Ash floated through the air…
But the air itself wasn't moving.
Everything had stopped.
Even me.
I am Aren Kael.
A Timekeeper.
Or maybe…
Just a man chasing time — never realizing it was burning me as I ran.
---
Cindros stood before me.
A silhouette born from ash —
But his eyes burned red with Spiral flame.
It felt like every moment of his existence…
Another memory inside him was dying.
---
Cindros (calm tone):
"So, you're the one trying to stop me.
You won't understand, Aren.
Time doesn't just flow.
Sometimes… it rebels.
And when it does, it burns."
---
I gripped the Spiral Rod tightly.
Me:
"I have no desire to become anything like you."
---
Cindros (faint smile):
"You're already becoming me."
He stepped forward.
A wave of ash came at me —
But it wasn't wind.
It was flame-born memory.
---
Tomo (panicking):
"BRO!! This isn't an illusion — it's a Spiral Memory Burn!"
---
Suddenly— everything blurred.
I wasn't here anymore.
---
I was somewhere else.
Aika was in my arms —
Bleeding.
Crying.
---
Aika (dying breath):
"Why didn't you save me, Aren…
You said you'd come back…"
---
Me (shattered):
"When… did this happen…?
This… never happened…"
---
I screamed.
I swung the Spiral Rod —
But the moment repeated endlessly.
Aika… dying.
Aika… blaming me.
Aika… disappearing.
---
Tomo (voice cracking):
"Bro… you can't escape this.
This is your mind's burnt future…"
---
And then— a hand pulled me out.
Through the burning spiral of regret—
Someone yanked me free.
Nero.
---
Nero (low voice):
"That wasn't real, Timekeeper.
That was the version of truth you're most afraid of."
---
I collapsed to the ground, gasping.
I didn't even know what world I was in anymore.
---
Nero (handing me a scorched cloth):
"Take this — a Spiral Burnproof layer.
Many like you have come here.
All turned to ash.
But if you truly want to understand…
Don't close your eyes…
When it begins to burn."
---
I picked up the Spiral Rod.
A new engraving had appeared on its surface:
> "Epoch Fang"
The rod had evolved slightly —
Its temperature… now bearable.
---
But just then—
Another vision struck me.
---
A man — with my face.
Wearing Spiral armor — black and red flames dripping from his skin.
His eyes — frozen.
Empty.
Like nothing remained inside him.
---
Cindros (his voice echoing in my mind):
> "That is you.
The version of you who won everything…
And lost everything."
---
I fell to my knees.
Blood dripping from my eye.
Spiral Rod smoking in my hand.
---
Me (inside my mind):
> "Am I really walking toward a path…
where everything burns?"
---
To be continued…