After what felt like an eternity but also an instant, the speed of the time machine began to slow down. The colors outside the windows gradually coalesced into recognizable shapes and forms. The thrum of the machine softened, and the lights dimmed slightly, signaling their arrival.With a final, gentle jolt, the machine came to a stop. The interior lights stabilized, casting a warm glow over Serpens and Xin. They exchanged a look of excitement and anticipation before cautiously opening the door.Stepping out, they found themselves in a different world entirely. The air was fresher, carrying the scent of blooming flowers and freshly turned earth. They were surrounded by a vibrant landscape, with rolling hills, dense forests, and a clear blue sky overhead. The architecture of nearby buildings confirmed that they have arrived in a past, entirely different from the one they had chosen."Where are we?" Serpens asked, surprised. "This isn't where we are supposed to land. The time machine w

Serpens and Xin decided to follow the soldiers behind as they took the little child away."We'll be needing horses," Xin said, recognising the futility of trying to catch up with the soldiers on horses without their own personal horses."But where do we get horses? And besides, I don't know how to ride one," Serpens admitted."That's not a problem. All we need is a horse and I'll take the saddle." Xin replied confidently."Neigh..." They heard from Jong's horses which were still tied in the stable."I think we've got ourselves a horse," Xin said, a wide grin playing across her lips.She led the way to where the horses had been kept and there they were: horses of different colours of black, brown and white."Bingo!" She exclaimed. She quickly invited one of the horses and climbed onto it, ready to follow the trail of the soldiers."What about me?" Serpens threw his arms apart."Just get a horse before someone sees us." Xin replied.Serpens's brow firewood, "But I don't know how to ride

"It's not working," Xin sighed in exasperation after several attempts from Serpens to set the time machine back to the timeline where they had come from. Each attempt made by Serpens was met with the harsh notice, "Unable to process command. Alteration of time and space continuum.""This is bad," Serpens sighed."We've altered time in space. That's what Einstein's theory of relativity was saying." Xin remarked.Serpens's eyes opened in shock. If what Xin was saying is true then it could only mean one thing. The future has been altered and only God knows what is happening currently at Drake town."What do we do? We need to return home now," Serpens said with a sense of urgency in his voice."But there's no way we can return home without the time machine. And bedsides, we still haven't gotten what we came for. The seaweeds."Serpens stopped to think for a while, the weight of everything happening heavy on his shoulders. He couldn't imagine being trapped in the past. That will afford Ba

Serpens and Xin left the house awhile Tsung and Sonia hurried off to grandma Suki's place. Observing everything that was happening, Serpens could tell that there was something really going on and whatever it was, it was really serious."We're very sorry but we have to leave to attend to something urgent. Maybe we could talk some other time." Tsung had said just before he and Sonia left for grandma Suki's place."What are you thinking?" Xin asked, noticing the disturbed look on Serpens's face."I think we have to wait. I need to know what really happened to my parents on the night they died. If we leave now, I won't be able to find out." Serpens replied, the weight of the situation heavy upon his shoulders."But..." "Please understand Xin," Serpens interrupted. He already knew what Xin wanted to say. Tsung had told them that if preadventures a person fails to return to a timeline in the future after missing a day in the past, and travels to a much closer past, he or she has to return

The night was almost gone. Serpens and Xin should be heading back home already as any further delay could cost them more than they had bargained for."We only have one hour before midnight. We should leave now," Xin urged hastily.Serpens's eyes met hers. He understood quite alright the urgency of the situation but he couldn't risk going back without the see weed that they had initially come to get."We can't leave without the sea weed Xin. It's the reason we came in the first place?"But where can we find it?" Xin asked, her frustration palpable."Grandmother Suki's garden, I believe." Serpens quickly hailed the first cab that passed by. He knew he had to hurry up as they were already running out of time.Traveling from one past to another past has affected the space time continuum and if they should stay past midnight, they might be trapped in the past or worse, faze out of existence.They reached grandma Suki's house only to meet police officers there. They had come to deliver the