Time Holders: The World of Balance

Seris, Oriel, Loyu, and Sornel made their way through the depths of the forest in search of any hint of Aldrus’s whereabouts. They had thought about splitting into two groups, but ultimately decided against it. It was a well-known fact that such decisions often ended in bad news, so they stuck together.

”See anything?!” Loyu asked, her voice buried by the wind.

”Not here! What about you, Oriel?”

”Nothing on this side, either!”

It had only been a few minutes since they parted, but the storm was getting harsher. The wind blew as though it meant to bend every tree under its weight, and the rain didn’t really help either.

It seemed like Aldrus had gotten a little too excited about the fact that he could now use a skill he once thought impossible, and too eager to execute his plan on that very same day.

The result—a total mess. By now, any footprints he might have left had long since been washed away, turning his hastily improvised plan into an even greater gamble.

And although his comrades didn’t know it yet, the storm was actually the lesser problem.

Minutes went by as fast as bullets, draining the youths’ stamina at an alarming pace. Many would have thought of the game as a harmless, recreational activity, but they couldn’t have been further from the truth.

In truth, the game itself was no ordinary exercise; from the harsh conditions they had to face to the special rules they were given, the entire week felt closer to a military boot camp than a high-school trip.

Yet this was not foreign to the kids. They were not playing around; they were training to survive. They couldn’t be treated like normal teenagers; it had been a long time since they were. A Holder was someone who would inevitably end up facing death, whether they strived to be selected or not.

Needless to say, most would rather be ridiculed than be chosen, which was essentially a death sentence. As for the few who wanted it, their reasons were often not strong enough to justify their lack of courage when the time came. It wasn’t crazy to assume those people were... idiots. On their end, though, the type of people those four would end up being was yet to be unveiled.

Soon, beneath the incessant shower from the skies, Oriel managed to make out a faint silhouette through the mist. ”Guys! Movement up ahead!”

Immediately, the rest tensed and adopted fighting stances, ready for whatever danger might emerge. Then, they began to approach the source in silence, led by the friendly caveman.

When they were close enough, the path ahead opened up. There, they quickly hid behind a fallen log covered in mud and moss. Oriel and Loyu were the first to arrive, dropping to one knee before stealing a glance. The caveman squinted, trying to discern the figure through the heavy rain. However, just as he managed to see, his eyes widened in surprise. ”Eh...? Aren’t those...”

Seris and Sornel swiftly approached their teammates, joining them at the back.

”What is it, big guy?” Seris asked.

”No... What? That doesn’t make sense. Who are these people?”

”Hey! Oriel, what’s going on?”

”I-I don’t know... It’s... It’s Aldrus’s roommate and someone else, but I can’t quite tell. They’re talking to four other people, but I don’t recognize any of them.”

The red-haired boy frowned. ”Are you kidding me? You’re saying they’re teaming up with the enemy?”

Oriel shook his head, still shielding his forehead with an arm. ”No, that’s not it. I-I don’t know, damn... I can’t se—” But just before he could finish speaking, the caveman suddenly flinched and turned around. ”Get down!”

Without hesitation, they obeyed and threw themselves into the mud.

A second passed in complete silence. Then two. Then three. Seris was just about to question him, but before she could, something flew past their heads at full speed and crashed into the trunk of a tree behind them.

In an instant, they snapped their heads toward it. Their gazes met a shocking scene.

Amid hundreds of wood chips and splinters was a thin, silver-haired boy gripping the mud. His face was covered in dirt and sweat. His breath was ragged, steam rising from his gasping lips. The academy uniform clinging to his body was torn and drenched.

”A-Aiden...?” Seris mumbled in disbelief. Her brother lay before her eyes in a state far worse than what was supposedly allowed.

The boy’s knees trembled as he fought to stand. His expression was somber, and as he raised his gaze to recover, recognition flared in his eyes. ”S-Sis...?”

However, that was the last thing he managed to say.

In the blink of an eye, a tall, cloaked man appeared out of thin air in front of him, and with a single movement, he slammed Aiden’s head into the ground.

”AIDEN!!” Seris screamed her lungs out in a furious frenzy. She launched herself forward at the man ahead so fast that no one on her team was able to stop her in time.

”Wait! Idiot, don’t go!” Sornel tried to warn her, but it was already too late. Seris was just inches away from the one who had hurt her brother, ready to strike from behind. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on her side.

The man simply turned back to face her and lifted a leg. Then, as if the girl before him were moving in slow motion, he kicked her in the stomach with the force of a train. In an instant, her frail body flew back like a rag doll, much as Aiden’s had done before. She crashed onto the ground and tumbled several times before her mangled body finally came to a halt.

Even with the wind and the rain drowning out every noise, the three young students swore they heard a single, stifled scream. The type of scream that was only possible through bloody lungs and broken ribs.

They paled; the reality of the situation finally became clear. This wasn’t part of the training. They were dealing with real threats.

Seris squirmed in terrible pain, gasping through her own blood. She turned her head to the side to prevent herself from choking on it.

To her surprise, two other bodies lay unconscious on the ground. Through teary eyes, the blurry image of a black-haired boy suddenly became familiar.

Aldrus... There you are.