Mini Chapter 2 : Blood Cellar

She screams; so loud it hurts her ear which seem more like an ant bite compared to what is next. Pain she fears, pain that has not yet felt but will soon to come. She knows it. She senses it. They torture her with this pain that comes not only once but twice over. She knows the present. They know she knows it. They plan to do it over and over again until she breaks and tell them what they want to know.

A crack of the whip, she jerks. The sound itself hurts. She hung there by chains, unmoving, too tired to do anything else. But her screams keep on coming and coming, ringing in that dark wet cellar, wet with not water; blood. “Please” she begs. Please and nothing more. She could not put a stop to it; she could not give them what they want. So the whips come down at her again, because she does not know a thing.

Mini Chapter 1 : The Others

Earth holds not only creatures that we know of, there are also others; others that differ from the normal humans. Even though the form of homosapiens, the others usually live with their own kind, but there are also some that would walk side by side with the humans; but hidden. These others are differed from the humans because of their abilities. Afraid they would be taken under control and held prisoner, the others usually keep close to their own kin and away from humans.

The others can be again be differentiated with their specific abilities. There are the magic wielders and the time guardians. The strongest and most important of the others is the Sisters of Time, also known as Sistera Munité. Every turn of century, 3 sisters are born as the key to time as the sisters of past, present and future.

Magic wielders are the kind who can command elements of fire, water, earth and air. Wielders can normally only control one element, but there are the stronger ones who can master as many as they like. The ultimate magic wielders would be the ones who can also control light and darkness.

In any chance that one of the sistera munité dies, so would the other; when the future dies, the world follow suit. It is the time guardians’ responsibility to keep the sisters safe from harm. The time guardians have the ability to bend objects in time; whether to move things, make them grow or shrink and the supreme power of travelling through time. The time guardians are not just anyone. Born in that special race, time guardians are chosen by the council and are only truly given the power if they pass are proven worthy. If any were to misuse their powers, they are immediately revoked of the ability or even terminated of their lives.

Part 1 - Temporis Ortum (Birth of Time) Chapter 6.

Chapter Six

Frozen in place, I could only scream my lungs out. Alta came rushing in to my rescue only to be struck in place as well as she stared at the smoke and then at the broken pieces on the floor.

“It’s ok Teri, calm down. It’s not dangerous. Well not to you anyway.”

“That sure sounds easy for you to say. Especially when you’re also staring at it in horror!”

“That’s because I’ve never seen such a thing in my life! I’ve read about it or maybe even hear stories, but I’ve never seen it with my own eyes.” She said with such enthusiast

“And what may I ask is this?” I moved closer to her watching the smoke start to evaporate. I jumped as the broken pieces suddenly sparked like tiny fireworks.

“The birth of a legend. A myth I could say, until this day when I see it. Watch carefully at the broken pieces.” Staring intently at the pieces, I saw it. A small figure was forming. A burning bright red and orange, it had soft feathers from head to tail. It was a kind of bird; as Alta has said, that is considered to be mythical – it was a phoenix.

The sparks stopped, and the phoenix moved and let out a dulcet cry. Opening its eyes for the very first time, it blinked its large yellow eyes at me. Letting out another cry it suddenly grew larger to the size of an eagle and took flight. Swooshing around the room once, it flew straight to me. I covered myself with my arms hoping to defend myself; the phoenix went right through my hands and into me. Crying out in pain, the places where the phoenix touched me were burning. I felt the heat crawl through my chest and to my back where it stopped. Everything fell silent.

“Do you have any ideas what just happened here?” I checked my hands for signs of burns but there were none.

“Yep. Something way awesome! Teri! Even in this world a phoenix is grand! And this one just chose you as its masetra.” I gave her a dumbfound look and she continued “That means master. It is often that animals chooses a human as their masetra, but only if the person is truly worthy. Certain animals are known to be very particular when choosing their masetra, like lions, wolves and eagles. There are other animals who only appear before only to the greatest. And all of them became a legend. I’m talking about the supposedly mythical creatures like the fairy, minotaur, unicorns, manticore, dragons and of course; your new found pet, the phoenix!”

“Don’t you think this is a little too much for me to handle in one day? People trying to kill us, entering this totally different world with its own language, getting to know that I still have family? Now this? A mythical creature as a pet?! I don’t think there’s gonna’ be anything else that can surprise me today.”

And just when I said that, a knock came at the door. Trying to believe nothing else could stun me, I went to open the door and found myself yet again staring at disbelief. Gosh, what a day!

