Honestly, I never had a fully formed opinion about Chronas. Even so, it's impossible to deny the difference between the two forms. While his human appearance gave me a sense of calm and familiarity, his true form — the one I see now — stirs a kind of nostalgic joy within me.
Amid that strange, hard-to-define feeling, Chronas and I stood still, face to face. Our eyes met—steady, silent. Chronas's gaze was locked on me, and I returned it with the same intensity. While my expression showed indifference, his revealed coldness—a complete absence of emotion.
By the way, Victor, Emily, and Laura were still standing motionless a few steps behind me. I could clearly see them watching Chronas — each reacting in their own way. Laura looked puzzled, her brow slightly furrowed; Emily watched Chronas with curiosity; and Victor, on the other hand, couldn't hide his anxiety — his restless fingers giving away his nerves. In the end, I couldn't really blame them for feeling that way.
Compared to "Sara" in her former human form, her true appearance made her completely unrecognizable. The transformation was so profound that not even her most familiar features remained — as if every trace of humanity had been erased. And, in a way, it made sense: at that moment, Chronas looked like the cosmos itself had chosen to take on a human shape.
The first voice to break the silence was Victor's. His tone carried a noticeable hesitation, laced with an almost tangible unease. The words came out trembling, as if he wasn't sure whether he should speak them at all: "Are you... really Sara?"
When Victor's voice reached us, Chronas and I finally snapped out of the trance we'd been in, tearing our gazes away from each other to fix them on him. Behind him, Emily and Laura stood just a few steps away, watching the scene unfold with a mix of bewilderment and curiosity.
For a moment, silence seemed to stretch between us — until Laura shot a quick glance at Emily, searching for some unspoken confirmation. Emily only responded with a subtle shake of her head — barely noticeable, yet clear enough to show that whatever was happening wasn't supposed to continue.
The very next moment, Chronas's lips, right beside me, finally moved. I could clearly hear Victor swallow hard. His hands clenched tight, his knuckles turning pale — an involuntary reflex of the nervousness he was desperately trying to hide. A faint tremor ran through his fingers, subtle enough to escape human eyes... but not mine.
Then, Chronas's voice broke the silence — steady, calm, unshaken: "Yes" A single word, simple and direct: "I'm still me, brother"
Chronas's usual expression softened for a moment. A faint, fleeting smile appeared on her face — so brief it might've gone unnoticed — before fading away, replaced once again by her familiar mask of indifference.
At the same time, Victor let out a short breath of relief, his hands slowly unclenching as if an invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Well..." he murmured, his voice low and uncertain, yet still clear enough for Chronas and me to hear.
Moments later, Chronas and I were standing before the vessel Althea had created earlier. It had the same stature and appearance as Sara, every feature meticulously replicated.
In the end, what it lacked was at least a shadow of the authority that Chronas naturally exuded. Still, the "Flow of Time" probably wouldn't notice the difference, even if Chronas and the vessel were standing side by side, right in front of it.
Nekra and Nyara continued to watch us from a distance; Nekra's gaze was indifferent, almost detached, while Nyara's carried a subtle but constant attentiveness.
Eryanis, on the other hand, seemed largely unconcerned with the situation. She sat in a chair, delicately holding a teacup, taking slow, ritual-like sips as if each one were a small ceremony.
Honestly, it was easy to tell she genuinely enjoyed tea — even when eating or drinking wasn't necessary for us. But, to be fair, I can't really judge her; I'm a huge fan of ice cream myself and never miss a chance to enjoy it whenever I can.
As these thoughts ran through my mind, Chronas raised her hand — smooth and deliberate. Slowly, a strange energy began to gather in her palm, swirling and pulsing as though alive.
The light that emanated from it had no defined color; it was, all at once, every color — a kaleidoscope that danced intensely, reflecting hues reminiscent of distant stars and cosmic nebulae.
Chronas lifted her hand, holding it for a moment in front of "Sara's" chest. The clone stood motionless, eyes closed, breathing in a mechanical rhythm.
A "living" body shaped by Althea — yet devoid of true essence. Merely a simulacrum performing basic functions, just enough to fool a casual observer.
The subtle rise and fall of its chest and the faint twitch of its fingers mimicked life, but there was something in its rigid posture and lack of warmth that betrayed its artificial nature.
Of course, despite the clone's superficiality, I wasn't the least bit worried about it being discovered.
Chronas didn't seem concerned either. In the end, even as an imperfect copy, the clone would serve well enough for our current purpose.
Then, a sharp thud echoed through the air — Chronas's hand pierced the clone's chest. At the point of impact, a vortex opened, spinning endlessly as the metallic sound of grinding gears reverberated — deep, discordant.
