The people stared at Waver as he dragged his feet back inside. His clothes now dirty rags. His hair, tangled, covered in dirt and leaves. His fashion did not match the vibe of the fancy people of the palace, who looked at him with suspicious eyes. Not one familiar face to Waver's eyes. He suddenly felt like a stranger again, and all he could think of was taking a shower and going to bed, his bed, in his comfortable apartment. But he had to finish his job first. He had already made up his mind.

The last ray of sunlight was now gone, and night fell over the palace, covering it with darkness. Only the soft silver glow of the moon above, giving the palace a silver gleam. Some torches begun to light up in the distance, one after another. Waver decided it was safe to cut through the gardens and made his way through the bushes. Everything was quiet and still, except for the soft flow of the water in the garden fountains.

A sudden crack sound made Waver jump. He turned back and see who was coming.

Nothing. He could swear he had heard some branches crack behind him, as if someone had stepped on them, yet nobody else was there. He turned again to continue walking, and a strange silhouette materialized before him. All he could see was a young face under a black cloak. It was hard to distinguish weather it was a male of a female from that distance. The person smiled, and slowly walked away, as if telling Waver to follow. So he did. The lab was in that direction after all.

He walked across several long corridors in almost complete darkness, sometimes losing track of the stranger. But as soon as he was ready to give up and walk the other way, the stranger appeared again right in front of him, almost like in some sort of game of hide and seek.

"Excuse me…", Waver tried to talk to him, but before he could finish the stranger had disappeared behind a corner.

Waver wandered around for a bit, but it was too dark and there was no sign of the stranger. Maybe he had imagined the whole thing? He had been working under the heat for so long after all. Maybe he was just too tired. He decided it was better to deliver the ingredients to the old physician and get some rest first. He could leave the investigating for the next day.

He turned back to head to the lab when suddenly a line of torches lit up one by one in the hallway, creating a path for Waver. He hesitated for a second. This can't be any good, he worried, I sense something dangerous, but I also feel like it could lead me to the answer I have been looking for….

He heard some voices in the distance coming his way, and the first torch went out, slowly followed by the second one, and the next few slowly begun to fade. He had no time to decide. Damn it, if there is an intruder…, he thought as he followed the lights, I need to find out and warn Alexander. The last torch ended at the entrance of a dark room.

A shadow came from behind. "Come, Waver", someone whispered, and then entered the room.

"Hey wait…" Waver followed.

How does he know my name? he wondered. Waver was aware that it could be risky, but trusted that the if person knew his name, it could be someone to trust. He could sense a powerful magical circuit nearby.

As soon as he stepped into the room, the whole place lit up. It was a small, empty room. He suddenly found himself alone with the stranger in the black cloak.

"How do you know my name?", Waver asked, trying to get closer to see the person's face. It still didn't seem familiar. "Do I know you?"

"Not yet". The deep, raspy voice that came from that mouth did not match the female-like features of the face.

"Who are you?"

"It's not a matter of who, but what…"

Waver stared, puzzled.

The stranger moved at a slow pace towards him. Waver turned away, and when he did the stranger was already standing in front of him. Waver swallowed, and cold sweat ran down his spine.

"I am Time…", the stranger whispered at his ear, then pushed back the hood of the cloak, revealing an androgynous face. Eyes glowing red, and an almost animal-like smile.

"I've been called many names before, and will be called many others, but I first was named as Zurvan"

"Zurvan…", Repeated Waver. "What are you doing in the palace? Do you work for Alexander, or are you his enemy?"

"In a certain way, both", the creature said, as it grinned.

Waver tried to remain calm, but his eyes betrayed him, desperately looking for the exit.

"Are you in a hurry?"

Waver felt a drop of cold sweat running through his neck

"What do you want…?", Waver asked, trying to find another way out

The creature looked at him and smiled.