Part 1 - Temporis Ortum (Birth of Time) Chapter 5.

Chapter 5.

How could I be one of those little girls and how could she be that lady? I’ve never seen her before in my life! And what about the other two girls?? My sisters? But again! I’ve never seen such people in my life. Could that be my past life I saw in the visions? It can’t be. The woman here looks exactly alike in the vision.

Still in each others arms, I was searching her face, trying to get an answer out of it. She looked back at me with a warm and loving look that I’ve never seen before; a mothers look. Tears started pouring out my eyes uncontrollably as I looked back into hers; it was the same, like looking in a mirror. Our eyes were both blue with a tinge of green like the ocean with a thin orange outline like the sun rising from the horizon; a rare colour that I have never seen in others eyes before.

“Mother? Ar-are you really my m-mo-mother?” I asked with sniffs in between. Nodding her head, she gave me a kiss on the forehead.

“And the other girls? Do I really have sisters? What was that dark shadow? Did it, oh my god, did it really consume the man? Was that man my father? What-” Putting her finger on my lips, she silenced me from the spurt of questions. She motioned for Alta towards us and whispered in her ear and returned back to me.

“My dear Praeteritum, I will tell you everything soon. For now, go freshen up and we’ll talk over dinner. I am sure you would not want to eat in those clothes and mud in your hair.” A hint of laughter in her eyes, she gave me a small push to Alta who then took me away.

We entered a huge room which still managed to look cosy. There was a four poster bed to the far end of the room, armchairs and a coffee table to one side and two large cupboards with glass doors on the other. Everything was made of dark polished brown wood. Tracing my fingers on the woodwork of the cupboard, I noticed a collection of crystals and woodcarvings of animal figures inside.

“Those were made by your father when you were very young. You were always fond of animals since birth, hence all these figures.” Alta stood beside me, putting an arm around me. With a squeeze, she then pulled me away from the cupboard. “You can look at them later, let’s get cleaned up first. I really want to get rid of this stench.”

The waterfall-like shower was relaxing and eased all the aches. Assortments of aromatic shower gels filled the room with a smell so soothing I felt like I could sit in here forever. Eager to find out more about my life, I forced myself out of the shower to meet back with Alta. Laid out on the bed was the same kind of dress that my mother was wearing. Wow, that seems odd, suddenly having a mother.

I got dressed, looked at myself in the mirror and headed towards the door when I saw a red shine in the cupboard. I stopped in midway looking back towards the cupboard. It wasn’t shining anymore. Shaking my head, wondering if I was seeing things, I walked closer to the cupboard. Opening the glass door, I took a closer look at all the animal figures. On the top row were a bear, an eagle, a leopard, and then a phoenix with red ruby eyes. Then it glowed again. Its eyes!

Staring wide eye at it, I reached my hand out to touch it. Just an inch away from it, the figure started shaking in place. I jumped back as the figure fell off the cupboard and smashed into pieces on the floor. Red smoke started rising from the broken pieces and I started screaming, remembering the black smoke that consumed the man in my vision.

Part 1 - Temporis Ortum (Birth of Time) Chapter 4.

Chapter 4

Shaking, I slowly stepped forward through the hole dumbstruck. Eyes not focusing on one thing, it swept from side to side to take in as much as possible. I didn’t know where to begin to describe the place. The sky was a bright blue with puffs of pure white clouds and colourful birds soaring freely. The only place that we could walk was a path that led far beyond while surrounding the path was clear water that reflected the sky. The path was a fresh green of grass with little flowers here and there that never seemed to get crushed even though we walked on it. Spread all over the water was little islands of beautiful ribbon trees and more flowers.

 There were people walking about and sitting in boats, all dressed up in elegant clothes that I’ve not seen before. Each and everyone one of them was either beautiful or handsome; smooth skin and silky hair, they all seemed to look alike yet they still look unique. Some of them, like Winter, had eyes of swirling colours, and again they were looking at me. It took a moment for me to realize that whenever they saw me, they never stopped gazing at me. Was there something stuck in my teeth? I swore I brushed my teeth this morning!

“Is something wrong? Why are they all looking at me?” I asked, not particularly to anyone.

“It is like I have said, everyone has hoped for this day to come when you, sitera munité, come home.” Answered Winter.

“Why do you keep calling me that? And what do you mean home? I’ve never been here my life and I certainly remember that the only home I had was the orphanage house.”

