The trio managed to get back to the Land of Quartz and Melody much faster than it had originally taken them. This time, Tavros led them through a secret passage he had read about in his journal and they managed to sneak into the Temple without going over the Time Rocks again.
"Whoa..." Feferi said what they all were thinking when they entered the next room. There were floating jewels everywhere.
"Is that the one from your dream Tavv?" Eridan asked, pointing to a necklace that was floating on a pedestal.
"Yeah. But uh...don't take anything else. And you can't touch it directly with your hand or you'll uh...be frozen in time." Tavros warned. Eridan nodded and made his way over to the pedestal, ripping off a piece of his cape and wrapping his hand in it. He was almost there when the ground began to shake. They all fell over and the jewels fell from where they were floating. Eridan found himself half-buried under jewels and struggled to get out, failing.
"U-Um Feferi do you want to..." Tavros turned to her, but she was busy staring at the jewels that had fallen, entranced.
"Okay uh...nevermind." Tavros walked towards the pedestal, pausing by Eridan to take the makeshift glove and wrap it around his hand. He climbed up to the Pendant and grabbed it.
"Got it!" He turned, grinning. Suddenly the ground started shaking again and Tavros stumbled, the Time Pendant flying out of his hand.
"I got it!" Feferi called, dashing over and catching the pendant. Instantly she froze, arm reached out and the necklace dangling from her closed fist. Tavros helped Eridan out from under the jewels and they ran over.
"She's frozen in time!" Tavros realized, poking her.
"Uh...Tavv? I think wwe havve bigger problems?" Eridan tugged on his sleeve and Tavros turned around. There was an army of identical figures blocking off all exits, all wearing a red outfit and holding half-broken swords. One approached them and lowered its hood, revealing a teen with black sunglasses.
"Yeah so you intruders are coming with us. And don't bother running. Not that you could with your friend frozen like a timesicle." Eridan and Tavros exchanged looks. It was obvious they couldn't fight back, so they let the army capture them, the unhooded teen leading them through hallways until they reached what appeared to be the throne room.
"Kneel before the Maid of Time." The teen barked. Eridan and Tavros instantly knelt as a girl walked out of the room behind the throne. She had on a red outfit, the same color as the army, and had bright wings. Tavros' eyes widened. The Maid of Time looked just like Aradia!
"Why did you try to steal the Time Pendant?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips. Eridan gave Tavros a nudge and he stood up.
"We need it to uh...freeze time long enough so we can defeat Vris- I mean Mindfang and save the planet." Tavros explained nervously. The Maid softened.
"The Time Pendant can't help you. Only I can use it." She explained.
"Then come with us!" Tavros said. The shades-teen shook his head.
"No way. The Maid can't leave the Temple of Time. She's the only thing that keeps the timestream safe." The Maid sighed.
"Sometimes I wish you weren't such a good Knight of Time." She muttered. The Knight smirked.
"If I wasn't, then this timeline would've been doomed forever ago."
"U-Um excuse me! But we're running out of time." Tavros interrupted their bickering.
"Oh yeah. I forgot you aren't...made of time." The Maid snickered at her joke. "But maybe I can give you the Pendant." She mused.
"Yeah no. They need my blessing or whatever for that and I'm not sure they got what it takes." The Knight leaned against the throne casually.
"Well let me uh...prove it then!" Tavros said firmly. The Maid and the Knight exchanged looks.
"The Pendant you stole was a decoy. The real one...is one of these ones." The Maid waved her hand and hundreds of identical Pendants appeared, floating.
"Choose it right, and you can have it." The Knight added. "Choose it wrong and well...you'll be stuck here for a while." Eridan and Tavros looked around.
"That one's pretty shiny..." Eridan shrugged, pointing to one. Tavros examined them before turning back to the Maid, noting a sparkle on her neck.
"It's there. On your neck." He pointed. The Maid grinned at the Knight, who raised his hands in defeat. Tavros climbed up the stairs to her, who took off her necklace and held it out to him.
"Be careful Tavros. If it's destroyed, this entire Temple will fall and the timelines will go haywire." She warned.
"Alright. So do you, Tavros, accept this awesome responsibility blah blah blah promise to protect the Time Pendant with your life and all that?" The Knight asked.
"I uh...do" Tavros nodded.
"And do you, Maid of Time, leave this in his apparently capable hands?" He asked. The Maid nodded.
"Alright cool. The Pendant will work. Buuuut the Maid still has to stay here." The Knight said firmly. Tavros nodded, putting the Pendant carefully in his pocket.
"Good luck!" The Maid grinned as Tavros went back to Eridan, the two picking up Feferi and leaving the Temple. They put her in the flying boat and took off, unable to officially lift off the ground without Feferi's help but sailing away on the ice as they approached the Land of Dew and Glass.
"Wwe havve to do it noww Tavv! Wwe don't havve any more time!" Eridan called to him from the wheel. Tavros nodded and pulled out the Time Pendant.
"How much time?!" Tavros called back.
"10 seconds!" Eridan stopped the boat and jumped onto the deck, dashing over to Tavros. Feferi began making frantic sounds.
"I can't understand you Fef. Hold on a second." Eridan patted her head.
"5 seconds Tavv!" Eridan watched his timer as Tavros held up the Pendant.
"4...3...2...1!" The Pendant glowed brightly.
"0!"