Through that warped fissure, something began to condense inside the clone's body: the same energy radiating from Chronas — weaker, dim like a distant reflection, yet unmistakably the same.
Chronas slowly pulled her hand away from the clone's chest. Her fingers slid gently out of the vortex, leaving behind a faint trail of shimmering energy that soon faded into the air. Then she turned toward me — the same cold, impenetrable gaze as always.
For a moment, the silence between us felt heavy, until her lips moved and a single word echoed — steady, emotionless: "Done"
I watched Chronas for a few seconds before turning my attention to the clone. I took a few slow steps, circling the copy carefully. The "Energy" radiating from it was noticeable — faint, almost wavering compared to Chronas's — like a drop in the middle of an ocean. Still, it was there, pulsing subtly beneath the surface. The "Flow of Time" would never be able to tell Chronas apart from her replica.
As I studied the clone and nodded, satisfied with the final result, Althea approached with her usual ethereal grace, gliding through the air a few inches above the ground.
"Looks like everything's ready" she said, her melodic voice contrasting with the cunning sparkle in her eyes. A faint smile curved her lips before she continued: "Now we can move on with the plan. All we need to do is send the clone into the Flow of Time... and then, finally, I'll be able to claim my reward"
A chill rippled through the air as her peculiar laughter — a sharp, discordant "Uhehehe..." — echoed around us.
The moment I heard her voice behind me, followed by that unmistakable laugh, a shiver ran down my spine. It was as if something inside me recognized the danger before my mind could even grasp it.
Keeping my breath steady, I slowly stepped away from her, feeling the weight of every movement, and spoke in a firm voice — perhaps firmer than I really felt: "Just remember one thing — I'm not doing anything we shouldn't be doing"
Althea let out a short, amused chuckle, tilting her head slightly in agreement. Personally? I didn't believe her for even a second.
Either way, in the next moment, I decided to ask what had been hammering in my mind — and as a result, all my sisters turned to look at me at once: (So... how exactly do we send the clone into the Flow of Time? Anyone have an idea?)
Facing their stares — which made it painfully clear I was supposed to know what to do — all I could do was shrug. What else could I do? I mean, I don't remember any of this. And even if I did, I doubt I'd know how to send the clone to that "Place" Still, it seemed Chronas already had everything under control.
"Leave it to me. I can send it using my own authority — after all, that place is also my home" Chronas's voice sounded calm, almost cold, carrying a tone of disinterest that made her words feel like mere formality.
Personally, I wanted to do it myself — even knowing there was no chance the "Flow of Time" would notice anything wrong. Still, that didn't change the fact that I wanted to keep Chronas as far away from it as possible.
In fact, I had the feeling I could've done it easily if I could use that same energy that had been radiating from Chronas earlier. The only problem? I had no idea how to generate it again.
Anyway, about Chronas's proposal — of course I'd known from the start she was capable of sending the clone through the Flow of Time. After all, if anyone knows the way home better than anyone else, it's her.
However, there's a reason I'm reluctant to rely on that method. It's simple: for it to work, she has to go with it.
Knowing that, I spoke to her without hesitation: (I'm going with you. I'm not letting my little sister go alone with that annoying guy)
Chronas blinked her beautiful eyes for a brief moment before nodding. At the same time, her lips twitched, revealing an almost imperceptible smirk — too quick for anyone distracted to notice.
Soon after, I explained the situation to Emily, Laura, and Victor, who until then had been unaware of the latest developments. However, their reactions — so distinct and unexpected — left me completely perplexed.
"Observing the Flow of Time... sounds fascinating. If it's not too much trouble, could you take me along?" Emily said, her soft voice tinged with curiosity, her eyes shining with a mix of wonder and anticipation.
"I wanna go too!" Laura exclaimed, her excitement gleaming just as brightly as Emily's.
Victor was the last to speak. For a few seconds, he remained silent, his gaze distant, as if weighing something important in his mind. I couldn't help but wonder what was going through his head to make him hesitate for so long — and when he finally spoke, his words didn't really surprise me, at least not from my point of view.
"I want to go" Victor said, his voice firm, filled with conviction: "I know I won't be much help... after all, I'm just a regular human. Even so, if possible, I'd like to go with Sara"
Hearing Victor's words, I turned my gaze toward Chronas, who stood quietly by my side. Personally, I had nothing against Victor going — but the final decision was still hers to make. Chronas noticed my look and, after a brief pause, turned to face me. Her eyes met mine, and then she nodded slightly — calm, yet resolute.
(You don't have to be so serious. If you want to go, I don't see why I should stop you) I said, my voice sounding casual and indifferent.