The morning sun pierced through the trees, its golden rays waking Elio with an almost painful brightness. An eagle soared high above, its wings spread wide in a display of freedom, the very freedom that seemed so far away from Elio’s grasp. As he wiped the sleep from his eyes, he felt tears—tears he couldn’t explain. He gazed out over the horizon, the river below teeming with crocodiles, while further down, his small village bustled with unusual activity.

Alarmed, Elio sprinted downhill, heart pounding as he pushed through the dense woods. The closer he got, the more his anxiety grew. He shoved through the crowd gathered at his doorstep, his breath catching as he finally saw what he had feared—his mother lying lifeless in her bed, bones once again stark beneath her skin, her death a cruel contrast to the vibrant image he had clung to from the night before.

The old man, who had found her that morning, placed a hand on Elio's shoulder. "Elio, my boy, where were you? I’m so sorry for your loss," he said, his voice breaking as tears welled up in his own eyes.

But the words meant nothing to Elio. They were hollow, distant echoes against the roaring darkness that swallowed him whole. His world blurred, reality slipping as grief tore at his heart. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think—he could only run. Bursting out of the house, he bolted towards the river, tears streaming as he screamed at the sky, "You lied! You lied to me!"

The old man called after him, but Elio didn’t hear, or maybe he just didn’t care. He kept running, the pain in his chest growing with each step. His vision was blurred with tears, the world around him a smear of green and blue. "Why, God? Why did you let this happen?" he sobbed, his voice raw with despair. "You say dates cure diseases—why couldn’t they cure my mother? Why didn’t You save her? I want an answer now!"

Back in the present, Jack's voice cut through the memory like a sharp blade. "Hand of Stellar!" he shouted, and suddenly, a massive, starry hand appeared, hovering in front of Elio’s face. Elio was thrust back into his own memories, reliving every painful moment as Stellar’s hand guided Jack through them. The memories flashed around Jack in a swirl of white light, too intense to bear.

Stellar’s voice echoed softly in Jack’s mind, "Don’t worry, I won’t overwhelm you. I’ve shortened the memories, only the important bits. Now, go back." With a gentle smile, Stellar faded away, and Jack was pulled back into the present.

Elio was on his knees, his body trembling as Jack’s hand hovered over him, still reading the memories that played out like a tragic film. Jack’s face twisted with anger. "You really don’t get it, do you?" he shouted, kicking Elio in the face with all his strength. "If all that didn’t happen, would you even be the person you are today?"

Elio’s body was flung to the side, limp and unresisting, as the force of Jack’s kick sent him crashing to the ground. Ru, watching from afar, whispered in confusion, "What just happened? What power did Jack use?"

"I saw a hand made of stars," Atom replied, equally perplexed, but fascinated. "It was... unreal."

Akhet began to sweat, a chill running down his spine. "That... that wasn’t human."

Isabella Rosie echoed the same sentiment, her voice trembling. "Did he just read his mind? But... how?"

As Elio lay on the ground, Jack stood over him, seething with frustration. "Why do you hate God when He’s the one who created you? Your hatred isn’t with Him—it’s with yourself, for your weakness, for not being able to protect her. But you don’t get it, do you?" Jack’s voice softened, the words cutting deep into Elio’s soul. "You’re not the only one who’s suffered. Got it?"

The raw intensity of Jack’s words sent chills down Ramon’s spine. He could barely whisper, "Jack..." concern lacing his tone.

Elio, barely conscious, turned his head toward the balcony of the Nubia kingdom, where the faces of the nobles showed varying degrees of worry. Amon’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding, "Elio, don’t quit just yet!"

Drexel added with a firm nod, "There’s much more left in this fight, !"

Kairo, his face tense, tried to hide his own worry. He gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of the battle.

Back in Elio’s past, the younger version of him sat by the riverside, tears soaking the earth. A carriage approached, its wheels crunching on the gravel path. Kairo, regal and commanding, leaned out, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the boy. "Hey, poor boy, could you tell us the way to the nearest village?"

Elio, angered by the interruption, shouted, "Shut up and get lost!"

Kairo, irked by the boy’s audacity, stepped down from the carriage. "How dare you speak to me like this, you peasant?" he snapped.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

But as he stepped closer, something strange happened. There were now two Elios sitting side by side. Perplexed, Kairo demanded, "What’s going on? How did you double?"

The two Elios turned, and now there was a third behind Kairo. "Do you happen to have a Chronotex?" Kairo asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.

Elio shrugged, annoyed. "What’s that?"

"It’s something that grants powers beyond the imagination," Kairo explained, though Elio hardly seemed to care. "Whatever. Just get lost."

Kairo’s mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. "I was told to come to the edges of Nubia, to a small village where a woman of great importance to our Pharaoh once lived. She cared for him as a child, but after she fell ill, the Pharaoh only heard the news too late. The news of her death has reached him now, and he is truly saddened. May God bless her soul."

Elio, seething with anger, launched a punch at Kairo’s face. But Kairo’s eyes widened—not out of fear, but in realization. "I would kill you for that, but I have orders from my Pharaoh to bring you back alive."

