Time Passing By

The Solo Mission

"Focus, Kairos. You've almost reached it."

The boy's eyelids screwed shut tightly, trying to finish the training.

"Kairos, no!"

He yelped as he was forcefully ejected from his subconscious in a painful burst. Kairos groaned and clutched his head. "God, that freaking hurt! Why didn't you warn me about that?"

"Because I wasn't expecting you to tense. Your muscles have to remain relaxed the first few times in order to reach your subconscious correctly. Eventually you'll be able to do it while fighting." Shara sighed. "You're done for today."

Kairos struggled to his feet. His head was still pounding, and everything seemed blurry. He could barely put one foot in front of the other.

Shara sighed again and approached him. She put the boy's arm over her shoulders. "Come along, idiot. Let's get you to your room."

The newest Time Warrior leaned against his teacher heavily in a daze. He didn't understand how something like meditation could cause so much pain. He had always assumed it was a simple exercise to calm down. He would not be making that mistake ever again.

By the time the warriors reached Kairos' room the sharp pain had morphed into an agonizing rhymthic throb. Shara nudged the door open and helped him cross the room.

Kairos fell onto his bed with a graceless flop, sighing in relief when the cool pillows eased some of the tension in his head. "Thanks for the help, Shara."

"No problem." The girl headed for the door.

"Shara?"

She turned to face him, one hand on the door.

Kairos' eyes were closed, and a frown spread across his face. "I'm sorry about the past two weeks. I know I've been a real brat, and-"

"It's fine, Kairos. You're just adjusting to this. It takes a while for all of this to set in. Just... get some rest, okay? I'll send someone to check in on you later."

Shara closed the door to his room and shook herself. A grimance crossed her face as her chest throbbed faintly. Before she could retreat to her room, however, Viridia came running down the hall.

"Shara! We've got trouble in 451 A.D.! Sloth's got a hold of Guinevere, and she's already sick!"

She swore furiously and summoned a portal to Camelot. Sloth was usually an easy target, but when it had a grasp on a sick or injured person it could become deadly.

The armor Shara had chosen to wear for the day's physical training clanked quietly against itself as she entered the past. Her feet took her towards the palace while her mind fought between uncontrollable rage and powerful reason.

"Halt!"

The girl skidded to a stop at the guard's order. Her mind raced as she sought an excuse to get inside.

"Let me in!" Shara demanded. "I come with a cure for the King's lady!"

The two guards looked at each other and escorted Shara inside silently. They had orders from their king to bring in any strange knights with the talk of a cure, and they would obey without question.

The warrior grasped her sword tightly in her right hand as they neared the royal chambers. She could practically feel Sloth's influence, the air becoming thick and heavy with each passing step.

"Your majesty, this knight claims to have a cure for the queen."

Arthur turned from Guinevere's side. His eyes lit up as he ordered the guards from the room. "Shara. What ails my queen?"

"The sickness is not unnatural, brother. The reason for its lengthy stay, however, is Sloth."

The Time Warrior's eyes scanned the room for any sign of the Sin. Her gaze locked on to a pale saffron glow in the corner. A practically feral grin made itself known to her ruby lips.

"Found you."