Gotcha! I'll flesh out the next set
Chapter 3: The Sands of Memory
The rogue Chronomancer, who introduced himself as Verrin, seemed calm despite Kael's clear hostility. "You were one of us, Lian," Verrin said with a smirk. "Before you chose to forget. Before they made you forget."
Lian's grip tightened on the hilt of his dagger. "What are you talking about? I don't even know who you are!"
Verrin sighed as though disappointed. "You really don't, do you? It's worse than I thought." He gestured to the massive hourglass beside him. "This? This holds fragments of what they took from you. Your memories. Your power. I've spent years gathering them, waiting for the right moment to remind you who you truly are."
Kael's patience snapped. "Enough riddles!" he growled, lunging toward Verrin. But before his blade could strike, Verrin flicked his wrist, and time seemed to ripple. Kael froze mid-motion, his face twisted in rage.
Lian's heart raced. He stepped forward cautiously. "If what you're saying is true, why didn't you come to me before?"
"Because you weren't ready," Verrin replied. "And because the Chrono Guard would have killed you before you could awaken."
The hourglass began to glow brighter, the sand within swirling violently. Verrin glanced at it, his expression darkening. "I can't hold this portal much longer. If you want the truth, come with me now. Leave the Guard behind—they've lied to you from the start."
Lian hesitated, torn between Verrin's words and Kael's unyielding loyalty. But the pull of the hourglass was undeniable, tugging at something deep inside him.
"You'll have to choose, Lian," Verrin said, extending his hand. "Your past… or your present."
---
Lian's decision was instantaneous. He grabbed Verrin's hand, stepping into the swirling energy of the portal. Kael's frozen form disappeared as the light consumed him, and for a brief moment, Lian felt as though he were falling through endless space.
When the light faded, they stood in a desolate landscape, barren and broken. The sky was fractured, pieces of it hanging like shattered glass. Time here seemed unstable—Lian could see flickering images of the past and future overlapping, creating a disorienting kaleidoscope.
"This is what happens when time collapses," Verrin said, his tone grim. "And it's only going to get worse unless we stop them."
"Stop who?" Lian asked, his voice raw.
"The Keepers," Verrin replied. "The ones who erased your memories. They control the Heart of Time now, and they're using it to reshape reality to their liking."
Lian felt a pang of disbelief. The Keepers were legends, revered by the Chrono Guard as protectors of balance. Could they really be the enemy?
Before he could question Verrin further, the ground trembled. Figures emerged from the shadows—automatons of gleaming metal, their eyes glowing with a cold blue light.
"Looks like they've found us," Verrin muttered, drawing his weapon. "Stay close, Lian. You'll need to remember how to fight."
As the automatons closed in, Lian's instincts took over. He manipulated time around him, slowing the enemies' movements and creating openings for Verrin to strike. But as they fought, flashes of his past returned—training alongside Verrin, wielding the power of time with precision and purpose.
When the battle ended, Lian was shaking. "I knew how to do that," he whispered.
Verrin placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're starting to remember."
---
As they ventured deeper into the fractured realm, Verrin revealed more about their shared history. Lian had been one of the most powerful Chronomancers in existence, a leader in the rebellion against the Keepers. But when the rebellion failed, the Keepers wiped his memories and placed him within the Chrono Guard to ensure he could never rise against them again.
"You were a threat to their control," Verrin said. "So they turned you into their pawn."
Lian's mind reeled. The Chrono Guard had raised him, trained him, given him purpose. Could it all have been a lie?
Their conversation was cut short when they stumbled upon a ruined temple. Verrin stopped abruptly, his expression tense. "We're not alone."
From the shadows emerged a figure clad in ornate armor, their presence radiating authority. It was one of the Keepers.
"Lian," the Keeper said, their voice calm but commanding. "You don't belong here. Return to the Guard, and I will spare your life."
Verrin stepped in front of Lian, his blade raised. "Don't listen to them. They'll say anything to keep you under their control."
The Keeper's gaze shifted to Verrin. "And you… You should have stayed hidden. Now you've forced my hand."
The ensuing battle was brutal. The Keeper wielded time as a weapon, creating deadly paradoxes that Lian struggled to counter. But as the fight dragged on, fragments of his former power resurfaced, allowing him to hold his own.
In the end, the Keeper retreated, but not before leaving Lian with a chilling warning: "The truth will destroy you."
---
Lian and Verrin took refuge in a hidden sanctuary, a safe haven Verrin had created for rogue Chronomancers. The place was filled with artifacts and relics, each pulsing with temporal energy.
As Verrin tended to his wounds, Lian explored the sanctuary. He found a journal filled with entries written in his own handwriting—accounts of battles, alliances, and betrayals.
One entry stood out: "If the Heart of Time falls into the wrong hands, all of existence will unravel. We must destroy it, no matter the cost."
Lian confronted Verrin. "Why didn't you tell me we were trying to destroy the Heart?"
Verrin met his gaze evenly. "Because you wouldn't have believed me. The Keepers want you to think the Heart is sacred, but it's the source of their power—and their corruption."
Lian's resolve hardened. He didn't know who to trust anymore, but one thing was clear: he needed to reclaim his memories.
Guided by the journal, Lian and Verrin set out to find the next fragment of the Heart. Their journey took them to a battlefield frozen in time, the remains of a war Lian couldn't remember.
As they searched for the fragment, Lian's visions grew stronger. He saw glimpses of the war—his allies falling, the Heart shattering, and himself making a desperate choice.
But the Keepers weren't far behind. They sent enforcers to stop Lian and Verrin, leading to a climactic confrontation. As the battle raged, Lian finally pieced together the truth: the war had been his doing. He had shattered the Heart to protect it from the Keepers, knowing it would cost him everything.
The realization hit him like a tidal wave. He wasn't just a victim—he was the reason the timeline was broken.