Leo rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck. "Okay, new trick. Let's not blow anything up."

  He shut his eyes, reached inside.

  Threads—hundreds, thousands—lit up like fiber-op. Healing, fire, ice, stuff he didn't even recognize.

  "Whoa… it's a buffet in here."

  Aurelius leaned in. "Pick one before you short-circuit."

  Leo squinted. "This one's… static. No label. Should I poke it?"

  "Clock's ticking, genius."

  Leo slapped his chest. "Here goes."

  Flash.

  Blink.

  Everything… gone.

  No ground. No sky. Just black that pressed on his eyeballs.

  Leo flailed. "HELLO? Budget cuts again?"

  His voice bounced back like a bad karaoke echo.

  A blue glow drifted up, chill and curious. "Who are you?"

  Yellow one zipped in, crackling. "Yeah, meatbag! This is our void!"

  Leo stared. "I'm being yelled at by Christmas lights?"

  Leo's eyes went wide from sudden realization. "Wait, wait, wait. I can't feel my pulse. Or my toes. Or—anything!"

  Blue ball drifted closer, voice cool and patient. "Because you're not in physical universe. This is the space between everything—the consciousness layer. Your body's somewhere else, but you… are only your mind right now."

  Leo patted himself down anyway. "So I'm… a ghost here?"

  Leo still confused from everything so he hugged his own head. "I'm hallucinating. What are these two glowsticks anyway?"

  Yellow ball puffed up. He replied to Leo answer "Nah, Oh! Forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Kero, Lord of Stretchy Space!"

  Blue ball bowed slightly. "Magi. I'm time. Keeps the clocks from exploding. And Kero's leash."

  "HEY!"

  Leo blinked hard. "So… you're literally Space and Time."

  Kero grinned. "Bingo!"

  Leo leaned in. "Can you rewind stuff? "

  Kero bounced. "Yup! But—"

  Magi cut in, voice dropping. "Everything Costs. If you want to Rewind Time. You need to pay it's cost first."

  Kero winked. "Translation it'll hurt like hell. Maybe forever."

  Leo stared with a deadpan look on his face. "You two are the worst customer service ever."

  Kero spun. "We get that on the cosmic Yelp!"

  Leo squared his shoulders, voice steady. "If you have this much power then do it. Rewind everything. Send me back."

  Kero stopped spinning. Even the hyper orb looked… small.

  Magi's glow dimmed. "There's a price, kid. Was you not listening to us?"

  Leo replied with a sudden rush "Yeah, I know. I'm ready to pay the price tell me what is it?"Magi and Kero stares each other as they have face. When they don't have one but then after a moment magi replied "One emotion—gone. Forever. You won't feel it, won't even remember what it felt like."

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Leo's stomach dropped. "Like… joy? Anger?"

  "Pick one. It's deleted from your soul's." Magi replied.

  Kero bobbed. "Think of your emotions like a rainbow. When a rainbow lose it color. That color place would be remove from there for forever and it would be a permanent grey. Same with your emotions. Once you lose.. Um let's say anger. You won't feel anger anymore."

  Leo stared into the black, picturing Lia's laugh, Lyra's hand in his, Mom's hug. 'One piece of me… for all of them.' Leo thought.

  He swallowed. "Fine. Take it. I mean it can be useful like I won't be able to feel anger anymore."

  He exhaled. "Do it."

  Kero whooped, light flaring. "Atta boy!"

  Magi's glow steadied. "Brace."

  [Emotion Extracted]

  [Time Reversing]

  White swallowed everything.

  ---

  Leo blinked awake to birds chirping, kids laughing, city noise.

  Stood up. Turned away.

  The weight of what he'd lost settled in his chest—some hole he couldn't name.

  But the world spun on.

  And so did he.

  Leo blinked.

  Sunrise hit his face like warm water. Vendors shouted. A kid chased a ball down the street. The city breathed. Adventures arguing on something. Birds chirping, Wind was warm and everything was fine as if nothing happened.

