Zero
The child of the Goddess, a born Transcendent, successor to Time itself. A blank slate, thought Will. He could write on it, etch and carve it to become the pawn he needed. He was fond of them, how childlike and easy to manipulate they were. They truly regarded him as their father, learning all that he taught them.
'Say Will, what is this thing that I do sometimes?' they asked one day, conjuring a small glowing sandglass.
'Ah. I see that you have learnt it! That, my child, is the gift you were born with. Time. In the future, you will use it for my lord, and become one of the rulers of the world.'
'We will?! You mean all of Henesys, Leafre and Edelstein?!'
He chuckled at their limited knowledge of the lands even within the Mirror World. 'Yes. Don't forget Ariant, Magatia and Mu Lung too.'
•
Will ran for the Umbra Temple. His Child of Time, his Zero, had somehow broken into it.
He was greeted by the child, expression grim. Their eyes flew wide upon his entrance.
'Will... What is this place? Isn't all of Maple World ours? You've never told us about here.'
Will grit his teeth and shouted, '... Get back from there now, Zero.'
'Why?'
'It... is a... very dangerous place.'
Yes. Very dangerous. The child could awaken, and then they would leave him, they would never forgive all of his lies, they will go to the Maple World, the other commanders would mock him for his inability to keep even one child in check, they would turn on him for imprisoning them, they would leave Mirror World, and never see him the way they used to, never want to see him again-
'Will?' the child approached him. 'Are you scared?'
I am. He is not. 'Come here, Zero.'
'You don't have to worry about me, Will! I am strong. Besides, I can sense it... It feels like this place is calling to me. I don't think it will hurt us, Will.'
Noting the subtle hints of tension in his face, Zero came closer to him, offering up their hand.
'Let's go nearer, together.'
No. 'You can't.'
'... huh? Sheesh, Will, I already said, I don't sense anything bad from it, I think we'll be fine-'
'YOU CANNOT!'
•
He held the slain child in his arms. It was an arduous fight. If Zero had not been hesitant about attacking a man whom they regarded as their parental figure, Will could not have won.
'Foolish Zero. If you had used "Rewind", it would be me who lost,' Will laughed bitterly.
'Now, you will forget all of this.'
One
The girl saw. She remembered. The one whom she had loved since young, betrayed her when he thought she would try to leave him. Now she was trapped here, bound in his web.
Why would he do this? I would never hurt you, Will. Why do you have to punish me? I want to go back home to Shadowvale. I am sorry I came here. Don't leave me here alone.
Time to time, Will would return to the Umbra Temple. She saw him. She wanted to open her eyes, to call out to him, to let him know she was sorry.
'You are still here. Stay. When the other one is mine, so will you be.'
She wanted to open her mouth, to shout for him not to leave, but no sound left her lips.
Sometimes, she imagines the cobwebs imprisoning her was Will holding her in his embrace.
• •
If she could move her body, her eyes would have blinked several times. A boy who felt exactly like her entered.
Who are you? Why do you feel like me?
'Who are you? Why do you look kinda like me?' the boy vocalised her thoughts.
Did Will replace me with another child?
'Why did Will not want me to come in here?'
• •
What is going on? Why is this happening! Will won't do something like that!
After having Lyra escort the boy out, Will began giving out instructions to the other Shadow Knights. She couldn't understand what he was saying.
Stop...! Stop it. Stop it! Stop stop stop... I don't want to know!
Two
Shah Mar awoke and found himself in Ariant. The motivations behind a human is not always as straightforward as it seems. He knew and understood. The Mirror World that he had always known was a lie perpetuated by an ambitious man wanting to obtain and keep something he could not.
When will they wake up and be free from the web spun by this man?
It does not matter how long. Shah Mar will wait.
• • •
The boy was back in Umbra Temple again. She was aware by now, that he was, somehow another her, fragmented from whoever she had been, by Will. He does not remember anything.
Does Will prefer him to her? Does Will prefer that she does not remember?
'Who are you? Why do you look kinda like me?'
I am another you. The one who remembers.
• • •
'Wait, stop it! I am not trying to go against orders or anything!' the boy had argued with Will, 'Some darklings came in here, so I came in after them!'
'You are lying,' Will replied calmly. 'Your pretence of innocence fools no one.'
'... so are you, Will,' the boy snapped back, 'I am not a child anymore! Do you think I'll keep believing in the childish tales you spin about this place?!'
After that, the girl held in stasis stopped believing in Will. She was not a child anymore either.
Three
Larelle found himself lost in Henesys. Everyone around him kept on changing, kept on growing.
But not him. He would always be a child, always trusting in those around him to always look out for him. The townsfolk are all wonderful people, he would be okay here.
He was incomplete, but he believed that he would be whole again.
• • • •
'How do you look so much like me even?'
The greeting was different, but it was the boy again. It looks like he has forgotten yet again. Unlike her who was always still and unmoving, he was able to do everything she wished she could. Maybe, if Will came to stop him again, he would be able to do it this time.
