Still dizzy from his recent time warp, he wasn’t sure where – or even when – he was, but something urged him to keep walking in the same direction. After all, experience had taught him that doing such would eventually lead him to some kind of civilization. He didn’t mind having to walk for so long, after all, he had all the time in the world. Besides, he wasn’t quite strong enough to make consecutive time warps. He needed time to recover whatever strength it was that fueled his power, although he had noticed that in the years that has lived, the time required for recuperation between warps has been dramatically reduced - well, gradually that is.

It was only after he had walked for a few hours, as his internal clock told him, before he finally came across what looked like a dirt path - the kind that is made by man frequently treading the same ground. His hopes lifted, he followed the almost unseen path, crossing his fingers that it would somehow lead somewhere with less trees and probably more buildings. Cemented roads would be welcome, too.  

It wasn’t long before he found himself nearing the edge of a clearing, in the middle of which was a log cabin. Allowing himself some time to revel in his discovery, he paused, exhaling forcefully. He quickly straightened, though, as he felt another presence behind him. His first instinct was to make a run for it, but whirling around, he came face to face with a tip of an arrow. On the other end, bow strung back with his long fingers, was a blond man. He determined that staying put would be a better idea.

“Don’t shoot!” He screeched, throwing his hands up to show they were empty.

“Tao?!” The tall blond gasped, his eyes widening in recognition and staring at him as if he had seen a ghost. He lowered his weapon, eyes still fixed on the other’s darker ones.

Tao warily looked back at the other man, who was only a couple of inches taller than himself but still carried a strong, commanding aura. Coming across someone who recognized him was a first for the young time traveler. The man did not look familiar to him at all. Friend? or Foe? He stood watching the man, his body itching to assume a defensive stance years of martial arts training instilled in him.

“Yes? How-”

The time traveler wasn’t able to finish the thought as he found himself engulfed in the taller man’s arms. Tao stiffened, confused and alarmed, and very unsure of how to respond to the sudden skinship. The hug was tight, and he vaguely wondered why it felt as if the other man was frightened to let go. Tao found it difficult to breathe, and he could barely make out the taller man saying You’re alive! and I thought we lost you.

It took Tao a couple of seconds to regain his enough of his senses and he pushed the taller man away. The look on the other’s face was enough to show his shock at the sudden increase in proximity

“Tao?”

“I’m sorry, I- How do you know my name?” Tao answered, taking a step back. His golden brown hair fell onto his eyes, and with one hand he brushed it away.

“You don’t know me?” The man asked, and out of the corner of his eye, Tao saw the man’s eyes flit to his hand, following it as it dropped to his side.

“No,” Tao answered, shaking his head. Understanding filled the tall man’s brown orbs and amidst it, Tao could have sworn there was a sliver of disappointment and sadness.

“Of course you don’t,” the tall man murmured. Letting out a heavy sigh, he stood up straighter and met the the other’s eyes. The earlier disappointment and sadness was gone, replaced by confidence and determination.

“My name is Kris. And you’re roughly three years in the future.”

Tao’s eyes widened. No one knew of his ability to travel through time. Sure, he’d been lost several times as he travelled, but never had he revealed what he was capable of – his grandmother had warned him against it way too many times. He had a lot of questions in his mind like, who is this person? and more importantly, who is this person to me?

Kris apparently noticed his doubt. The taller man swung his bow around his torso and patted his pants, seemingly searching for something. Tao was just about to ask what he was doing when he pulled out a very exquisite pocket watch from one of his side pockets. If Tao’s eyes got any wider looking at the trinket, they’d probably burst out of their sockets.

“That’s mine!” He exclaimed, snatching the pocket watch out of the other’s hold. The male, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the antique being snatched from him.

Tao ran his thumb over the trinket. He could make out the familiar intricate design of a butterfly, its figure outlined by an alternating pattern of small diamonds and topaz - his ancestral gem. On the clasp was a figure unfamiliar to those raised within the sanctuary, but a character the time traveler had learned from childhood: 黄. Clicking the watch open, Tao traced the words inscribed within - words he had taken to heart many years ago - True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings.

“It means that with hope, you can rise above anything,” Kris whispered, searching the other’s eyes for any flicker of recognition, only to find none. He sighed, finally accepting that this Tao was much younger than he was hoping for.

