Odyssey Nexus

From the golden glow at his wrist, something extended outward—links forming, extending, interlocking. A weapon was taking shape, forged by the very energy surging through his being.

The Temporal Chain coiled into existence, its links resembling the inner gears of a massive, celestial clock. The weight of it felt right in his grasp—light enough to be flexible, yet heavy enough to carry authority.

Jalen swung it experimentally, and as the chain moved, time-warped around it—brief afterimages flickering in its wake, as though the chain itself existed in multiple moments at once.

A slow grin crept across Jalen's face.

"Alright, Nathan…" He rolled his shoulders, letting the chain coil lazily around his arm. "Now it's my turn."

Jalen's fingers tightened around the Temporal Chain, its links humming with raw, untamed power. He could feel it—time itself bending at his command. Every swing left behind echoes of motion, like fractured reflections in a broken mirror, as if the chain existed in multiple timelines at once.

He flicked his wrist, sending the chain snapping forward. It cracked through the air with a force that made even the frozen world around them shudder.

Nathan, standing several feet away, merely raised an eyebrow. "So that's your new trick?" His smirk widened, but there was an edge to it now. "Guess I should be flattered. You're finally catching up."

Jalen rolled his shoulders, still adjusting to the weight of his new form. The ticking of his glyphs pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat, steady, deliberate. The world around him was frozen, but he wasn't.

For the first time, he was moving freely within Time's Requiem.

And he wasn't gonna waste it.

With a sharp exhale, Jalen lunged.

The Temporal Chain lashed out, cutting through the stillness like a whip. Nathan dodged, vanishing just before impact, but Jalen's eyes had already tracked the flicker in space—his perception now razor-sharp in this frozen world.

He twisted mid-air, yanking the chain back, the links snapping in a controlled arc. Nathan reappeared just in time for the chain to graze his shoulder. It wasn't a direct hit, but Jalen saw the effect immediately—Nathan's movement glitched, his body rewinding half a second before stabilizing.

Jalen's grin widened. So that's how it works.

Nathan landed smoothly, rolling his shoulder as he eyed the weapon. "Interesting," he muttered. His tone was unreadable, but Jalen didn't miss the way Nathan's fingers curled slightly—ready for a counter.

Jalen didn't hesitate.

He launched forward again, the chain spinning around him like a spiraling clock hand. He struck high—Nathan weaved. He swung low—Nathan vaulted over it. The two moved like duelists in a dance, neither willing to give the other an inch.

Jalen was relentless. The chain became an extension of himself, his movements fluid, precise. He lashed out again, the links glowing as they neared Nathan.

This time, Nathan didn't dodge.

Instead, he flicked his wrist—time collapsed around him.

Jalen barely had time to react before the weight of reality shifted. His vision blurred, the frozen world flickering like a distorted signal. Nathan had just done something different. Not stopping time, but folding it.

Jalen staggered as the Temporal Chain lost momentum, its afterimages flickering uncontrollably. 'Shit—' Whatever Nathan had just done, it disrupted the weapon's ability to rewind.

Nathan stood still, watching him. The cocky grin was gone.

"You really thought that would work on me?" he asked, voice eerily calm.

Jalen exhaled sharply, adjusting his grip. Alright. So he can counter the chain. That means I'll just have to beat him the old-fashioned way.

Without warning, he charged.

Nathan anticipated it, flicking his fingers. A ripple in time—Jalen was already countering it. His new perception let him see the distortions before they fully formed. He twisted his body mid-dash, shifting his angle, avoiding the trap.

Their fists met in a clash that sent a shockwave through the frozen city.

Jalen ducked under Nathan's next strike, twisting on his heel. He lashed out with a knee—Nathan blocked. He swung the chain in close-quarters, wrapping it around his forearm for added power. Nathan parried it, twisting his own momentum into a ruthless counter-kick.

They blurred across the battlefield, their combat no longer just strength versus strength—but time versus time.

Jalen struck with the Temporal Chain, aiming for the briefest opening. Nathan pivoted at the last second, his form phasing slightly as he manipulated the frozen air around them.

They were perfectly matched.

Jalen's breath was ragged, sweat forming despite the frozen world. Nathan wiped at a small cut on his cheek, his expression unreadable.

Neither of them could land a decisive blow.

They stood there, staring at each other, golden and violet auras clashing between them.

Then—without warning—

The frozen world cracked.

Nathan's eyes flickered. "Looks like we're out of time."

Jalen barely had a second to brace before time resumed.

The city around them roared back to life—dust settled, sounds flooded in, and reality snapped back.

And just like that—

The fight was over.

The entire marketplace collapsed in an instant. Stalls crumbled, buildings fractured, and debris rained down as the sheer force of the temporal shift rippled through reality.

A draw.

Jalen exhaled, shoulders rising and falling as the weight of everything settled.

Nathan smirked, turning away. "Not bad."

Jalen rolled his eyes, but there was a grin tugging at his lips. "Not bad? I almost clocked you."

Nathan chuckled, shaking his head. "Key word: 'almost.'"

Jalen twirled the Temporal Chain once before letting it rest at his side. He had learned a lot in that fight. About his power. About Nathan. And most importantly, he was one step closer to his goal.

Before he could process anything further, voices called out to him.

"Jalen!" Rhea's voice was sharp with concern as she rushed forward, her hand already gripping his arm to steady him. "Hey—sit down before you fall down."

Stix winced. "Man, you look like hell. And so does he," he added, nodding toward Nathan.

Jalen, waved them off weakly. "Pfft, I'm fine... just… remembering how to exist. I need time to readjust to regular time dilation."

But his body was saying otherwise. He was sluggish, his limbs heavy, his balance off. Nathan, standing nearby, was in the same state—rolling his shoulders, stretching his fingers as if trying to force his body back to normal.

Lucio, meanwhile, was just staring at both of them, still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened.

Jalen let out a breath, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over him. But beneath that, there was something else.

Satisfaction.

He was getting stronger, and he had found another one of his friends.

"Alright guys lets go home!"

They helped Jalen back to the brothel, where he collapsed onto a couch. Nathan, sprawled out on a chair, eyed Rhea and Stix with amusement.

"You guys live in a brothel?" he asked, a smirk forming. "Classy."

Stix scoffed. "It's a long story."

Jalen, groggy, raised a hand. "Yeah, yeah… judge later… sleep now…"

Nathan leaned back, crossing his arms. "Fine. But tomorrow, you owe me an explanation."

"And after both of you owe me and explanation!" Lucio sat in the chair with his arm folded.

"Sounds good! see you guys in the morning!"