Holding open the door to the next car, Christoph looked at the others. "I don't know about this one, guys. I really think I should be the one to go ahead."

Synthia, however, denied him. "Christoph, you're injured and that missing guy clearly touched you. It's better you stay here. If anything does come up I know you're more than capable of handling it. I mean, somebody has to protect the other passengers."

"When did she get so reliable?" Iggy muttered under her breath.

"Well, so long as she doesn't order anything dumb I don't mind following her." Livian stretched herself out. "I'm actually getting kind of excited, despite everything."

"It seems like the flow of time remains constant so long as the doors remain open, so you'll still be able to see us more or less," Synthia said. "It'll be safer this way. Let's get going, guys!"

Leaving Christoph behind, started their trek to the front. Upon reaching the next car, Synthia asked Evarius if he had explored ahead. He frowned.

"That's the problem. I couldn't see anything when I peeked through the window. It looks pitch black in there. I mean, I could look back and see you just fine when I was trapped in that car for a few hours, but you were moving super slow from my perspective.

"I see." Synthia tapped her foot, mulling over her decision. "Alright. Iggy's staying behind."

Iggy, however, wasn't content with that decision.

"Hey, I was knocked out during our fight with Miss Porno Mag over here!" She managed to ignore the withering look Livian gave her despite her earlier fear of the woman. "I'd never be able to live it down if I ended up being some useless lug during our battles. Let me help you with my Wind magic, I know I can be effective."

"Okay, okay, calm down girl." Synthia smirked. "But ya know what, it feels good knowing my bestie's gonna have my back."

"Would you stop calling me that?" Iggy groaned.

"Could've fooled me," Livian said. Evarius grabbed hold of the door.

"Alright girls, I'll be the one to stay behind. But remember; run into any trouble, you run all the way back. I have a feeling this isn't going to go as smoothly as we hope."

"You never know," Synthia said. "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst and all that. And remember that adventurer we saw at the platform? Maybe he'd be able to help."

Her face lighting up, Iggy pumped her fist in excitement. "You're right! Even if it's just a little bit of extra help, we could definitely use what we can get."

"Then it's settled! We march ahead, rescue the remaining passengers and free adventurer boy so he can dish out some punishment alongside us. Alright guys, let's march ahead!"

As Evarius opened his designated door, Synthia brought a proud foot up prepared to step over the threshold...

Only for her foot to hit nothing but air as she crossed it, making her pitch forward.

"Wahhhhhh – guh!"

Livian had grabbed her by the scruff of the neck before she could tumble through, plopping her back down onto the platform.

"Synthia, you okay!?"

Synthia waved back at Christoph to indicate she was fine after she regained her balance. After that, she took a proper look at the inside of the train car. It could only be described as astonishing.

Instead of the normal array of booths, what she saw was a vast labyrinth of twirling objects that should've been stationary. The booths, carpets and light fixtures were spinning and seemed to constantly fold in on themselves in a bizarre, geometric kaleidoscope. Synthia had to blink as she took in the sight before her. There were so much of it that it looked like the room was moving!

No... she scrutinized the scenery further. Upon closer inspection, it actually was moving. Looking down, she saw that she had nearly fallen down a twenty foot gap onto a spiralling floor below. Even if she had managed to land without harming herself, she could've been swept away to some other end of the transformed car. If there even was an end of some sort.

"This... is more than I bargained for," Iggy said. Synthia began spluttering in shock.

"W-what the hell is this!? This guy should only be able to extend time, right? Or at least, how we perceive it."

Evarius grimaced. "That's the thing. The way you see the world is dependent on your grasp of time. You take that away, and things begin growing incomprehensible. Time magic is tricky to master because your own concept of the thing will inevitably go into flux. Many men and women have been driven mad just from attempting it. Hell, those who do always end up a little touched in the head..."

"Maybe that's why that Blanc creep was such a bastard," Iggy said.

"But that's not the issue here," Livian said. "If we don't reach the front of the car, that asshole's going to keep us stuck here forever."

"Yeah, and he could be hurting everyone up ahead," Synthia said. "He's definitely taken them hostage after all this."

"Then why didn't he take hostages of the ones in the previous car? He would've been able to act way faster than we would."

"She's right." Livian stroked her chin. "I don't like this. It feels like he's playing with us."

Synthia nodded. "Something to think about for sure. But it doesn't change the fact that our main objective here is keeping everybody safe."

Livian snorted. "Some villain you claim to be."

"It's not exactly how it sounds. I..." Synthia shook her head. "Whatever. We've gotta think of a way to push forward."

