Welcome back dear readers,
Now our real story begins, hopefully you liked the introduction of our characters!
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On the top of a towering spire, two men stood silently, gazing at the sprawling city below. It was a moonlit night, and their contrasting appearances were as stark as their temperaments. One had long silver hair that gleamed under the pale light, while the other's ink-black hair flowed like an endless shadow.
The silver-haired man exuded an aura of timelessness, like a divine beast cloaked in human form. His piercing blue eyes carried a mesmerizing quality—one iris shaped like the dials of a clock, the other resembling the face of a compass. Around his neck hung a pendant with a delicate hourglass encased in its center. This was Chronos, the legendary Time Mage.
Beside him stood Raphael Valoria, the Emperor of the Healian Empire. His commanding presence matched his regal appearance. Every inch of him spoke of power, from his sharp crimson eyes to the way his long black hair swayed with an otherworldly grace. He was the Space Mage, a man revered and feared throughout the empire.
Together, they were two of the three Archmages of the Healian Empire—a rare and formidable alliance.
The faint sound of footsteps echoed behind them. A third figure approached, his presence as vibrant as the dawn after a storm.
This man had a striking appearance—vivid pink hair and violet eyes that shimmered like gemstones, a testament to his daring experiments on himself. He was Yule, the Headmaster of the Academy for Special Talents and the esteemed teacher of Princess Magda, Raphael's daughter.
As he joined them, Yule greeted Raphael with a respectful nod before turning to Chronos.
"It's been far too long," Yule said warmly. "Chronos, the recluse of the Eastern Isles, gracing us with his presence. A hundred years, hasn't it been?"
Chronos gave a small, enigmatic smile. "One hundred and three," he replied softly.
Yule chuckled, the sound rich and teasing. "Still as precise as ever, I see. You haven't changed a bit."
Chronos gestured to the small table between them, where an ornate tea set awaited. "Sit. Let's talk."
The three Archmages settled into their chairs. As Yule reached for the teapot, he glanced at Raphael. "You're awfully quiet, Your Majesty. For someone who's the youngest among us, you carry yourself like you've seen a thousand winters. Relax a little."
Raphael's lips tightened, but he said nothing. Chronos watched the exchange, a faint smile playing on his lips as he stirred his tea with deliberate grace.
Yule continued pouring tea, his tone light and conversational. "So, Chronos, how is the Eastern Isles? Still living like a hermit?"
Chronos nodded, his answers brief. "Peaceful. Isolated. Suits me."
Yule laughed. "I suppose that's one way to avoid the chaos of the empire."
He turned to Raphael, the teasing glint in his eyes returning. "And you, Emperor Valoria? Still brooding over problems that even time can't fix?"
Raphael's gaze shifted to Chronos, his voice cutting through the jovial atmosphere. "Are you certain there was no other way?"
Chronos didn't immediately respond. He set his teacup down, his expression serene. "You're an optimist, Raphael. A cute trait, considering your role."
The Emperor's crimson eyes burned with suppressed anger. "If the path you chose was the best, then explain this: my wife is dead, my daughter was swapped at birth, and she endured sixteen years of suffering before I found her. How is that the best path?"
Chronos stirred his tea leisurely, his gaze distant as though addressing an unseen audience. "Magda could have been killed. She might have been traded for peace with the Mermaid Clan, turned into a broodmare for the High Devils, or sacrificed to pacify the White Saber." He looked at Raphael, his silver eyes unyielding. "Which of those fates would you have chosen for her?"
Raphael's jaw tightened, his fury tempered by the cold weight of Chronos's words. He remained silent, his fists clenched at his sides.
Chronos's voice softened, yet it carried an undeniable authority. "As long as Magda grew up under your care, her powers would never have had a chance to blossom fully. Even as a bud, she would have been a commodity—a pawn to secure the empire's peace."
"Your wife…" Chronos hesitated, his tone tinged with regret. "She has a chance at freedom because she died. Had she lived, she too would have been imprisoned and enslaved."
Raphael growled low, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. Chronos, however, remained unshaken, sipping his tea with a calm that only deepened the tension between them.
Yule, sensing the rising intensity, cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair.
"Well," he said lightly, "this reunion is off to a fantastic start. Shall we change the subject before we all end up shouting?"
Raphael's fists clenched, his crimson eyes blazing with fury.
"My wife and I were strong enough to protect ourselves!" he snapped, his voice reverberating through the night air.
Chronos remained unfazed, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to Raphael's outburst. He took a slow sip of tea before setting the cup down with deliberate precision. "You are strong, Raphael, but strength alone doesn't suffice. The trap you face wasn't crafted overnight. It is something they have prepared for centuries—centuries, Raphael. You are just fifty-two, a mere juvenile among archmages. You cannot possibly comprehend the depth of their schemes."
Yule raised his hands in a placating gesture, his violet eyes glinting with a mixture of concern and frustration. "Calm down, both of you. This is the first time the three of us have ever met in person. Let's not squander it with arguments."
