Time & Space (Part 4/5)

The day was chilly, but my hands were clammy with sweat. Clearly, I was more anxious than I wanted to admit. Still, I pressed on.

Instead of simply flicking the time off this time, I concentrated and held against it. Magic swelled inside me and radiated out into the world. My body felt cold and light-headed, as if my soul was about to drain with it.

Then it all stopped. My surroundings turned gold, except a little darker this time. Black spots dotted the corners of my surroundings like rust on an album.

I took my first breath in the stagnant air.

“I did it,” I told Laza’veya. “Now we just have to find Lina!”

I turned around, smiling triumphantly, but what I saw made me freeze.

Shadows. Giant coils of them, slithering on the walls, writhing on the ground like worms. Little spectrums of colors danced upon them, similar to the dots of color you’d see after closing your eyes.

I stared at the slug-like creatures, petrified with horror. “L-Laza’veya…?” I croaked quietly – but there was no answer.

Before I could react, the creatures converged into one mass of shadow and flew right at my eyes.

I screamed. Moments later, hell descended on earth.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The city, always so lively and busy at this time of day, was completely still and lifeless. Not a single human moved or spoke.

Only the shadows’ screams could be heard.

I stumbled from place to place, my throat raw, my eyes half-blindfolded by the shadows that blocked in my vision –

“Help!” I yelled. “Somebody! Laza’veya!”

I could hear the creatures drifting closer. It was loud, so loud, all of their constant cries filling and piercing my ears. They were scattering in every direction, their unearthly screams dispersing with them. I tripped and fell, barely clasping to a stranger’s arm at the last second.

“Please…” I cried, hitting the arm weakly. But they were frozen.

Everyone was, all because I’d frozen time. Yet I couldn’t undo it, and I didn’t know why – I’d lost control.

And Laza’veya was gone.

Somehow, deep inside, I knew that this was its doing. I’d been tricked.

I could no longer hear my own sobs above the shrieks of the monsters. They were coming through portals and tears everywhere – giant shadows and snakes from another space, slipping into this world.

What’s going on?

I continued to yell, even as my knees buckled and I sank to the ground. “Laza’veya! Lina! Someone, please – it’s dangerous, w-we have to do something!”

My legs shook as I forced myself to stand and move. “Please. I’m sorry I was a fool, anyone, break out of this spell!”

Yet my pleas were left unanswered.

~When time is away, the creatures from space will come to play.~

Is the world going to end? I thought with dread. While I’m helpless – completely helpless?

“Sarah!” A familiar voice floated on the wind, faint compared to the monsters’ cries. “Sarah! Where are you?”

For a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears. Disbelieving relief gushed through my veins as I stood, shouting my sister’s name. “Lina! I’m here!”

Tears stung at my eyes. I walked forward, blind, arms stretched out –

Lina caught me, grabbing my hands as my knees buckled again. She pulled me into her arms where I stayed, sobbing, holding on for dear life.

“Are you okay?” she asked in panic. “Are you hurt?”

“Lina, I can’t see.” I forced myself to admit the truth. “Laza’veya…tricked me. It said that if I did this, y-you could be saved!”

“I told you. I told you not to listen to it.” Her voice was filled with harsh despair. Still, she hugged me tighter as I wept, trying to comfort me – even though this time, she couldn’t lie that everything was okay. I could still hear the monsters’ cries. There was no escape.

“I’m sorry!” I sobbed, my voice trembling. “I just wanted to help you, a-and there was no one else who would give me answers besides Laza’veya!”

Lina drew back, but I couldn’t see her reaction to my words. After a second, she grasped my hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

“Then it’s my fault, too,” she said quietly. “I hid everything from you. In a way, I’d pushed you towards Laza’veya. I’m sorry, Sarah.”

I tried to lift my head, looking up in her direction.

“Lina, just what’s going on? How did you know Laza’veya?”

She took me by the arm and guided me into what seemed like a nearby alley, from what I could see through the scrawls of black wriggling in my vision. I placed my hand against the wall, grateful for something stable to lean against.

“We don’t have much time, so listen carefully,” Lina said. “Laza’veya, like the shadows, are creatures from a different world. I found Laza’veya when I was a child, not long after I discovered my powers. And just like you, I fell for its lies.” She cut off bitterly. “…It’s a long story, but Laza’veya tricked me into freeing it – and it wreaked havoc for some time, until with some others’ help, I managed to imprison it again.”

I listened in shock. “‘Others?’”

“Yes. People who also had... strange powers.” Lina paused. “Still, Laza’veya was able to use magic, even within its cage. It used what remained of its power to curse me, and I left France in the hopes of finding a cure and keeping our family out of danger.”

She fixed me with a firm stare. “The fact that Laza’veya is using you like this and hasn’t cursed you shows that it’s depleted its power. That should make things easier for us.”

Countless of questions filled my brain, but I knew time was running out. Pushing them away, I whispered, “Then Lina, what can I do? Besides, h-how did me freezing time lead to this?”

“Those entities are creatures are from another Space,” Lina explained. “As long as life exists and time flows on Earth, a barrier is set up around it. Thus, the creatures are locked out and forbidden to enter. It’s the way this universe works to protect us.” For a second, I could vaguely make out her silhouette, staring up at the clock tower far away. “If they dared to venture here – such as Laza’veya had tried – they’d be punished and trapped before they could hurt anyone, until the day they fade away. But if time stops and life even temporarily vanishes…”

I felt sick to my stomach. “By freezing time, I disabled the barrier. I let those creatures in.”

“That’s right,” she admitted gently.

It was starting to make sense now – Laza’veya’s cage, its determination to make me use my powers, and its curse on my sister, Lina, who could control the movement of time.

“What do we do now?” I furiously wiped at my tears. “I…I can’t undo my time spell.” There has to be another solution. There has to be, I thought desperately.

“Laza’veya’s weakness.” Lina’s voice was bleak and grave. “If your spell is what’s causing this, then I’ll undo it. After all, I can speed up time.”

I jolted in shock. “W-what? I’ve never seen you use…” Then I realized it, and my blood ran cold. “No, you can’t! Your curse-”

“It’s fine. I know my abilities.” Her words were resolved. From hearing that alone, I felt my heart crack open. “My curse is nothing compared to the rest of the world’s importance. I can handle a little sacrifice.”

“Lina…” Confusion made me dizzy. “Y-you don’t know how much the price would be. What if the curse spreads?”

A beat of silence. And then…

“I know,” she said softly. “There’s a chance I won’t survive this. But it has to be done.”