With a swift motion, Kairo raised his hand, muttering, "Float." Elio was lifted off the ground, helpless, as Kairo thrashed him down repeatedly, each impact a harsh reminder of his powerlessness. "Thud, thud, thud," the sound echoed, Elio unable to do anything but endure.

Before your mother passed away, she wrote a letter to our Pharaoh," Kairo said, standing over the battered boy. He commanded one of his servants to bring him the letter, a papyrus scroll carefully unfurled in his hands. Kairo read aloud, "Dear Pharaoh, it was my pleasure to care for you in your youth. You once told me that if I ever needed a Favor, I could ask you. I have one favour to ask of you now. Please take my son Elio under the care of your army. He is a strong boy. I don’t have much time left, and if I go and he is left alone, I fear he will be led down the wrong path."

Elio’s cries grew louder, his sobs wracking his body as the reality of his mother’s final wish sank in. Kairo, despite his usual harshness, felt a twinge of pity. He extended a hand, albeit awkwardly. "Stop crying now. You’re nearly a grown man," he said, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Kairo’s voice boomed across the battlefield, raw with an emotion no one had ever seen from him before. "Elio, you bastard! Damn it, don’t give up now! Get up!" he screamed, his usually stoic demeanor shattered by the sight of his pupil on the ground. Amon and Drexel exchanged glances, both perplexed at Kairo's outburst. For someone of his rank to show such emotion for someone beneath him was unthinkable.

But Elio, through the haze of pain, smiled. His mind flickered back to his training with Kairo. Despite his mentor’s harshness, the moments they had shared were invaluable, forging a bond stronger than either would admit. Kairo had pushed him beyond his limits, preparing him for this very moment.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Jack was poised to strike again, but a sudden voice broke through the tension. "Jack, listen, stop now," Ramon called out as he sprinted toward them.

Jack turned, lowering his guard. "Oh, Ramon... it’s just you," he said casually, momentarily dropping his focus.

"Gotcha," Elio whispered from behind, his voice like a blade. Jack’s eyes widened in shock as Elio lunged.

"JACK!" Ramon shouted from the royal army balcony, his voice filled with alarm.

From a distance, Henu Safir bit his nails furiously, his mind racing. Akhet, standing nearby, was equally baffled. "How could this be? I'm sure of it—Ramon of the royal army isn’t even on the battlefield. But he was there... and then he disappeared in an instant."

Lloyd Freeks shook his head, perplexed. "How did Ramon vanish like that?"

Ru, her eyes narrowed and mood tense, finally spoke. "He didn’t disappear. He was never there to begin with." Her gaze shifted to Elio, admiration lacing her words. "Elio’s power has evolved."

Kamil gasped. "He’s... he’s evolved, hasn’t he?"

Yune nodded thoughtfully. "It seems that way. But from what I’ve gathered, Elio still can’t create real illusions. What he can do now is far more dangerous—he can now use his illusions to mimic real people, not just himself."

Memnon, ever impatient, crossed his arms in frustration. "He still has a weakness, though. His illusions vanish if touched."

Jack, wiping the blood from his lip, gave a dark chuckle. "Alright, Elio, looks like you’ve already gotten yourself an upgrade."

But Elio wasn’t done. "I will win," he declared, his voice strong and unwavering.

In an instant, four duplicates of Elio appeared, all sprinting towards Jack in perfect synchrony. The sheer number overwhelmed Jack, forcing him into a defensive stance.

From the balcony, Ramon’s voice rang out again. "Jack, don’t worry! They’re still just illusions—you can make them disappear!"

Jack followed Ramon's advice, and with each punch, he shattered an illusion. But the moment he struck one down, another appeared behind him. He didn’t see the real Elio until it was too late. The punch landed hard, like a hammer smashing into his skull. Jack crumpled to the ground, dazed.

Yune, who had been watching closely, suddenly smiled. "I see it now—Jack’s plan."

Kasib, less impressed, muttered, "What do you mean? He’s literally losing right now."

Kamil nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Kasib’s right. He’s not doing well at all."

But Yune’s grin only widened as he acknowledged Jack’s brilliance. "All the time I’ve spent with him taught me one thing—he’ll always find a way no one ever expects."

Elio, confident in his imminent victory, prepared to land his final blow, unaware that Drexel and Amon had already caught on to what Yune had realized: Jack's method of triumph was unlike anything they had ever seen. As Elio’s fist surged forward, ready to strike, Jack suddenly pushed himself back. This subtle movement forced Elio to overcommit, leaping forward in pursuit, oblivious to the danger that awaited him. The power Jack wielded, the Chrono Arachnid, was not just strength—it was the cunning of nature itself, mirroring the traps set by spiders and scorpions to lure their prey into oblivion.

Elio had fallen right into the web.

"Chrono Arachnid: Spider's Web!" Jack’s voice echoed with authority.

The ground beneath Elio's feet shone with an unnatural brilliance as the web, crafted from the very essence of the Chronotex, emerged from the depths below. In an instant, Elio was trapped, his body frozen in place. The web's threads, shun in the sun and were impossibly strong, held him fast. His adrenaline, once surging in the heat of battle, now drained away, leaving only the cold realization that he had become prey in Jack's carefully laid trap. His power was useless—he had succumbed to the spider’s snare.