"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
"Good evening," Sonia Ryu greeted, her warm smile, a testament to her gentle spirit.Serpens almost melted at the sight of his mother. It was like a dream seeing the woman who had brought him to life once again. He wanted to call her mother, but he held back realizing he had come from the future so to speak."Good evening Ma'am," Xin returned the greeting as she Could see through Serpens the emotional battle he was fighting within."Looking for someone?" Sonia inquired.Serpens had to regain himself, "Yes, we're here to see Mr. Tsung Ryu," Serpens replied."Really? Come inside," Sonia ushered them in gesturing for them to take their seats."Honey..., you've got some visitors," Sonia quickly notified Tsung, who was at the last phase of building the time machine."Who are they?" Tsung asked, his voice echoing from his room."Oh, what's the name?" Sonia turned to Serpens and Xin, as the realization dawned on her that she had met them without asking what their names were."I'm Xin," Xin w
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
Serpens kept an eye on Attorney Logan. He knew whatever he was about to find out that night would be the answer to the question he had asked for years regarding the death of his parents."Make sure you don't lose him," Serpens instructed the taxi driver whom he had paid to tail Attorney Logan's car. The drive was quite a long one but in no time, they arrived at the place where Attorney Logan had asked his father to meet him.It was both his parents that had come which made his heart beat. He had the feeling that what he was about to witness could probably make him cry but he was ready to see everything for himself.Tsung and Sonia stepped out of the car and met Attorney Logan who had equally stepped out of his car too and was now walking towards them."Attorney, why did you call us here?" Tsung asked, having the feeling that something wasn't right about the call he had received from him."I'll advise you to give up the SFX-chip," Attorney Logan began. "Hitler won't stop until he gets
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
"Officer, we didn't do anything wrong," Serpens sighed in frustration. "Then can you please explain to us what you were doing in a house that had been abandoned for over thirty years?" The bald headed police officer asked, his face devoid of any smile.Serpens's brow furrowed, unable to understand what the police officer meant by saying that his parents' house had been abandoned for over thirty years. His parents died when he was five and he was currently twenty one years old.He was already having the feeling that something was quite off, but hearing what the police officer had said coupled with the fact that he wasn't seeing inspector Lui nor inspector Chan or any of the familiar faces he knew in the CIA, only seemed to confirm that indeed, something was wrong."Xin, I think something is wrong," he whispered."What's that?" Xin inquired curiously, whispering as well."I think we've come to the future as you've wished." Serpens continued to whisper. "My parents died barely fifteen y
The following morning, the chief granted Serpens and Xin bail. Just before they could leave, he gave them a card. "Just in case you don't have anywhere to go, you can put up with him. Just give this to him and you'll have somewhere to stay."Serpens took the card from him, his eyes widened in surprise as he saw the name of was addressed to, "Professor Layton,""Be careful out there. You're out against forces beyond our understanding." "Thank you Chief," Serpens nodded. "We will.""You're not planning to go there are you?" Xin asked, pointing at the card that he was holding, as they left the station."Of course not, we have to get back home as soon as possible."They hailed a cab and it took them back to Serpens' parents' house. They were careful to make sure the neighbors didn't find out that they were back. He knew once he could get the time machine to take them out, there will be no way the police can find them again.Unfortunately for Serpens, as he activated the time machine, it
"Please listen to me professor," Serpens tried to protest but Professor Layton wasn't ready to listen."Trapped in a timeline? Do you think I'm a fool? My wife and my child are dead because of you! I don't want to hear anymore of your absurd excuses.Xin had to step forward, seeing that professor Layton wasn't ready to listen to Serpens. "Professor, please listen to him. He's telling the truth. In order to prevent this, we really need to get back and we can't do that without your help?"But professor Layton was beyond reasoning. His grief had turned into a fortress of bitterness, impenetrable by their pleas. "I said get out of my property. I don't want to see your faces ever again."Without giving them a chance to explain, he slammed the door shut with a resounding thud. The sound echoed through the empty house, a stark reminder of the void that had consumed his life. He stood there for a moment, his chest heaving with the intensity of emotions, before turning away from the door.Left