“How did you get this? Did you just rob me?” the boy’s free hand flew to his collar, tugging on the chain that lay on it and pulling out an identical item from inside his shirt. It was the exact same heirloom handed down to him by his grandmother only months before she passed.

A minute passed as he stared at the identical antiques sitting in his palms, glaring at them as if doing so would print an explanation onto the cool gold.

“Taozi - Tao of this time - the future Tao - ugh, this is so confusing - basically, told me to show this to you so you won’t wushu me to death on our first meeting… I’m on your side.” Kris chuckled, trying to break the tension. The other’s future counterpart had handed him the item, saying that the existence of its two versions would convince his younger self of Kris’ identity. The blank look on Tao’s face as he looked back at him suggested otherwise, though, so Kris continued speaking.

“I know it’s confusing. Hear me out for a second, okay? Anyway, you’re about to meet me. I mean, the me from the past… once you return to your own time. Your future self told me that we’ll somehow be meeting in your escapades to the future - which is now. He told me what to tell you - or his younger self. Hmm… I think I confused you even more,” he chuckled again, running a hand through his blond hair. He gestured to the cabin. “Why don’t we head inside?”

Tao hesitated. Confusing as what the other was saying was, it actually made sense to him. It was highly possible that his future self, knowing exactly what he had experienced in the past, would tell another person what to do in such a situation. But then again, if this Kris person were actually foe instead of friend, accepting his invitation could lead Tao to his doom.

“Tao,” Kris called, and the younger boy felt himself leaning towards the older boy, as if trusting him was only natural. Tao took one last look around the area and followed the blond into the log cabin, tucking his pocket watch back into his shirt, and turning the other in his hands. It was genuine, he could tell. It looked a bit more worn, suggesting its age and what it went through.

The inside of the cabin was larger than it seemed. The door they had entered through led them into a kitchen, and a door on the other side of the room showed a hallway leading to more rooms. Tao watched as Kris put his weapon down in a corner, propping up his bow and quiver against the wall.

“Do you want a drink? Taozi said he walked for hours before he saw the cottage. You must be thirsty.” Kris offered, moving to the refrigerator by the sink. He pulled out a bottle and two glasses, filling them both before sitting down at the counter adjacent to the sink. Kris nodded his head towards the stool across the counter. “Have a seat.”

Tao did as he was told, taking the seat across the man, still wary. He gently put down future Tao’s heirloom as his gaze flitted around the room, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Kris put the glass in front of him, but he only looked at the liquid inside. Is this water? It looks like it. The sound of chuckling made Tao look over at the older man.

“It’s just water,” Kris paused, recalling something. “Yah! You weren’t kidding when you said you’d be highly suspicious of me. I mean, future you did say you weren’t the trusting type.”

“How do you know me?” Tao asked, somewhat hesitantly, his hands curled around his glass.

Kris smiled. “We’re friends. I’m like you, actually. I was created with a certain ability. Yours is time. Mine is flight.”

Tao’s eyes widened. “You can fly?”

“Yeah, among some other things,” Kris shrugged. He looked at the younger and sighed. “I haven’t seen you in so long, you know? You told me what I should say, and I’ve pretty much got it down, but right now, everything is all jumbled up in my brain.”

The time traveler remained silent, choosing to drink some of the water as he let the other collect his thoughts. Turns out he truly was thirsty, and he gestured for a refill, the other man absentmindedly complying to the request.

Looking around, he noted the simple room. The kitchen wasn’t large, but an air of antiquity hung over it, as if it had been there for many years. There was a refrigerator on one side of the room, adjacent to the sink. Cupboards hung above it, the glass doors showing plates and cups inside. Beside the counter they were sitting at was a long rectangular table, perhaps large enough to seat a dozen or so people.

A sigh brought his attention back to Kris, whose eyes were fixed on the long table, chin propped up in his palm, elbow resting on the countertop.

“Tao, listen to me. You’re gonna play a major role in bringing everyone together,” he finally said.

Tao cocked his head to the side. “Everyone?”

“Yes. Everyone. But before anything else, you need to know that almost three decades ago, a pair of twin girls manifested signs of what the government figured was human evolution at it highest point.”

