Fated Beyond Chrono

Episode 2 – Man In Darkness

Aria sat deep in thought, her mind swirling with confusion. What was this strange feeling? It stirred within her from Cheonwoong's laughter and Chan's dignified demeanor. Warmth. The concept was foreign to her—she and others in her world had always seemed warm on the surface, yet inside, there was never anything close to this. This peculiar stirring in her heart was uncharted territory. She found herself laughing softly at the absurdity of it all, only to be startled by her own reaction. Cheonwoong's face flickered briefly in her thoughts, and for a moment, she felt entirely unmoored.

How could this Earth feel so identical, yet so different? And why did it evoke these alien emotions within her?

This wasn't the first time, though. Aria recalled the eyes of strangers watching her wander aimlessly, their stares evoking a familiar unease. Even strangling Cheonwoong earlier—it wasn't malice but reflex. A defense against emotions she recognized yet feared. When she released him, she was shocked—not by fear of reprisal, but by something unexpected. Good faith. His first instinct wasn't hostility but kindness. The memory of him inviting her into his tent and offering his coat replayed vividly. For the first time in her life, Aria had experienced genuine compassion.

"Aria, are you okay?" Cheonwoong's concerned voice pulled her back to the present. His worry was another anomaly she couldn't quite place but didn't dislike.

"This place is full of new and…" she trailed off, searching for the right word. She wanted to say surprising, but the word felt insufficient. Instead, she muttered, "…strange feelings."

Cheonwoong and his friends exchanged puzzled glances. Sensing her hesitation, Cheonwoong asked gently, "Where do you live?"

Aria turned away, unwilling to answer. Chan pressed further, "If it's not rude, where are your parents?" But before she could respond, Yuseong and Cheonwoong covered his mouth, realizing the sensitivity of the question.

Her voice was ice-cold. "There isn't, but there will be."

Before she could leave, Cheonwoong grabbed her hand and pressed a small slip of paper into it. "It's my number. Call me if you need help," he said earnestly.

She walked away, clutching the paper tightly, despite her initial impulse to discard it. For the first time, she was unsure of what to feel.

As night fell, a familiar voice echoed in her mind: "Seize…" She looked back toward the tent, but no one was there. Her thoughts spiraled. What did I do wrong? She had been trying to protect innocent lives, yet the memory of the coalition soldiers came rushing back. Their uniforms were friendly, yet their actions betrayed them. Why had they sent so few? Why had they targeted her?

A sharp pain erupted in her head, pulling her back to reality. Her vision blurred, and she felt an ominous presence within her mind. It guided her body like a puppet, forcing her to move despite her exhaustion. She stumbled until she was grabbed roughly by a man in darkness.

He dragged her into the shadows of a forest path and sneered, "I found it." The words sent a chill through her. Her entire body was paralyzed as the man reached for the mana stone in her hand. Summoning all her remaining strength, she conjured a weak shield. The man easily shattered it, only to yelp in pain as a small burst of flames burned his hand.

While he was distracted, Aria used the last of her strength to telekinetically retrieve the phone from his pocket. Clutching the paper Cheonwoong had given her, she dialed his number.

"Hello?"

"Help me…"

Cheonwoong's tone shifted instantly. "Where are you?"

"Haewang Middle School…"

"Stay there. I'm coming."

The call disconnected abruptly, and the man in darkness realized his phone was gone. Furious, he kicked Aria hard, mocking her as she collapsed. "We were right," he muttered, a twisted smile on his face.

Just as Aria braced herself for the worst, Cheonwoong appeared out of the shadows. "What do you mean, 'we were right'? Here's my right fist—you're done."

The man lunged with a punch, but Cheonwoong caught it mid-air and retaliated with an uppercut. The fight escalated as the man pulled a revolver, but before he could fire, Chan's voice rang out from the distance.

"If you're going to shoot, shoot me!"

The distraction was enough for Chan to close the distance. With a flurry of punches too fast to track, Chan incapacitated the man. Yuseong arrived moments later, pinning the attacker with his sheer weight.

Cheonwoong turned to Aria, his voice soft but firm. "Are you okay?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded. For the first time, she felt something warm, not just externally but deep within. She leaned into Cheonwoong, her tears soaking his shoulder. "It's… warm," she whispered, the words surprising even herself.

Cheonwoong held her close, his embrace a quiet promise of safety.