"I want… you…"

In that moment Waver ran towards the exit as fast as he could, but after two steps something stopped him. He was caught in a magnetic field, unable to move. What is this? He wanted to talk but his voice wouldn't come out. This feels like…exactly like the day I time traveled here…, he recalled, horrified by the memories of his body being teared apart.

The creature placed three fingers on Waver's chest, and then violently inserted them in his body. Black miasma emanated from the wound, releasing several electrical charges in the air in the form of lightnings.

Waver's felt how the air left his lungs, gasping desperately. The pain was so great he thought he would pass out. But instead, he remained conscious as he watched how a tiny crystal slowly emerged from inside himself, extracted by the monstrous creature. He thought he was dreaming, that he was living one of his worse nightmares, that he was soon waking up in his apartment. But the pain was so intense that it couldn't have been a dream.

Is this how I'm going to die? He wondered. Then he closed his eyes, giving in.

A sudden image of Alexander reached his thoughts.

That's right, he won't be able to save me now. He is not here. He is not coming…

He opened his eyes once more. The creature was still struggling to extract the crystal from his chest.

What a funny way to kill time…

He thought, and figured that pun would have made Alexander laugh.

Then suddenly he got an idea.

Time…?

He pictured Kiritsugu Emiya's time magic and his ability to delay time for a few seconds, -just like the one he had seen in books- which he had tried before a couple times, failing most of them.

But what if you reverse the time…?

He focused, and almost certain he would fail, tried to rewind time.

He found his strength to recite an enchantment, his voice a mere whisper. His words travelled around the room, and the crystal reacted to them. The crystal discharged a massive electrical charge, and the magnetic force disappeared along with the crystal. Waver was now able to move. He felt like the air became thinner, and he had the strange feeling like his body became lighter. The creature was completely still for a moment, but its eyes suddenly turned to Waver. The creature was moving. Barely a few millimetres per second, but it was moving. Waver finally reacted. He got up and ran out of the room as fast as he could.

He ran across the dark corridors back to the laboratory, tripping a few times. He was running out of breath and his body was giving into the fatigue, but he didn't stop or turn back once. Not until he reached the lab. He entered, and after taking a deep breath, he casted a quick protection spell on the doors.

Its over, he thought, as he panted heavily, I'm alive…

He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah!", Waver screamed.

"Are you alright, boy?", the old physician asked, alarmed

"For… fuck's sake…", Waver whispered, still panting, and then lied on the floor against the door.

"You look like you've seen a ghost", the old man frowned at him, worried.

Waver looked at him and laughed until he chocked on his own cough. The old man thought he was losing his mind.

"Poor boy…he's gone mad"

"I'm alright. I'm just happy to be alive…", he said, resting his head on his knees.

"Here", the man handed him over a tiny bottle that contained some sort of potion.

"What is it?" Waver asked, and the bottle reached his lips before he waited for an answer.

"Wine"

Waver snorted, nearly spitting it out.

"Oh…whatever…", he said, and chugged the whole thing. Then he sighed, relieved, and his breath slowly turned back to normal.

"What am I doing!?" He suddenly yelled, getting on his feet again. "I need to warn the council!"

"What are you talking about?"

"No time to explain!" He said as he rushed to the door. "I need to find…"

When he opened the door Attalus was behind it, blocking his way out.

"Attalus!"

The old general looked suspicious at the young mage's sudden pleasure to see him.

"I was just about to go find you! Listen, there is an intruder in the palace… I was in this tiny, creepy old room, and then there was this…this creature, and he…she…it tried to kill me!"

"Wait, what? An intruder? That's impossible, I just came back from the guard's rounds check, nobody has seen anybody."

"It is not anybody! It is time! And I don't know what it wants, but I fear is something bad…something really bad is going to happen, Attalus, and…"

"Hold on, slow down, you are not making any sense…"

"…And the crystal…the crystal was inside me, and now…I feel it, in me…" Waver said, suddenly realizing the strange feeling in his chest.

