Chapter 52 - The Road That Led BackwardThe journey to the Clockless Citadel began beneath a sky without stars.
Ethan rode beside Captain Rowan while Mira and Elara followed.
King Aldric remained behind to protect the capital and keep the Heart of the First Hour running.
Before their departure, the king had given Ethan a sealed letter.
"Open it only if you meet your father," he said.
Ethan wanted to argue, but Aldric's exhausted expression stopped him.
The four travelers crossed abandoned villages and silent forests.
By the second day, they noticed something strange.
The trees changed with every mile.
Ancient oaks became saplings.
Broken bridges repaired themselves.
Fallen buildings stood whole again.
They were traveling backward through time.
Mira watched a dead flower bloom beside the road.
"This place remembers every version of itself."
Elara nodded.
"The closer we get to the Citadel, the less stable time becomes."
At sunset, they reached a village that did not appear on any map.
Children played in the square.
Merchants sold bread.
A church bell rang.
But every person was frozen.
A little girl stood holding a basket of apples.
One apple floated inches above the ground.
Water hung suspended in the village fountain.
Ethan reached toward it.
"Don't," Elara warned.
Too late.
His finger touched the frozen water.
The entire village moved.
The apple fell.
People shouted.
The girl dropped her basket.
Then everyone turned toward Ethan.
Their faces filled with recognition.
A man stepped forward.
"My king."
Ethan backed away.
The villagers began kneeling.
One by one.
All of them.
Mira whispered, "Ethan, we should go."
But the man held out a folded piece of paper.
"You left this for yourself."
Ethan opened it.
The handwriting was his own.
DO NOT ENTER THE CLOCKLESS CITADEL WITH FOUR PEOPLE.
He looked around.
There were four of them.
Ethan.
Rowan.
Mira.
Elara.
The letter continued.
ONE OF YOUR COMPANIONS IS ALREADY DEAD.
The village fell silent again.
May you like
Every person froze.
And behind Ethan, someone began laughing.
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