Chapter 24: Chronos' Umbra Falls! Hear the Darkness Roar

How's that for an answer? You lose, Phantom! This world is no longer yours to control. It never was!

Truly remarkable... You were even able to best me in battle. It seems I must entrust the future to...him.

Wait, "him"? Who are you talking about?

Oh, someone you know very well, Aldo. Now watch as time itself is swallowed by the abyss!

What?!

What...what is that?!

A prisoner held captive in Chronos' Umbra... Chronos Menas!

Chronos...Menas?

That scream... Is it using Geo Prisma?!

No, Aldo. You are in error. The energy waves being discharged by that lifeform do not conform to those of Feinne's Geo Prisma.

They don't? But that means... No... No, it can't be...

I'm afraid it is. It is Alpha Geo.

Alpha Geo? That's impossible! There's only one person with that power...

...!

Eden? That thing is Eden? That is Professor Chronos' son?

I-It can't be... That's ridiculous!

But if that really is Eden, then who is Aldo?

......

16 years ago, Chronos' family were buffeted by temporal gales and became separated. Eden was thrown into the very heart of the Dimensional Vortex and has lain there ever since. The darkness of the abyss proved an impenetrable prison. As for his baby sister Cecile...

Waaah! Waaah!

What's that sound?

A human baby? What is it doing here?

Even humans can be cute as innocent little babies... What's wrong? Are you sad, little one? Lost your mother?

Hey, little one... Peek-a-boo!

Waaah! Waaah!

Well, that didn't work...

Huh? This power...this strange power, lying dormant in this child... Could it be?!

Oh, someone's coming. The last thing I want is to have to deal with people...

I have to leave you now, little one. Maybe we will meet again one day.

Waaah!

Waaah! Waaah!

Waaah! Waaah!

Oh my! I thought I heard crying. Lo and behold, a baby in the midst of a forest! What is going on here, laddie? Where is your home? Is this your baby sister?

......

Waaah! Waaah!

Oh dear... Do not be afraid, child. Hush, no more crying. Be a good girl, sweetie.

Waaah! Waaah!

Kyros... That is the name of Chronos' beloved pet cat. In place of his master, he became determined to watch over Cecile. For her part, Cecile's fear of being alone and the power of her Geo Prisma imprinted the form of her brother onto Kyros. He was reborn as a perfect copy of Eden. So perfect, in fact, that he lost all memory of his past life...

Aldo... No, Kyros. Kit of Chronos... Do you remember what the professor told you?

...... What he told me?

Wait, but you're from Elzion, right? If you erased that timeline, wouldn't you disappear too?

Ah, are you also an Elzion resident, miss? I apologize for the wrong I did you before. You see, once my family and I became separated from our native timeline, we would remain even if it were erased. We'd never be able to return home, but at least we would escape the repercussions of changing history.

I've got to hand it to you, Aldo. I couldn't have done this without you. Sorry for not believing you before. Past, future, we're all pals, right? And I want you to know, you can count on my help. There's got to be some way to get you back to your own time.

Wow. Thanks, Amy, that really means a lot. Together, I bet we can...

Whoa! Hey!

Aldo?! I...I don't know what's...

No way... What happened to Elzion? Everything's in ruins. How did this happen?

If Aldo truly were Eden, he would have disappeared when the Elzion timeline was erased. Eden was just as much a part of our lost future as Amy and the others. But Kyros, now transformed into Aldo, had no relation to that future. And why?

Sorik! Sorik, where are you? Come on out...

Oh, hi Aldo! Have you seen Sorik around? I haven't seen him in a while now. I'm worried about the little kitty... He's such a playful little guy. Maybe he got lost in the forest?

Sorik! Sorik, can you hear me? Please come back!

A kitten from your time wandered into a tear in spacetime and ended up in the future. It was then taken in by Professor Chronos and became a part of his family. They gave him the name Kyros.

......

Eden's imperfect Alpha Geo particles were further warped within the void. They are becoming Chaos. Chronos Menas will sleep in the earth of your time period and slowly infect all the prisma around him. Now the veil of darkness will fall over time and Chaos will reign supreme!

Ngh...!

Eden has been alone at the bottom of the Dimensional Vortex for 16 long years. There is nothing left in his heart but madness and despair. What now, Kyros? How will you find a way out of this? Heh heh... Bwahahahahah!

Kyros, huh? And I used to be a cat...

Aldo, are you all right in here?

Feinne...

Whoever or whatever you were before, it doesn't change the fact that you're my brother, and I love you.

Thanks, Feinne... I guess you're right.

But...Eden is my brother too, isn't he? I don't remember him at all, but I can't turn my back on him. I want to save him from that darkness...

Yeah, me too.

Let's do it!

We can depart anytime. I for one have no intention of relinquishing the world to this Chronos Menas. Riftbreaker taking off! Next stop, Chronos' Umbra, the year 300 AD!

A swirling mass of endless darkness, filled only with loneliness and despair...

And somewhere in there is Chronos Menas...I mean, Eden. I feel so bad for him.

Harden your heart. He may yet prove to be the architect of our demise.

Threat Level: Off The Charts. My sensors are unable to detect what is waiting for us in there.

So it may be, we still need to venture inside if we're to have any hope of saving the planet.

Eden...

Shape up, everybody! This time it really is all or nothing.

Wait for us, Eden. We'll get you out of here somehow!