The alarms grew louder, echoing off the towering shelves of Soul Storage. Each blaring note drilled into my skull, amplifying the sense of dread that had been building since Trevor and I had stepped into this forbidden labyrinth. My legs wanted to move faster, to flee from the oppressive weight bearing down on me, but the weight wasn’t just fear—it was a memory clawing its way to the surface, too elusive to grasp but too familiar to ignore.
“Simon,” Trevor said, his blurred outline halting abruptly. His voice, usually calm and cryptic, was clipped, his tone heavy with urgency. “He’s here.”
My feet froze. The way Trevor said it, I didn’t need to ask who “he” was. I felt the answer in my chest, a hollow pang of recognition that was impossible to shake.
“Who’s here?” I asked anyway, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
Trevor didn’t respond immediately. He stood still, his form tense, facing the intersection ahead as the rumble began—a low, mechanical growl that resonated in the pit of my stomach. It grew louder, steady and deliberate, each vibration shaking the ground beneath my feet and rattling the shelves around us.
I turned to the source of the sound just as he stepped into view.
My breath caught, and for a moment, I couldn’t move. The figure before me wasn’t entirely human. His frame shimmered, metallic components gleaming faintly in the dim light, his chest glowing softly with what looked like headlights. His presence filled the space, not just physically but in some intangible way, as though he commanded the very air around him.
And yet, despite his altered form, I recognized him immediately. The sharp edges of his face, the unnerving calm in his eyes—it was the same man who had stood on my porch that morning. The same man who had pointed what looked like a toy gun at me and pulled the trigger, ending everything I thought I knew.
“It’s you,” I murmured, my voice barely audible over the pounding in my ears.
The man smiled, though now it was a strange, mechanical grin, his mouth twisting in ways that didn’t seem entirely natural. His voice, when he spoke, was layered with static, deep and metallic.
“Simon,” he said, drawing my name out like an old friend greeting me after years apart. “We meet again.”
The air left my lungs. My brain scrambled to piece together how he was here, why he had followed me even into death. “Why?” I managed to ask, though my voice cracked under the weight of the question.
The man’s grin widened, his chest glowing brighter as the rumbling sound of his approach deepened. “Why?” he repeated, his tone almost mocking. “Because you don’t belong here. And the Bureau doesn’t leave loose ends.”
I took an involuntary step back as he moved closer, his form shifting with each step. His limbs thickened, metallic plates sliding into place as his body expanded, becoming more machine than man. He was transforming, and the realization struck me with chilling clarity. He wasn’t just a man anymore—he was something else. Something worse.
Trevor moved then, stepping between us, his movements measured but tense. “Simon, listen to me,” he said, his voice low and firm. “This isn’t just any enforcer. He’s the Bureau’s best. You can’t fight him. Not yet.”
The enforcer laughed, a grating sound that echoed through the chamber like scraping metal. “Oh, Trevor,” he said, his voice vibrating with barely restrained contempt. “Still meddling, I see. You should’ve learned by now that you can’t escape me.”
He turned his glowing eyes back to me, and the weight of his gaze made it hard to breathe. “And you,” he said, his tone almost amused. “The bureaucratic headache I never thought I’d see again. Your little detour ends here.”
I felt my legs lock in place, fear rooting me to the spot. I didn’t understand why he’d come for me that day, why he’d ended my life with such precision. But now, standing in the face of his monstrous presence, I could feel the cold certainty of his intent. He wasn’t here to capture me. He was here to destroy me.
“Run,” Trevor said suddenly, his voice cutting through the haze in my mind.
I tore my eyes away from the enforcer, my breath hitching. “Run?” I echoed, my voice shaky. “What about fighting?”
Trevor’s head snapped toward me, his blurred features somehow managing to convey exasperation. “Run. Now.”
Before I could respond, the enforcer moved.
It wasn’t just speed—it was calculated, overwhelming force. One moment he was standing still, and the next, he surged forward, his body twisting into the unmistakable shape of a hulking truck. The roar of his engine filled the chamber as he bore down on us, and the ground beneath my feet trembled with each monstrous turn of his wheels.
“Simon!” Trevor shouted, shoving me hard.
