Episode 1: "Fractured Horizons"
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Prologue: A Shattered Sky
The Dragon Valley was peaceful, the hum of the wind rustling the trees as Carol Tea lay sprawled out beneath the shade. She closed her eyes, savoring the calm.
"Finally, a break," she muttered, her tail flicking lazily.
The sky cracked.
It wasn’t thunder—it was something worse. A shimmering, jagged line of light carved itself across the sky, growing wider as the air warped and shimmered. Carol bolted upright, ears twitching.
"Uh... what the heck—?"
Above her, swirling vortexes formed in the sky. Her heart dropped as familiar figures were pulled toward the light—Lilac, Milla, and Neera.
"No! Guys!" Carol sprinted forward, her legs a blur of motion.
She reached out as the wind roared, nearly catching Lilac's hand, but the vortex swallowed her friend. A blinding flash followed, and Carol was flung backward into a spiral of swirling color and nothingness.
A voice echoed in the void:
"Time is broken... and you must mend it."
Then, everything went dark.
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Scene 1: The Timekeeper’s Realm
Carol awoke to find herself lying on a shimmering, glass-like surface surrounded by a river of stars. Floating shards of reality drifted lazily around her. She groaned and sat up, rubbing her head.
"Okay... I’ve had some weird wake-ups before, but this takes the cake."
A figure loomed before her—a tall, jackal-like being draped in silver and blue robes. His eyes glowed like twin stars.
"Carol Tea," the figure said calmly.
Carol jumped to her feet, eyes narrowing. "Okay, who are you, where am I, and what’s with the whole ‘cosmic floating space’ thing?"
The figure folded his arms.
"I am Celios, the keeper of the Chrono Prism. This place is the Nexus—what remains of balance within time."
Carol raised an eyebrow. "Right... And you brought me here because...?"
Celios gestured to her wrist, and Carol finally noticed the glowing time bracelet now attached to it. Its surface was etched with glowing runes, and its energy pulsed faintly with a golden light.
"The timelines are broken, and this bracelet is your key to fixing them. It will guide you to the Chrono Shards—fragments of the shattered Chrono Prism. You must recover the shards and rescue your friends before all of reality collapses."
Carol blinked, then raised a hand. "Wait, wait, wait—hold up. Time travel? Really?" She pointed at the bracelet. "You sure the green Hylian kid with the pointy hat wasn’t available? He’s, like, the time-travel guy."
Celios gave her a confused look but continued as if nothing had happened.
"You are fast enough to outrun time itself," he replied. "Your speed is the key to mending the fracture."
Carol hesitated, her gaze drifting to the visions Celios conjured—images of Lilac, Milla, and Neera trapped in strange, twisted timelines. She saw Lilac encased in a glowing sphere above an ancient jungle, Milla lost in a mechanical dystopia, and Neera surrounded by ice in a desolate cityscape.
Her grin returned, but her eyes glimmered with something serious.
"Alright. I’m in. But let’s be clear: I’m not doing this because I’m ‘chosen.’ I’m doing this because my friends need me."
The void shifted as a portal of golden light opened before her. Celios nodded.
"Your first destination lies in the Ancient Past. The bracelet will guide you, but beware—time is not your ally."
Carol tightened her gloves and smirked.
"Good thing I’m faster than time itself."
She sprinted through the portal, vanishing into the light.
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Scene 2: Arrival in the Ancient Past
Carol stumbled out of the portal and into a dense, humid jungle. Trees the size of towers loomed overhead, their branches tangled with vines. Strange bird-like creatures squawked from the treetops, and the ground pulsed with life beneath her feet.
The bracelet on her wrist pulsed softly, glowing brighter as if pulling her toward something. Carol raised an eyebrow.
"So... you’re my new GPS, huh?"
The bracelet pulsed twice in response. Carol chuckled.
"Alright, bracelet buddy. Let’s see where you’re taking me."
She sprinted through the jungle, dodging roots and leaping over streams, her speed leaving a trail of swirling leaves in her wake. After a few minutes, she reached the top of a ridge and froze.
Below her lay an ancient temple overgrown with vines. At its base, a group of feather-adorned Mobians chanted in front of a glowing sphere of light. Inside the sphere floated Lilac, motionless, her eyes closed.
"No way... They’re using her like some kind of magic battery!" Carol muttered. Her fur bristled as the bracelet glowed more intensely. She clenched her fists.
"Not on my watch."
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Scene 3: Through the Jungle
Carol darted toward the temple, weaving through the underbrush. As she moved, she noticed small distortions—flowers blooming and wilting in seconds, stones floating briefly before falling. The bracelet pulsed faster, warning her as she leapt over a patch of unstable ground that disintegrated behind her.
She skidded to a stop as a loud screech echoed through the jungle. From behind the temple, a massive, bird-like guardian with obsidian feathers and glowing blue eyes emerged. Its body shimmered with time energy as it spread its wings, summoning a vortex of wind.
"Okay... That’s new," Carol muttered.
The guardian—The Sky Maw—screeched and launched toward her. Carol’s bracelet flared as time seemed to slow for a second. She felt the world slow around her, giving her just enough time to dodge the beast’s talons.
"Whoa! Okay, bracelet, that was actually pretty awesome."
She rolled to her feet and grinned.
"Let’s see if it works again!"
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Scene 4: Facing the Sky Maw
Carol charged toward the Sky Maw, her speed kicking up a trail of dust. The bracelet pulsed, and time slowed again as she leapt onto the guardian’s back. She unleashed a rapid series of kicks, aiming for the glowing core embedded in its back. Sparks flew as the core cracked.
The Sky Maw thrashed, trying to shake her off, but Carol held tight. With a final powerful strike, the core shattered. The bird let out one last screech before dissolving into motes of light.
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Epilogue: Shard of the Past
The energy surrounding Lilac faded, and she fell gently to the temple floor. Carol sprinted over and caught her.
Lilac’s eyes fluttered open, blinking in confusion. "Carol...? Is it really you?"
Carol grinned. "Yeah, it’s me. Time’s a mess, but don’t worry—I’ve got it covered."
Lilac sat up and noticed the bracelet glowing on Carol’s wrist. "What... is that? Some kind of relic?"
Carol held up her arm, showing it off proudly. "Nah—it’s a fancy time bracelet. Apparently, it makes me fast enough to outrun reality itself."
Lilac stared at it, concerned. "And you trust it?"
Carol shrugged. "It saved my tail twice today. So yeah, I’m on board."
The bracelet pulsed again, and Carol noticed a glowing Chrono Shard floating where the Sky Maw had fallen. She reached out, and the shard merged with the bracelet, making it glow brighter.
Lilac steadied herself. "If this bracelet is the only thing holding time together... let’s hope it doesn’t break."
Carol smirked. "Don’t jinx it."
A portal shimmered into existence. Carol helped Lilac to her feet.
"Come on—we’ve got two more friends to save."
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To Be Continued in Episode 2: "Steel Solstice"