“You mean those genes that the government has been obsessed about?” Tao mused. He had heard of instances when patients manifesting illnesses of unknown causes had been taken in by the Government. The patients were placed under a battery of tests that he was sure he didn’t want to know more about.

“Yes. Their genetic structure was studied, and in an attempt to recreate the same genes, the In Vitro project was born. The results were incorporated into the genetic structures of unborn children.”

“That’s…”

“One of them you, another me, and then there’s the rest.”

“Wait. Are you saying I’m a science experiment?!” Tao shouted, incredulous. I’m an experiment?

“Among others,” Kris answered. The tall man sighed again, looking at the confused boy in front of him. His mouth hung open in disbelief.

“Look, you should stay here. There’s a lot we need to make sure you understand.” He stood. “I know you still have a couple of days before your strength recharges enough to make the jump back to your time.”

Tao frowned. Not only did this man know of his power, but he also knew how it worked.

He discovered his ability only years after his parents passed away. He was only four years old when they died, reportedly in some sort of freak accident. Since then, his Grandmother had raised him. Didn’t this prove he had a family? That being in some sort of In Vitro experiment was a long shot? If he was made in a petri dish then he doubted he would actually have people to call family, much less be raised by them.

“See? You’re confused,” Kris chuckled. “Ask me whatever you’re curious or confused about. I’ll do my best to explain it to you. After all, you’re gonna be the one that explains this to me when you go back.”

“I am?” The boy finally spoke, though his face still showed the countless questions simmering in his brain.

“Yes. You are going to enlist my and my brother’s help in getting everyone together, and to do that, you will have to convince me – and that’s not going to be easy. I am a lot more stubborn than you.”

Tao looked at Kris once more. He had met the other man not even thirty minutes ago, and he had been nothing but suspicious the whole time – except, he was becoming less suspicious by the minute. Looking at the man now leaning back on the kitchen sink, his arms folded across his chest, the setting sun casting a glow around him, Tao felt he could actually trust him. Even though he couldn’t see the other’s eyes, he felt the warmth in the air around him, and something told him perhaps he could trust the man. After all, no one knew of his powers aside from his grandmother. If the Tao of the future trusted this man, then the Tao of the present should, too.

I trust him. Tao breathed in deeply. “Tell me what I should do,”

Kris’ arms dropped to his side, and he approached Tao, a huge grin on his face.

“First, let’s have some dinner. Is chicken okay?”

Tao watched as the shorter pair turned to leave, pulling out of embraces and waving, laughing almost boisterously. Despite their need to remain inconspicuous, the boys’ laughter was uncontained. The time traveler looked around, and, finding no other people within the area, continued his surveillance over the four.

A couple of minutes later, the two boys had left the street, turning into an alley down the road. Tao watched the street a while longer, and once satisfied, he jumped from the branch he had been sitting in and walked to the front porch.

“Can I help you?” A deep voice asked, and Tao turned to the slightly taller man standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“Kris hyung,” he mumbled. The other looked a lot more intimidating than the Kris he had met in the future. He had only spent a couple of weeks there, but the boy had felt very much at home in the log cabin, thanks to the care of the older man.

“And you are?” Kris asked, vaguely wondering how the man knew his name. He didn’t look familiar, and with the man’s striking features, Kris was sure he would recognize the man after seeing him at least once.

“My name is Tao,” the man said, pulling back the hood on his cloak, allowing Kris to see his face more clearly. Kris noted his dark eyes, and the wary smile on his face. He could see that the boy knew him, but seemed afraid. Perhaps someone from the Council?

“I’m not from the Council,” the man said. Kris’ eyes widened. How’d he know that?

“I’m a time traveler,” the man spoke again. “That’s how I know. I met you in the future, and he told me to come and meet you.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Kris asked, stepping subtly towards the front door, blocking the stranger’s entry.

“I’m a time traveler,” Tao repeated. “I have the ability to control and travel through time. You can fly. Your twin brother can create and control fire.”

Kris did his best to keep his face straight, not giving anything away. If this kid really was from the Council, anything he would say could be used against him and his brother in the future.

“I’m not quite sure what you are talking about,” he answered carefully. “I think you have the wrong house.”

“Hyung! Don’t be like this!” The other cried, obviously frustrated. Kris raised a brow. Tao realized he sounded like a boy throwing a tantrum. I need another approach, this isn’t working out too well for me. Maybe Chanyeol is easier to convince?

