Evolution begins with an ant colony-Chapter 383: Talk

The boys, stunned into silence, watched in disbelief as their mother slumped backward, her eyes glazing over. "Mother?" the younger boy whimpered, his voice a mere whisper. He reached out to touch her, his small hand trembling.

When she didn’t respond, their shock gave way to a heart-wrenching realization. "Mother!" they screamed together, their voices piercing the air as tears streamed down their faces.

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They clung to her, desperate for a response, but her body remained still, the golden spear protruding from her lifeless bidy.

Kaldarix and Mellin landed near the wreckage of the carriage, their expressions cold and unyielding. The golden light from Kaldarix’s attack still shimmered in the air, casting a haunting glow over the scene.

Mellin’s eyes flicked over the carnage, her face gave off a hint of sorrow as she looked at the young boys crying over their fallen mother. "Was this necessary?" she asked quietly, her voice filled with sadness.

Kaldarix’s eyes, however, remained hard and vengeful. "This is the price of defiance," he said, his tone without a touch of sympathy. "Our people will be avenged, there is no point avoiding the inevitable."

He turned his gaze away from the grief-stricken children and began to walk away. "Come, Mellin. Our work here is done."

Mellin lingered for a moment longer, her heart heavy with the weight of the needless death before her. Then, with a sigh, she followed Kaldarix, leaving the shattered remnants of Lady Bella’s life and the anguished cries of her sons behind.

....

Back in Elvendell, within the cozy confines of the inn, Ark and Chrono Nexus remained seated at their small, round table. Ark had just finished explaining the full reason for his presence, his voice steady but filled with a touch of tension.

Chrono Nexus, who had listened intently to every word, now sat in stunned silence. Her eyes, usually so sharp and calculating, widened in shock. She leaned back slightly, her posture rigid as she processed the gravity of Ark’s revelations. "So you mean..."

"Yes," Ark interrupted softly, his expression serious. "Now you understand why I’m here. It’s imperative that I carry out this mission alone." He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto hers. "I need you to return and leave me to my task."

Chrono Nexus’s eyes flickered with a mix of emotions—shock, concern, and a deep, unspoken worry. As Ark moved to stand, ready to leave, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand, her grip firm and desperate. Her face darkened, shadows spreading across her face as her inner turmoil became apparent.

"Mother," Ark hesitated, his voice dropping to a softer, almost pleading tone. "Let go of me."

"No," Chrono Nexus replied, her tone heavy with sadness. Her grip on his hand tightened, as if she could anchor him to the spot through sheer will.

"Why?" Ark asked, genuinely puzzled. He searched her eyes for answers, but found only a deep, unresolved pain.

Chrono Nexus’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke. "I won’t let you go alone."

Ark’s eyes widened in surprise, and he took a small step back, though he made no move to pull his hand away. "I can’t let you follow me," he said, his tone firm. "You could disrupt the timeline. This mission is too crucial."

"And that’s exactly why I must come with you," Chrono Nexus countered, her voice gaining strength as she spoke. "The timeline is far from stable. I don’t fully understand this loop logic you’ve explained to me, but I do know one thing: the future of this timeline is not set. It’s not a loop, and it never will be."

Ark frowned, confusion etching lines across his face. "What do you mean?" he asked, his tone both curious and concerned.

Chrono Nexus sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly as if the burden of her thoughts was too much to bear. "It’s hard to explain," she admitted, shaking her head slightly. "The timelines, the loops—they’re far more complex than you actually believed. They’re like threads woven together, not simple cycles repeating endlessly."

Ark’s brows knitted together, frustration and impatience evident in his voice. "That doesn’t explain why you don’t want me to go alone, though," he pressed.

Chrono Nexus took a deep breath, her gaze softening as she looked at her son. "Because," she began slowly, choosing her words carefully, "I’m your mother, I must make sure you return home to me from the future, I can’t just let you go out there tonight fighting some death battle and pretend it’s not happening."

Ark’s face softened, a feeling of gratitude and reluctance playing across his features. "But you could be putting yourself at risk," he said quietly, he was clearly concerned for her, once could tell with the tone of his voice.

"And so could you," Chrono Nexus replied, a sad smile touching her lips. "But together, we might have a chance to make things right. I won’t let you face this alone, not when so much is at stake."

Ark looked at her, he could see the depth of her commitment, the fierce protectiveness that had driven her to this point. After a long moment, he sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly in resignation. Continue reading at novelbuddy

"Alright," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "We’ll face this together. But you have to promise me, you’ll be careful. If anything happens to you, not only will I cease to exist, but I’m certain father would be sad."

Chrono Nexus chuckled slightly, the thought of Akun becoming sad over her made her happy, not that she wanted to leave or see him in such a state but the fact they he would care for her so much made her happy.

Chrono Nexus then nodded, her eyes shining with a mixture of relief. "I promise," she said softly, her grip on his hand tightening briefly before she released him.

The path ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger and unpredictability. But for the moment, they had each other, and that, they hoped, would be enough to navigate the tangled web of fate that lay before them.