"Boy…if you are trying to get away with your duties with this…

"I' M NOT!"

"Where is your basket of herbs that I asked you to fill up early this morning?" Asked the physician

"Ugh! I don't have time for this!"

Waver stormed out and ran to the council room. "I'm finding someone who believes me."

He ran straight, as fast as he could, too afraid to even look back. He suddenly realized that he didn't know anybody else in the palace, and he was about to tell a story to a bunch of powerful strangers who knew nothing about him. His pace unconsciously began to slow down, out of insecurity.

"Where is that stupid prince when I need him?", he muttered to himself.

He stopped by the entrance of the council room, and quickly glanced from one side of the corridor to the other to see if someone -or something- was coming. He peeked in, there was nobody in the room. "Of course they are not," he realized," they are probably in the banquet hall." He ran for a couple more meters until he reached the hall. He entered and stood in a corner, scanning for a familiar face in the crowd. He recognized Alexander's mother; her face apathetic as ever. He had never been formally introduced to her -or to most people in that room for that matter-. He thought it inappropriate to go and talk to her. Alexander's family was royalty after all.

He searched for Parmenion but couldn't find him either. He made his way through the crowd to talk to someone, anybody from the council, but a guard stopped him.

"Please let me through, I need to talk to the queen!", cried Waver

"Queen? Which queen? King Phillip has many wives…"

"There is only one Alexandros' mother!"

"Alexandros? Since when are you so familiar with the prince? I think he would have mentioned you if you were, wouldn't he?", he frowned at him, suspiciously.

"But I need to…here is…"

"Now go, before I change my mind and kick you out, bum". The guard gave him an annoyed yet somehow pitiful look.

"What? I'm not…" Waver took a look at his own clothes again. He had forgotten he looked like a bum.

"Please, I live in the palace, I can explain… let me just… I need you to come with me and see something…"

The guard pushed him back with his lance, but Waver did not stop.

"Please sir! I need you to deliver a message!" The mage's voice rose in frustration, loud enough to get the attention of a second guard, who wasn't half as nice as the first one. This one grabbed Waver by his rags right away and pushed him back.

"Please!" Waver begged "Tell them that Alexandros is in danger!. The people of Pella are in danger! There is someone, something coming for us! All of us! Tell them...!"

"Go home, kid, you don't belong here…" The first guard said as he watched Waver get dragged away by the other guard, throwing him out of the room.

"Who was that?" Asked a curious young ginger girl staring at the scene.

"Just a poor crazy homeless, my lady, nothing to worry about."

"Oh…", she said, with a sad look in her eyes.

Waver headed back to his room, disappointed and scared, wishing Alexander was there. Where was that damn fool?

"That's it. I'm done trying to save these people. They all drink and eat and laugh while others fight their wars. People are out there fighting and…and old people burying their children, and that's-that's not, that shouldn't…" His voice broke and tears burst out of his eyes with that thought. He sobbed and wiped his tears, but they quickly came out again.

"Why am I even here? I don't understand what's happening in this war. I don't know anybody here. I just want to go home. Where is Alexander? Where is he?"

He thought of his friend. Not the young, temperamental prince, but the great conqueror he fought along side two years ago. Where was he now when he needed him the most?

The king of conqueror's words echoed in his head:

"The inferiority you feel is actually the quality of a king. You may grumble a lot, but you know how small you are. And yet you still struggle to reach heights greater than you can imagine."

Those word of encouragement gave him hope, yet he still couldn't help the feeling of nostalgia.

He wept his last tear and stood tall.

"Waver, are you crying?" Menes suddenly bumped into him

"I-I'm not!"

"Ok, sorry, but why are your eyes so…"

"I… I am allergic to nettle, and I've been picking herbs all day!"

The boy scanned Waver's dirty robes. "Y-yes I can…see that…"

"Yeah I could probably use a bath and some clean robes." He said, slightly embarrassed.

"I'll prepare the bath for you."