"If forward is even the right direction," Iggy said.

"Hold on, lemme try something." Synthia pointed at the top of the car. "Somebody boost me up there. We should go along the roof rather than through this thing."

"That might be easier," Evarius said. Grabbing her carefully by the waist, he brought Synthia up until she could climb on top. However, before she could, Synthia felt some invisible force press down on her. Evarius stumbled a little as he was pushed back too, having no choice but to set her back down.

"Oh come on," Iggy groaned. Livian shrugged.

"Figures it wouldn't be that easy. Through the transformed, spinning train car it is. Somehow."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Damn..." The light of an epiphany crossed over Evarius' face. "Hey, the Darkness Mioja... remember how it affected the distortion back near Doras?"

"Couldn't forget it if I tried. Think it'll work on this?"

"It's worth a shot."

Pulling out the sword, Synthia unwrapped the bindings. The sensation of the blade drawing on her mana still sent shivers down her spine, but she held it out in front of her all the same.

"Here goes..." She brought it forward, extending it into the car. She allowed more of her mana to seep into it to amplify it's effects. Sure enough, it was like the sword began piercing something invisible. She pushed forward a little more, and it broke through. In a meter long radius around the sword, the train car appeared to go back to normal, although only for a second. The radius then shortened to half a meter and kept shrinking from there.

"Dammit." Synthia doubled down on using her mana, hoping to maintain the previous radius. It expanded back to where it was before.

"It takes some focus, but I can do it," Synthia said. "Thank Apeiros I slept for over half a day. C'mon!"

Livian and Iggy walked on either side of Synthia as they walked forward. It was a surreal experience. Almost as if they were constantly pulling back a curtain to find their way. Before they knew it, they had made it halfway through the car.

"Heh, this isn't so bad!"

Suddenly the ground beneath them lurched, and they all stumbled forward. Their psychedelic surroundings appeared to be swirling even faster now, and Synthia had to pour even more mana into the sword to maintain the radius of the safe zone.

Livian groaned. "You just had to say that..."

"Girls?" Evarius asked from the end of the car.

"Guys!?" Christoph yelled from further back. The girls all yelled back that they were good for the time being. They pushed forward, wanting to conserve Synthia's mana.

"I've had this weird feeling all this time," Iggy said. "It's like we're being watched."

"Not surprising," Livian said.

"No, no." Iggy shook her head. "How do I explain it...? It's like, there's something missing here. We're missing something."

They had finally reached the other end of the car. Synthia made to open the door. "And that is?"

"If this guy can make his own 'time chains', if you will, isn't that dangerous for him? Wouldn't you first devise a way to check up on the different parts of the chain to make sure nothing was going wrong?"

Synthia's hand closed on the handle. Her nerves turned to ice as she realized the full implications of their opponent's ability. Livian grew ramrod straight as well, pulling out her revolvers.

"Well, well, well. You figured it out fast."

A man's nonchalant, detached voice echoed out. It was neither Evarius', Christoph's, or any of the passengers' they had rescued.

"It's true, I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on you all if I didn't have this handy little trick."

"Where the hell are you!?" Synthia pulled open the door and began stepping out. The outside of the train was still devoid of light.

"Somewhere you couldn't begin to guess. But this is a real shame. At this rate, you'll proceed all the way to the front where I am, and we can't have that. No, no, no... that simply won't do at all."

Livian cocked her revolvers. Iggy kept her hands up, ready to summon forth a Wind spell if needed. Synthia's eyes darted around the swirling carriage, hoping for some sign of their opponent. She tentatively began stepping backwards to the next car. She grit her teeth, heart beating in her chest.

"You really think some weird game of hide-and-seek is gonna stop us from kicking your behind? Are you keeping the other passengers up ahead with you!? Why the hell are you even doing this in the first place?"

"What, you mean the murders or this special heist I'm pulling right now?" The man's tone now possessed a small hint of pride and dry amusement. "Well, I admit, what I'm trying to do now is a very special case. Normally I wouldn't bother going this far, but alas, here we are. Under ordinary circumstances, I do this kind of thing when the mood takes me. I guess it's the closest to a fun activity I can have now."

"Is this guy for real?" Despite her early show of bravery, Iggy couldn't help but let fear creep into her voice. Synthia kept edging for the next car, not allowing their assailant to distract her.

"He's gotta be somewhere in that mess." Livian jerked her head toward their swirling surroundings.

"You do it for fun? That's it?" Synthia seethed.

"Would you be more accepting of it if I said it was the only way I could survive? Or that it was for a loved one? Or it was to honor the dying memory of my best friend? Then maybe we should go with one of those instead."

