After discovering the mystery in the old photographs, we spent an entire day studying the legend of the 'Time Guardians.' Jack found scattered records in the family archives, but most were vague descriptions and symbolic drawings, without specific operational guidelines or clear definitions of responsibilities.
By evening, the long hours of research had left us both exhausted. Jack suggested we take a break and get some fresh air outside the lighthouse.
'Sometimes,' he said, 'when you temporarily set a problem aside, the answer will emerge on its own.'
We left the lighthouse and came to a flat rock at the edge of the cliff. From this position, we could see the entire bay and Fog Corner town in the distance. The sun was slowly sinking into the horizon, dyeing the sky and sea golden-red, while the lighthouse's shadow stretched long, like a thin line connecting heaven and earth.
We sat side by side, silently appreciating this magnificent scene. In this moment, the time fracture, the Prophet's warnings, the mysteries in the photographs—all these pressures seemed temporarily forgotten.
'This is my favourite moment,' Jack broke the silence, his voice soft, 'This time every day, just before sunset. The point of balance between light and shadow, the boundary between day and night.'
I looked at his profile, the sunlight gilding his features with a golden edge. His eyes gazed into the distance, seemingly seeing something deeper than the physical landscape.
'Do you really believe destiny is fixed?' I asked softly, remembering our previous conversation.
Jack thought for a moment, then shook his head. 'Not entirely. I think destiny is more like... a river. It has its own direction and force, but at certain points, we can change its course, even if just a little.'
'What about the lighthouse accident?' I asked, my voice tinged with tension, 'Do you think we can change that fate?'
He turned to me, his eyes filled with complex emotions. 'I don't know, Ella. But what I do know is that, whatever the outcome, the attempt itself has meaning.'
The wind gently blew between us, carrying the scent of sea salt. Jack's hand rested on the rock, just centimetres away from mine. That feeling of closeness yet separation symbolised our situation in a way—from different timelines, yet so close in this moment.
'Have you ever thought,' I began hesitantly, 'if we could solve the problem of the time fracture, if I could return to 2025, then... all this would just become memory for you, while for me, you wouldn't even exist, just a historical figure from a hundred years ago.'
Expressing this thought brought me a wave of pain. Without realising it, Jack had become more than just someone helping me get home; he had become something more important. His wisdom, sense of responsibility, courage in facing an unknown fate—all these things made me deeply admire him, and now, some deeper feelings were quietly growing.
Jack was silent for a long time, his gaze falling on the increasingly blurry horizon. 'I have thought about it,' he finally admitted, 'but I also believe that truly important connections cannot be destroyed by time. No matter when or where we are, this experience is real.'
His hand slowly moved to gently cover mine. That touch was warm and firm, like a silent promise.
'Ella,' he said softly, with a gentleness I had never heard before, 'Since you appeared at the lighthouse, everything has been different. Not just because of the time fracture or those prophecies, but because of you yourself—your way of thinking, your courage in facing the unknown, your persistence in seeking truth.'
I felt my heart rate accelerate and avoided looking directly into his eyes, afraid he would see the warmth on my face. 'I'm just trying to find my way home,' I responded softly, knowing this wasn't the whole truth.
'You know,' Jack continued, his voice carrying a slight sad smile, 'sometimes I think, perhaps your appearance isn't just to solve the time fracture, but also to... change me. Before you came, I had accepted the fate of 21st September, almost with a fatalistic calmness. But now, I find myself wanting more—wanting to see more sunsets, wanting to know what the future holds, wanting...' he paused, as if searching for the right words, 'wanting to have more time with you.'
These words ran through my body like an electric current. I looked up, meeting his gaze, seeing in those blue eyes the same emotional struggle as in my heart—both yearning to be close, yet fearing loss, both wishing time would forever stay in this moment, yet knowing we each had different destinations.
'Jack, I...' I began, but didn't know how to express these complex feelings.
He gently shook his head, as if understanding my hesitation. 'You don't need to say anything. I know this is complicated, for both of us. But I just want you to know, whatever the outcome, meeting you is the most wonderful thing in my life.'
The last ray of sunset disappeared below the horizon, and the sky began changing from golden-red to deep blue. In this changing light, Jack's face remained clearly visible, his expression both resolute and gentle, like the lighthouse itself—providing guidance in darkness yet standing alone.
Some impulse drove me to lean forward. Time seemed to stand still, the world shrinking to just the two of us. My hand gently touched his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin and the slight stubble on his chin.
'Whatever happens,' I said softly, my voice almost a whisper, 'I will never regret coming here, meeting you.'
Jack's gaze softened, and he slowly leaned closer until our breaths mingled. When our lips finally touched, the feeling was both familiar and strange, as if our souls had known each other long ago, just seeking each other across different times and spaces.
That kiss was both gentle and profound, seeming to contain all the emotions that couldn't be expressed in words—defiance against fate, fear of the unknown, cherishing of each other, and that connection transcending time.
When we finally parted, the sky had completely darkened, and the first star twinkled in the east. Jack's hand still held mine, our foreheads touching, our breaths intertwining.
'Six days,' he said softly, determination in his voice, 'We have six days left. I won't give up, Ella. Whatever fate has written, we will find a way to rewrite it.'
I nodded, feeling both concern for the future and a newborn hope. I didn't know if a love spanning a hundred years was possible, if we could truly change history, if the mission of the 'Time Guardians' would ultimately lead me where. But in this moment, in the shadow of the lighthouse, under the night sky where stars had just begun to appear, I felt an unprecedented certainty.
Whatever the outcome, this connection across time and space had already become an indelible part of my life. And if the price of changing destiny meant I had to give up the chance to return to 2025, to stay in this era and face an unknown future with Jack... then at this moment, with his warm hand holding mine, with his eyes containing endless possibilities, that price no longer seemed so frightening.
On the distant sea surface, fog began to rise, shimmering with a faint blue light, as if the time fracture was also witnessing this moment. The lighthouse beam began to rotate, piercing through the night, guiding ships home, and also symbolising the direction we were seeking in the fog of destiny.