The priest stood solemnly at the edge of the grave, his weathered hands clasped around a simple wooden cross. His voice, steady and calm, reverberated through the air as he spoke the final prayers, his eyes reflecting the sorrow of the moment. The soft rustle of leaves was the only sound as Rose was laid to rest, the earth slowly covering her.Serpens stood nearby, tears silently welling up in his eyes, his heart heavy with grief. As the ceremony ended, people began to approach him one by one. Xin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, his face solemn. Lan, always reserved, offered a quiet nod of respect. Serena’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she whispered her condolences. Dr. Sun, with a grave expression, grasped Serpens' hand in solidarity, while Inspector Lui, ever the stoic, simply said, "I'm sorry." Finally, Tiara approached, her eyes filled with understanding and empathy, and she gave him a brief, supportive hug.After everything was said and done, as the crowd disper
In an instant, Rose disappeared into the portal, her figure merging with the energy of the Dragon Stone. There was a flash of blinding light, and the portal sealed shut, its power absorbed into Rose’s being. The energy of the Dragon Stone flowed through her, and the stone itself crumbled to dust, its dark power dissipating into the air.Serpens and Xin watched in awe, their hearts heavy with the sacrifice that had just been made. Rose had given herself to save the world, her courage and selflessness breaking the cycle of darkness that had threatened to engulf them all.For a moment, all was quiet, and then, from the stillness, a gentle breeze began to blow, carrying with it the promise of a new dawn."No!" Serpens cried as he rushed towards her. Rose fell on his arms, her form as cold as ice. "Don't leave me, Rose," Serpens cried. "Please come back," The strange lady spoke, "This was bound to happen, greet dragon. She's your fourth sage, the one who would help you win the war agains
Serpens struggled to his feet, his heart pounding with fear and frustration. Winter was too strong, even with the combined might of the dragon lords. They couldn’t overpower him—not like this. But what frightened him more was the sight of Xin, now standing on the rock, her hand trembling as she raised the dragon stone toward the point where the sunlight met the sea."No!" Serpens cried out, his voice breaking with the weight of his despair. But his words fell on deaf ears. Xin, lost in Winter’s spell, placed the stone on the rock. The moment the stone touched the surface, the sunlight intensified, its beams converging on the stone and then spreading outwards, enveloping Bahamut in a blinding light.The light was quickly swallowed by a sudden darkness, a pitch-black void that seemed to emanate from Bahamut himself. The last chain around the dragon’s neck glowed fiercely for a brief moment before shattering into a thousand pieces. The sound of the chain breaking echoed like thunder acro
The Third World Sea stretched endlessly before Serpens, a vast expanse of shimmering waters that reflected the dark, starless sky above. The air was thick with a mystical energy, a sensation both familiar and foreign, tugging at the edges of his consciousness. As he stood on the shore, the quiet lapping of waves against the rocks was the only sound, but Serpens could feel the presence of something ancient and powerful nearby.From the depths of the sea, a massive form began to rise, the water cascading off its scales like liquid silver. Doromu emerged with a grace that belied his immense size. His golden eyes, warm and wise, fixed upon Serpens with a gaze that seemed to peer into the very depths of his soul. The dragon’s scales shimmered with a soft, radiant light, contrasting the dark waters around him."Welcome, Serpens," Doromu said, his voice deep and resonant, echoing across the stillness of the sea. He lowered his head in a deep, respectful bow. "Great Dragon, it is an honour to
