorway leading from the empty dimension into the unknown. I had seen fractures before, but this one felt different, almost alive. Kronos stepped through without hesitation, and I followed, feeling the pull of time stretching and warping around me.

As I passed through, I thought of Elara again. Our separation was supposed to be temporary, a chance for us to strengthen individually. But standing here, in this fractured landscape, I realized how much I missed the balance she brought to my world. I didn't know when we'd meet again, but I held onto the hope that our paths would cross soon.

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As they moved through the fractured landscape, Isaac could feel the weight of time pressing down on him, the disjointed moments pulling at his senses. He knew he had to keep focused, to remember what Kronos had taught him. Each step felt like he was wading through quicksand, the fragments of time clinging to him, slowing him down.

Kronos paused, sensing something ahead. "There," he said, pointing to a faint glow in the distance. "That's the source of the disturbance."

They approached cautiously, the light growing stronger with each step. As they drew closer, Isaac could see that it wasn't just a light—it was a person. A figure, caught in the midst of time's chaotic flow, struggling to break free.

Isaac's heart pounded as they reached the figure. He could see now that it was a young man, his features distorted by the fragments of time swirling around him. Kronos knelt beside the figure, reaching out with a steady hand.

"This is the effect of a disrupted timeline," Kronos explained. "When a life becomes unmoored from its place in time, it tries to hold on, but the past and future collide. If we don't act, he'll be lost in this chaos forever."

Isaac felt a surge of determination. "What do we need to do?"

Kronos looked at him, a hint of approval in his gaze. "We need to stabilize him. Reach out and connect with his timeline. Feel for the points of tension and guide them back into place. But be careful—if you pull too hard, you could tear his timeline apart."

---

I reached out, my hands trembling as I touched the man's form. I could feel his timeline, stretched and frayed, like a rope on the verge of snapping. I closed my eyes, letting my senses flow along the strands, searching for the points of tension.

It was like nothing I'd ever felt before—each moment, each memory was a thread, a piece of his life woven into the fabric of time. I could feel the pull of his past, the weight of his future, all tangled and frayed. I took a deep breath, focusing on the tension, and began to guide it, smoothing the frayed edges, weaving the strands back together.

The man's form started to solidify, the fragments around him coalescing into a coherent whole. I could feel the strain, the effort it took to hold his timeline together, but I knew I couldn't stop. I had to see this through.

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Kronos watched as Isaac worked, his expression unreadable. He knew the risks involved in this task, the delicate balance that needed to be maintained. But he also saw the strength in Isaac, the determination that drove him to protect those caught in time's web.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the man's form solidified completely. The fractured light around him faded, leaving him standing there, dazed but whole.

Isaac stepped back, his face pale, but his eyes shining with a newfound understanding. He had done it. He had guided time, saved a life from the chaos of a fractured timeline.

Kronos placed a hand on Isaac's shoulder, a rare smile touching his lips. "Well done. You have the heart of a Guardian, Isaac. Remember this feeling—it will guide you through the challenges ahead."

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After stabilizing the man's timeline, Kronos and I retraced our steps through the fracture, returning to the empty dimension. The journey back was quieter, the fractured reality fading as we crossed through. The emptiness around us felt more familiar now, but somehow, the experience of guiding that man's timeline had changed how I viewed it. This place was no longer just a void—it was a canvas where time could flow freely, where I could focus on what I needed to become.

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**End of Chapter**