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s polite for you to go around calling me hyung when we don’t actually know each other.”

Tao’s jaw slackened as his mouth formed an ‘o’. Sure, Kris warned him that he was stubborn but he didn’t expect that the Kris of his time would be this difficult. He was beginning to feel so frustrated that he wanted to knock some sense into the other man.

“Kris? What’s going on?” A deep voice rang from inside the house. Seconds later, another tall man with large eyes and ears appeared at the door behind Kris.

“Chanyeol hyung!” Tao called excitedly. “I’m Tao! I know about your fire power!”

“What?” Chanyeol stopped, his surprise obvious on his face.

“Go back inside, Yeol. This guy’s just a little confused or something.”

Tao looked to  the newcomer with pleading eyes. Chanyeol looked like he was about to argue, but Kris turned around and pushed his twin back into the house, muttering something to him. Kris said he was stubborn, yeah right, this is downright obstinate! I should’ve asked how to convince him!

“Hyung, at least listen to me,” Tao pleaded. “You’re in danger. The Trio will come back here. Not tomorrow or whatever, but at a time when you don’t expect it. You have to be on your toes. You can’t get caught, hyung, okay?”

The older man remained quiet for a while, as if considering his words as he fixed his glare onto the slightly shorter boy. “We’re just mechanics. I don’t think anything we’ve done warrants another visit from the Trio.”

With that, the older boy shot one last look at the time traveler, and marched through the front door. Tao was sure that had the door still been intact, it would have been slammed into his face. Choosing not to impose his presence any longer, he decided to deliver one last warning.

“The Trio will be back in a few days’ time. The two you’ve sent off shall be sending another off... permanently. Make sure they do not do the same with you.” Tao’s voice was soft, but he could see the other’s back as he halted in his steps.

Seeing his chance to make himself look more credible, Tao took in a deep breath. We’re just mechanics, Kris had said. But the Kris and Chanyeol of the future had created something - something they had been designing for years.

“Hyung, that thing you’ve been designing. I saw it. When I went to the future, you showed it to me. It works. It will definitely work. But you have to make sure you survive so you can make it.” Tao said, backing away from the door. He lifted his hood over his head once more, deciding to return home, frustrated at not being able to reach out to the older boy as his future counterpart was able to do so with him.

The South could easily be called the more affluent sector within the city. Compared to the East, where he was returning from, the houses in the South were grander, had lush gardens, and housed the more prominent families of the Sanctuary. Though the more prominent individuals resided in the Government mansion in the Central, “high society” was found here. Clearly, the Sanctuary would not survive without them.

The Sanctuary’s largest body of water could be found in the South, accounting for the greater income of its population. All produce from the West and the products of the factories in the North were sent to the South for inventory and packaging before being sent back to the North for storage. To ensure the integrity of the process, the Council made sure to assign only their most decorated and most trusted to the South, paying them well for their deeds.

Tao’s Grandmother had told him that his parents were once Council members, succeeding their own parents’ positions when they had passed. His Grandmother had told him that he would have been next in line if not for the circumstances of his parents’ death. She passed away before she was able to explain what that meant, though. Instead, in the times when Tao had been home in the right time long enough, he was trained what it meant to be a Council member - something that bored him entirely. He wished he could’ve honed his time-controlling abilities or martial arts more, instead.

That didn’t mean he didn’t miss the old lady every time he stepped into the quiet house. Choosing to enter through the back door, he found the place exactly as he had left it before his latest time warp. His abilities weren’t developed enough for him to be able to jump back to the precise moment he left, so he settled for as close as possible instead. Looking at the timer he had left on the fridge, he had been gone a week this time.

“Closest record so far,” he murmured to himself, turning off the timer and pulling out a drink from the fridge. The fridge was empty, as always, since he didn’t like leaving food inside. The last time he’d done that, he ended up being gone for more than two weeks, leaving the food inside to rot and grow molds. Instead, he used up his rations for more long-lasting food, like canned goods and biscuits.

“This should be your last trip for a while. Taozi,” Kris said, using the nickname he said he had given the time traveler. “You need to make sure everyone ends up where they’re supposed to.”

 

“And where are they supposed to end up?”

