Our Adventure Will Never End
Source https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/92077251
Diary 1337---Entry 1 A Past Not Yet Past 感情考察(前) Part 1
“Now you know truth. The end of the end. The big bang that closes out in unceremonious silence. As all the light of the universe finally dims and fades to black. As the celestial bodies of the universe freeze, and time itself, falls to a standstill. Should you not instead, be able to choose your own ending?”
My right-hand takes hold of my left arm. I’m shaking, I know I’m shaking, I’m trying to not shake. It hurts. I know it hurts. My breaths are short. I’m panicking, I’m at least conscious enough to recognize this. It’s as if every butterfly to ever exist is sitting in my stomach. It’s now an endless abyss of dread that is slowly overwhelming me. My eyes still trained forward, staring at her. I’m trying my damnedest to not lose it, to keep my mind from breaking. I messed up; I wasn’t supposed to end up here. Gotta keep my head occupied. Think. Think! How did I end up here? Retrace your steps ωατ..ν, what went wrong? I’m the only person with this ability, there shouldn’t be anybody else here…If someone else is here…then…that person must be!
“Nothing to say? Were you listening? Are you still all up there in the head? Surely you can crack one more of those quips with that smart mouth.”
She’s egging you on, trying to get you to crack. She wants you to do something, don’t do it. Just…just try to get a hold of yourself. Ok…ok…ok…I….my watch…where is my watch. If…I could…just…remember where…
Tick Tock Tick Tock
What?! What…what is that sound? Something other than her voice? It…it’s a clock. It sounds like a grandfather clock. I can hear it…The Ticks and Tocks…Was that always there?! I guess I’m in worse shape than I had thought. Heh…ok…The sound… is honestly calming. But where is it coming from? I muster the strength to turn my head to the right. Slowly, impossibly slowly, I turn for what feels like an eternity. It’s…a bench? No…wait…there’s something on it? A…. I can’t tell what it is…but I can at least recognize something. I take a deep breath; I think I can conquer this paralyzing fear. Taking a few…moments…I let go of my arm and force both of my hands towards my jacket. Ah…no good. This is my work outfit, no pockets…So…it must be hanging in the middle of…
“Oh, are you looking for something? Perhaps this? My Dear Watson.”
She raises her left arm, her hand opens, out falls my watch. She dangles it by its chain, her face completely indifferent. Is she teasing me or? Well… thoughts for later, I need to get my watch back.
“Here. Take it back.”
A surprise, but one I’ll gladly take.
She extends her arm forward and opens her hand completely, the watches chain slides through her fingers. It drops to the ground...but…wait…it didn’t make any sound….I….what? I can’t see it either?!
“Having trouble Watson? Take it. I implore you. “
I…I can’t see. What happened. I…ok…deep breaths…When did this happen? How long has it been happening for? Did…I…only…see the outline of them? My head creeps back to the right…and sure enough, it’s just their outlines…I can barely make them out…it’s dark. I didn’t realize it was dark, my head earlier…. I must’ve been so out of it. Does this count as seeing things if they’re there but not there but actually there? Haha, ok… I’m at least getting control of my senses again. So, why can’t I see my watch. What’s wrong here. It’s dark, but I can make out the bench, why can’t I make out the watch. Where did I end up? Have we been standing in the dark the entire time?
“Something the matter, Watson?”
I take a deep breath, in and out a few times, just to work up to speaking…who knows how long it’s been…
My voice exits, faintly. “I” Winded already…. there’s…a ton of pressure on my chest…. Hold…. just hold…Deep breaths, deep breaths. Try again, you can do it Watson. Ok.
“I can’t…breathing heavily…see it…Kronii”
“Kronii Kronii Kronii…How long has it been since I last heard that name? Not since…hahaha…the last time you were here Amelia.” She covers her face with her left hand and laughs, or at least that’s what I think she’s doing. Maybe she’s trying to make me lose my nerve.
