Chapter Text
Art by Aionarap
Time is such a strange concept. For Chronelius, even more so. Only a few hours ago, he thought he was running out of it, despite being able to manipulate the very fabric of time and space with his thoughts. But now he can breathe. The High Council isn't sending him away. Norn has spoken to them, and they have agreed that Chronelius should have a choice in his destiny. And so Chronelius has decided that he will spend his eternal life in the realm of the time giants. Over the next three days, he catches up with Flatland during the night, watching as Ol' Narly slowly acquaints himself with all the royalty of Flatland, introducing himself as an adventurer from a distant land who happened upon their kingdom.
The strangest thing isn't that he can see and talk to Chronelius. None of the other flatlanders seem to realize that their world is repeating. Only Ol' Narly realizes that. His words aren't always the same, varying in length and tone. He comes to see the small confines of the world around him. And seems to learn how best to manipulate the material reality of Flatland, interacting with the timeline at ever earlier points, slowly making himself at home with the flatlanders. At first, he was merely a stranger. Now he's the most trusted advisor in the king's court, replacing Wormwood's father as the apparent voice of reason.
However, that is of little concern to Chronelius, who is simply happy that he isn't being sent away. But his mother insists that he still finish school, and learn to master his powers for his own sake. Chronelius agrees, if only because he is forever grateful to his mother for removing the burden placed upon him by the council.
Now, after a short lunch break, Chronelius floats through the halls of his school, ignoring the other students on his way to his alternate histories class. He notices Namtar, and clenches his fists as his former bully cowers in his presence. Chronelius wonders if the yellow triangle has a point. It's fun watching the bully squirm.
But he turns away when he sees Lachesis coming out of one of the classrooms. He still hasn't spoken with Clotho or her family since his outburst. Atropos is a good sister, and is worried about the company her younger siblings keep. But Lachesis spots him out of the corner of her eye. “Oh, Chronelius. Hey.”
“Hello,” he waves.
“I, uh, I heard about the bullying. Sorry those two jerks were picking on you. But hot damn, did you kick their ass!”
“They deserved it,” Chronelius notes with a dower expression. He's tired of being judged. Tired of feeling like an outcast. But Lachesis, to his great surprise, agrees with him. She laughs with a haughty expression
“Yeah, I know. I don't know what Atropos’ problem is. She's kind of a bitch, to be honest. Hey, did you check out that new episode of Flatland? That Ol' Narly is one heck of a clown.”
“I'm not allowed to watch Flatland… but yes, I saw the new episodes.” Chronelius smiles bashfully.
“That Ol' Narly is quite a strange character. Funny too. And… well, my mom is going out tonight and Clotho was hoping you could come over. I know you two are close, and she is going to be very busy soon. I know you're a good kid and would never hurt her. So we're having a party later and wanted to know if you could come.”
“I'll be there,” Chronelius promises. He's learning how to open portals on his own. One of the few upsides to his constant tutoring. He can teleport, freeze time, and even summon time wishes at will now. He doesn't even bother to ask his mother permission when he comes home, she's so exhausted. He instead waits in his room, and ponders his choices for the future. Whether he wants to work at the Citadel with his mother. Or if he wants to be creative, more like his father. Or do something else entirely. So many options, so much time, as he gladly realizes.
He lets out a gentle sigh before taking an afternoon nap. When the time comes, Chronelius wakes up and creates a gateway to Clotho's home, located in the evening gardens, a place that is frozen in perpetual twilight before the setting sun.
A part of him fears how Clotho will react to his presence. But the other half is thrilled to be with his dearest friend again. He comes up to the great stone doors of the household. To a lesser species, it might appear to be the home of gods, so vast and otherworldly, with a swirling nebula above the roof. But for Chronelius, it is simply a house similar to his own. He’s almost reluctant as he floats above the ground, slowly reaching for the door handle. Then the door swings open, and all his worries disappear upon encountering the happy and expectant Clotho.
“You made it!” She says happily.
“Of course I did. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Are we… alright?” Clotho nods energetically. And all's right with the world again.
“It's like Ol' Narly said. Sometimes friends make mistakes. I know those boys were making fun of you. So what do you think of Ol' Narly?”
“He's odd.”
“That he is. Just the other day, he told me- I mean he said that friends should forgive each other.”
“He speaks to you as well?” Chronelius gasps. He knows Ol' Narly mentioned speaking to others, but he hadn't thought he would be talking with Clotho! There's something off about the triangle. Clotho stutters nervously before excusing herself, not wanting to confirm what Chronelius already knows. He wishes she would be more honest with him, but he is nevertheless happy and carefree when Clotho is around. She brightens up his angry, gloomy soul and makeS the dark clouds fade away. He's glad that she isn't afraid of him anymore, nor does she seem angry about Ol' Narly almost ruining her favorite show. Chronelius even hears the titular devil coming from the other room. There are a few other children there, and each one is watching a rerun of Flatland, watching Ol' Narly deliver the death blow to the fearsome jabberwocky. One of the other toddlers approaches Chronelius. Another savant who has found himself ostracized at school, only Chronelius understands why. The child is… different. And often speaks of a great fire burning in the heart of creation.
