Airtime and Death: Chapter 4

The Echoes of the Timekeeper

Fahad awoke to a silence that felt different from before—charged with a tension that seemed to vibrate in the air around him. The memory of the void, the fragment of himself he had reclaimed, lingered on the edge of his consciousness, like a half-remembered dream. He felt more grounded, yet the faint pull of time, the ever-present sense of something unfinished, clung to him.

The Mark of the Timekeeper

As Fahad moved through his day, the world around him seemed to shift subtly, almost imperceptibly. Time bent in strange ways. A glance at the clock showed that only minutes had passed, yet hours felt as though they stretched into eternity. He noticed patterns that were out of place—people moving in loops, repeating small actions without realizing it, as if they were caught in invisible currents of time. The ripple caused by his journey into the void was not gone—it was growing.

It was clear now. The Timekeeper had warned him about the imbalance, and it was worsening.

The Gathering of the Council

Later that evening, as Fahad wandered the streets in search of answers, a familiar shimmer appeared in the corner of his eye. The air around him grew dense with energy, and before him appeared a council of ethereal beings, their forms glowing faintly, much like the figures he had seen before. But these were different—older, more ancient, carrying an aura of authority.

You have disrupted the flow of time, one of them said, their voice resonating like a distant bell.

Who are you? Fahad asked, trying to steady his voice.

We are the Council of Chronos, guardians of the temporal threads. Your journey has fractured the timeline, and we are here to restore order.

Fahad's heart sank. I didn’t mean to disrupt anything. I only did what the Timekeeper asked of me.

Another member of the council stepped forward, their gaze sharp. The Timekeeper is bound by duty, but even he cannot foresee all consequences. When you reclaimed your lost fragment, you altered the delicate balance of the realms. Now, time is unraveling.

The Choice of Consequence

Fahad's mind spun as the weight of their words settled on him. He had caused this. His actions, meant to reclaim his essence, had led to chaos. What can I do to fix it? he asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

There are two paths before you, the first being said. You can surrender the fragment you reclaimed, returning it to the void. Doing so will restore the timeline, but you will lose a part of yourself forever.

Fahad's stomach tightened. To give up a part of his soul again—to go back to being incomplete—was a price he wasn’t sure he could pay.

Or, the second being continued, you can take on the burden of the Timekeeper.

Fahad’s eyes widened. What do you mean?

The council’s voice grew softer, but heavier with meaning. The Timekeeper’s role is to maintain balance, to oversee the flow of time, and to correct disruptions. He does this by bearing the weight of countless lives and timelines. Should you choose this path, you will become the next Timekeeper, tasked with repairing the fracture you've caused and preventing further ripples across the dimensions.

The Burden of Time

Fahad felt a surge of emotion. The choice before him was impossible. Surrender his reclaimed self, or take on an eternal role that would bind him to the very fabric of time itself. He thought of the Timekeeper, the weight he must carry, the isolation that must come with such a responsibility.

Why me? Fahad asked quietly. I’m just… a regular person. How can I be the one to fix time?

The council members exchanged glances. Because you are not so regular as you believe. You have crossed boundaries most never dare to approach. You have entered the void and returned. The Timekeeper saw something in you—a potential to restore balance where others would fail.

Fahad took a deep breath, his mind racing. The idea of becoming the next Timekeeper terrified him, yet there was a part of him, the piece of himself that had been restored in the void, that felt drawn to it. He had seen the threads of time, had felt their fragility. Perhaps this was his purpose.

But could he live with that burden?

The Final Trial

Before he could speak, the council raised their hands. The decision is not one of words, but of will. The Timekeeper’s burden is felt, not chosen.

In an instant, the world around Fahad shifted. He was no longer on the street but standing in the center of a cosmic nexus. All around him, glowing threads of light stretched out in infinite directions, each representing a life, a timeline, a moment in history.

At the center stood the Timekeeper. His face was hidden by the shadows of his hood, but his presence was unmistakable. He extended his hand toward Fahad, a golden thread in his palm.

You hold the power now, the Timekeeper said softly. To weave or to unravel.

Fahad hesitated. He could feel the weight of the choice pressing down on him, heavier than anything he had ever known. He reached out, his hand trembling, and grasped the golden thread. Instantly, the entire web of time vibrated, reacting to his touch. He could see it—the endless ripple of actions, the consequences of every decision, every life intertwined.

I don’t know if I’m strong enough, Fahad whispered.

The Timekeeper’s voice was calm but firm. Strength is not the absence of fear. It is the ability to bear the weight despite it.

The Decision

Fahad closed his eyes, feeling the threads hum beneath his fingers. The choice was no longer about what he could do. It was about what was right.

He opened his eyes, his decision clear. I will not let time unravel, he said, his voice steady. I’ll take the burden.

With that, the Timekeeper stepped back, the threads shifting around Fahad. Slowly, the weight of the role settled onto him, and as it did, the world began to align. The fractures in time healed, the ripples smoothed out, and the balance was restored.

Fahad had become the new Timekeeper. End of Chapter 4

Airtime and Death by Fahad Ssegujja is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0