Time Passing By

The Portals

Shara stood directly in front of Kairos. She knew that, despite being younger than him by a year, she terrified him. "Today you are learning how to make a portal."

"How do you expect me to do something like that? I don't even know-"

Kairos' words were stopped by Shara holding up a dagger. His dagger.

"Nequesubire. Never submit. You disgrace this weapon each time you use the words 'can't' and 'don't'. You can do this. You've done this bef- you have the ability." Shara corrected herself at the end, mentally screeching at herself.

The Time Warrior tossed the dagger at Kairos' head. He caught it, his eyes widening as the realization dawned on him that - had he not caught it - he would be dead.

"Now," Shara pulled a golden staff from the wall and stroked it fondly. "This is a time-rift staff. It helps channel your energy in order to create a portal. It's name is Aetate Aurea, or Golden Age."

The girl unsheathed her sword. "I use a time-rift sword. This is Argentea, or Silver Age."

"I know Latin." Kairos said, clearly annoyed.

Shara pushed Argentea into Kairos' chest. "Alright then. Just slash down with the staff, imagine going one month back in time, and repeat after me: 'I summon you, gateway to another time!' in Latin."

He gripped the smooth gold and raised it above his head, waiting for the signal.

The Warrior placed the tip of Argentea onto the marble floor, holding it with both hands and chanting. Kairos swung.

"Denuntiamus autem vobis, ut porta nunc!"

Two portals appeared, matching the silver of Shara's and the gold of Kairos'.

"Kairos, did you think the words 'one month back'?"

The boy glared at her, indignant. "Of course I did!"

Shara rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrist, dragging him through the portal with her. Kairos tried to protest but knew that it was useless. His eyes roamed over the swirling mass of gold and white that made up the portal. It turned in a clockwise motion, but the section under their feet was perfectly still.

Just like that, they were in the middle of a bustling city. Cars rushed past their spot on the sidewalk by a small café. Kairos glanced into the building, catching the eye of a younger boy with dark brown hair. The younger's chocolate eyes were widened, and it was clear that he saw their unnatural entrance.

Kairos let out a yelp as Shara smacked him on the back of the head. "Idiot! I told you to send us a month back in time, not to a different realm! How the hell did you manage to screw up this badly?"

Shara scowled, infuriated at the boy's sheer idiocy. She created another portal and yanked him through by the collar of his cloak. Eventually she let him go so he could walk by himself. A dark idea came to her, and she grinned.

Running ahead of Kairos and making no sound, Shara made it back to the Time Palace and closed the portal behind her.

'Let us see you get yourself out of this one, Kairos.'

***

Kairos looked up just as Shara closed the portal.

"Seriously?" He yelled, irritated with his "teacher".

With a groan, he sat down in the silver and white vortex. He didn't know how to get back to the Time Realm. Shara hadn't taught him that.

"Alright," Kairos mused above the rushing of the portal, "this doesn't make sense. The spirits, the immortality, the magic... I just can't understand why they'd choose me to join them."

He thought about the time portals on the walls. The boy had looked exactly like him, but wore clothing from colonial times. Kairos had never worn anything like that. Shara had scolded him for looking at his "past life" then. There have been something behind the fury in her eyes.

"Pain," Kairos realized. "Shara looked like she was in pain when she saw my 'past self'. But why did she look hurt when I said goodnight to her?"

Before he could try to answer his own question, the hole appeared next to him within the portal. He scrambled to his feet as the Time Master's form appeared.

"Are you alright, yong one? You've been gone for quite a while." He asked, concern lacing his aged voice.

Kairos nodded. The sudden entrance had startled him greatly.

The Time Master stepped aside, allowing the boy to leave the never-ending tunnel of light. "Come along, young one. You've been in there since lunch. Let's get you something to eat."

Kairos' stomach growled loudly in agreement, much to its owner's embarrassment.

***

Shara adjusted the sleeves of her dress and set her portal to 494 A.D. Stepping through, she found herself in her friend's stables.

'Three, two, one...'

"Lady Shara!"

Said girl bowed at the waist. "Greetings, Milord. I hope I'm not keeping you from your duties."

"Not at all, dear friend. I was about to go for a ride. Would you like to join me?"

"Always, my king." She smiled, leading out a bay mare. "Hello, Cloudracer."

Shara's companion mounted the black stallion Nightstrider with a grin. "How about a race, Lady Shara? You remember where to find the great oak, correct?"

"Indeed, Lord."

The duo rushed towards the woods, feeling the exhilaration of speed and potential danger course through their veins.

Shara laughed, laying flat against Cloudracer and passing her companion. It felt nice to go back and immerse herself in the times of chivalry and knights.

Trees that once blurred around her began to take shape as the horses slowed down, knowing that they had reached their destination.

"You've bested me once again, Lady Shara."

She dismounted her horse with a sigh of brief content. Cloudracer joined Nightstrider at small creek alongside the oak.

"Shara, you seem troubled. Whatever is the matter?"

The girl joined her friend at the ancient tree in the middle of the clearing. "I've a terrible problem, Arthur. He has come back. He broke the ice shield with two words. My fate has repeated itself once more, my brother. I cannot endure this suffering again!"

Arthur wrapped her in a hug, having learned about her life as a warrior long ago.

"Fear not, dear sister," Arthur said gently, placing a brotherly kiss on top of Shara's head. "I feel this one will be different. You brought him to the Time Realm, correct? That was not done with any of the others so soon. Your fate is changing already!"

"If you say so."

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So sorry for the late update, y'all! I didn't know how to go about this chapter, and I'm still not convinced that it's good. But I felt the need to update. Here ya go!