(UNDERGOING EDITS) Gift of the Future (Ninjago au book 8)

Prologue

The master of time shifted in his sleep. These dreams had been coming and going, getting more vivid each time.

Something awakening from the depths, the city being plunged into a strange and cold darkness, a face he could never fully make out, Borg Tower crumbling to the ground with his family still inside, brother, husband, and daughter, his power failing him repeatedly as he tried to go back from these events, but nothing ever happened.

This dream, more like nightmare, always ended there as the dust from the tower engulfed him.

Acronix could hear himself scream before he snapped awake and sat upward in his bed. One hand clutched his heart while the other found it's way to Borgs hand.

He could feel the tears flowing down his face again, as Borg shifted next to him letting out a soft grumble as he stirred awake.

Borg, through his sleepy dazed could make out Acronix's panicked breathing and shaking body. He quickly pushed himself up and scoot himself over to his husband.

"Nixie?" He spoke softly, now wide awake. "It's okay, I'm here." He moved a careful hand toward Acronix's face. "It's okay, I've got you. I'm not going anywhere."

Those words seemed to get Acronix's attention as he slowly looked toward Borg. "That's what I fear." His breath hitched. "You not being able to leave. What if something happens? What if I can't reverse it? I'm not ready to lose everything again."

Cyrus scoot himself closer and leaned against Acronix softly. "I take it you had that dream again?" A light sob was Borgs only answer, but it told him what he needed to know. "You need to tell your brother about this. You know he's been studying the element of Time, since he no longer holds any of it he feels the need to help you with these things."

"I can't tell him Cy. How do I tell my brother that I dream of his death every night? How do I tell him that it all feels so real?"

"I'm sure if you tell him, he'll understand Nix. I recall him saying something about his dreams of your separation while he waited for your return."

"That happened, Bug. He was reliving trauma through a nightmare. What is it my dream is showing me?" Acronix looked down slightly.

"Ask the Devines?"

"I've tried. They don't know what this is about. Jikan said it's as if something is blocking her power to see beyond the now. She's tried everything."

"What happens in these dreams of yours?"

"It always starts different. Like it could happen at any time and just needs the proper conditions met. But I always leave the tower at some point. The day goes on, time seems slower than usual. Then, Cole says, 'Can you feel that? It's like the earth is mad at something.' " Acronix paused. "No one feels it though, not even Lloyd feels the earth move. Not until some, surge type thing passes through Cole. Then we feel it, like the earth was knocked out of orbit or something. There's these flashes I get of a face, but I can never fully make it out. It seems so familiar."

"Bad or good familiar?"

"Bad. Worse than bad even. Like, it's something, someone I've chosen to forget. P.I.X.A.L. gets some kind of alert from the city, cracks in the roads, buildings falling apart. Everyone rushes back to the city to help with everything going on but the whole time there's this feeling in my gut that something's wrong. T-the sun hasn't moved far enough for the time to be so late. The closer to the center of the city we get, we start hearing this low growl clearly."

Cyrus nodded. He knew his tower stood in the middle of the city. "Do you ever see what's making the noise?"

Acronix shook his head. "All I ever see, is the earth below the tower split open wide, and then-" the word barely came out. "the tower falls. It's slow, but it always feels so fast. I try to reverse it but my power never works. It's like I'm not strong enough to stop it from happening. The three of you never have time enough to react. From P.I.X.A.L.s alert to the tower falling is a mere five minutes, every time, it's only five minutes." His breath caught in his throat. "The only thing that wakes me is the dust of the tower as it hits the ground completely."

"If the events are consistent, this could be a vision."

"That's the scary part."

"What is?"

"Like Jikan, my powers fail me. They've been... fluctuating. It's as if I can't control them anymore."

Acronix had been super reluctant to go to training sessions or out on missions recently. Even, the usually exciting, showing off the power of time to its future holder seemed to make him nervous now.

"Show me?"

Acronix looked at Borg quickly with a sigh. "I don't know if I can." He flipped the covers off himself and stood from the bed, taking a few careful steps away from it.

Borg watched as Acronix's struggled to even light his hands, any of the colors of time. Acronix let out a few frustrated grunts as power flickered softly in his palms. It changed each time, like he couldn't even control which power he was using. Finally he gave up trying and let his hands fall back by his sides.

"I can't. It won't obey me anymore. I feel so... limited. I can't hear the others anymore either. It's like I've been cut off." Acronix slumped back to the bed and flopped back beside his husband.

Borg laid beside him and grabbed his hands. "We're in this together, okay? I'll stay by your side if you wish it."

Acronix looked into Borgs eyes desperately. "I don't know if that will even help." He chuckled sadly.

Curious about how Acronix became sole master of time or a Devine of Time? Check out my other stories Betrayal, or the Ninjago short stories book. You don't have to but it may help out with future chapters and such.