He turned toward Chronos, his tone softening. "Chronos, go easy on him. You know how much he's suffered."
Chronos's expression shifted in an instant. His serene blue eyes darkened, morphing into a piercing purple. His gaze locked onto Yule with a sharpness that made even the Headmaster falter.
"And what about me?" Chronos asked, his voice low and icy. "Do you think I haven't suffered? My entire life has been thrown into chaos because of Raphael's inadequacy."
Yule stiffened, his composure slipping. "Chronos—"
"Do you know what it's like?" Chronos continued, his voice rising slightly. "To go back, again and again, only for my wife to die miserably each time? No matter how much I tried, no matter what I changed, her fate remained the same."
He leaned forward, a sadistic smile curling his lips. "Tell me, who is more terrible? A husband who cannot keep his wife alive? A father who allows his daughter to die over and over again? Or a teacher who goes insane every time his student meets her end?"
Raphael shot to his feet, his aura flaring with raw power. "That's enough, Chronos!" he roared, his voice shaking the air around them.
Yule's usual jovial demeanor faded. His expression turned somber as he stared down at his cup. "What can I do?" he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Chronos leaned back in his chair, the cruel edge to his smile softening. "There's not much we can do ourselves," he admitted. "The results will be the same, no matter how we struggle."
For a long moment, silence reigned, broken only by the faint rustle of the wind. Then Chronos looked at them both, his tone shifting to something more measured. "What you can do," he said, "is make Magda and her allies strong."
His gaze settled on Raphael, and a mysterious smile played on his lips. "I leave the awakening of Chronos in this timeline in your hands."
Raphael frowned, his irritation evident. "You're giving me more work."
Chronos chuckled softly. "Guide me well this time. Raise me carefully, Raphael."
He turned to Yule, his tone gaining a touch of warmth. "And you, Headmaster—don't be overprotective. Give your student all the resources she needs to grow strong. If she's to protect herself, she must be prepared for the worst."
The three continued to talk, their earlier tensions giving way to a more subdued camaraderie. Yule eventually broke the silence with a question. "So, Chronos, is this the year your mortal body awakens?"
Chronos tilted his head in thought. "I unsealed it a little earlier this time," he admitted. "Perhaps it will lead to something different."
As the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, Chronos rose from his chair. He turned toward the glowing sky, his body shimmering like glass. Slowly, he began to fade, his form becoming transparent.
Before vanishing completely, he glanced back at Raphael and Yule, his lips moving silently. "Take care of me."
And with that, he disappeared, leaving the two remaining Archmages bathed in the golden light of the rising sun.
Raphael and Yule stood silently, their gazes fixed on the horizon where Chronos had disappeared moments ago. The golden light of dawn bathed the spire, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly.
Yule broke the silence first, his voice quiet yet tinged with awe.
"That was the longest conversation I've ever had with Chronos," he admitted, his violet eyes reflecting a rare vulnerability. "And the first time I've seen him so... human. He's usually as cold and distant as the divine beast he resembles."
Raphael's crimson eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he recalled the flashes of purple in Chronos's gaze during moments of agitation.
"It seems the Swan's Curse won't leave him," he remarked, his tone carrying an edge of pity. "Not even with his partner gone."
Yule's lips curved into a wry smile.
"For beings like Chronos, the Swan's Curse—" he paused, correcting himself, "or True Love's Blessing, as some romantics call it—must feel like the cruelest of fates. To either flourish or perish alongside their loved one... it's a blessing wrapped in a curse."
The words hung heavily in the air, the weight of Chronos's eternal struggle pressing against their thoughts. The two men stood in quiet reflection for a moment longer before Yule sighed, his demeanor shifting. "We should go."
As they descended the spire, Yule glanced at Raphael, his expression serious.
"I don't know what Chronos has seen in the river of time," he began, his voice measured. "But one thing is clear—he's not going to remain passive anymore."
Raphael tilted his head slightly, his gaze questioning. Yule continued, his tone softening with a hint of personal resolve. "For an elemental mage, their personal disciple isn't just a student. They're a child. And whoever is targeting Magda is targeting more than just her."
"They're targeting the balance," Raphael concluded, his voice a low growl. "The system that keeps the human world stable—space, time, and elemental magic working in harmony."
Yule nodded, his violet eyes darkening. "Magda's death wouldn't just mean the end of the next Space Mage. It would also drive me into madness. My powers, unclaimed and untethered, would die with me. The entire structure of the Three Mage System would collapse."
The weight of his words settled heavily between them, each man lost in his own thoughts. The stakes were clearer now, the danger more pronounced. Whoever their enemy was, they were playing a dangerous and deliberate game.
As they reached the foot of the spire, Yule turned to Raphael one last time. "Whatever the future holds," he said softly, "we cannot let them succeed."
Raphael's gaze hardened, a steely resolve settling into his crimson eyes. "We won't," he said quietly.
Together, they parted ways, the sun climbing higher into the sky as the spire stood tall against the dawn. The future remained uncertain, but one thing was clear—this was only the beginning of their battle.