Now I have a million thoughts racing across my head. It was her! I…I had a feeling…It is her job to watch over time and all that…but..ok. Keep calm, whatever she’s doing…whatever she said…it doesn’t matter. I need to get back, back home. My friends, my…huh …l-last…time? I’ve been here…before? No, it doesn’t matter, surviving is what matters. And I’ll…
Kronii raises her right hand, snapping her fingers. Around the outline of her body, the world seemingly flipped the light switch on.
A warm glow covers us, I wince away for a moment so my eyes can adjust to the light. As I open my eyes, I don’t know what to think of the sight that enters my head. I feel like I just woke up. We’re in a desert! I open my eyes to a a desert, a literal desert. That’s why dropping the watch didn’t make any noise! It fell into sand! I don’t know why I’m so excited about this development, but it’s a good feeling and I’m running with it.
Kronii points down towards the watch, further fueling my excitement. My ticket out of here! I raise both of my hands to my face and slap both of my cheeks to “wake” myself up. I feel like I just splashed my face with cool water after getting out of bed. Spirits are high, let’s do this! Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, heh…just walking…what an accomplishing feeling. I must’ve been in really bad shape earlier. I gaze over Kronii, her frame as imposing as ever. Still a beauty, wonder what skin regimen the lord of time uses to stay that flawless all the way up to the end of time.
Kronii’s finger remains trained at my watch; it sits almost too comfortably in the sand. My steps finally reach it, I guess I’m also within arm’s reach of Kronii, but she’s standing still, as if she were frozen in time. Her porcelain skin glimmers in the light, I wouldn’t be surprised if she had the lighting set up to further enhance her looks. Why am I so focused on her looks, what a fearsome woman. Her beauty is most definitely a part of her charm. Too terrifying an opponent, but I’ve got a…wait a second. Earlier…didn’t she say… “Take it back?” She said that right? I know I’ve been a complete mess the entire time I’ve been here but… Is she inferring that I had given it to her? Why would I give it to her? Did I give it to her?
I crouch down and reach out into the sand, shifting it a bit to pull out my watch. Glancing at the face of the watch, it is definitely mine. The cute little moustache is sitting right in the center of it. I pull myself back up and blow on it, getting excess sand off it.
Ah, my reflection…heh…a little worse for wear but…yeah…it’s me.
I look up at Kronii, she’s still silent but her head is turned slightly to the left. The left…what’s on her left. Oh! The bench! Well, I’ll give it a peek too since it seems to have so much of her attention.
My head creeps back over to the right, my eyes lay on her while I turn, just as a precaution. Slowly, they make their way over with the rest of my head and honestly, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I blink a few times in disbelief, I’m…it’s….me? I’m…sitting on the bench? I’m asleep on the bench? What in the world.
“Surprised? Shocked? Scared? Tell me Amelia, what do you think of yourself? Doesn’t she just look serene? Into the end and beyond, she sits here alone as punishment for her sin.”
“What?! Sin? What did she do?”
I look back at Kronii, her face still neutral. It’s pretty unnerving that she’s still showing zero emotion. Don’t let it get to you Watson…hmm…In her hands…it looks like she’s holding a... book? I guess she needs something to keep her occupied here at the end of time.
“Interested? I see your eyes have spied upon the prize Amelia.”
“What…what is it Kronii? A book? You uh…found something that caught your eye? Must be a pretty good one to take with you to the end of eternity.”
“Heh…there’s the cute quip. I will miss them. Not as much as I will you, but I’ll miss them.”
“You’ll…what do you mean…miss me? What’s going on here?”
“This is the final dairy, Amelia. Your final diary. 1337, your job is complete.”
“My timeline…huh? What do you mean job? What is going on Kronii?”
“The job is complete, thanks to 37564. For her to decide the end, to finish it, and I had summoned every Amelia Watson from every timeline here to me. You are the final one. It’s time to retire Ame.”
“It…it’s finished? Then that’s why I returned the watch…”
“Indeed. I was…curious to say the least…as to why you couldn’t remember. I wanted to see what I could spur within you. Unfortunately, you seem just as lost as when we started. Oh well, doesn’t matter now anyways.
