(12 hours left for the time to stop).
Krrrnnng... Krrrnnng...
As the phone kept ringing for a while in the bedroom. She rushed to her phone as soon as could and picked it up... "Hey what took you so long to pick up your phone, Scarlet", as the person spoke.
Chill girl, I was just cooking my dinner, freshly backed pineapple pizza with freshly squeezed orange juice. Plus I didn't expect anyone to call me this late at night. It's 12 o'clock in the morning, Angel.
Ha! very funny, you mean reheating the convenience store pineapple pizza with the PACKET orange juice that's been sitting inside your fridge since the last week you opened it, as Angel replied in a sarcastic way.
Yup... That's right. Anyway why'd you called me, it's not like it's something unusual.
What I can't call my best friend anytime I want. Aaa.. I can't sleep by the thought that our winter break is over, Scarlet ( as she replied crying). Angel continued... I have to wake up early in the morning and get ready for school, wait I just remembered I haven't completed my English assignment. What do I do Scarlet?
Huhh... Scarlet sighed. Bring your homework tomorrow to the school, we'll do it together during the lunch break since our English period is in 5th period and I've got some corrections to do too. okay... bye... good night and see you tomorrow.
Call Ended...
Ding-dong-ding!
The school bell echoed through the halls of Chrono Ridge Academy exploded with noise as students dragged themselves back from winter break. Backpacks thumped, lockers slammed, and sleepy faces shuffled toward their first class of the year.
Good morning Scarlet!!!
As Angel greeted Scarlet with full of excitement, weaving through the crowd with her usual cheerfulness.
Scarlet let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Huhhh... good morning". Aaaa... I can't believe I stayed up the whole night to finish my assignment.
"Booo... I thought you had finished it on time? As Angel teased her"
Well I did finish it on time (last night). Let's go to class, said Scarlet.
Wind gushed through the window and flipped the pages of the book Angel was staring at. "Leaves are yellow or gone, branches shake in the cold, birds no longer sing", as Mr. Weslock was reading- the homeroom teacher of Angel and Scarlet.
Angel looked into the endless view through her classroom window instead of focusing in the class. Suddenly once again the school bell rang indicating the lunch break.
As Angel and Scarlet were about to sit down to have their lunch inside their classroom all alone, Angel saw a letter on her desk which she does not remember being there.
(30 minutes left for the time to stop)
Angel what's that?, Scarlet asked as she leaned over Angel's Shoulder.
(00:29:59... 00:29:58...)
Suddenly cold wind started to blow very harshly, the clear blue sky turned black and and the room went silent...
Angel replied saying, "I don't know, I have never seen this letter before." As both of them were curious about the letter's contents, they opened it slowly and very carefully.
The letter looked very very old, as if it has been lying in there for quite a while and it smelled like fresh roses. The letter was addressed to " Dearest chosen one, I shell must tell you that whoever you are, you shell be responsible for what you do, cause every action of yours can change every seconds of history and future. I shell guide you in your journey but all I can do is just guide you. But if you turned away from your responsibility, you shell be punished very severely."
(00:00:03... 00:00:02... 00:00:01... 00:00:00...)
Suddenly very loud sounds of bell started to ring but it wasn't the school bell. The letter turned into thousands of rose petals
"CRACK-RUMBLE-BOOM"
What's happening, is it an earthquake? Angel asked. Scarlet looked outside the window and was shocked to see what was happening. She saw that everything had stopped. Students who were playing volleyball stopped moving, the ball was flying in mid air.
Scarlet hold my hand, as Angel screamed.
They both held each other's hand tightly. A bright light flashed in front of them, a strange creepy, terrifying voice called out them and said "You Shell Not Anger The Gods"
Everything went silent...
Angel opened her eyes slowly and slowly and was shocked to see what was in front of her. A place which she wouldn't call home.
Scarlet are you seeing what I'm seeing. Where are we, I thought we were inside our classroom... Scarlet, Scarlet... Angel screamed in horror. Scarlet was nowhere to be seen.
Thump-Thump...Thump-Thump...
Take a deep breath Angel, everything will be fine.
"Move out of my way, young lady"
"Freshly plucked flarry for just 5 Glimmers"
"Don't block the path young lady," an unfamiliar woman said.
Ohh I'm so sorr... Aah, (Someone bumped into her), can't you see young lady as the man replied dressed in an aristocrat's clothing, and what are you even wearing, dressed in such inappropriate clothes... the man continued.
I am so sorry for bumping into you but what's wrong with my clothes, it's just a normal school uniform. I don't see a problem as she replied in a frustrating voice.
The man screamed even louder as he said... "what a rude girl, do you see anyone wearing that kind of clothes and plus you are not even beautiful. You are just wasting my precious time, now move out of my way... Shu-Shu (the man walked away)"
'What a creep how can he say that I'm not beautiful right into my face... Scarlet... well to be honest, I do some times think that our school uniform is too weird... like a white shirt on top of it a navy blue waistcoat and black skirt with golden strips and the usual black and white socks and shoes... but it looks cool. Hmm... I don't think I hate it.'
Angel was frustrated by the man and was worried by the thought that Scarlet was not there with her. As she was standing in silence, she looked around and noticed that the people indeed dressed in a slightly different way. Women wore dress in a very elegant way and walked with confidences, men wore suit and tie in a very old fashioned way. She immediately hid herself behind a fruit vendor's shop and observed her surroundings discreetly. She went behind some buildings and buildings and suddenly someone pulled her hand and said in a loud voice... " WHAT ARE YOU WEARING LITTLE GIRL", a tall woman in her early twenties, dressed in a very beautiful golden and white flared gown yet in a very frustrated expression surprisingly worried for her asked.