I stumbled and fell, hitting the ground just as the enforcer barreled past, missing me by inches. The spot where I’d been standing erupted in a shower of stone and metal, the shelves collapsing in a cacophony of destruction.
I scrambled to my feet, my hands shaking. Trevor was already moving, pulling me toward another aisle of shelves. “Go!” he barked, his tone sharp and commanding.
I didn’t need to be told twice. My legs finally obeyed, carrying me forward as the sound of the enforcer’s engine roared behind us. I risked a glance back and saw him skidding to a halt, his glowing eyes locking onto me once again.
He wasn’t just fast—he was relentless.
I realized then that this wasn’t just a fight. It was a hunt.
And I was the prey.
---
Truck-kun surged toward me, an unstoppable force of twisted metal and raw intent. His movements weren’t just fast—they were deliberate, like he’d studied me long before this moment. I dodged with the help of the Torque Boots, barely managing to avoid another devastating blow as he barreled past.
“Trevor!” I shouted, my voice cracking under the strain. “I could use some help here!”
Trevor, standing at the edge of the chaos, didn’t move. His blurred form remained eerily still, his arms crossed as though watching a scene he’d seen a hundred times before.
“I can’t,” he said flatly.
“What do you mean, you can’t?” I snapped, narrowly avoiding Truck-kun’s grappling claw as it smashed into the floor where I’d stood. The shockwave sent me sprawling, and I scrambled to my feet, glaring at Trevor.
He hesitated, his voice quieter now, almost reluctant. “It’s not my fight, Simon. It has to be yours.”
“That’s convenient,” I muttered under my breath, panic clawing at my chest as Truck-kun pivoted, his headlights locking onto me like a predator zeroing in on its prey.
“It’s not about convenience,” Trevor said, his tone sharp enough to cut through the chaos. “If I intervene, it’ll destabilize things even more than you already have. You don’t know what you’re holding, what you’re carrying inside you.”
“Then explain it to me!” I yelled, dodging another attack. “Because right now, it feels like you’re just standing there waiting for me to get flattened!”
Truck-kun roared past again, the ground quaking under his wheels. I barely managed to stay upright, my heart pounding in my ears.
Trevor sighed, and for the first time, there was a note of something in his voice that I couldn’t place. Guilt? Regret? “Simon, listen to me. You have to figure this out. Not just how to fight him, but how to control yourself. Your power is unstable—more unstable than you realize. If I step in, it’ll trigger a reaction you’re not ready for. And then none of us make it out of here.”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
I wanted to argue, to demand answers, but Truck-kun wasn’t giving me the time. He lunged at me again, and I activated the Impact Engine Core, channeling its force into a desperate counterstrike. The collision sent us both staggering, but it was clear I wasn’t going to win this.
My eyes flicked to the Chrono-Rev Dial on my wrist. Trevor had told me to figure it out, to control myself—but if I didn’t act now, there wouldn’t be anything left of me to control.
With a deep breath, I twisted the Dial.
----------------------------------------
The world blurred and twisted, the chaos reversing in a dizzying cascade of light and sound. When the haze cleared, I was back at the start of the fight.
Truck-kun stood at the far end of the chamber, his glowing eyes narrowing as he prepared to charge. Trevor hadn’t moved, his blurred figure exactly where it had been before.
Time hadn’t just rewound. It had reset entirely.
Trevor’s voice broke through my disorientation. “You’ve only bought yourself a chance, Simon. Use it wisely.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I muttered, squaring my stance as Truck-kun’s engine roared to life again.
This time, I moved faster, using what I’d learned from the previous round. I dodged his initial charge, activating the Torque Boots to dart behind him before he could pivot. The Impact Engine Core pulsed in my chest, and I used its force to land a heavy blow to his side, sending him skidding into a row of shelves.
For a moment, I thought I had the upper hand. But then Truck-kun shifted, his form twisting fluidly as he adapted to my strategy. His claw-like arm lashed out, catching me by surprise and sending me crashing to the ground.
I hit the floor hard, the impact rattling my teeth and sending a fresh wave of pain through my ribs. Something cracked—I wasn’t sure if it was the floor or me—but breathing became harder, each gasp stabbing at my side like knives.