 

“Together,” Kris answered. “It doesn’t matter where. Everyone just needs to end up together.”

Tao sighed, uncovering the couch in his living room and plopping down. “Together. Right. How the hell am I supposed to get everyone in one place when you yourself are rejecting me, huh?”

The time traveler huffed as he heard his voice bouncing off the walls. For a house with only one occupant, his was large, designed quite like every house in the South. Here, houses were at least two storeys tall with multiple bedrooms, unlike the bungalows and high rise buildings of the East, or the wide one storey houses in the West. Being frequently gone for extended periods of time, most of his furniture was draped with white linen - whose color had changed thanks to the thin layer of dust accumulating on all surfaces.

Finishing his drink, Tao left the living room to enter the Entertainment Den - another unique feature of Southern houses. The Entertainment Dens, or E-Dens, as they were called by the majority, allowed the owners to experience whatever situation within the confines of their own homes. Owners could set up an action, romance or even a random comedic scene as long as they had the data card for it. They also had the option of being a spectator or participant in the scene.

Tao's Grandmother once mentioned that this was a more advanced technology in watching movies. She said that in the Old World, people would sit in a room and watch similar scenes unfold. There, real people, called actors, would be acting out the pre-recorded scene, unlike the simulated people E-Dens created.

Tao could barely imagine what his Grandmother was talking about, and he had never been able to jump back in time to see for himself.

With his frequent time warps, Tao didn’t really stay at home much, so he didn’t have a lot of data cards for their E-Den. His Grandmother, though, had requested an unknown designer to create a data card of his parents and how they used to be. Stepping up to the control panel, he pushed in the data card soundlessly, and watched as the familiar living room scene unfolded before him.

“Good morning dear. How was your day?” A soft voice called, and Tao choked back his tears as he turned to face the shorter woman. Her eyes looked similar to his own, minus the dark shade beneath them, of course.

“I have new friends, mom. Well, not yet, but I know they will be.” Tao told the simulation, eyes glistening as he walked towards her. No matter what he said, the simulation would never stray from its programming, but he continuously talked to her anyway. He knew this was as good as he could get.

She smiled softly at him and reached out to cup his cheek.

“My precious son, you know your Dad and I love you very much, right?”

Leaning into her touch, Tao nodded, not trusting his voice to speak without him breaking down once more.

This was the most basic of simulations on the card, but it was his favorite. His mother had constantly reminded him of her affection, and despite knowing that the one speaking to him now wasn’t real, the boy knew she spoke fact nonetheless.

He stayed there a few more minutes before shutting down the scene, plopping down in a corner of the room. He never had the chance to interact with anyone other than his family when he was growing up. His parents had told him it was for his own safety. In fact, he wasn’t even allowed to leave the house until after both parents passed away in that accident years ago. It was only then that he had discovered his ability and learned to travel into the future.

Brushing off ill thoughts, he focused on analyzing his recent adventure. He needed to find a way to make Kris believe him. If only he was given more clues as to how his future self was able to win over his hyung’s trust, but he knew the older man couldn’t have told him. This was something he needed to figure out on his own.

“The Trio will be back in a few days’ time. The two you’ve sent off shall be sending another off... permanently. Make sure they do not do the same with you.”

He had told those Kris those words earlier, not really knowing where they came from. In the time he had spent in the future with the Kris that had known him, the older boy had given him a general idea of what to expect, some with more specific details than others. The knowledge had come with a warning, though.

“Never tell us exactly what will happen,” Kris had said. “For a lot of these things, we’ll want to keep them from happening. You told me once that you’ve messed with history enough, whatever that means. In the meantime, just make sure everyone survives long enough to get together. Also,” he paused, looking at Tao with a curious glint in his eyes. “You develop a way of speaking like you’re giving a riddle whenever you warn us of future events. Really,” he added quickly when he saw the younger open his mouth to protest. “It’s like you want to add more drama to the mystery you talk about. You did it when we first meet in your time.”

Tao growled, frustrated at the turn of events. He hadn’t expected the present Kris to brush him off like that. He thought he would have at least been asked in to explain what he was talking about, but the older man didn’t even give him that chance. He’d mentioned that machine the mechanic had been building with his twin, but saying that may have just freaked him out all the more.