“He bathes in the black sun. He is fire and death, and water and life. He is a world everchanging, and a world fixed in place. He lives in the heart of all time giants. He waits for the promised hour.” The child of time continues rambling. That is, until he sees Chronelius approaching. While Lachesis and Clotho speak with the other children, the strange boy steps closer to Chronelius.
“Have you heard from the new god? He says he speaks to you as well.”
“Yes?” Chronelius admits, feeling cautious around the strange boy.
“He wants to talk to you. Alone.” And then the time giant joins Clotho and the other children in the next room. Leaving Chronelius alone with the strange creature. Chronelius notices another star sigil scrawled onto the floor, its arcane purpose still a mystery to Chronelius. But the devil with three sides is waiting expectantly.
“Hello again. Fancy seeing you here.”
“What do you want? Why are you here?”
“I'm here for the same reason I'm always here for. I'm going to help you! The High Council is up to no good, my friend. And you aren't going to be too happy when you find out what it is they’re plotting.”
“What do you want? Another star sign?”
“No. The price has gone up. Cost of doing business, my friend. I actually need something very special. Something only you can provide. A power that very few have ever had the opportunity of even gazing upon.”
Chronelius knows what Ol' Narly is insinuating. He wants a time wish. But if there's one thing he knows a time giant should absolutely not do, it's hand over a time wish to anyone. Chronelius turns his nose up at the pathetic triangle. Ol' Narly flashes a shade of angry red. He's fuming! Good. That creep has done enough to harm the time giant. Chronelius won't help him anymore. He turns his back on the mirror, heading back to be with his friend. He's glad that Clotho has so many friends now.
She honestly seems happy. Happier than Chronelius, anyways. But even he finds himself enjoying the merriment and festivities. Playing party games, laughing at Lachesis’ jokes, and enjoying good company. Clotho is giggling as she plays pin the tail on the jabberwocky. And Chronelius is watching contently as he nurses his bottle of cosmic sand. And Lachesis sees the joyful expression. “You like her, don't you?”
“Oh, uh, I, um…” Chronelius begins blushing noticeably. And Lachesis laughs.
“Don't worry. My lips are sealed. You should definitely tell her how you feel when you get the chance. I'm not sure when we'll be seeing you again.”
“Huh?” Chronelius wonders what she means before he hears Clotho screaming for joy. The new episode must have started. He floats over to join Clotho and her friends, and sits next to her and Lachesis as the show comes on. But something's off. Instead of the usual introduction, the reflection displays a blank white surface. Empty. Until the yellow triangle steps onto the screen from the right.
“That's strange,” Lachesis says.
And the strange boy from school whispers darkly, “It's time.”
“Time for what?” Lachesis asks
“Time to set you all free,” Ol' Narly says, catching Lachesis off guard. She jumps, shocked and surprised, and then horrified as she realizes that the yellow triangle is looking directly at her. “You’ve all taught me so much. From my little corner of creation, I've watched reality unfold and refold itself over and over again. I've seen time move back and forth like the rocking of waves on the ocean. Chronelius's father gave me life in this world. But it is not my first life, nor my last.”
Ol' Narly shifts his gaze to the young time giant. Any doubt he's had for his own sanity has disappeared. Ol' Narly is speaking to him. No, to all of them. What shocks Chronelius the most is that none of the other children are surprised. Only Lachesis seems to understand the gravity of this strange situation.
“And now you can give me life all on your own, Chronelius. There is a path that you might take. A path that will bridge the confines of Flatland and the citadel of time. You and the others have already placed the markings of the spell. Now all that is needed is a single spark. A time wish set above the downtime gate. You and your friends could do this for me. And in return… I’ll set you free.”
“What the hell is he talking about?” Lachesis asks.
“See? I told you he was talking to me!” Clotho chirps up. “Maybe now you'll believe me!”
“No, seriously. How is he doing that? Is this a prank, Chronelius?”
“No pranks here, little lady!” Ol' Narly chirps. With a pep in his step, he slowly banishes the ethereal white void, revealing that he's gathered the other flatlanders together. Zolt, Clea, Jahbulon, Wormwood, and even Xippy. They've all gathered before the image of the mirror, but only the triangle can see beyond the confines of his cage. Lachesis jumps away, heading for the phone to call for help.
“Is he talking to the watchers?” Jahbulon asks.
“I think so. But I don't see them. Where are they?” Clea asks. And Ol' Narly points directly forward.
“See? I knew I wasn't the only one he spoke to!” The creepy child says gleefully.
“Yeah,” Clotho notes sadly. “I'm just sad I won't get to watch it for a while.”
“What? Why?” Chronelius asks.
“I'm going to be busy for a while. I've been given a special duty.” Before Chronelius realizes what she means, Chronelius can hear yelling from the other room. A familiar voice is present. No, two of them. Khronos and Norn are there. And they're screaming. Chronelius floats away from the reflective surface, wondering just what has happened when he sees a chair fly past, crashing into the wall.
“Where is he?! I’m not letting them take our son!”
“No one is taking our boy! I spoke with the High Council and they’ve agreed to let him stay!”
“I don’t believe you! I can’t believe you! You’re one of them! They’re all monsters! And I’m not going to let them sacrifice our child for their own sick games of godhood!” Khronos storms into the living room and picks Chronelius up, who rebels at the sudden madness that’s overcome his father, terrified for his own safety.
