"I time-traveled."
Tony said it, dead serious, no hesitation.
She blinked. "Wait—what?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I believe that. I believe it because... it happened to your father too."
She opened her mouth, stunned, about to respond—
"How did you—" Tony cut in, then caught himself. "Oh, sorry. You were about to say something."
She gave a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "It's fine. I'm cool with it."
Yamin's eyes intense. "Go ahead. I want to hear it."
She looked away for a second, as if replaying a memory, then turned back to him.
"According to what you said… my father time-traveled. To you."
Tony nodded slowly. "Yeah. He did."
"How?" she asked, voice laced with urgency.
Tony paused. Something flickered in his eyes.
"Can I ask a question first?"
"Yeah, go on."
"Does your family have any history tied to magic? Like... anything sacred, spiritual, or beyond the natural?"
She inhaled sharply, her expression hard to read. "My father... he had magic. Real magic. Ancient, inherited, dangerous. And my mom… she said as tears tickled down her cheeks.
Tony's heart dropped. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked that," he whispered.
He reached out slowly, brushing the tear from her face.
"I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice barely audible.
Her lips trembled. "Stop it," she murmured in a broken voice.
Tony stepped back slightly, guilt tightening around him. His sensitivity wasn't weakness—it was weight. The kind that came from knowing too much, too soon.Tony stood there for a heartbeat, eyes lingering on her tear-streaked face.
Then, slowly, he rose from his seat.
"I'm sorry... I'll have to leave," he said quietly, his voice almost too soft to catch.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked toward the door. The air felt heavier with every step.Upon reaching home, Tony collapsed onto his mattress, eyes fixed on the ceiling. His mind raced—replaying every moment, every word she said, every tear she shed.
He sat up, grabbed the Codex, and flipped through the ancient maps once again. Maybe... somewhere in these riddled routes and faded landmarks, his fate was waiting.
He traced his finger along the line that curved toward the Outer Forest Plains.
"If destiny speaks through time, maybe the tomb of Zabiida has something to say," he whispered.
---
Later that day...
Tony strode down the quiet streets, the Codex secured under his arm, determination pulsing through every step. The city's gate loomed ahead, guarded and strict.
He approached one of the stationed officers.That Arceus an Officer
"I want to go out. On a quest."
Arceus frowned. "What kind of quest?"
"It's private. For Yamin... one of the two." He lied.
Marcus narrowed his eyes. "I don't trust you."
Tony's jaw tightened. "But she does."
He stepped forward. "Open the gate."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried weight.
Arceus hesitated... then signaled the guards. The gate creaked open.
As Tony passed through, a voice called from above the wall:
"Good luck."
He glanced up.
It was Nether Mela, she had a message for the guards . She offered Tony a faint, knowing smile.
With a nod and a breath, Tony adjusted his saddled pack and stepped beyond the city's edge. His eyes locked on the horizon.
---
Hours later, the sun was dipping into gold as Tony moved across the wild grass of the Forest Plains, scanning the Codex map.
He marked each possible landmark—anywhere that could hide a clue to Zabiida's tomb... .
Everything was silent. No threats. No resistance. The world felt unusually still.
But then... his body slowed. Muscles ached. Breath grew shallow. He leaned against a tree, sweat lining his brow.
Exhaustion crept in like poison.
That's when he heard the hiss.
He turned—just inches from his face, a blood-red snake, its forked tongue flicking the air. Its head raised, locked onto him.
The fangs gleamed. The tail coiled slowly.
Tony froze.
"No sudden moves," he whispered to himself.
But time wasn't waiting. And neither was the snake.
Can Tony survive? Or will time claim another victim before his quest even begins...?