Tick Tock
Tick Tock
My head shifts back towards the resting…me…on the bench. Further back beyond her is a giant clock. I guess my watch is based on that model. It’s being swallowed up by the sand. Already half sunken into the sand.
“Ah…the…the clock…I see…that’s what I was hearing earlier.”
Ok think Ame think. I can buy a little…time…by traveling back to…some…point. I must travel to a point after meeting Myth. That way we can all work as a team to get something going before Kronii finds me. Or…Kronii would probably expect me to meet up with the other Myth members…That might endanger them…. Damn, what can I do without it looking suspicious to Kronii?
I look back down at my watch, I guess I can try spinning the dial back a bit…No…she said the end of time, right? Wait...did I say the end of time? How did I know it was the end of time. Questions for later! Strange how I've second guessed myself several times already though...Whatever! I’d need to spin this thing for a while to get back, that would also be way too obvious. Unfortunately this is all I have to work with; I’ll need to at least distract Kronii a bit. Take her attention and keep her occupied with something else. Ok…I’ll just chat her up for a bit then see where it goes from there.
“Kronii, what were you saying when I arrived here. I didn’t really catch all of that.”
“What was I saying? I wasn’t saying anything Amelia. I just summoned you and you just showed up. Nothing else has happened.”
“Nothing…else? I…right…I guess the summon must’ve messed with my head a bit…” I trail off as I now stick another million questions into my head. We were just standing here? In the dark? In pure silence? What the heck?! Well at least I don’t think she’s noticed me rolling the watch back.
“Ame…come on…You think I wouldn’t notice you trying to time travel? Seriously?”
“Uh…Kronii I mean…I’m just standing here. I haven’t done anything!”
“This area is my domain, an extension of myself. My reality marble.”
“I mean…Oh yeah! And it’s so beautiful! I really like the endless sand and uh…that cutie over there on the bench!”
Kronii just stares at me blankly, I guess I got caught but she hasn’t stopped me so…
“Yes, the endless sands of time. Simple, straight and to the point.”
Kronii’s face starts to…widen! She’s smiling. It’s a great smile. Damnit, she’s plotting something, and I’m just dumbfounded by her smile. I forgot she had those fangs… I never found out why… Anyways I can probably just travel to whatever time I dialed back to and then work back from there. If she shows any sort of threat or tries anything I just jump! Heh heh heh.
“Perhaps…you were…Ahh I see. Interesting.”
“What are you muttering Kronii, you can tell me! I might be uhhh able to help!”
“Ame. I will get straight to the point. There is no point. It’s over. This is the end of time. You know what this means.”
“Aww Kronii c’mon…For your ol’ pal Ame? One last time?”
Kronii sighs heavily, the smile on her face slowly drips away. Back to her impeccable neutral position, she spends a moment to think and decide upon her answer.
“Alright Ame, for my “ol’ pal,” as you put it. I did enjoy spending time in your universe the most. It was delightful…those days…meant a lot to me.”
“Thank you Kronii. I just…y’know it’s my blood! I’m an investigator! It’s my job to solve mysteries!”
“Right. Well I suppose I will indulge your final request…Detective.”
Kronii adjusts her hair, pushing her bangs out of her face and patting down her skirt afterwards. She starts to walk towards the clock…or the bench…uh they’re both in the same direction… And she suddenly stops. Why didn’t she go all the way towards them? Is there something…no…wait. Is…is that? Where she was standing before! Th-Those are graves! What?! Whose are…
“You probably saw the memories of the previous Amelia Watson. To be more specific, the Amelia that was here before you.” Says Kronii
“The Amelia Watson here before me? Wh…what happened to her.” Says Ame
“Correct. The Watson before you” Kronii pushes out her left arm and points towards the Ame on the bench. “There she sits, her and every Amelia from every timeline, lay in their resting place. You all come from the same source. You all return to the same source. She…you…will spend time immemorial here.”
“For our “sin” right?”