"Come out here and face us, then." Synthia gripped the Mioja tighter. "If you can take us out, then that means we won't be able to stop you anymore. How about it?"

The voice chuckled. "You really are a stupid little wart, just like she said. But fine. If you want a fight, you're the ones who are gonna have to find me first."

"She? Who are you talking about?"

"A new friend of yours. Says she'll be seeing you soon in our call."

Iggy blanched she turned to Synthia. "It's... her."

Synthia nodded. "Yeah. Atlas. I guess she knows some dangerous people."

Freezing, Livian's head swiveled between the other girls. The fear in her eyes was all the more prominent for how foreign they were to her normal expressions. "Wait. You guys aren't talking about the Drea Atlas, are you?"

"That's what she said her name was," Synthia said. "Why? You know her?"

Livian could only grimace. "I'd call it more a brush with death than a meeting. She's the one mercenary you don't make an enemy of..." She shook her head. "Well, I guess it's to be expected. She's been looking for the Mioja for years now. If she's involved, then going to the guild might not even save us."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's... There's no time to explain. Stay. Vigilant. We're dealing with a murderer here, yeah? I'll tell you about her later, but right now we've gotta handle this creep."

The voice chuckled once again. "The tall one's right. You've gotta team up and catch the bad guy now, just like in some crappy bedtime story your mommies and daddies read you at night. But here, you won't have time to sleep. Here, you're operating on my schedule."

After he said this, Iggy shrieked. Jumping, Synthia had no time to react as she saw a fist grabbing hold of her shirt. She was pulled out of the safe radius Synthia had created and promptly disappeared from view.

"IGGY!"

"What the hell was that!?" Evarius had seen this as well, and Christoph picked up on the commotion.

"Guys, what just happened?"

"Stay calm," Synthia shouted. Their screaming would only further terrorize the passengers. "Goddammit! This bastard's got even more tricks than we thought."

Holding her guns by her face, Livian scanned the car. "We need to head over to the next one, regardless. That's the best way we can save your friend."

Sighing, Synthia nodded. She let Livian hold open the door as she crossed the gap to the next car. She opened the door, preparing to use the Mioja to cut through once again but found herself staring at somebody wearing a green cloak. The hood was drawn up.

Gasping, Synthia made to bring the sword up but was swiftly knocked back with a flat-handed palm. Actually, knocked back was too small a word for it. She was practically swatted away. Livian had no time to react as she came crashing into her, and they both fell into the time distorted train car in a heap. They barely heard Evarius and Christoph's yells as they tumbled down, down into a swirl of distorted space and the torn fabric of reality.

Light and sound seemed to simultaneously wrap around and claw itself at Synthia's body. She was hammered on all sides by brief snatches of conversation she'd sworn she'd heard before, and then a few brief glimpses of memories, both familiar and foreign.

In her mind's eye, she was four years old looking up at a woman with a magpie-like facial expression. She winced at the image, willing herself to focus on the next memory.

She was in a field, no longer looking through the eyes of a child, and instead observing a young boy. He was comforting a small girl with a loving, tender hug as she sobbed uncontrollably. He held her so tight his face was completely hidden in her dark hair.

Next, she was in a ballroom. A white haired woman that reminded her of Iggy was dancing with some important looking dignitary amid other dancing couples. Looking down to her left, she saw a small child that looked like the spitting image of the woman kicking her legs on a chair behind the high table. Her green eyes were bored and her hunched pose sulky.

Before she could process anything else, the images stopped as suddenly as they'd begun. Synthia blinked once it was over. It took her a few moments to realize she was sitting back down. A baby screamed. Snapping her head around, she realized she was in the back train car again but this time, there were none of the passengers they had rescued.

Confusion erupting inside her, Synthia checked her surroundings further. Evarius was quietly looking out the window, but Livian was sitting in her seat with her hair disheveled, as if being shaken awake from her nap. She locked eyes with Synthia as they shared the same level of confusion.

Looking over to the other side of the aisle, Iggy was looking around with a wild look in her own eyes. She stared past Christoph at Synthia and Livian and could tell they felt the exact same way she did.

Picking up on their strange behaviour, Christoph looked between the three girls. "Is something wrong?"

Evarius perked up as well. "Wait. What just happened, you three?" His quizzical expression confirmed to Synthia what had just happened even though she could barely believe it. There was no other explanation. Time had rewound itself inside this reality and now she, Livian and Iggy were the only ones fully aware of what was actually going on. She sighed.

"This is going to be way more complicated than I'd hoped."