“There is so much more to you than you can remember sistera, but this is the place where you belong. Everyone knows of you here, and you will come to understand once we get to the palace.” He offered me his arm with a smile and with a nod and another smile from Alta, I took it, and continued walking.

To a sudden surprise, someone started shouting. “Sistera munité! Sistera munité! Sistera munité sa inuet! Guita!” and like a start of a fireworks, everyone started cheering and shouting about the same thing. They were all beaming at me, clapping and jumping and I was sure that I caught a glimpse of tear in an elderly woman’s eye. I felt myself giving them all a smile back, unsure of what to do. A little girl even ran to me and handed me a flower which I took with a grateful thanks.

Still moving forward, we were suddenly like a parade marching down the path. Deeper into the place, the trees grew thicker and I saw little lights hanging on them. Under each light was a door. Houses? These people lived in trees? Further up ahead, a building towered over us. It must be the palace. Lighted up, the palace looked like a Christmas tree. Building made of marble; it had towers shooting up towards the sky and waterfalls coming down from certain parts of the wall, flowing into the lake that surrounded the palace. It felt like I walked into a fairytale story where things are always pretty and bright with multiple rainbows in the sky and a prince charming by my side.

We entered the palace through a huge wooden door polished till it shined and was greeted by a large fountain in the middle with an hour glass sculpture. The same words on Winters arms were also engraved at the base of the fountain which made me really itching to find out what it meant. We made our way through a few more doors and finally came to a long hall with three thrones at the end.

A woman in a shiny blue gown stood up from the middle throne and started walking towards us. More beautiful than anyone I’ve ever seen, she had her golden brown hair up in curls, rosy cheeks that matched her lips and the figure of a model with probably long legs under the skirt and graceful long fingers. She broke into a run which still look impossibly graceful and I stumbled when she flung herself at me, hugging me closely like a mother who has not seen her daughter in years.

It was then when she touched me that it happened. I was in my usual state when I looked into people’s past but this time I did not start it; it just came flashing in front of my eyes. I saw three little girls playing around a garden and chasing butterflies, then an older woman coming down from a house to greet them with a smile, joyous laughter rang as they went chasing each other enjoying the sun. The scene suddenly flashed and the same garden I was just at was now burning in flames, the whole situation was completely different from before. Now there was fear and darkness as a shadow slowly crept towards the four of them. A male figure stood between us and yelled for them to run. The girls were screaming and crying not wanting to go but were then dragged away and separated. The last thing I saw was the man being consumed by the shadow and everything went black.

I jerked back into reality and looked into the woman’s face. It was her. She was the lady playing with the 3 girls. And. And I was one of the three girls. Who is she? Did I really see her past? Our past? Somebody please wake me up!

Part 1 - Temporis Ortum (Birth of Time) Chapter 3.

Chapter 3

A hand reached out for me and I started fidgeting, getting out from under Alta and trying best to get away. Shit! Why isn’t she moving? Still on my butt I scrambled backwards not taking my eyes off that stretching hand until I hit hard solid. It was then when I stopped moving and breathing that I heard weird things; someone speaking?

“Sistera munité sa comolaé. Sano un san, hano un han. Munité meara aveol, aveol sa munité.” It was a voice so familiar yet unrecognisable. These words came from Altas mouth, but it did not seem like she said it at all. Absolutely stunned, I just gawked at her.

“Sano un san, hano un han. Munité don orbita, mavie ka revan det.” said the bodiless eyes and hand. Taking a step towards us, I could now see all of it; him. Tall and well built, he had markings on his biceps that meant nothing to me; odd writings flowed right down to his back of the palm and to his index finger like a decoration. His hair of white seemed to shine as if there were lights in his scalp was long enough to just touch the shoulders with a little curl at the end. The eerie eyes were still swirling mix of colours which makes it hard to look away from. And in a deep voice, he then said in normal English and bowed; “Welcome home 

Sistera”.

Puzzled, I blinked at him once. I blinked at him twice. I shook my head as if trying to make ripples in water so that the image will disappear but he’s still there. Smiling down at me now, the hand that I mistakenly thought to strangle me was just helping me up. But still I did not take his hand. His eyes give me the creeps and I don’t even know if I want to trust someone who has freaky eyes like those. Just a little shorter than him, Alta came from behind him and gave a pat on his shoulder.

“It’s alright, I got her.” She said with a little laugh at him and pulled me up to my feet. “Teri, this is Winter. He’s someone you can trust your life with. For other things, I’m not too sure. Especially with your food” The last was said with humour in her voice and a grin at him. Still not too sure, I just gave him a nod.

