Into the Abyss Alone
Jerry's Perspective
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The Shadowed Arena
Jerry's breath came slow and steady, his fingers tightening around the hilts of Backbone and Dismay. The temple's vast chamber, once filled with the sounds of battle, now stood eerily silent. The abyssal darkness that had swallowed his companions still lingered in the air, an oppressive weight pressing against his chest.
Archibald stood before him, his form flickering between human and something else, as though reality itself couldn't decide what he had become.
"You always had a way of ruining things, Jerry," Archibald murmured, taking a slow step forward. His voice was calm, but the edges of it dripped with something jagged, something hungry. "You and your stubborn righteousness."
Jerry's gaze remained fixed on him, his stance unwavering. "Where are they?"
Archibald smiled, revealing teeth that were just a little too sharp. "Scattered. Separated. I thought it best to let them experience their own trials. It wouldn't be fair if I only gave you my full attention."
Jerry exhaled sharply, anger curling in his gut. "I'm going to get them back."
"Of course," Archibald said, spreading his arms wide. "That is… if you survive long enough to do so."
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The Battle of Wills
Jerry's muscles tensed as Archibald surged forward, faster than before. He barely had time to react before a clawed hand raked across his chestplate, sending sparks flying. The force of the blow sent him skidding backward, boots digging into the temple's cracked stone.
Jerry retaliated immediately, his divine armor shifting to compensate for the impact. He swung Backbone, the sword's serrated edge seeking flesh, but Archibald moved like liquid shadow, twisting impossibly out of reach.
"You've grown," Archibald mused, his ember eyes alight with amusement. "But so have I."
Jerry's instincts screamed just before a second blow came—this time from behind. A tendril of shadow burst from the floor, wrapping around his ankle and yanking him off balance.
He crashed onto the stone, rolling to avoid another strike. Archibald was relentless, attacking from every angle at once—his body warping, shadows lashing, his human form barely holding together.
Jerry gritted his teeth, his mind reaching out—Where are you?
The silence from his bonded was deafening.
For the first time in a long time, he was truly alone.
---
Digging Deeper
But Jerry had never been the type to back down.
He forced himself upright, calling on the strength of his bonds—even if they were distant. His armor pulsed, responding to his need, adjusting. His claws extended, his stance shifting into something more primal.
If Archibald wanted a fight in the dark, he would tear through it.
Jerry lunged, his speed matching Archibald's now. Their blades clashed, sending shockwaves through the chamber. Sparks and shadow intertwined, light and darkness battling for dominance.
Archibald laughed through the fight, his strikes cruel, taunting. "I expected more from you, Jerry. Is this truly the best you have?"
Jerry didn't answer. Instead, he let go.
For a split second, he embraced the instincts of his bonded, moving not with thought but reaction. His next strike carved through the illusions, slicing through the fabric of Archibald's deception.
The nobleman staggered back, a fresh wound carved into his side. His expression twisted, surprise flickering across his face.
"You cut me." His voice was softer now, the amusement fading.
Jerry lifted Dismay, its edge dripping with something darker than blood. "Yeah."
Archibald's smile returned, sharper than before. "Good."
Then something shifted.
Not just the temple.
Time itself.
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Chrono-God Awakens
Jerry felt it before he understood what was happening. A ripple, subtle at first, as if the world had stuttered. The torches along the walls flickered, their flames dancing backward for a heartbeat before moving forward again.
Archibald hesitated. His predatory grin faltered. "…What did you just do?"
Jerry didn't know. His breathing was heavy, his pulse racing. But the temple—the air itself—felt wrong.
Or maybe… it felt right.
He saw Archibald move—before he actually moved. The way his foot tensed against the stone, the slight shift of his weight. The attack came a second later, but Jerry had already reacted, moving before it even happened.
He sidestepped the shadowed claw, twisting his body as if time itself had whispered the next move to him.
And then he realized—
It had.
The past. The present. The future. They were overlapping. He could see them.
The possibilities played out before him like a shattered mirror, countless fragments revealing what could be. In one, Archibald's claw found his throat. In another, Jerry dodged too early and took a blow to the ribs. In another, he countered perfectly.
His mind latched onto the correct future, and his body followed.
His sword came up.
The strike was flawless.
It cleaved through Archibald's shoulder, forcing a pained snarl from the abyssal creature.
Jerry stumbled back, his breath ragged. He could still see it—the timelines unraveling and knitting themselves together. The sensation was overwhelming, his head pounding from the sheer weight of what he had just touched.
This… This was why they called him Chrono-God.
And he had barely scratched the surface.
---
A Twist of Fate
The ground beneath Jerry fractured, an abyssal maw splitting the chamber apart.
Archibald laughed, blood dripping from his wound. "You're learning fast. But let's see how well you swim when the tides turn against you."
The abyss reached for Jerry.
He felt himself falling.
Darkness swallowed him whole.
And the last thing he heard was Archibald's whisper.
"The past is yours to relive, Jerry. But the future? That belongs to me."
---
Elsewhere – The Fractured Bonds
In another part of the temple, Bengala's claws scraped against stone as she stumbled to her feet. The air was thick with something unnatural, a presence pressing against her mind.
"Jerry?" she called through the bond. Silence.
She cursed under her breath.
Vrkane's growl echoed nearby as he emerged from the shadows, his fur bristling. "Something's wrong."
Bengala met his gaze. "We're alone."
Above them, Aviana circled, her golden eyes scanning the ruins.
And in the distance, something moved.
Something massive.
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