“Back and forth we go in this river

  Here I stood, in the cold of winter”

  - Poem Of Polaris, Passage of Time Line 1-2, 2000 Before War -

  Gathering some woods and supplies on the forest became a skill that Tempus picked up quite quickly. He remembered how his father taught him all of those back when they were traveling around the world. His mother would watch from the side while cooking.

  But getting good and efficient at it again took time, after the long stay at the alley. At first Mr.Anindha accompanied him despite Tempus insisting that he’ll be alright. Being a good person Mr.Anindha wouldn’t leave a child alone in a forest he’s not familiar with. He also got some tips for Tempus, which was very useful.

  Somehow the old man had more strength than when Tempus started to help in the forest. Now he had built some muscle from chopping wood. Albeit not much but enough for him to be able to lift the axe.

  After getting quite a lot of wood, Tempus decided to sit first before going back. He wiped his sweat and exhaled deeply.

  Tempus opened his broken pocket watch again, getting desperate to make it work again. The watchmaker in the village said that it’s fine mechanically and most likely the problem was magic related.

  If Tempus traced back, his parents had made a contract with Aqua, the Spirit of Water. But it could also be Ventus, the Spirit of Wind.

  Before Tempus could even attempt a chant, where before he only saw his reflection, now shone weird symbols on his opened pocket watch. The symbols somehow felt familiar.

  Tempus tried remembering back then when he sat on his mother's lap in the cloudless night where the full moon shone. Those symbols also suddenly appeared too.

  “I know! Fascinating right, Tempus? Now I want you to remember this,”

  As Tempus recalled his mothers words his finger approached the pocket watch’s hand. He turned the hour hand to number ‘12’, just like his mother did too.

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  “Back to what once was left.”

  Tempus turned the hour hand to the left, now it stops number ‘11’. There was a click right after he did that. Before this, no matter what Tempus did, nothing happened. Was the magic problem time related?

  “Right to the one that will be.“

  He then turned it to the right, right at the number ‘1’ .

  Click.

  “And remember, 12 is where it starts and ends.”

  Click.

  Suddenly the symbols shone brighter until it enveloped all of Tempus’ vision. Tempus closed his eyes and covered it with his free hand that’s not holding the pocket watch.

  When the light seemed to disperse, the first thing Tempus realized before even opening his eyes was that it was so silent. There was no sound of the rustled leaves that came from the wind passing through. Nor did he hear the sound of the Igna Grasshopper that’s been getting louder because it’s now night.

  Tempus gulped, feeling nervous to open his eyes. When he did he could only widen his eyes. Right in front of him, the leaves that were supposed to fall down to the ground stayed afloat.

  Trying to calm his rapid breathing he stood up, accidently closing his pocket watch he’s still holding. That’s when all things seemed to move again. Tempus hurriedly gathered his things onto his satchel, feeling goosebump because of how creeped out he was.

  When he was about to gather the wood logs, he heard footsteps and a rustle on the bush on his right. He whipped his head towards the direction and saw a figure he couldn’t quite make as the person seemed to be right under the shadow of the forest.

  “Tempus?” an familiar deep voice called out to him. A man then, Tempus’s mind supplied him. A voice that somehow made him feel nostalgic, which was odd because he was sure he didn’t hear this voice day to day in the village or anywhere near here. There was something more concerning though, how did that person know his name?

  Before Tempus could ask that the figure walked closer to him.

  “W-wait!”

  Tempus was so startled and threatened that he took steps back without even realizing it himself.

  “Who are you?”

  Those were words that came automatically as he tried to keep distance from the menacing figure. What luck he had, that he tripped over one of the logs when he walked backwards. Now that Tempus was on the ground, the man seemed even bigger. Towering over him right in front of the moon.

  But at least now he could see the man was wearing a navy hood, being under direct moonlight. If Tempus thought about it, the place where he sat was a place surrounded by trees, yet it was a clean field, where there were no leaves to block any source of light from the sky.

  The man opened his hood revealing his face that looked about mid to late twenties. Yet right at the moment, Tempus could instantly know that this man was not an ordinary man. With the ears that were slightly sharper on the tips, he must be a descendant of either Tenebris or Lucis. With hair and eyes that were as dark as the night, Tempus was pretty sure that he must be from the Tenebris line.

  “I’m Noir. Or at least that’s what they used to call me.”