“Well I guess we should get moving then. The elders should be waiting for us.” His eyes still looking at me, he continued with a smile, “Everyone has been waiting for this moment; to welcome back our sistera munité. And I’m certainly glad to be of first to greet you home.” Why do I get the feeling that he knows me? And how in the world does Alta know him?

Lifting his palm upwards, a little spark appeared in the middle of it. The tiny light then grew bigger like a fire; but instead of a normal blue or orange fire, it was white. Dancing about on his palm, the white fire was as brighter than any lantern and it lit up the whole place.

 Winter took the lead and brought us through a tunnel which led to another and another. The place was like an underground maze with many different paths that if I were to walk this alone, I would definitely die. Maybe that’s why I see skeletons lying around. I shivered at the thought. After what seemed like hours, we came to our very first dead end. Did he make a wrong turn?

Everything seemed normal. The dry floors and wall, dirt covering every inch; I wondered why we were still standing there and not turning back. Just as I was about to say something, Winter started whispering those odd words again and closed his hands together. The white flame that was once in his palm now glowed in his enclosed hands. Feeling a little wind blowing outwards from him, the markings on his fingers lighted up and flowed up to his arms.

His hands now apart, he walked towards the far end of the wall and touched it, tracing lines that I could not see. His hands meeting in the middle, I covered my eyes as a burst of light blinded me. When my eyesight cleared again, I could now see that the wall that was just there had vanished, and I could not keep my mouth from gaping open from the sight to behold.

Alta and Winter then stood to each side of the opening and bowed; greeting me like I was a princess entering on the red carpet with the once again odd language. “Guita inuet sistera munité. Welcome home.”

Part 1 - Temporis Ortum (Birth of Time) Chapter 2.

CHAPTER 2

The place never stopped shaking, the once thought to be a sturdy well-built stable seemed more like a building made of matchsticks. Looking around I could see flames licking about the wood and slowly consuming the whole place. I choked, trying to find a way out only to notice that all exits were blocked. I thought it would be the end of my life when the ceiling started to fall. Holding on tightly to Alta and shutting my eyes, it felt like I was getting claustrophobic as the space around us grew smaller and smaller. Funny thing was that I didn’t feel anything besides that. No hits on the head by falling wood, no heat from the fire. Was I just too numb from fear?

Compressed so much until what felt like being a giant in a tin can, a strong breeze blew. Curious, I looked around and was shocked to see that everything was a blur. I couldn’t even make sense of what was what. Colours seen in the stable were all mixed up like someone has splashed water over a paint canvas and messed it all up. A sudden bright blue then blinded me and I soon began to realise that we were out of the stable and in the sky. What? The sky? What in the world is happening?

The world began to shift and it all seemed somewhat normal again. Still grasping on to Alta, feet dangling, I could see the burning stable below as we flew further away from it. Yes, flying. A few feet away from the stable, we landed.

“Wh-wh-what just ha-happened?” I manage to stutter. What was left of the stable was just the blackened pieces of wood, ashes drifting off and smoke darkening the sky. All the times of fun and laughter we had in the stable now only exist as a memory. Staring in disbelief was all I could do.

“Come on, we have to go. We can’t sit here. What happened there was no accident” said Alta, taking my hand and pulling me up to my feet.

“But one minute we were in there about to die and now we’re out here. How did that happen?”

“It does not matter for now. Let’s move!”

“Why are we not hurt? Wait, not an accident? You mean we were attacked? Why? Who?!”

“There are many things that I need to tell you, but not now! Whoever that did that will not be very happy to find out we’re still alive. So get moving!” Alta said those words with so much fear in her voice that I could not fight anymore. We started walking off into the forest behind us away from all things familiar, and without words, I knew that we were not going anywhere near home.

“I’m sorry that I have to tell you this only now Teri, but you and I are not what you think we are.” Taking a small pause, she unchained her necklace and shoved it into my hands.

“Whatever happens, do not lose the pendant. It will guide you to places and people that you can trust. They too will have the same engraved pattern” I hold up the pendant in my hand to see an hour glass on the bronze pendant with unfamiliar words that said Tempore Dicam.

We continued to run through the dark and old forest trying our best to avoid hitting trees or stumbling over the large roots. It was all silent except for our breaths, the rustle of leaves beneath our feet and distant calls of birds. I jumped at the sudden interruption of silence; shouting. Turning my head back I could see shadows coming at us, chasing us!