“Correct. As my final gesture of my good will; I’ve set all of these graves up for every Amelia that exists…existed.”
“What…what happened? Why are we all sent here by you Kronii?” I'm lost, but I'm too curious to not hear the end to this.
“You or rather…the Amelia from timeline 37564… has both saved…and damned all life in the universe. Her timeline is the first, chronologically. She and I have worked together to end every single universe, every single timeline. Her final job was timeline 1337, she has sown the seeds of discord. Chaos will indisputably, undeniably wreak havoc over the final timeline and then it will be complete.”
Her words hit…no…stab me in the chest. Another Ame did…what? What did she do? She saved…and damned every living thing in the universe? How…how does that even…what even is…But…the weight of her words…They’re…pressing down on me. I feel it. My body…physically feels like it’s being pushed down upon by some cosmic force. It’s…unreal…this is…too much…I gotta get out…find out from someone…Surely nobody just let this happen. What about the Council? Omega? Somebody…Anybody would’ve noticed something on a scale large enough to plunge the universe out of balance.
“Ame, now it’s your turn. Return to nothingness. Return to the 『 』”
“H-h-hang…hang on a sec Kronii! I…why do I…What? Why do I have to go? I…that wasn’t me! I had no part in whatever happened!” I hopelessly whine to her; hoping to gain some of her pity. She does love to brag about how perfect she is. A perfect person develops a perfect plan. This might at least get some extra information out of her.
“When one timeline is overwhelmed by the forces of chaos or order, it spells doom for the beings within that timeline. When that timeline fails, whichever force had taken over, be it chaos or order, overflow into the next timeline and that timeline does the same in the end. It’s nothing more than dominoes falling down one after another.” Kronii says with conviction.
“Then…what this Ame…37564…she's the catalyst? This…will happen to our timeline too?”
Kronii closes her eyes and nods. She is now silent, it almost seems like she’s somber. She must know what will happened. She’s the Warden of Time after all. It's her plan! Nothing is beyond her. Her eyes reopen and her gaze is stuck to the Ame on the bench. Could she be…
“She took my mission and fulfilled it. That is all Amelia. She did her job. Kept her loyalty to me. And I am delighted that it is now all, FINALLY, over.” Kronii ends her sentence enthusiastically, gleefully. The smile has returned to her face…but it’s…twisted…evil.
“Y-You’re happy about this?”
“Happy? Ame, I’m ECSTATIC this has happened. It’s the most wonderful feeling you could ever imagine! Here at the end! Now we can all finally DIE!”
“H-how?! What exactly is so wonderful about this?”
“Ame Ame Ame. All you see is a small picture. A small bit of the greater scene. A denizen of a pond that will never escape. I, have sent an answer to our creators, to the GODS. Life is NOT worth living out. There is NO MEANING to it. Your labors are futile. You exist only to entertain forces you will never meet. Beings that are outside of reality, beyond time, incomprehensible and incomprehensive! They themselves are flawed, FAILURES! No more shall life be suffered to be their experiments. I have found the way.”
“Kronii…you sound…insane. How…how long have you been like this?!” I say defeated; the despair lay heavy in my voice.
“How…long? Amelia…I am the Warden of Time. Do you know how long I’ve existed?”
“I… guess a pretty long time Kronii.”
“Whenever any creature in any universe, in any timeline, discovers the concept of time, I am sent there. I am to be the sands that record everything that happens there. This is my punishment, and I will serve it NO LONGER!”
Kronii…I can only imagine the amount of pain and rage that are powering her voice right now. Her arms push out to the sides of her body, she clenches her fists. Her dual blades are summoned out of the air and her gaze sternly fixated upon me.
“Now Ame, be a good girl and join up with the rest of them. It’ll be a big ol’ family reunion!” She says, no…orders me to…
I look over at the other Ame. She looks at peace. So cool and calm. What were the last thoughts in her mind as she decided to let it end? I guess this is it, this is a hopeless situation for a hopeless individual. I…I have to hit the switch. I’ve gotta go back before Kronii gets me.