Angel, startled, stumbled a step back, her breath catching in her throat. "I—I'm sorry," she managed, clutching the edge of her cloak tighter around her uniform. "I didn't mean to… stand out."
The woman's eyes widened even more, scanning Angel from head to toe as if her clothes were a crime. "Stand out? Child, you look like you've escaped from a cursed playhouse!" she hissed, though the worry in her voice softened the sharpness of her words. "Cover yourself properly before someone else sees you."
Angel swallowed hard, heat rising to her cheeks. She had no idea what counted as "proper" here, but the woman's urgency made her obey without question.
Angel, still startled, could only nod as the woman fussed over her. Before she could protest, the stranger grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward a narrow side corridor, away from the busy street.
"Come with me. Quickly, a clothing shop is right around the corner," the woman muttered, her gown sweeping across the stone floor like a wave of gold and white.
Angel followed, heart thudding, unsure whether she was being rescued or scolded. The woman pushed open a wooden door and ushered her inside a small room filled with trunks, fabrics, and half‑finished garments.
"How may I help you, Madam?", a woman asked.
Can you find something for this little girl who is dressed veryy... I don't know strangely and oh it does not have to be too fancy. The woman holding Angel's hand replied.
After a few minutes the shopkeeper brought some clothes and handed it over to Angel.
"Put these on". "Whatever you're wearing now—hide it. Burn it if you must", the woman holding Angel's hand said firmly.
Angel blinked, confused but grateful. The clothes were simple: a soft linen chemise, a brown overdress, and a hooded cloak. Nothing fancy, nothing suspicious. Exactly what she needed.
A few minutes later, Angel stepped out from behind a curtain, now dressed like any ordinary girl from this world. Her school uniform was tucked deep inside her bag, hidden from sight.
The woman gave a satisfied nod. "Much better. Now you won't draw every pair of eyes in the kingdom."
Angel whispered a quiet "thank you," still unsure why this stranger cared so much—but relieved all the same.
Angel followed the woman out of the small fitting room, still adjusting the sleeves of the borrowed dress. The fabric felt strange against her skin—rougher than her school uniform, heavier, but somehow comforting. It made her feel less exposed, less… foreign.
As they were walking out of the shop, the woman introduced herself as Lady Leviniaa Thornweald, daughter of Count Thornweald, you can call me Lady Thornweald. Then she added in a quieter voice, "You're lucky I found you first"
Angel's heart skipped. "Why?"
Thornweald shook her head and said..."Oh nothing, anyway you haven't introduced yourself?, Who are you? and from where have you come here?"
Angel backed away a little as Lady Thornweald kept on asking questions after questions.
Her voice came out small, shaky. "M-my name is Elviana."
Lady Thornweald raised an eyebrow. "Elviana... what?"
Angel hesitated again (Aaa... what should I do. I can't use my real name in this world. It would be too strange). Her real surname suddenly felt too strange, too modern for this world. "Elviana Sylvene ," she whispered.
"Sylvene. That's quite a rare name."
Angel nodded, unsure whether that was good or bad. "It's... not common where I'm from. I was travelling with a group of people but somehow I got separated from them."
Lady Thornweald's expression didn't change, but something in her eyes sharpened- interest, suspicion.
Angel Lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry. I don't know how I got here and I don't know anything about this place."
Lady Thornweald grew even more suspicious. "I see. Do you have any money with or any relative here? If not, then why not stay with me for a while. I will help you as long as I can"
Angel felt quite relieved for a moment but she had this strange feeling about Lady Thornweald. Lady Thornweald was very kind and helpful but for some reason Angel was quite suspicious of Lady Thornweald.
Angel stood still for a moment and... "I hate to say this but I don't even have a single coin and I don't have any relative or someone I know here and I am quite grateful to have stumbled upon someone like you, who is willing to help a stranger. But I must find my way back to the group of people with whom I came here with. Science I am new to this place, I would Like it if you could provide me with some information and a place to stay for a while."
Hmm... sure why not, Lady Thornweald replied in a disappointment. "If you walk straight for a while then turn left and then turn right, you will come across an inn named Moonwell Inn. And here are some money for you... you obviously can't stay in an inn without paying. One more thing if you ask the locals and the inn keeper you shell get some helpful information."
"Ohh... Thank you so muchhh... what are these?" (as she looked inside the bag of money)
Hmm...Don't you know what these are? These are Aether. It's not too much but you can at least stay in a decent inn for 10 days... as Lady Thornweald replied in a casual way.
"Aaa… I'm from a very poor family. To be able to see this much Aether is like a dream. I hate to say this, but I don't know anything about them."
"Hmm… I see. Don't you worry." The woman smiled kindly. "The tiny Aether shards are called Glimmers. They're mostly used for food, daily goods, and small services. The perfectly round ones are Pulses—standard coins made from refined Aether. Those are used for tools, clothing, travel, and mid‑tier magic items.
"The large ones are Heartstones, Aether cores. Those are used for land, enchantments, noble transactions, and demon contracts."
She lifted a finger, as if giving a lesson. "One Pulse is worth ten Glimmers. One Heartstone is worth a hundred Pulses—so a thousand Glimmers. Every shop has an Aether Reader to help you with payments. And with thirty to forty Glimmers, you can stay at a decent inn for a whole week."
I see... Thank you so muck Lady Thornweald.
Then... until we meet again little girl or I should call you Lady Elviana Sylvene... I guess this is where we part ways, if you ever get in trouble, you can always come to me, Lady Thornweald replied in a teasing way.
Angel smiled weirdly... Yes, Lady Thornweald and I'll surely repay your kindness someday.
(Both walked away in opposite directions)
Walking... walking...
Huhh... Elviana Sylvene... I guess this is who I'll be for a while. Aaa... But I like my real name Angel alot.
As Angel muttered in a child-like-frustrated manner still unknown to what was happening with her.