“In the West, your friend Sehun and his adoptive brother Luhan will be in danger. The Council and the Trio do not know of their existence, but they are following a lead that will allow them to figure out what Sehun and Luhan are. They absolutely cannot get captured at this time.

 

In the North, the twins Baekhyun and Chen will also be placed under attack. Chen’s going to have to make serious choices there that would lead to complicated but necessary consequences.

 

One of the original twin sisters lives in the Central district. Her role in this is vital, but getting her to join the others will be very difficult. Lay is the key to getting her - he’s the Head Medic. He’s also in Central, taking care of one of the Trio.

 

The other twin sister is under the care of Kai. Her situation is... complicated.”

Recalling Kris’ words, Tao tried analyzing each situation one by one. He had to do something. He couldn’t very well sit in his E-Den waiting for everything to play out.

He could go to Central, but he wasn’t very familiar with the place. In fact, he wasn’t very familiar with any of the other districts. Besides, even if he was able to rally Lay and the girl to the cause, where would he take them? Also, if the Council were the enemy, Central would be the most dangerous place to go to.

He could go North. It was relatively safer compared to going to Central. There were several guards there, but the place was full of warehouses anyway - a lot of hiding places for him to avoid detection.

“Complicated but necessary consequences,” Tao murmured, replaying what the other had said about the twins in the North. “Does he know what he has to choose already then?”

Tao groaned, pulling at his hair. “You could’ve just told me you wouldn’t listen and where to go, you freaking giant!”

They absolutely cannot get captured at this time.

“That’s it,” Tao said suddenly, recalling Kris’ statement about the two in the West. “The tall bastard wasn’t so useless after all.”

The time keeper stood, this time more resolutely, turning off the E-Den and heading to his room to change and get a bag ready.

“Time to live in the present.”

Luhan was draping the large sofa in the living room with a dark sheet as Sehun stepped into the room with their bags.

“Where are we going again?”

“Someplace safe,” Luhan answered, counting the bags Sehun had brought. Satisfied, he grabbed the one with the least contents and headed to the kitchen, the other trailing after him.

“Why are we going?”

“You heard our guardian. It’s not safe here. Besides,” Luhan paused, pulling out a freezer bag from a cupboard and examining it. “The talk in town is that the Trio’s heading this way already.”

“It’s true, then?” Sehun gaped. He knew their guardian had some sort of influence in the Sanctuary, but to actually know of the Trio’s movements meant the man had even more power than he originally thought.

“Looks like it. Did you pack Kai’s stuff as well?” Luhan asked, still busy with packing the fresh meat from their freezer.

“Yeah, they’re in that other bag.” Sehun answered, choosing to rummage through the cupboards for things they could possibly use.

“It would be a lot easier if Kai were here,” Luhan grumbled, stuffing the final bag of meat into the bag.

Sehun remained silent at that, not knowing what to say. He hadn’t mentioned the other boy’s appearance right after their guardian left. What could he have said? That his own brother had no interest in talking to him? He didn’t want to inflict more pain on the older boy. This was his own way of protecting the boy always watching over him.

“Anyway. This is why we’re leaving early on,” Luhan sighed, leading the way back to the living room and checking the weight of all the bags, lifting them with his ability. “At least we can take our time with the hike since we know for sure no one’s following us.”

“Are we going toni-” Sehun’s question was cut off by a loud banging on the door.

“Hey! Anyone home?” A voice shouted.

The two looked to each other, Sehun’s eyes wide and Luhan with a finger to his lips.

“Open the door!” The knocking continued.

Slowly, Luhan lifted their bags and gestured for Sehun to follow him to the kitchen. The knocking had stopped momentarily, and they could hear whoever it was on the other side of the door muttering. Luhan clenched his teeth and stepped forward, Sehun grabbing his shirt behind him. He could hear the boy breathing deeply, trying his best to calm down.

They reached the kitchen and Luhan lay a hand on the other’s shoulder, looking into his eyes and trying to get him to calm down. Sehun nodded, his eyes still wide, and took a deep breath. They spent a couple more seconds like that before Sehun motioned for Luhan to go on.

The two turned to the back door, ready to make a break for it, but when Luhan pulled the door open, the two immediately stepped back.

A caped figure stood on the other side of the door, eyebrows furrowed together, his hands on his hips.

“You shouldn’t run away from me,” he said.