Sea of Unraveling Hours

Arjun found himself standing in a silent, endless field beneath a sky of churning gray. The ground was littered with broken weapons and faded banners—remnants of battles long past. The air was heavy with the weight of unspoken promises and unfinished stories.

He looked down and realized he was wearing the uniform from his earliest days as a Weaver—before he had known sacrifice, before he had understood loss. In the distance, shadowy figures marched toward him, their faces obscured, their forms wavering between friend and foe.

A voice, deep and resonant, echoed across the field:

"You have always been the shield, Arjun. But what happens when you cannot protect them all?"

The shadows surged forward, and Arjun's heart clenched as he recognized familiar faces among them—comrades he had failed to save, people lost to the tapestry's unraveling. Their eyes were filled with accusation and sorrow.

He raised his hands, trying to call out, but his voice was lost in the wind. The ground beneath him trembled, and the sky darkened, pressing down with the weight of every burden he had ever carried.

"You can't save everyone," the voice whispered, now inside his mind. "What will you do when the shield breaks?"

Arjun closed his eyes, letting the memories wash over him—the pain of loss, the sting of regret, the crushing responsibility of leadership. But through it all, he remembered the hope in Mira's eyes, the trust of his team, the moments of triumph that had come from unity and courage.

He opened his eyes, resolve burning bright. "I may not be able to save everyone. But I will never stop trying. I fight so that others can keep fighting, too."

He planted his feet, and the knot's energy surged through him, golden and blue. The shadows recoiled as he stood tall, his presence a beacon in the darkness.

The field began to heal. The sky brightened. The fallen banners lifted, their colors restored. The voices of the lost faded, replaced by a quiet sense of peace.

A path of light appeared at his feet, leading forward.

Arjun took a steady breath and walked on, ready to rejoin his friends and face whatever awaited them beyond the Loom.