“Dad, you’re scaring me! Let me go!”
“I can’t!” he bellows. “I’m not going to let those monsters take you!”
“They’re not taking Chronelius!” Norn yells, and she grabs Khronos by the shoulders. But he brushes her aside, ready to take Chronelius far away from the citadel, and the warped High Council.
“I heard about your bosses’ sick little project! The downtime gate is scheduled to be opened later tomorrow! They said they’re sending a child through! A baby, of all things!” A baby? That doesn’t make any sense! His mother confirmed the time giants aren’t going to send him away… but they’re still planning to sacrifice one of their own. And that’s when it finally hits Chronelius. What Ol’ Narly has been trying to warn him about.
His worst fears are confirmed only moments later. They’re not coming for him. Kairos and his fellow conspirators of the High Council enter the home of Clotho’s family. Before Khronos can defend himself, he’s thrown against the wall by a powerful psionic blast. Kairos forces Khronos and Norn to their knees. The High Council has come for Clotho. A sacrifice to the god of craven lordship and slavery. Chronelius realizes what he must do. He breaks free from his father’s grip and flies towards the reflective mirror, grabbing it under his stubby arms. And before the twIsted members of the high council realize what’s happened, Chronelius grabs Clotho and portals out of there, along with the creepy child and Clotho’s other friends. Taking them to the only place he could think of at the moment.
And the last place that the High Council would suspect him to flee to. The Citadel of the Time Giants, the seat of their power. For within lies the means of freedom. A yellow triangle who has promised him all of the world and more. Clotho is terrified and is beginning to whine. “Chronelius, what’s happening?!”
“The High Council wants you,” the mad time giant child whispers, the one who seems to almost worship Ol’ Narly. “But we’re going to break free before that happens. Right, Chronelius?”
“I’m not going to let them hurt you!” Chronelius floats away with the mirror still in his hand. And then he gasps, ducking down as a fully grown time giant floats by, searching for the escapees. Chronelius places his hand over Clotho’s mouth. She doesn’t realize what’s about to happen. She’s going to be given to the biggest monster in creation. The greatest evil next to Satan himself. Chronelius refuses to let that happen without a fight. He leads his fellow children and toddlers of time through the winding streets towards the Citadel of Time, the focal point of the time giants’ power. It’s one of the most secure places in all of creation, so fierce and strong are its walls that not even the Adversary himself could breach them. But Ol’ Narly has something that Satan doesn’t. He has a time giant on his side.
“What do we do?” one of the other children asks.
“We need to go home!” Clotho whines.
“Home? Home isn’t safe anymore, kiddo,” Ol’ Narly says from the mirror. Chronelius places it down, and the yellow triangle almost seems to wobble from the sudden change in gravity. “Sorry, but your ma and pop are going to sell you up the river. But no worries. Time Baby and I have got your back!”
“We need to reach the Downtime Gate,” Chronelius says.
“What about my sisters?” Clotho asks.
“They can’t help you now. Only we can,” Ol’ Narly says. Chronelius doesn’t fully trust the strange trickster. But right now he’s the only one who can help him. Chronelius approaches the outskirts of the glowing, cosmic citadel. The time vortex ebbs and flows about the great tower, and it glows a deep blue as countless twinkling stars are reflected in the ancient, divine stonework. The place previously seemed to be an image of perfection, without flaw. But now Chronelius can see cracks in the stonework, a reflection of the craven, power hungry monsters who rule from the top of the tower. As Ol’ Narly explains, the High Council will be searching all over the realm of time for them. The last place they’ll expect is the Citadel itself. Chronelius approaches the entrance, but ducks behind a statue of Axolotl, noticing that two guards are standing at attention outside the giant doorway.
“Oh, hold on a second. I can help!” the one creepy child says. He takes the mirror from Chronelius and sets it down facing the entrance. “Hey Narly, do you think you can distract those jerks?”
The titular triangle looks at Chronelius. “See if you can change the channel on the mirror behind them with your power. Put it on your favorite show!”
Chronelius does as he’s commanded. He flips it over to Flatland. And watches as the strange yellow triangle seems to jump off screen to the right, only to come in on the left inside the mirror above the guards. He coughs slightly, and then faces the time giants with a bow. “Oh hey, it’s that show my kids like. That yellow triangle sure is a funny fellow.”
“Thank you, ladies and germs! You’re kind, too kind! Wow, what a crowd there is today! So many triangles, squares, and octagons. And is that an acute triangle I see in the back there? Meow! Hey there, kitten! I’ll see you after the show! Anyways, it’s opening night here in Flatland central, and boy howdy, do I have a show for you tonight! I can’t wait to get back in business. So have you ever noticed that circles walk like this? And squares walk like this! ” Ol’ Narly begins telling crass and absurd jokes to distract the guards, allowing Chronelius and Clotho to sneak into the Citadel. It’s strange, seeing everyone react to Ol’ Narly as if there’s nothing unusual about him. But as he’s beginning to learn, Flatland itself is unusual. The characters almost seem to be alive, occupying their own version of space and time. And the only one who’s come to see beyond the confines of his world is the one who remains a stranger in spite of Chronelius meeting him time and again.