  He spun, mouth open. "It's… back."

  Aurelius yawned behind him. "Took a nap, woke up to normal. Nice trick, boy."

  Leo's grin flickered. "Yeah. Trick."

  He jogged down the marble steps of castle as it was back.

  Aurelius clapped his shoulder. "Come on. Your friends are waiting."

  Glanced back once.

  Then he jogged after Aurelius, the city loud and alive around him.

  Leo's boots skidded on marble as he bolted down the hall, Aurelius keeping pace. 'Please, please, please…'

  He slammed the door open.

  Lili. Lyra. Aunt Niya. Lia—tiny, giggling in Niya's arms.

  His knees almost gave. "You guys okay?"

  Lili cocked a brow. "Yeah? But you doesn't seem good. Is everything alright?" She asked

  "You don't… remember anything?"

  Aurelius leaned in the doorway. "Their Memory is wiped out. Maybe because of time rewind." His voice so low that it resembled like a whisper.

  Lili's eyes narrowed past Leo. "Leo, back up. That guy's—"

  "Khronokai, yeah, yeah." Leo snorted. "Took you long enough."

  Lili's mouth opened, closed. "Wait—you knew?"

  "Long story. He's cool and he actually saved my life."

  Aurelius smirked. "Don't flatter me, boy."

  Leo stepped inside, ruffling Lia's hair. She squealed.

  For the first time in forever, the room felt warm.

  Lili's mouth hung open. "Wait, when did you two—"

  Leo waved it off, already moving. "Later."

  His eyes locked on Lia—tiny, sitting on the rug, stacking blocks.

  He dropped to his knees, voice cracking. "Hey, kiddo. You okay?"

  Lia looked up. Blank. Curious.

  "Um, me? Uh who... are you?" she asked almost cluelessly.

  The room went dead quiet.

  Leo's smile froze. "Lia… it's me."

  She blinked her tone was start changing as if she's gonna cry "I I don't remember anything. Wh... what's happening? Why I can't remember anything?" she said.

  His hands shook. His vision blurred.

  Aurelius's voice was low. "What the..."

  Leo didn't answer. Couldn't.

  Just stared at the little girl who used to scream his name when he walked in.

  Now she didn't even know it.

  Leo voice lowered, almost whispered to Aurelius "Even after rewinding time...... Why don't she remember anything?"

  Aurelius didn't say anything. He couldn't. Aurelius head lowered.

  Lili stepped in trying to figure out what's happening. "Leo, talk to me—"

  "Not now." Voice flat, final.

  Leo stared at the floor for a long beat, then said, low and steady, "Aurelius… help me build my kingdom. As we deal."

  Aurelius didn't flinch. "Rustalia's got your back."

  Leo gave a short nod.

  Lia tugged his sleeve tears falling from her eyes. "Mister… where're my mom and dad?"

  Leo didn't turn. Shoulders locked.

  Leo nodded once. Then, soft, to the rug.

  "Your parents were the best. They sent you here to keep you safe. We've got you now, okay?"

  Lia blinked up. "Okay but....."

  Leo finally faced her—smile thin, eyes old. She suddenly reach her hand out to Leo.

  Leo eyes widened in surprise. But then she stop her own hand.

  Lia said cluelessly "Sorry I don't know why I did that..."

  Leo smiles knowing that it could be her muscles memory.

  "It's alright anyway call me Leo. Hope you enjoy here"

  Leo faced Aurelius. "Put Lili, Lyra, and Aunt Niya in separate rooms. And get Lia into a decent school."

  Aurelius's mouth twitched. "Alright."

  Leo just nodded, no smile, and walked out. Door clicked shut behind him like a period at the end of a sentence.

  The room felt suddenly too big.

  Niya goes close to Lili by taking a step. "Lili… what just happened?"

  Lili stared at her shoes. "I don't know. But it's doesn't seem right"