The uproar in Draketwon that night increased people ran to find safety from the threats of the dragons which descended upon the city like a flock of birds.It wasn't long after that the armed forces of Draketwon set into action. Helicopters, their blades slicing through the night air, emerged from the darkness. It was a show down of the humans versus the dragons, as fire bathed the entire city like a flood.The roar of the engines filled the cockpit as Captain Marcus Rourke, the seasoned leader of the air force squadron, adjusted his headset. His eyes were steely, focused on the horizon where plumes of smoke rose from the city below. The once-vibrant metropolis was now a war zone, engulfed in chaos as dragons soared through the sky, their fiery breath raining destruction upon the streets.“Echo Squadron, this is Captain Rourke,” he spoke into the radio, his voice calm but laced with urgency. “We’ve got eyes on the target. Multiple dragons are engaged, laying waste to the city. They’re
Tiara sat at her usual spot in the school courtyard, the sun dipping lower in the sky as the hours ticked by. The news of the Zorvath's going through Serpens' locker in school, had become the news of the day, but that wasn't her problem.Her concern was in the fact that Serpens whom he had called to tell what had happened didn't show up in school. She couldn't help but wonder why he didn't show up after he told her he was already on his way when she called him earlier that day.After the first set of classes of the day, she decided to go to the courtyard and hoped that before the afternoon classes would commence, Serpens would show up.Her gaze flicked anxiously toward the school gates every few minutes, hoping to see Serpens' familiar figure stride through. But as the shadows lengthened and the students trickled out in groups, laughing and chatting, there was no sign of him.By now, the courtyard was almost empty, save for a few stragglers. Tiara’s worry had shifted to a gnawing unea
As Serpens pondered Zorvath's enigmatic riddle, a figure emerged from the trees surrounding the lake. It was a young woman with piercing green eyes and long, curly brown hair. She approached Serpens with a confident stride, her gaze fixed on him."Ah, Serpens," she said, her voice husky and mysterious. "I've been searching for you. My name is Lyra, and I possess knowledge about your past and your connection to Xin."Serpens's eyes narrowed, unsure if he should trust this stranger. But something about Lyra's words resonated deep within him."What do you know?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.Lyra smiled, her eyes glinting with secrets. "Let's just say that I can help you unlock the truth about your draconic powers and the reason behind Winter's pursuit."Zorvath, who had been watching the exchange, suddenly spoke up. "Lyra, you shouldn't be here. This is a matter between Serpens and me."Lyra turned to Zorvath, her expression unfazed. "I'm afraid I have a stake in this too, Zorvath. Se
The morning routine was almost automatic. Serpens crossed the room to his wardrobe, where his clothes hung neatly on the door. As he buttoned his shirt, his mind kept drifting back to the urgency of his quest, the need to find Xin and the draconic gem.After pulling on his trousers and fastening his belt, Serpens moved to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, the chill waking him up fully. He stared at his reflection in the mirror—his dark hair tousled from sleep, his eyes sharp and alert despite the fatigue that lingered at their edges. With deliberate care, he combed his hair, making sure every strand was in place, trying to impose order on at least this small part of his life.He grabbed his school bag, checking to make sure he had everything he needed: books, notebooks, the pendant that Professor Layton had given him back then, was still there—a small token that served as a reminder of his mission.Before leaving his room, Serpens took a moment to gaze out of the wind
The night was a gentle embrace, soft and inviting, perfect for slipping into the realm of dreams. The sky was clear, a deep velvet canvas dotted with a thousand twinkling stars that seemed to pulse with a quiet, rhythmic light. The moon, full and luminous, bathed the world in a silvery glow, casting long, soft shadows that danced lightly across the ground. A cool breeze whispered through the trees, rustling the leaves in a soothing lullaby that filled the air with a sense of calm and serenity.The world seemed to have slowed its pace, the hustle of the day giving way to a peaceful stillness. The sounds of the night were gentle and comforting—the distant chirp of crickets, the occasional hoot of an owl, and the soft rustle of nocturnal creatures moving about their nightly routines. Even the air itself felt different, cooler and lighter, as if it carried the essence of dreams within it, urging all who breathed it in to close their eyes and drift away.The scent of blooming jasmine and n