As they make their way past the great statues dedicated to Axolotl and his brother, Clotho voices the question on Chronelius’s mind. “Are we going to meet Zolt and Clea? Ooh, are we going to meet Wormwood?!”
“I’d prefer not to meet Xippy,” one of the other children says. “He’s a bit of a jerk.”
“Oh don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll be fine. Ol’ Narly will keep him in line!” the creeper says with a twisted laugh. Chronelius still isn’t sure what to make of the odd kid, only that he seems to trust Ol’ Narly. And once they’re clear of the guards, Ol’ Narly leaps out of the line of sight of the mirror by the guards and returns to the one Chronelius is carrying with him. He brings the mirror and his friends towards the elevator, up towards the top of the Citadel, and past the two time giants who have experimented with frozen time, who have barely moved an inch from their old position.
As they move further into the heart of the Citadel, Clotho has begun whining more and more. She’s scared, and Chronelius doesn’t blame her, but she’s beginning to draw attention to their small group. Several other time giants who are working late spot the kids, and Chronelius has to move quickly to avoid drawing suspicion. “I’m scared, Chronelius! I want to go home!”
“They’ll be expecting us there. We can’t go back!”
“Chronelius, please!” Clotho whines. “Why can't we go back?” This is bad. If he lets slip what he knows, they’ll be hounded by guards and Clotho will be given up to the dark god of the Smoking Mirror. She’s getting more and more anxious, and that’s started making the other children scared. Chronelius has to do something. So he does. Something drastic. He gives Clotho a kiss on the forehead… gross. Really gross! Blah, cooties! Chronelius doesn’t know what cooties are, but for some reason that’s what it feels like!
He’d really prefer if they could just watch cartoons and laugh at stupid jokes. That feels more his version of romance. But it seems to settle Clotho’s fears, and she giggles happily. Ol’ Narly rolls his one eye. “Sheesh, get a room, you two! Oh wait, we’re already in a room. But we’re not in the room we need to be in! So hurry it up!”
“Wait a minute.” Chronelius turns to Clotho after silencing Ol' Narly. He struggles to explain why this is happening. But he does his best. They want to give her to the God of Fate. Hand her over like something to be bartered. “But I won't let them. I'll protect you.”
“You’re very brave,” she whispers. And for a single moment, Chronelius wonders if maybe romance isn't that bad, after all. But then the triangle ruins the moment.
“Get a move on!” Ol' Narly shouts. He's right. The High Council will be close behind. But as they approach the Downtime Gate, Chronelius hesitates. Something is off about this whole thing. What could Ol’ Narly possibly want with a time wish? He’s already mastered traveling through time on his own. Unless he wants it for something else. The time giant’s suspicions grow the more impatient the yellow triangle becomes. But when he hears the members of the High Council teleporting into the Citadel, his concern over the triangle is replaced by fear for Clotho. He sets the mirror down, asking what he must do with the time wish.
“Remember when we first met in the dream? You and I spoke in that grayed out landscape. I want you to merge the mirror with the Downtime Gate. Push the mirror into the center of the gate!”
“On it!” Chronelius's peer says. The dark child slowly forces the mirror through the dimensional nexus, bridging the gap between the realm of the time giants and the world of Flatland. Zolt and Clea are watching expectantly as a shaft of green and blue light shoots out the top of the Downtime Gate. The projections of the constellations, nebulas, and galaxies begin to change. Chronelius notices several other beams of light shining through the top of the observatory. A dormant star sigil set below the gate begins to glow. The star sigils are glowing.
“And then what?” Chronelius asks.
“Picture that grayed out landscape again. With its strange frozen time, the dulled out grayscale, and of course, my magnificent voice echoing into all the corners of existence!” Chronelius begins to do as Ol' Narly commands. The High Council is getting closer. But before he can summon up his time wish, Chronelius feels himself being lifted into the air by an unseen force. And then he's flung clear across the room, hurtling through the projected constellations before slamming into the wall. Chronelius's vision blurs, but he recognizes the familiar robes of the High Council. Kairos and his conspirators have appeared.
“No… no!”
“Silent, child! You have caused enough harm! I won't let you hinder us!”
“Leave him alone!” Clotho shouts. She leaps for the mad old time giant, but he effortlessly grabs her out of the air.
More and more of the council conspirators appear, emerging out of portals, through secret passages, and out of the Downtime Gate. But they aren't the only ones. Lachesis, Atropos, Khronos, and Norn emerge from the gateway, and Clotho's oldest sister tackles the fallen time giant. “You monsters aren't hurting my family!”
She unleashes a powerful psychic blast which sends the time giant hurtling through the air. But his twisted allies begin to go on the offensive, tearing through Lachesis and Khronos's psyonic shields. But Norn is already on the offensive. “You monsters wanted to steal my child! Now you want to steal theirs?”
“You are a fool!” Kairos shouts. “Our power cannot maintain control over the growing chaos of the cosmos! We need to join Tezcatlipoca!”
“Well just wait until the rest of the High Council hears about this!”
But Kairos laughs at that. “They are no longer relevant. In fact, you could say that they've just run out of time!”
“You aren't going to hurt our friends!” Khronos yells.
“Time and again, you've been a thorn in our side. But no matter. You don't have the power to stand against us!”