Truck-kun didn’t let up. He loomed over me, his headlights blazing with an almost predatory satisfaction. “How many times can you do this, Simon?” he growled, his voice reverberating with menace. “How many times before you shatter?”
I coughed, blood flecking my lips. My hand trembled as it reached for the Chrono-Rev Dial. Every fiber of my being screamed against using it again, but the alternative was worse.
“Don’t,” Trevor’s voice came, quieter now, almost pleading. “Simon, you’re pushing too far.”
I glanced at him through the haze of pain, his blurred form flickering like a dying lightbulb. He looked… tired. For the first time, I realized that whatever was happening to me might be happening to him, too.
“I don’t have a choice,” I rasped, twisting the Dial.
----------------------------------------
The rewind was like being dragged through a vortex of fire and ice. The searing pain in my ribs faded but left a ghost of itself behind, a warning that my body couldn’t take much more of this.
When the haze cleared, I was back at the start again. Truck-kun stood at the far end of the chamber, his glowing eyes narrowing as he prepared to charge.
But something was different. My vision swam, my body sluggish, as though time itself resisted the act. The Dial on my wrist sparked faintly, its glow dimmer than before.
“How long can you keep this up, Simon?” Truck-kun said, his voice colder now. “How long before you tear yourself apart?”
Trevor stepped closer, his posture stiff. “You have to stop,” he said, his voice cracking under the weight of emotion. “If you don’t stop now, you’ll destroy yourself.”
I clenched my fists, ignoring the tremor in my hands. “I can’t stop,” I said, my voice low and firm. “If I stop, we’re dead.”
Truck-kun’s engine roared again, and he charged. This time, I barely managed to dodge, my movements slower, less precise. The Torque Boots faltered, sparks flying from their soles.
As I stumbled, Truck-kun’s claw grazed my arm, tearing through the fabric and leaving a deep gash. Blood seeped down my sleeve, warm and sticky. I gritted my teeth against the pain, refusing to let it stop me.
“Simon!” Trevor shouted, his voice desperate now. “You’re killing yourself!”
I twisted the Dial again, my vision swimming as the world reset once more.
This time, the pain didn’t fade completely. It lingered, a dull ache in my ribs, my arm, my chest—a reminder of how much I’d lost with every rewind.
Truck-kun stood at the far end, his glowing eyes fixed on me like a predator watching its prey. His voice was steady, almost taunting. “This will end, Simon. One way or another.”
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. All I could do was fight—and hope I’d find a way out before it was too late.
---
My knees hit the ground, the Chrono-Rev Dial twisting beneath my bloodied fingers. The world blurred again, pulling me into its relentless loop. Light and sound collided, folding reality back onto itself. My ribs ached, my vision swam, and for a moment, I thought I wouldn’t survive the rewind itself.
When the haze cleared, I was back at the start. Again.
Truck-kun stood at the far end of the chamber, his glowing eyes narrowing as his form shifted into its predatory stance. The chamber flickered—cracks ran along the walls, and the air hummed with instability. Each rewind had done more than just reset time; it was tearing at the space itself.
But something else was changing. Truck-kun wasn’t as solid as before. His headlights flickered, and the edges of his massive form glitched, distorting like an image corrupted by static.
I pushed myself to my feet, blood dripping from my side. My legs wobbled, my chest burned, and my thoughts were fractured. Trevor’s blurred figure was closer now, his presence solid and commanding despite the chaos around us.
“Again,” I rasped, barely able to form the word.
“Do it,” Trevor said immediately, his tone firm. There was no hesitation in him, no second-guessing. His blurred outline vibrated with intensity as he pointed toward the Dial. “You can’t stop now, Simon. You’re so close.”
Truck-kun’s engine roared, his voice booming over the din. “You think you’re winning?” he spat, his headlights blazing brighter. “You think you’re clever? You’re just digging your own grave. Keep going, and you’ll destroy everything!”
But even as he spoke, his voice wavered. A metallic edge to his words faltered, the sound distorted and uneven.