Not looking where I was going, I missed a step and we started falling into the ground dropping into a huge hole big enough to fit an elephant. Alta and I landed in a tangled heap with promises of bruises and scratches. With me underneath her, I could only look up to see that the hole we dropped through was slowly covering up. Roots and vines from inside the hole snaked over us to plaster the top like a ceiling and then everything was dark.

Listening to my heartbeat, I let out a breath. We were safe for the moment; until I saw glowing eyes of swirling colours. 

Part 1 - Temporis Ortum (Birth of Time) Chapter 1.

CHAPTER 1.

“I see a garden. Filled with bubbling flowers and sheltered by towering ribbon trees. You are walking about... barefooted it seems. Hmm... You were very short back then were you?”

I opened one eye to peek at my friend Alta. Tall and beautiful, she had dark brown hair that flowed down to her waist. Her pretty blue eyes stared wide at me with that you-got-to-be-kidding-me look.

“That can’t be right, unless you’ve got the wrong time. Concentrate! I’ve got not much of a past for you to look at the wrong one,” said Alta with a frustrated yet excited tone. Alta and I are both 20 this year. Best friends since I could ever remember, we were always side by side doing things together. Today we were sitting in the stable, hiding and reading the past.

My name is Praeteritum, but everyone just calls me Teri. I never knew how my name came about for I was an orphan when I was very young; or so I was told. As far as I know, no one knows about my past as much as I do, which is nothing.

I closed my eyes again, trying harder to look into Altas past. Maybe that’s why I don’t know my past. All I can see are other peoples past. This is another weird thing about me. I can sense the past of anything and everyone around me. I could even tell you when a tree was planted.

“I hear hooves on the ground. I think there’s a horse behind you. It’s following you very closely. Let me get a clearer view of it,” I searched deeper into her past, hoping for a more detailed memory. Then I saw it! I opened my eyes wide, covered my mouth and started backing away from Alta.

“What is it?!” she cried frantically. “What did you see?”

 I tried to hide my reaction but failed terribly. I burst into a storm of laughter when I recalled again what I saw in Altas past. I ran from her trying to get away from having to tell her my vision. But alas, my legs were too short to outrun her as she came at me and tackled me to the floor.

“OK! OK! I’ll tell you! But don’t regret it,” I said with giggles in between words. I had to try a few times to get the words to come out right. I cleared my throat and put on a serious face – as much as I could anyway – and told her what I saw.

“Are you kidding me? I- I’m a donkey?! What are you playing at Teri?!”

“I’m sorry! I guess I went back too far! You were a donkey in your past life!!” and my mask was off as I was laughing my head off again with the thought of pretty Alta as a donkey. Alta got off me and sat to the side with a frown on her face. Sitting up, I gave her a pout.

“Oh, I’m sorry. You made me tell you anyway. But no worries! I’m sure you were still very pretty when you were a donkey.” And the respond I got from her is what I truly deserve; a hit on the head.

I could feel the whole floor shaking as she got up and started stomping off, not realising the earth moving. Only when the horses in the stable started becoming uneasy did she stop and turn back to me with a horrified look.

A deafening explosion from outside shook the place and Alta tumbled to the floor. Crawling towards her I screamed to ask if she was ok. More explosions came one after another and the only other thing I could hear was the horses fleeing and the wood creaking.

Holding on to each other, the only thing that kept us safe from the falling ceiling were our hands. 

Prologue

This story has been retold so many times that no one really knows what happened. Some say that it was all just a myth, but is it? This story beholds plenty of questions, where did they come from? Who are they in nature? Are they even earthly beings?

The answer to these questions will soon be revealed as you enter the journey of Tempus Cursus.

Overview

  Of times of magic and mystery, lived triplets who hold much in their hands; one who could sense the past, one who knows the present and one who sees the future.

  Praeteritum, also known as Teri is the eldest sister who could sense the past. Where ever she goes, or whomever she touches, she can choose to sense their past; whether their current or previous life.

  Praesentialis, also known as Tia is the middle sister who knows the present. Tia almost never makes mistakes. She would be able to do things without thinking but she'll know if its right or wrong.

  Reliquus, the youngest of them is also known as Eli. Having the reversed power of Teri, she holds the key of everyone’s future. She would know what will come first and then the next for she herself is the future.

  The sisters are the life cycle itself. If one dies, so does the other, and if Eli dies, so would the world. Being of such high power, the sisters are in danger from the hands of Excessus. The desire to control the sisters for his own good became an obsession and he would do whatever it takes to obtain them...