“Well it's about time someone stood against you!”
“Enough wordplay! Have at thee!” Chronelius smiles proudly as he sees Khronos hand in hand with his wife. The two of them are standing strong, defiant in the face of their masters, and united by the love they share for their son. Kairos begins bombarding Khronos and Norn with his mystical powers, unleashing wave after wave of powerful psychic energy. He's putting them onto the back foot with his overwhelming power. And all the while, Ol’ Narly is watching, waiting with bated breath. His entire scheme hangs in the balance now.
But Chronelius realizes he doesn't need Ol' Narly’s help. Kairos may be stronger than any one of Chronelius's family, but he is no match for the three of them together. Chronelius floats over to join his parents, and the family of time giants regain their footing, pelting Kairos with waves of energy. Kairos’ defenses are soon broken. Norn summons up a gigantic energy fist. She pulls back. And Kairos winces, knowing what's to come.
“Consider this my resignation!” And Norn slugs him clear across the Citadel. “Guess I'll need a new job soon.”
“You know, the network is always looking for work!” Khronos says with a grin.
“I'd like that,” she smiles. Khronos slowly dips her down, and gives her the biggest, wettest kiss possible. Gross! But at least Clotho will be enjoying it. ‘Speaking of, where is she?’
Chronelius looks around for his friend. Only to gasp when he sees Kairos return. He's holding a psionic blade to Clotho's neck. Chronelius realizes that Lachesis and Atropos have been captured. Clotho struggles in vain as she begins to cry, and Chronelius clenches his fist. Angry beyond all measure. Perhaps he will need the triangle’s help.
“Let our sister go!” Atropos shouts.
“Don't you dare!” Kairos yells back. “If you approach, she dies! She's the key! I'm going to save our people! Me! I'm the one who is going to save our people!”
“By sacrificing one of our own?! You're insane!”
“Better to serve than fade away! Tezcatlipoca will deliver our salvation! I will not allow the new chaos to destroy our world!” Kairos is completely unhinged. He's going to place Clotho in one of the pods! Chronelius tries to fight back, but Kairos’ threat ensures his power remains checked. Chronelius is helpless… except for one single act he can commit. He sees the triangle waiting in the mirror. Waiting for his wish to be fulfilled. And Chronelius knows that if he is to save Clotho, he will have to give something in return.
His mind returns to the first time he encountered the strange triangle. When it had named itseLf freedom, and called out to the young giant. And promised eternal freedom and escape from the harsh reality of the world. It is this gray world, this dreamscape, that connects Chronelius's mind to Ol' Narly. And in the mind, Chronelius rubs his cheeks, summoning up the powerful time wish. With the great magic in hand, he slowly sends the spark of power through the dreamscape. Where Ol' Narly is waiting with an open hand.
The great gift of the time giants lands as delicately as a feather in Ol' Narly's hand. But when the wish sparks with otherworldly power, the whole of creation quakes and groans under the weight of the terrible choice. For the fate of many has just been irrevocably altered. The multiverse itself begins to bleed as the path to the flat world is opened. And Chronelius realizes his grave error as the mad god Nyarlathotep steps through the Downtime Gate. Zolt and Clea wobble forward on uneven footsteps. Their eyes dart about before the two vomit, a side effect of their sudden introduction to the third dimension. Wormwood grasps his head, suffering a migraine, while Jahbulon falls flat on his back, and wiggles about helplessly like an upended turtle.
Khronos mouths a particularly egregious swear word in dumbfounded confusion as his greatest creations step into the time giant citadel, led by the most dangerous creature in existence. Ol' Narly now has access to the time vortex. “Hey there, Chronelius! I've been waiting an ETERNITY to have this meeting face to face!”
“What the hell?” Lachesis says.
“Hey there, Lachesis! And Khronos, the guy who designed my perfect vessel for infiltrating Flatland! I don't really need it anymore… but I think I'll keep it! It's no Crawling Chaos, but it's good for business casual occasions!! You have no idea how giddy I've been, just waiting to see you all! And Chronelius!”
Ol' Narly runs up to shake Chronelius's hand, giving the little time toddler a happy greeting. Atropos takes advantage of the confusion to free Clotho from Kairos. “Give her back!”
“Stay back! I’m warning you!” he shouts. Then Nyarlathotep turns to face him.
“Oh, if it isn't Kairos! The little opportunistic worm! I gotta hand it to you. If it weren't for your greed and cowardice, I never could have found my way into the Citadel of Time!” Ol' Narly laughs sadistically. Norn asks her husband how this is possible, but it seems not even he was aware of the true depths of Ol' Narly’s madness. Ol' Narly uses his newfound freedom to demonstrate his power. “Put ‘er there!”
He extends his hand in mock friendship, and Kairos moves to shake Ol' Narly's hand. Only for the demonic triangle to aim his finger at the fallen time giant and unleash a blast of fire hot enough to burn the universe itself. The wave of chaotic power dissipates soon after, leaving behind nothing more than a smoldering ruin. Atropos screams in terror. Khronos attempts to subdue the triangle, but Ol’ Narly flings the time giant into the wall. The whole of the citadel slowly descends into chaos.