"Thank you, you are very kind."

"It's my pleasure."

"And Menes" Waver grabbed the boy's arm before he could leave. "It's good to know there is at least one person I can count on in this strange place", he said with a warm smile.

The boy smiled back "You can always, always count on me. Trust me with anything you need!"

Waver watched him leave and wondered if he should trust him with what he had just experienced. But that was something he would think about later. Right now, he could only think of a bath and a bed. Nothing else.

At least its presence seems to have vanished for now, Waver realized. He was no longer terrified, but the creature he had encountered was still in his thoughts.

Waver entered his room and decided to read some philosophy books, just to kill time until his bath was ready. To keep his mind busy with something.

He sat on the floor -he didn't want to get his clean bedsheets dirty- and took a few books to read. He only got to the first two lines before he lost all concentration.

He got up and looked through the window. The night as still as a cup of milk. No movement outside. The city of Pella slept soundly under the protection of prince Alexander. Waver wondered if they even knew that the prince had left hours ago.

He sighed, resigned to the idea of not being able to see Alexander anytime son. He had just left last morning, after all. It could be days, even weeks before he could come back. The distances by horse were long, and he didn't have any idea of where he was going.

I'll make him pay for this…, he thought, I'll make him explain everything to me. He'll see…leaving me here by myself…with no idea of what is going on…

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a slight noise of banging.

"Waver…"

The mage turned, eyes wide opened. Alexander was standing right in front of him.

Waver stared at him in silence for a moment, speechless. The prince was covered in blood. His armor half ripped, scratches and bruises all over his face and arms. His red hair merging with the blood coming from a big cut in his forehead, forcing him to keep one eye closed.

He slowly walked towards Waver, panting and limping in a funny way.

"You look like shit", the prince finally said, staring at Waver's messy hair and clothes.

"Look who is talking…"

The prince chuckled, the mage smiled.

Waver could think of a hundred things he wanted to say to him. But at that moment only three words came out of his mouth.

"Welcome back, idiot."

Alexander laughed, and a second later he held his stomach in pain.

"You are hurt" Waver held him by the arm to help him stand "Let's take you to the lab to heal your wounds."

"No. Please…" Alexander begged him with troubled eyes. "Please, heal my soldiers first."

Waver could feel Alexander's weight falling more and more, leaning on him. He was losing his strength. The mage sighed, and helped him walk. Alexander guided him towards where the injured soldiers were. A trace of blood left behind them as they walked.

"You could have just sent someone for me, you know?" Complained Waver, "look at the mess you are making." He said as he watched a drop of blood drip from the prince's body.

"You wouldn't have come," Alexander's voice sounded exhausted, but steady, "You must be pretty mad at me."

Waver didn't see that coming.

"W-why would I be mad at you?" He faked indifference.

"I mean…I would be if I were you. Left alone with strangers, in a foreign land, with no clue of what's happening…you are my guest after all."

Waver couldn't help feeling slightly embarrassed. He mistrusted his host, and underestimated his observational skills and empathy. And now he felt like he was an open book to him. That made him slightly anxious.

"Well, you should have said something before you left. I didn't know how long you were going to be away. And you left me under the care of that annoying guy…"

"I did, I'm sorry. I had urgent matters to attend. I'll explain later. First, I need you to heal my soldiers, please."

"Yes, yes, you already said that." Waver said carelessly. "Don't think I'll forgive you so easily."

Alexander made a painful expression, and they entered the room that served as a temporary infirmary for the injured.

"Alexandros! Where were you!? We have been looking for you!" Olympias rushed to see her son, concerned. "Why didn't you report to me at once after you arrived?"

"I had more important things to do. Getting help, for example"

"Help? What kind of help? Where is this help?"

Alexander pointed at Waver. "Here"

The mage looked at him puzzled. It took him a few seconds to realize they were talking about him.

"Y-your Grace", Waver saluted

"He is our new physician, Waver Velvet," announced the prince, "he is here to help heal the wounded."