Hi, Alpha me. Please do your best against Will, and get us out of here together.
Alpha? He is like the main character of this story while she is hardly ever noticed. Alpha is a good name for him, better than calling him One or Two or Three.
• • • •
You can do this, Alpha! We will break free together!
Like the hero Alpha is, he fought his hardest to protect the two of them.
Her hopes were crushed yet again, but the girl did not give up hoping. One day, Alpha will win.
Four
Wu Gong had strove to be the best Panda at Mu Lung. He would prove that he can beat every boss in the dojo, and he did. He wished that being at the top of his tower would grant him the fulfillment he seeks.
But none was granted. He gave up hope.
He could stay here, live an idyllic life and protect his companions at Mu Lung instead.
• • • • •
'... huh? Another me?'
The girl rejoiced to hear Alpha's voice.
• • • • •
So close! He could almost touch her!
'Dammit! Damn you, Will! I'll show you!' the boy spat out with the last of his breath. 'I AM GONNA KILL YOU ONE DAY! Damn you. DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU DAMN DAMN DAMN... dammit... damn...'
The girl felt her fury rise as Will's spiderwebs penetrated and enveloped Alpha and made him silent.
Oh how she HATED these disgusting cobwebs holding her there.
Before leaving the Umbra Temple, Will spun fresh webs to reinforce her binds.
Five
Arsen hated his world. Trapped in a town where no one welcomed him. He was not needed here in Edelstein, or anywhere in this world. It was fine: He would show them. He exists!
And he would make sure everyone felt it. He can be whole by himself.
• • • • • •
Save me, Alpha, please! Don't fail again, please... I am tired of this.
The boy failed. He barely even gave her a glance. The girl grew bitter and scorned her other self for not noticing her. But more than that, she resented her own powerlessness. The discordance in her made her feel so far and separate from Alpha.
As if he knew her feelings, Will, stepping over Alpha's sleeping body looked back at her.
'... your corruption is slowly growing, isn't it?'
Six
Rachael found pleasure in the discord between the alchemists of Magatia. Zenumist and Alcadno? Biological and Mechanical? They are all scientists, yet they cannot agree with each other. But that is what makes things interesting, isn't it?
Conflicts are what makes people grow, after all.
• • • • • • •
Alpha came in without saying anything to her again, the girl trapped behind the webs.
She felt her bile rising at his ignorance. He left without any struggle with Will.
As they left, Will threw her a glance and whispered, 'Mine.'
Seven
It was a long while of being alone for the girl. The resentment and corruption grew within her being.
Eventually, the long time of cultivating her darkness lost the girl her sense of time. Perhaps, the other her has already moved on and left her behind. She was the unwanted one, bound in cobwebs and left in a state of inertia in this dusty forgotten temple.
• • • • • • •
... !
Alpha was here, finally.
She tried her best to call out to him. She thought she would cry when all she could manage was a faint glow.
He noticed.
Then she remembers the past times he has tried and failed. It would be wishful thinking to hope for anything better in the future.
The boy was promptly sent out by Will again. Her heart fell.
Eight
Herr lived in the Folk Town, where time remains history. The past, a reminder of all the pain and the suffering.
Mera lived in Omega Sector, where time is yet to come. The future, a foreboding sign of uncertainties and endings.
They remained there, incomplete beings trapped in time, never able to experience the present.
• • • • • • •• •
Alpha arrives again. The girl does not expect anything more from him. Please let this episode pass quickly.
He noticed her anyway.
Even if he had forgotten, he still feels her!
'Hey! Why are you always sleeping? It is kinda creepy y'know, looking a girl with my face sleeping like that.'
...?
It has been a long time since Alpha spoke to her. The girl was elated.
• • • • • • •• •
When Will came in, Alpha stood up against him. The girl cheered him on.
Yes! You are my Alpha, and I am your Beta! Your soul remembers!
Alpha was defeated, and his memories were erased. But it did not bother Beta. She remembers the past times he tried, how hard he fought Will to get to her. He will definitely succeed in the future.
Nine
Beta willed her body to move and her eyes to open. For the first time, she saw Alpha physically. He was bruised and battered, having battled Will bravely.
Thank you, Alpha. You came for me.
She stretched her hand out to touch his.
I am you. We can do this together, now. Let's take back our present.
•• • • • • • •• ••
The Temple Manager marveled at the spacial distortions that appeared. Though he could not access them, he knew that power of time was strong, its influence spreading all the way across the skies to Leafre.
(An unfortunate infant horntail became victim to its otherworldly power.)
Lapis and Lazuli knew that they were important beings. They would support their hosts, and be the one to forge a way in their present path of becoming a Transcendent of Time. There will always be meat to eat and enemies to slaughter. What greater joy can one have than to enjoy the moment?
Author's note:
WHY IS FORMATTING ON HERE SUCH A BITCH i can't even indent fu-. Now i remember why i publish on Ao3 instead. Here's the link: archiveofourown dot org /works/7521022 - minus spaces