The Chronicles of Earth and Time

Chapter 14

"I have to go." He stated quietly then proceeded to leave the room. Terra quickly got up and followed him out of the room into the hallway leaving a confused Renna and Aria behind.

"Aevum, wait!" Terra called causing Aevum to stop in his tracks. Terra caught up with him then stood in front of him. His expression was blank and he just looked down at the floor. "I didn't even tell Aria and Renna what happened to Aqua and Aura. Where are you going?"

"I have to go help Aion and Gaia." He uttered quietly as he looked at Terra. "The note I got from Aion was a premonition. In the vision, Father Time and Mother Nature died. Aion knows what is about to happen, but it's against the rules to actually change time. Time can make many twists and turns we just foresee the many possibilities. However, Aion sees that this is the only possible future for him and Gaia. In any vision, it always ends the same way. That's why he gave me his time staff. If he gave me the time staff, that means he has given the position of Father Time to me." Aevum explained as he held up the staff and looked at it. "But I'm not ready to be Father Time. I need to help them if I can."

"Aevum, you just said that this is the only future for Aion, Gaia, and everyone. You won't be able to change that." Terra recalled as she stared at the time staff.

"I have to try." Aevum swore as he walked around Terra and down the hall. Terra ran after him and began to walk beside him.

"What are you doing?" Aevum asked as he saw Terra walking beside him.

"I'm coming with you." Terra stated as she looked up at Aevum with a smile. "I can't let you go alone."

"You do realize that you're still wearing your night gown right?" Aevum asked with an amused smile. Terra blushed as she looked down at her clothes and realized that he was right. She quickly then used her earth magic to conjure millions of pink flower petals. The petals then covered her entire body then suddenly burst into pollen leaving Terra dressed her long green floral dress. Aevum chuckled as they made their way toward the grand staircase and quickly descended down the stairs into the throne room. Aevum glanced at the two thrones and wondered if Terra and him would really soon be sitting on those thrones. They both reached the door and Terra held her stone up to the tree knot. The vine door appeared as Aevum turned the knot to open the door. Once they were outside, Terra teleported using her cyclone. Aevum watched for a moment marveling at the beauty of her teleportation. After a moment, Aevum then let the sands of time travel out of the Time staff and around his body. The sands of time was then able to teleport his body through the air and toward Father Time's Castle.

Terra watched as the sands of time flew through the air and land beside her. Suddenly, the sand formed into the shape of Aevum's body and the time staff. Once the sand completely formed his body, the sands of time traveled simultaneously toward the hourglass in the crescent moon of the staff leaving Aevum standing in the place holding the time staff. They both looked around and realized that they were in the forest outside the Father Time's Castle. Aevum began walk in the direction of the castle. Terra then fell to the ground clutching her head in pain. Aevum noticed that Terra was not behind him and looked back to see Terra in that state.

"Terra!" Aevum called in shock as he ran toward Terra as he fell to his knees. He gently put his hand on his shoulder and she flinched slightly. "Terra, what wrong?" Terra slowly pushed down the pain enough to let go of her head.

"It's the earth." Terra explained as she blinked back tears of pain. "It's screaming in pain." She looked up in the direction where the earth's pain was coming from and gasped. "Aevum, it's coming from Father Time's Castle!" Terra gasped as she pointed in the direction of the castle. Aevum looked and noticed the huge cloud of smoke hovering above the trees. Terra quickly got up and ran toward the castle. Aevum followed behind her and as they got closer Terra could feel the earth in that area die. When they got to the castle, Aevum could not believe his eyes. The place that he called home was in ruins. As Terra and Aevum walked through the debris and rumble, they noticed that there was no one in sight. It was eerily quiet as they looked for any signs of life. The dust that was lingering in the air made it almost impossible to see at all, but there was one thing that was somewhat visible.

"I think I see something over there." Aevum informed Terra as they began to walk toward what looked to be a really big shadow in the distance. "I can't believe it." Aevum commented upon reaching the last remaining thing of the castle.

"What exactly is this?" Terra asked utterly confused at what they were looking at. It looked to be a tower that had not completely fallen down. However, it still looked like it was not well off considering the large cracks that traveled up the sides of it. It seemed that the debris that was in large piles around it was the only thing keeping it from tumbling down.

"You don't recognize it?" Aevum asked as he strolled over toward it not the least bit worried about it falling on top of him. Terra followed him tensely as she tried to remember all the different rooms of the castle. She had not been in many of them, but she knew the basics of the castle. The last room she had been in was Father Time's study, as she would call it. Aevum climbed over the rubble as he circled the tower. Terra watched as he disappeared over the stones and waited for him to reappear. "Terra, come look at this!" Terra heard Aevum call. She made her way over to him and found him standing by a hole in the tower. "I found a way inside."

"Then what are we waiting for? Gaia or Aion could be in there." Terra declared as she made her way past Aevum and inside the tower. Terra looked around and recognized the gold walls of the room. However, they were now ruined and barely recognizable. She was surprised she recognized them at all. The furniture that was once laid out in perfect scheme with the room was now scattered among the room in broken parts. The stone dust that created the fog in the air outside was settled in the tower too. The dust covered absolutely everything in sight.

"Ithink that someone has been here recently." Aevum commented as he gesturedtoward the spiral staircase where there were footprints leading up the stairs. Hethen began to make his way up the stairs with Terra following closely behind.