"What is wrong with our old physician?"

"Exactly that. He is old. But worry not, mother, they are working together; he is learning everything."

"Well go ahead and worry about your self first. Look at you. What will the people of Pella think when they see their prince like this? Their morale will go down the hill."

Alexander ignored her and kept walking with Waver's help.

"You may not like it, but she has a point, Alexander." Whispered Waver, but the prince didn't reply. Instead, he knelt by a soldier's side.

"Please, heal him." He begged.

The soldier's face was intact. Perfect golden curls fell over a gentle face, long eyelashes popping out from his closed eyelids. There was not a single scratch or drop of blood. Yet his skin was pale and his face lacked all signs of life. His lips tinted with a bluish tone. Waver wondered what was wrong with him. He scanned the rest of the body with his eyes. The soldier's hand rested on his stomach. Alexandros moved the blond boy's arm aside and lifted the blanket he was covered under, revealing a fatal wound caused by a lance through the abdomen.

Waver gasped. He instantly looked around the room for some potions or anything that he could use to help him. He didn't have much knowledge of medicine, and he wasn't sure he should be using magic in the palace, especially when it could lure that horrible creature. But he couldn't leave that man to die.

"At least I should be able to take out the lance and stop the blood. But we will need to be very quick and careful…"

"…we?"

"I need you to pull the lance while I stop the bleeding. But Alexander, listen, I won't lie to you, I can't guarantee this will work…"

"Anything is better than just watching him die." Alexander was now holding the soldier's hand, who's eyebrows softly curved for a second.

After seeing Alexander's devotion, Waver gathered that person must have been someone very dear to the prince. He could not let him down.

The mage whispered an enchantment, and the prince held the lance between his hands. The second he pulled it out, time froze in the room. For everyone except Waver.

He quickly pushed against the wound before the man bled out, and bandaged him around his waist. A second later the man was gasping in pain, green eyes wide opened, only to fall unconscious again another second later.

"Hephaestion!" Alexander yelped. In his eyes, tears of joy. "You made it, you bastard." He muttered, as he kissed his forehead.

Waver observed the scene, relieved. "Thank god…"

"No. Thank you." Alexander said in a soft voice, without parting from the man who lied unconscious by his side.

"Can I heal you now?"

"You've helped me enough. More than you can imagine. I'm ok. Please, just go help the others. I'll be alright, don't worry. I won't move from here, I'll be watching him." Alexander smiled, giving Waver some sort of comfort.

The mage helped the old physician for the next couple of minutes, until everyone was settled down.

"Phew, what a day." Waver commented, as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Especially for you" the old physician said, handing him over a leather water canteen with wine. This time Waver drank the contents without hesitating.

"Yeah, I should probably go to bed soon or I'll pass out too. Then I will be no use."

"Oh, you are plenty of use, Waver Velvet. Plenty of use."

Waver smiled, flattered, and then got up to walk to his room.

"Ah! I forgot my bath! Oh no, I hope it's still warm." He thought out loud.

The bath was warm and relaxing. In the warmth and comfort of the hot water Waver could now think more clearly, starting to put his thoughts in order. He needed to find a way to go back to the present. That was the first thing, no doubt. But he could now see that would take time. Meanwhile, working in the lab for research and learning one or two things from the old physician couldn't do him any harm. He could even use this new knowledge to performing healing magic -his healing magic was useless without a powerful catalyst-. The second thing that was in his mind was that creature, Zurvan, the creature who claimed to be "time". There was no doubt it was related with his journey to this ancient era. But how? He could not tell. And what was that crystal he was after? Why was it inside his body? That was the greatest question of all. One more thing came to his mind. Who was that wounded soldier? He was curious to know about his bond with Alexander, who seemed very fond of him. With this last thought he jumped out of the bath.

"Alexander! I forgot to tell him about it! I must warn him!"