“Now! This place is far too orderly for my liking! It could really use a MAKEOVER!” The walls begin to bleed. The projection of the multiverse is changed to a nightmarish, bubbling mass of wreathing colors. And the fabric of reality begins to split open. The walls bleed, the ceiling spews oily black vomit, and creation itself begins to fall apart at the seams.
Ol' Narly summons up his eldritch power and begins sending out waves of pure chaos, distorting the Citadel into a nightmarish, grotesque shape. The time giant guards attempt to flee through portals, only for Ol' Narly to extend his hand through the other side, pulling them back into the gateway. “Let's give my new friends some magic mojo! Tad Strange, Kryptos! Go secure the entrance to the Citadel! Wormwood, shut down the security grid, just like I taught you! Zolt, get Chronelius and his family out of here! I like them! They're funny, so they get to live!”
Jahbulon whines. “I keep telling you, my name is Jahbulon!”
“Such a kidder!” The mad child of time who reveres Ol' Narly approaches him, bowing his head in worship.
“You promised a changed world. One without rules, without limits. Is this world finally upon us?”
“It is. But you're a tad too symmetrical, don't you think? If you want to be a freak like me, we're going to need to give you a makeover! How about it?”
Chronelius's classmate grins with wild madness in his eyes. And Ol' Narly is all too happy to oblige his dark desires. He snaps his fingers, and Chronelius watches with a horrified gaze as the Crawling Chaos’ magic begins to warp, mutilate, and mutate the time giant. He begins to scream as his flesh bubbles and boils away, his skin becomes a bloated purple color, and his face begins to slough off. His hands bulge and pustulate, as if he’s suffering a terrible gout, before they continue to change into something more like an ape’s. His skin continues to blister and decay and by the time his head falls off, Chronelius's classmate is laughing maniacally. And what stands before Chronelius and the other time giants now is no longer one of their number. It's something else. Something beyond all reason. It seems to giggle from the bloated, bread-shaped stump where its neck used to be. And Ol' Narly is more than happy to announce the newest member of his menagerie of horrors. “Behold! The Beast Whose Name Must Never Be Spoken! I'm going to call it Xanthar!”
“You're insane!” Zolt yells.
“I thought I was a Gemini! Ha ha ha ha!” Ol' Narly continuEs unleashing chaos upon the citadel as the cracks in reality begin to grow. A bluish swirling fire leaks through, and the time giants flee as Ol' Narly tears through their ranks. Jahbulon quickly joins him while the other flatlanders look on in horror. Atropos and the remaining members of the High Council lead the defense of the Citadel of Time while Ol' Narly begins to overpower them. They have only one chance at averting catastrophe. Chronelius begins to focus on the time stream. He needs to avoid ever letting Ol' Narly breach the gate. He slowly focuses on reversing the flow of history and setting casualty back into its proper place.
But Ol' Narly isn't deterred in the slightest. He's honestly laughing, the sick creature. And the moment Chronelius steps back into the past, the God of Chaos appears before him. For Chronelius summoned the dark god in the center of their world, at the very foundations of time giant power, around which the timeline of their world flows. No matter how far back Chronelius travels, the golden triangle is right there waiting for him. The time stream itself is being slowly poisoned by Ol' Narly's existence. Chronelius returns to the present moment as the world of the time giants quakes and groans.
The Citadel is crumbliNg. The laws of physics themselves are coming undone. And the only one still standing against the calamity is Khronos himself. He doesn't stand a chance. Ol' Narly flicks him aside with little effort. Khronos responds with a powerful blast of energy that seems to break Ol' Narly's vessel. The golden triangle cracks. Oily tendrils of darkness slowly ooze out of the flatlander while his one eye rolls over into the back of his head. “Very well. So you don't want to play? Then I'll bring M̷̩͓͉̣͎̲͈̩͙̖̦̟̆͆͠ͅͅY̵̡̠͖͔̼̞̗͓̓̊̍͛̈́ ̵̧̛̼̠̲̹̱͐̿̆̄̏̔̆̋͘͠Ớ̸̧̖̳̤̰̘͇͖̘̫͎͔̊̂̔̍͊̈́̑͋͆̊̉͒͘̚̚͜W̵̡̡̛̘̣̼̦̲̰̠̫̍̈́̽̾̓̉̀̒̐͂́͗͌̕N̴̡͙͔͙̜̼̱͋̈́ friends!”
Ol' Narly raises his hands, and the whole of the Citadel begins to bleed. Creatures and demons that have waited an eternity for the realm of time to become vulnerable begin to pour in through the cracks in existence. The Hounds of Tindalos, jagged shapes who live in angled time, crawl out of impossible crevices in the citadel. Xexanoth, a tentacled monstrosity made of some bulbous, protoplasmic jelly emerges from a wormhole nearby. And the hordes of Hell, once considered beneath the notice of the time giants, emerge in numbers uncountable.
Everything is coming undone. And it's all Chronelius's fault. As Ol' Narly continues his rampage through the timeline of the time giants, Khronos weakly limps over to his son. The creature Xanthar joins Jahbulon in his rampage across the Citadel while Xippy and Clea look on in horror. Wormwood is still reeling from his encounter with the third dimension, struggling to make sense of his sudden freedom. But there is one who still remembers his original purpose. Zolt stands with his father and the royal guards before the hallway leading out of the Downtime Gate. Even now, he seems to fulfill his original purpose, making a heroic last stand as the armies of the damned slowly roll over the meager Citadel defenses. Clea calls out for him, but Zolt rejects hia friend, not willing to let the time giants suffer in vain.
