Time Holders: The World of Balance

It was early in the day when the four students set off on their march. The first half-hour was once more spent climbing up the crater walls, now more slippery and treacherous. The gray New Year sky hung low like an omen, warning the group of what was to come, and soon came the rain.

Aldrus was reminded of the rain he had last seen, back at the damp woods of struggle and kin.

How he missed those days could not be explained; they felt utterly distant, and blurry, and lost. It made him wonder: how would he miss the one of now? What would he feel about yesterday? Once and if he escaped and went back home, would that crater or that sky leave something worth storing in his heart? He wanted to know. He needed to know.

Not long thereafter, they reached the top.

The other side of the crater—the one they had not yet explored. The sight of the stark landscape somehow made them sad. Accustomed to its color and former sparkle as they were, now but sobbing clouds and gray remained. It was a bleak stretch of nothing at all, cold and dim like the room of one now dead.

The black-haired boy held fast, bracing himself against the push of singing winds. They were not far, but still not too close, and yet the fog already blew against their bodies with blunt and heavy and ruthless force.

Another warning, the boy thought. It felt as though the land itself worried for them; cared for them. As if it grieved over the idea of watching them all die.

Aldrus felt strange; he sensed an urge to calm and ease the earth—to tell it, ”Sorry, but I must keep a steady pace.”

The others felt the same.

As they plodded forth against the gale, shortly, at a distance, the source of the mist began taking shape: the edge of the earth met a vast sea, swallowed whole by a massive, lone cloud.

No great distance parted them and the grim landmass, looming tenebrously despite its gray veil. And even from afar, the youths might have sworn they heard wails of drowned crowds.

”What do we do now?” Cedric asked, shielding his face from the rain.

”Now we need our Master Craftsman to build us a boat,” Aldrus said flatly.

”What?!”

”Don’t worry, we don’t need a big ship, just a wooden board that can take us there,” the black-haired boy said. ”And also, Alice can go on her own, so just make sure the thing can carry us three,” he added.

”Aldrus, are you messing with me? Where the hell would I get wood here? This place has nothing!”

”Just use the trunk I helped you hew.”

”We don’t have anymore!”

”I do.”

”...what?”

”You didn’t think I’d help you fell some trees just because, did you?” Aldrus asked with a sly grin.

”Then how did you kn—”

The blond boy was about to finish, but the incredulous glances of his three classmates brought him short. ”W-What?” he asked.

”Cedric... we were headed to an island, you know? Do you know what an island is?” said Aiden.

”Cedric, an island is called an island because it sits surrounded by water,” said Alice.

”Cedric, we were bound to need a way to cross—”

”I know! I know, damn it! Stop playing with me, agh...! I’ll do it. Just... hand me what you have,” the blond boy said, glaring at Aldrus.

”Sure.”

***

Before long, Cedric was done building.

A narrow, flattened piece of wood bobbed along the shore—barely broad enough to bear three students, the thing was.

”A-Are you sure we’re not going to die?” Aiden said, taking an unwitting step back from the board.

”Tch! If you don’t like it, stay here. Let’s go, Aldrus,” Cedric said. ”...Aldrus?” He glanced back. ”Hey! What are you doing?!”

”Just making sure,” Aldrus said, kicking the dead trunk.

”Stop it! It’s not going to sink!”

”That’s what they always say.”

Aldrus did not truly seek to break it, of course. He just could not trust his eyes, for the thing looked as lame as it could be. Besides, he had spare wood just in case it was required.

Little did he know it mattered not how the board looked. Cedric had built it but with a single nail—merely his own hands, ten smacks, and little rain.

Aldrus’ pupils faintly widened. He had not known his friend to be proficient—at least, not yet. He had heard about his dream, seen him work at night, and used the swords he crafted; but now, with no time and no tools, and ugly though the result was, the boy felt his friend could one day thrive at last.

”It’s safe, Aiden,” Aldrus said suddenly.

His friend seemed to hesitate for a moment, but at length he simply nodded and crawled atop the board. Then, with not a single word, Alice clicked her boots twice on the ground and glanced in their direction. Aldrus hopped on the wood beside Aiden, and Cedric brought up the rear.

There, as if they were reminded that this might be their one last trip, the quiet on the shore blended in the thick, gray mist. And soon, the silver gleam of the girl’s gear pierced a path for them to see.

Thus each boy pushed back the sea beneath, and the blonde girl strode above. That was the way ten minutes went on by, and then ten more, and then an hour, and by the time the sun should have shone overhead, they had arrived.

Right there amidst the fog they were; the sand crunched and padded their feet. Moist was the air; it slithered up their nostrils with astonishing ease. It was cold and thick as smoke and had the scent of purest soil.

And in front of them, only their own hands could they now see.

Impossible... This is insanity! We won’t be able to advance at all!

The island’s name spoke for itself, yet it had not been enough for them to grasp how blind a zone it truly was. For the first time in their lives, keeping their eyes wide open made no sense, for veiled or not, they would be forced to move along without their sight.

Aldrus only noticed his friends had thought the same the moment the flutter of his cloak came to a halt. Aiden was there, behind him, his grip tight on the torn cloth. The others waited not to follow suit, and in the next moment, all stood in a line.

”Go, Aldrus. We’ll follow,” the silver-haired boy said.

”...alright. Just don’t let go—whatever you do.”