A storm of sacred frequency bullets tore through the corridor without pause, blinding white light splitting the air and melting the steel floor plating, leaving glowing red craters along the narrow path leading to the vault chamber. Axel lunged sideways at once, dragging Rena with him, and both of them rolled hard behind the nearest support pillar just as the next volley slammed into the spot they had left a heartbeat earlier.Skreee. Skreee.Sparks of molten metal swept across Axel's cheek, and the sharp smell of ozone stabbed his lungs with every breath he pulled in.The whole corridor shook under the relentless pounding, while the heavy metallic footsteps of the *Oracle Sentinels* grew closer, heavier, and more inevitable by the second."Stay behind me, Rena!" Axel shouted over the roar of gunfire.Rena crouched low beside him, her face pale but her eyes sharp, sweeping every inch of the situation around them. "Behind you where exactly?" she shot back, her voice edged with desperat

Pieces of the two Oracle Sentinels were still clattering to the floor when the figure who had delivered that cut finally stepped out from inside the vault. Axel, still leaning on his spear, lifted his head at once, and the breath caught in his throat.A young man stood in the open doorway. His hair was combed perfectly, not a single strand out of place, the white and gold armor wrapped around his body spotless, without so much as a scratch on it, as if he had never touched a battle in his life. In his right hand he held a sword of sacred light, its golden glow pulsing steadily and warming the air around him. A hum of spiritual energy filled the room, and it was that hum that made the hair on the back of Axel's neck stand on end."That's." Rena's voice caught, her eyes going wide with disbelief. "Henderson?"Axel didn't answer. His gaze stayed locked on the figure standing before the vault's altar, while the *Chronos Core* glowed silvery blue behind him, casting a soft light across the

Axel's palm touched the surface of the *Chronos Core* for only a moment, but in the next second the entire vault descended into chaos. Gravity vanished as if it had never existed, the floor beneath their feet losing all function. Axel's body lifted off the altar, Rena tumbling several meters to the side right after him, and even Henderson, still unconscious, drifted slowly through the air as if caught by some invisible pull. A high frequency hum filled the room, and it wasn't just something Axel heard, he felt it in his bones. The vibration ran from his fingertips straight to his chest, catching his breath for a moment. The silvery blue light from the *Chronos Core* swelled brighter, the crystal spinning faster above the altar, sending out ripples of energy that made the air ripple like water being constantly stirred. "Axel!" Rena's voice came from his right, her body spinning helplessly through the air, her hair and clothes whipping wildly.

Axel's fist slammed into the cracked slab of concrete for the third time. CRACK! His knuckles collided with the hard surface, studded with sharp fragments. The skin over them split open instantly, fresh blood flowing and dripping onto the gray dust covering the ruins of the Monas monument. But the pain wasn't nearly enough. CRACK! His fist landed again. His breathing came fast, his chest rising and falling with no rhythm at all. The dull thud of impact echoed across the silent field of rubble, mixing with the ragged sound tearing out of his throat. "Damn it." CRACK! "Damn it!" Rena, standing a few meters away, flinched every time his fist hit the concrete. "Axel, stop!" Axel didn't hear her. Or maybe he didn't want to. The memory was still there, still spinning, still alive behind his eyelids. He

The *Time Eater's* chrono claw swept down through the air, tearing open the space between Axel and Rena. In an instant, the pressure around them shifted. Chunks of concrete, shards of iron, and scattered dust were sucked into the black gap opening along the path of the giant claw.WHOOSH, CRASH!The roar of collapsing air exploded loudly. Axel's ears rang, his breath catching in his throat as his body was dragged forward by force."Watch out, Rena!"Axel lunged sideways, slamming his full weight into Rena's shoulder. They rolled together across the cracked asphalt, just as the massive claw struck the spot where they had been standing a hundred milliseconds earlier.CRAAASH!The ground shattered apart. Deep cracks raced outward in every direction, sending a shockwave that hit Axel's back like a hammer of steel. Rena coughed hard beside him, struggling to breathe in air that had suddenly gone thin. When she looked up at the monster before them, the color drained from her face.The *Time