Arian exhaled deeply, letting the threads relax for the first time in hours. The portal pulsed behind them, a crimson heartbeat in the night, whispering of challenges, battles, and the inevitable confrontation with Orios.
For now, they had survived. But Arian knew the fifth thread had more to teach, and Orios had many lessons of his own.
He clenched his fists, threads glowing faintly in the dim light. *We will return. We will understand. We will master this. And we will face him—not just as a boy, but as the force he cannot yet anticipate.*
---
The northern sky had darkened into a deep, oppressive crimson, reflecting off jagged peaks and mist that seemed to coil like serpents around the mountains. The portal's pulse was stronger now, irregular and jagged, like a heartbeat struggling to survive. Arian stood before it, threads glowing faintly beneath his skin, vibrating in response to the chaotic energy that emanated from the temporal rift.
Kaelor's voice broke the silence. "This portal is different. It's a nexus, a convergence of multiple timelines. Any misstep could trap us in a loop—or worse."
Lianna stepped forward, her expression determined. "Then we proceed with precision. Arian, your fifth thread is our key. It senses the distortions. We follow its guidance—but you also choose which path to stabilize."
Sera adjusted the small temporal analyzer strapped to her wrist. "The readings are unstable. Energy spikes, collapses, echoes of alternate events… It's more dangerous than anything we've encountered. We must observe before engaging. Arian, feel the rhythm. Trust the thread."
Arian exhaled deeply. The fifth thread pulsed violently, like a living heartbeat entwined with his own. He closed his eyes, letting it stretch beyond his body, probing the chaotic energy. Visions flashed before him: timelines where cities burned, people he barely knew screamed, shadows of Orios moving across impossible terrains.
---
Kaelor moved closer. "You must understand, Arian. The thread can sense multiple outcomes simultaneously. Today, you will learn to manipulate—not just sense—the temporal flow within the portal. This is your first controlled test. Success will give us insight into the rift's structure. Failure…" His voice trailed off, leaving an unspoken threat hanging in the air.
Arian's hands trembled slightly, threads quivering along his arms. He could feel the portal's chaotic pull, the way it distorted not just space but perception itself. Every breath, every heartbeat seemed misaligned with the world around him.
"Focus," Lianna whispered, stepping close, her hand brushing against his arm in a grounding gesture. "The thread is alive, but you are the conductor. Lead it. Don't let it lead you."
---
He extended the fifth thread, tentatively probing the portal's unstable edge. Immediately, it pulsed violently, sending shockwaves through his body. The air around them shimmered, folding in on itself, and time appeared to splinter. Multiple versions of Arian flickered in and out of existence, each controlled by the thread's potential energy.
*This is it… the first manipulation,* Arian thought, gripping the thread with all his concentration. He allowed it to extend fully into the rift, feeling the chaotic pulses as if they were waves in a stormy sea. Slowly, deliberately, he guided the thread along one of the energy streams, stabilizing a fragment of temporal flow.
The world shuddered. A fragment of a collapsing timeline froze in place—a destroyed cityscape suspended in mid-decay. Arian's threads wrapped around it, locking the instability temporarily.
Lianna's eyes widened. "You did it… a controlled stabilization. Few can even touch the rift, let alone manipulate it."
Sera quickly recorded the data. "This… this is unprecedented. The thread is responding to temporal feedback. Arian, you are not just sensing—it's bending to your will. Carefully, now."
---
Suddenly, a shadow emerged from the stabilized fragment. It was fluid, constantly shifting, echoing faintly with the crimson energy of Orios.
"Temporal echo!" Kaelor shouted. "It's reacting to your thread manipulation. Be ready!"
Arian extended the threads rapidly, weaving a lattice of energy around the echo. It screamed, a sound that bent reality, rippling across the rift. The threads pulsed in unison, striking, containing, and analyzing the entity simultaneously. Arian's mind reeled from the sheer influx of temporal data, but he kept control, guiding each pulse with intent rather than instinct.
The shadow convulsed and splintered into fragments of light and darkness, then dissipated. The rift trembled violently, as if acknowledging the young thread wielder's growing power.
Kaelor exhaled slowly. "This is mastery in its infancy. Arian, remember—control comes at a cost. Every manipulation weakens the connection to your own timeline. Balance is critical."
---
The portal stabilized marginally, offering a glimpse of paths deeper within. Arian felt the threads respond, alive, aware, yet obedient to his will. He could sense possible futures, alternate failures, and victories, all layered atop one another. It was dizzying—but exhilarating.
Lianna placed a hand on his shoulder. "We will not leave this place without understanding it. But you… you've taken the first step toward bending time itself."
Maera added quietly, "And Orios will notice. Every pulse you control, every fragment you stabilize, will draw his attention closer. He is patient—but calculated. This is a warning and an invitation."
Arian clenched his fists, threads glowing brightly in the portal's crimson light. "Let him watch. Let him come. I will master this thread, master the rift, and we will face him on my terms."
Outside, the portal pulsed in acknowledgment, a heartbeat of impossible power. And in the distance, beyond fractured mountains and unstable skies, Orios's presence lingered—watching, waiting, and already calculating the next move.
For Arian, the line between student and master blurred, the threads no longer just an extension of his power—they were a voice, a guide, and a weapon. And the rift had only just begun to teach him its secrets.
---