“STOP!” I scream out, trying to at least appear like I’m not quivering in my boots. My right hand holds my watch outward, whatever I had set the time to is better than being here! I guess all my talking really did distract her!
“ahahaha….ahahahahaha….AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…”
“Wh-what’s so funny Kronii? Can’t believe I got one up on you?” I say that but…I’m still completely terrified. She’s definitely jumped off of the deep end now.
“Oh Ame. My sweet Amelia. My brilliant Detective Watson. You can go back as far as you want. You will find the results less than ideal.”
“Is that a challenge Kronii? Because I’m pretty confident in my own abilities!”
“Hit it Ame. Run away. Cower in fear. You will most certainly not get far.” She says so smugly…now I’m worried!
“F-fine. I’ll go. I’ll go back as far as it takes to solve this incident!”
With my final words…I close my eyes activate the time travel.
“Brrrrrrreeeeeeeeeleleleelleeeeeeeeee”
I open my eyes back up and there it is. It feels…so familiar…I…yeah.
This dread.
This all-consuming feeling of existential dread.
Is this how that Ame felt? Is this the despair she stared at in the face as she brought about the end to life in her…in all universes? Kronii…what happened to you… Ame…me…what made you agree to this? Guess I’ll never get the answers I’m looking for this time. Heh…what an awful ending. My arms fall to my knees, my knees fall into the sand.
“I took the time crystal out Ame. C’mon…really? Did you reeeeeally think you’d get away like that?”
I guess…I’m clocking out. I…there’s at least one thing…maybe…maybe she’ll indulge me. My hands run through the sand; I’m suddenly reminded that this world is an extension of her body. I wonder what this feels like to her…
“Kronii, I…I’ve heard your story. I follow that when the balance between chaos and order is ruined, it brings ruin to a universe and it’s timeline.”
“Riiiight. Sooooo?”
“The…the first timeline to fall, 67564…the balance there…it was tipped in favor of one these and led to this moment. And not just her timeline…all timelines. This Ame…she…”
“Very deductive of you, it seems you did listen to everything I’ve been saying so far.” Kronii remarks snidely, but I press on.
“Then the Council…your own…friends…” I choke the words out, my nose running, my eyes drowned with sadness. “Bae…she's your catalyst...”
“Gone Amelia. GONE. I have FREED them. SAVED THEM! Slaves to their masters no more! No longer forced to balance a universe, an idea, that has been abandoned by their creators!” She declares, no hint of weakness in her voice. Nothing but sheer determination. She believes in herself, her convictions, her ideals…I…sh-shouldn’t I believe in my own then? Kronii was saying something about us coming from the source. Or… damn it…I can’t even remember but she said something like that but…I…should also believe in myself! Alright well now or never! I still have HOPE.
“Well, Ame, I’d say this was fun…but…we both know it wasn’t. I will close the curtain on timeline 1337 and with it, all timelines, all universes will finally end. Farewell, my…εαρ..."
The light of the world is dimming! Something happening?! Kronii! Where did she go? I lost her! Oh no. This is bad! I can’t find her, left, right, forwards, or backwards... Her silhouette is missing. But then, I notice it. At the top…or what I at least I think is the top of the world, it's bright! She’s diving at me! Oh no. Oh man…this is it. I…no more options… Heh… The figure nears…but…hey! Th-That’s not Kronii! Who…what?! Who is that!?
The sands shift in front of me, and my attention immediately darts to it. There she is. That’s Kronii! Did she skip time to drop down quicker?! She’s coming after me! I’m…I’m gonna be killed by Kronii! I pick myself up as best I can, but unfortunately, I trip over my own feet and fall back down. I immediately flip around to face towards Kronii. I see light glimmering off her blades as she swings them downwards and I just close my eyes. Animals accept their fate and freeze up right when they're in a hopeless situation right?? Something in like, their brains release a chemical to make death not as bad right? What the hell am I saying, heh…At least I can crack a smile here at the end.