I activated the Torque Boots, my movements clumsy but driven by pure instinct. Truck-kun charged, and I barely dodged his initial attack, my body screaming in protest as I twisted to avoid the sharp edge of his claw. I landed awkwardly, the wound on my side splitting open further. Blood soaked my shirt, but I couldn’t stop.
The Impact Engine Core flared, its energy vibrating through my chest, but my grip on it was unstable. I lashed out, sending a burst of force into Truck-kun’s side, knocking him off balance. He skidded into a shelf, demolishing it in a shower of light and sound, but he recovered instantly, his claw snapping toward me.
I didn’t dodge fast enough. The claw tore across my chest, the searing pain stealing my breath. I stumbled back, coughing, blood splattering the ground.
Truck-kun stalked forward, but his movements weren’t as fluid. His frame jerked unnaturally, and sparks flew from his arm. His headlights dimmed briefly before flaring again.
“You’re unraveling me,” he growled, his voice strained, his tone laced with something new—pain. “You have no idea what you’re doing.”
Trevor’s voice rose above the chaos. “He’s breaking, Simon! Keep going!”
Truck-kun turned his glowing eyes to Trevor, his metallic grin twisting into something closer to a snarl. “You think this is victory?” he spat, his claw trembling as it raised again. “You’ll destroy yourselves before you destroy me!”
But even as he lunged, his movements faltered. The edges of his form flickered, parts of his metallic body shimmering and disappearing momentarily, like an unstable hologram.
I twisted the Dial again.
----------------------------------------
The rewind hit harder this time, tearing through me like shards of glass. When I landed back at the start, my legs gave out entirely, and I collapsed to the ground. The pain in my ribs was unbearable, and blood dripped steadily from the gash on my side.
Truck-kun stood at the far end, his glowing eyes flickering erratically. His body spasmed, parts of it distorting in sharp bursts of static. His once-imposing presence was now fractured, unstable.
“You’re killing me,” he growled, his voice ragged. “But you’re killing yourself, too. You think this is a victory?”
I staggered to my feet, my breaths shallow and ragged. The Dial on my wrist sparked violently, its glow faltering. The room around us was no better—the cracks in the walls had deepened, and the shelves were collapsing under the weight of the unraveling space.
“You can end this, Simon!” Truck-kun roared, his voice splintering as his form twitched. “Stop now, and I’ll make it quick!”
Trevor stepped forward, his blurred figure trembling but resolute. “No, Simon. Don’t stop now. He’s breaking. One more push!”
Truck-kun’s engine sputtered, the sound glitching as he roared again and charged. I activated the Torque Boots, the sparks flying from their soles lighting my path. I dodged, barely staying ahead of his claw as it smashed into the ground behind me.
“You’ll tear the dimension apart!” Truck-kun screamed, his voice filled with pain and rage as his body spasmed violently. Chunks of his metallic form disintegrated, sucked toward the cracks in reality.
I twisted the Dial one final time.
----------------------------------------
The world didn’t just rewind—it collapsed.
The vortex roared to life, pulling at everything around us. Light and sound twisted together, fracturing the space into shards of unreality. Truck-kun howled as his form disintegrated further, his claw snapping wildly as he fought against the pull.
“You fool!” he roared, his glowing eyes flickering out one last time as he was consumed by the tear. “You’ve doomed us all!”
The vortex expanded, its pull growing stronger. Trevor stepped closer to me, his blurred form fading with each second.
“Trevor!” I shouted, reaching for him.
He turned, and the blur around him vanished. I saw his face clearly—my face. Older, lined with exhaustion and grief, but undeniably mine.
“This is it, Simon,” he said, his voice calm despite the chaos. “This is how we get home.”
The vortex caught him, and I saw tears in his eyes as he vanished into the light.
The pull of the vortex intensified, and I felt myself being dragged forward. Pain flared in my chest, and the world dissolved into light and sound.
----
When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the ground. The air was thick, warm, and unfamiliar. Strange, vibrant colors danced in the distance, and the landscape around me was alien and surreal.
I sat up slowly, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. My breath was shaky, and the dull ache in my chest was a constant reminder of what I’d been through.
And then I saw her. Gwen.
She stood a few feet away, her expression unreadable, but something in her eyes told me this wasn’t a coincidence.
“Simon,” she said softly. “You’re here.”