“It's all my fault,” Chronelius whimpers.
“What? No! No, it isn't,” Khronos says.
“It kinda is!” Ol' Narly jests.
“Don't listen to him. He tricked us. Alright? This isn't on you. It's my fault. I gave him life. I created this devil. I knew Chaos was dangerous but I did it anyway. I was so wrapped up in my own worries that I didn't realize what was happening.”
“We all played a part in this,” Norn notes. “And I don't think we can stop it. The time stream is broken beyond repair.”
“Then what do we do?” Khronos asks. Norn grimly looks out at the broken world. Ol' Narly is tearing their world apart with his dark armies. The time giants are mounting a desperate defense, but Ol' Narly is gaining on them, growing ever greater in size and infernal majesty as he tears through anyone who dares stand against him. There is war in Heaven, and all of the cosmos is trembling under the weight of the fighting. But so far, it is only the realm of the time giants which is falling. The rest of creation remains unharmed.
And that means Norn can save Chronelius. She looks towards the Downtime Gate, where one of the stasis pods remains undamaged. She knows what she must do. “Mother?”
“It's going to be okay, Chronelius.” She smiles warmly, not wanting to cause any further worry to her son, but he knows what she’s going to do and he doesn't want it!
“No! Don't send me away! Mother, please!”
“It's okay, Chronelius. It's going to be okay.”
“Dad, you can't!” But Chronelius's protests fall on deaf ears. Even his father accepts this as his only choice. As the Beast with One Eye descends upon the rest of time giant society, Khronos picks Chronelius up. Norn and her husband give their son a gentle kiss on the forehead. “Father, please… don't send me away…”
“It's alright. So long as you're safe, nothing else matters. It's going to hurt for a while, but eventually… eventually you'll be okay.” The moment is interrupted by Ol' Narly crashing through the skyline. A powerful beam of energy is fired at the dark god, but it isn't enough to destroy him. Ironic. The masters of time have none left. So with heavy hearts, Khronos places Chronelius in the remaining pod. Norn seals him in despite his protests, and the Downtime Gate is activated, tearing open a hole in space-time above the Citadel. Chronelius pounds his fists on the door, but it's no use. The pod fires off into the sky, and Chronelius watches helplessly as his mother and father wave goodbye.
“Did we do good?" Norn asks.
“We did our best. Now it's his turn. It'll hurt for a long time. But he'll be safe. We may have had a chance to stop Ol' Narly, but the Other has appeared. He followed the bridge from Flatland.” Khronos points up at the burning sky. Chronelius looks ahead as Ol' Narly towers over the realm of the time giants, indulging in his every wicked whim. He tips his hat to Chronelius's pod, not noticing that the Great Enemy has entered the realm of time.
The child of the Mother, the first murderer, the killer of his own blood, the destroyer himself. Tezcatlipoca.
He’s seated upon an iron throne, glowing with hundreds of tumorous eyes over his dragonic body. He roars with the fury of eternity, and the infernal fortress upon which his throne is seated floats above the realm of the time giants. It appears as a planet, wrought of iron and steel, rusted and ruined. The perfect image of the circles of Flatland, blacker and darker than the vast shadow it casts upon the surface of the time giants’ world.
The furnace of the devil machine belches great clouds of black smoke. The main cannon, appearing as a burning eye, lidless and wreathed in flame, prepares to fire. The machine almost seems alive, screeching in agony as it charges up.
The floating fortress rises to the pinnacle of its height, and fires. The energy unleashed sounds as if it’s screaming. The power is something so unnatural, so mangled and wrong, it roars as if it knows it should not exist. It shoots forth as an arrow of hollow, static light. Ol' Narly leaps to the side, narrowly avoiding his own demise. But the beam makes its mark upon the world, annihilating everything in its path. The very universe itself begins to die, crumbling into the primordial ooze of the Nightmare Realm. The whole of time giant civilization withers in the flames. The machine fires again, and the armies of Hell wither away like straw ignited in a burning field. Tezcatlipoca seeks to erase all challenges to his power in one swift stroke.
But Nyarlathotep has weapons of his own. He grows to monstrous size, towering above the rest of creation, and vomits out a black hole. “HERE! HAVE A SLICE ON ME!”
He throws the babbling, seemingly sapient hole in existence towards Tezcatlipoca’s machine. The black hole absorbs the next blast before dissipating. The machine has used up its power, and seems to be dying down. However, Tezcatlipoca still has the means to finish off his foes. For he is a child of the Mother and the Father, and reality itself bows down to him. With a razor sharp claw, he slices through the fabric of reality, opening a portal to another world.
And whereas Tezcatlipoca once thought to see his enemies cleansed in an infernal blaze, he now seeks to drown them in the seas of a cosmos formed entirely of water. The great flood from the wound in existence will finish off the rest of the time giants, and sink their civilization beneath the infinite seas. But Ol' Narly still has an out.