“The future is not what helps people; the future is made with our own hands. Salvation is hypocrisy. If people know they are to be saved, they simply will not try. From the depths of despair: a glimmer of light, the warmth of recovery. As long as we are with hope, we live. We stand tall.” The figure radiantly declares as she descends. Her voice booms over the desert air. It…it couldn’t be…no way…it is!
“Hope has descended…and is coming for you!” She declares as she lands, effortlessly stopping the blades with her hands! If I weren’t on the receiving end of this attack, I’d say this is pretty cool. Alright it’s still pretty cool but…sigh…ok. I’m being saved! She shoves Kronii back, giving a few steps of distance between us. I stare in awe.
“I-IRyS?! How…why…who…?” I say completely baffled
“Not “who” Ame. You know my name.” IRyS replys, her bright voice a song of hope to my ears.
“Right. I know…just been through a lot.” I’m still in disbelief but…somehow…someway she’s here.
“Ahhh, the Nephilim. Interesting… How did you escape? The underworld should’ve been sealed up. Unless…hmm I see. Betrayed, was I? I suppose it's not too surprising the reaper chose you over me.” Kronii says, the sound of saltiness lingering on the ends of her words.
“Well, it seems my friends are a bit more trustworthy than yours Kronii. C’mon Ame, we don’t have much…hehe…time... left before the spell ends.” IRyS’ words sound so calming. Ahh so bright..oh man…I’m fangirling over her…
“Spell?!” I say simultaneously with Kronii. What did she mean spell?
“Right, a spell! Now why don’t you pick yourself up off your butt and grab my hand!” I follow her words and get up, dusting sand off of body and nod to her. She slides her hand into mine…it’s warm~
"But to get to the end of time you need..."
She moves her face towards mine, leaning into my left side and whispers into my ear, “It took awhile, but we found a special uhm…tome…thingy…Whatever. The Grimoire of the Rift. Ina went over it and well… basically… lets us travel time!” She whispers excitedly; I can tell she’s glad to have found me before it was too late.
“It’s a grimoire by the way, IRyS. It’s literally in the name.” Kronii says with a contemptuous tone. She is straight up not having a good time anymore.
“Right uhm IRyS, this whole…place is her world. She called it a reality marble. Apparently, she knows everything that happens in here so like, we can’t do anything in secret.”
“A reality marble…looks like we weren’t the only ones borrowing the knowledge of the Ancient Ones. Don’t worry, and besides, she didn’t notice me arrive, did she? ~ But that’s a story for another day, we’re gonna leave soon Ame.”
I looked back at Kronii and her eyes were wide open. Definitely piercing my soul with her gangimari. She was definitely not happy hearing about that bit of not being able to notice.
“Leave?! You won’t be leaving! As for how you entered, who cares. I have you both now! You WON'T be stopping this one!” Kronii hollers as she pulls her blades over her chest. The world changes, no longer a desert. The clock buried underneath the sands begins lights up and out of it, spawn several...magicky...spectraly...clocks. The universe unravels itself around us and we are standing among the stars. In a giant circle around Kronii, the clocks gather, their hands spinning and spinning around, something big is definitely happening! A light shines above us...but this time it's not a savior. It's her sword? It's her sword! Her sword is hurdling down towards us! "IRyS, if you got another trick or something...NOW'S THE TIME TO USE IT!!!!!"
In the back of my head, I hear words echo. It’s not IRyS’ voice…it’s…it’s Ina’s!
“Eon become instant!”
I feel the flow of time shift... I don't know how it's happening, but I'm not complaining! I look at IRyS’ face, she’s staring at Kronii. Her face is the very definition of determined. I turn towards Kronii. She’s staring at me, but her gaze…she looks sad. That perfect face of hers, sullied for me?
Finally, I notice the light below Irys and I. Some sort of circle. I don’t know what this is, but it's not a clock! I guess this is our ticket out, and as I blinked, my eyes open to a familiar sight!
The Burden of Knowledge:
Entry 2