He wrapped himself in a towel with haste, and rushed out the bathroom.

Then he stopped all of a sudden.

Wait, I don't even know what time is it…it's probably late and he would be sleeping. He thought, hesitant. But this is crucial, he could be in danger, I need to warn him... Or should I wait until the morning?

He circled around for a few second, biting his nails.

No, I need to tell him.

He passed by the hospital room, and all the lights were out, the injured all resting. There was only one place Alexander could be at that moment. He rushed to his room.

Without thinking, he stormed into Alexander's room.

"Alexander! I need to…"

But his speech was interrupted by the surprise his eyes witnessed.

"Waver?" Alexander turned to him, puzzled. He was half naked, his arms wrapped around the waist of young and beautiful woman.

The mage turned around, astonished and feeling awkward. "Sorry I… I didn't mean to interrupt, I can come back later."

"Please," spoke the girl in a sweet voice, "you are not interrupting. I'm the one who is intruding. Forgive me, brother, you should have told me you were expecting company"

"W-what?" Alexander cried, slightly embarrassed, "No, its nothing like that."

"Brother?" Waver turned to the girl, studying her face. Red, long hair hanging from a bun.

"Although I have to admit it looks kind of suspicious…" Said the Prince crossing his arms. "Waver, what are you doing here in the middle of the night dressing like…that?" His eyebrows raised as he stared at Waver's towel, almost falling from his waist.

Waver's hands went to his towel by reflexes, blushing violently.

"I-I was having a bath…and I forgot I had to tell you something really important! And then I rushed here and forgot I wasn't wearing any clothes!"

"Sorry, have we met before?" The girl looked at Waver, carefully

"I don't believe so, no."

"Oh, my bad!" Alexander said. "Waver, this is my sister, Cleo. Cleo, this is Waver Velvet, my personal physician and mage."

"P-pleasure to meet you", said Waver, surprisingly polite.

"No, no" She replied, thoughtfully. "I have seen you before. Weren't you at the banquet hall this evening?"

"I… uh… no, not that I remember" lied Waver, recalling the scene he made during that evening's dinner with the guards.

"Oh yes!" She opened her eyes wide and rejoiced at her good memory. "You are that homeless boy they threw out of the room!"

"ah ha ha" He laughed, nervously.

"You what?" Asked Alexander, confused.

"You must have mistaken me for someone else, my lady. That was definitely not me." Said Waver, faking a smile.

"What does she mean? What happened at dinner?"

"No idea. Listen, I need to talk to you, in private." Waver changed the subject.

"It's alright. I trust Cleo with my life. Whatever it is, she can be part of it."

"It's ok, brother, I was just leaving anyway now that I'm done with healing your wounds."

Waver looked at the several bandages all over Alexander's half naked body with relief.

"Thank you", he said to the girl.

She chuckled, "you don't have to thank me, I'm his sister," She smiled, "But I thank you for taking care of my brother. Thank you for your concern."

Waver felt some sudden warmth coming up to his cheeks.

"I meant, thank you for healing him, since I wasn't able to. It's my job as his physician."

"I know what you meant". The girl's smile grew wider.

"Anyway," she continued, "I'll leave you guys to it. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight" She said, kissing her brother on the cheek and heading out of the room.

There was a moment of silence. Then Alexander yawned and let himself drop in the bed.

"Hey…" Waver, said from the distance, "Hey, don't you just fall asleep now."

There was no answer. Waver came closer.

"If you are pretending to be sleeping just so you don't have to listen…"

He could hear a soft snore coming from the young man's face, sunk in the pillow.

The mage sighed, looking at Alexander's wounds. He still had many questions, and he still needed to tell him what happened. But for now, he would just let him get some rest.

He must have fought hard today. He came back in less than 24 hours with all his men, and more. Making sure they all survived. Waver thought with a smile on his lips.

He deserves some peace now.

He covered him with a blanket, and slowly left the room to get some rest himself.