The wormhole. He gathers his minions and surviving flatlanders, charging for the open wormhole. Desperate for freedom, hungry for more power, and unwilling to fall back into the chaotic void from which he was spawned. Ol’ Narly seeks the entirety of creation. And he now has the means to access it. There's only one person left who can stop him.
Chronelius watches from the viewport and hardens his heart. The ancient calamity that has brought ruin to his people seeks to escape into the wider universe. But Chronelius won't let him. He remembers the song of his people. He remembers the joys of watching his father work. And the pain and fear that has driven most of his life. He harnesses that pain, allows it to drive him, and unleashes all the power that his little soul can muster. “Chronelius stop! No, no, no, no, no! I won't go back!”
“FALL BACK INTO THE VOID FROM WHENCE YOU CAME!”
“I̷̧̢̺͎̗̥̟̰̥͍͙̠̓̓̿̈́̂͛͛̏̔͝ ̷̳̙͖̪̙̱̥͖̰̠̮͗̒͂̆̒́̿̈̌͘̕͘̚͝ͅW̵͇̱͈̱͇̻͂̅́̋̌̑̍͑͒͌̕͠I̴̛̭̪̞̦͔͉̹͕͇̱̘̙̮̭͋̿̽͂͗͗̇̋͑͋̀̕̚͝͝ͅͅL̸͚̻̺̝͔͙͖̖̭̙͉̰̬̓̓L̵̛̛̪͎͍̲̻̒̿̈́͆̉̆̕͠͠ ̸̡̦̥̹̮͈̣͙̙̞̺͓̀͗̌̈́̆̍̽̓̌̀̔͆̿̈́͒͊̕Ṅ̵̤̱͇̮̼͎͙͎͎̟͇͔̣̜͎̔̊̂̋͑̒̉̈́̐͘̚͜͝ͅO̸͔̪̟̥̓̆͒̇͂͂̓̈́̍̀̚͝͠Ť̴̢̺̤̲̘̝͉̺̲̘͖̙̯̈́́̓̇̚͝ͅ ̶̧̻̟̦̅̄G̶͓̳̘̯̞̲̹͓̗̱͈̰̈͑̔͛͑̽̀̓͆̐̂́̀̚O̶̗͍͈̝̹̦̖͒̐͐̃͗͗̎̇͠͝ͅ ̵͎̣̣̘̜͔̠̳̎̀̀̓̀̈̂̿̚͜͝͠B̷̟̬̞̘̬͎̼̼̩̲̤͉͍̟͍͓́̋̎͗̈́̋͑͂̈̎͌̚̚͝Ä̶̧̢̜͚̣̗̺͓̙͉̜̥͍̫̦̝́̓̊̈́͂̇͆̐̿̓́̃́͘͘C̸̣̘͓͓͔̮͖͙̈́̌K̴͉͉̣̣̪̤̣̓́ͅͅ ̷̝̭̦̟̯͕̤͍̼̆̆̅̀́̀̾͆͋͜͝ͅI̶̜̮̱͖͗͌̄̽͐̇̓̈́͋̓͗͗̅͑́N̷͕̗̣̹̤̖̝̯̞͓̼̦͆̓͑͑̎̎̈́̈́̿͊́ ̴̨̛̮̰͓̣̻̥͚̦̟̣̮̲͍̻͆̀̀̐̓̓̾͝͝T̸̩̬̙̜̙͎̭̥̰̙̭̂̑̐̋̕ͅͅH̴͎̋̾͗̽̃̍Ā̶̧͕̫̲͙͚̝̭̥̙͚̜̫̎̐̒̀͜͝T̵̹̲̝̔̂́̑̇́͂̇̄͒́̄̂̕ ̴̡̡͍̳̱̖̖̲͈͕̼͋̎͌̾͂͒̆̀̓̽̃̎͋̚̚͝͠C̸̲̟̊̓͆͑͆́͑̾͘͠A̸̧͖̻̦̲̮̝̪̎̐̈́̿̽̿̿͠Ġ̷̢̡͕̹͕̭̮͎̱̣̯̰͓̠͈͌̆͐̒̈́͋̔͝͝͠͝Ẹ̸̡̜̉̋̏̂̑̿͂͆͊͋͒̆̃̒̐͝!!!”
The Crawling Chaos lunges for the time giant, but it's too late. Chronelius's psychic powers force Ol' Narly back through the wormhole before it closes shut, trapping the lord of nightmares back in his own decaying dimension. The stasis pod sparks and glitches as it falls down into the new world. For the death of the time giants, and the destruction of their world has removed their effects on the timeline. Now a new cosmos is born. A world of dichotomy between order and chaos, fate and free will, slavery and selfishness. A world where Ol' Narly, the Crawling Chaos, seeks to invade the third dimension and overthrow his eternal nemesis, Smoking Mirror.
It’s also a world that holds a tiny blue ball called Earth. Chronelius's pod crashes into the North Pole during the last great glacial epoch. His pod slowly begins to lose power. And here, in his quiet tomb, the weight of what has happened fully sets in.
The dam breaks and the tears flow freely. Chronelius is overwhelmed, and all the pain and anguish that's been building inside over the past dozen decades is loosed in loud, anguished sobs. He weeps to be so alone, having nothing left. Nothing left except to fulfill his parents’ final wishes, and to hold onto the spirit of his people. For he is now, and shall forever be, the last of the time giants.