Emperor of Time : The Battle of The Gods

Ryan sat under a tree about 30 meters from Fen. There were no wild animals around. Only tall golden grass around the tree where Ryan was sitting.

'It seems that all animals are afraid of Fen,' he thought.

Then he tried to meditate to calm himself. He put the sword on his lap.

About twenty minutes later, a low growl sounded right next to him. Ryan froze and slowly held the hilt of his sword. He didn't dare to move much.

The grass on his right slowly parted, and Ryan glanced carefully. A male lion was creeping towards him. It seemed that the lion was very hungry and smelled the fresh blood of the wildebeest that Fen was eating, so he didn't care that Fen was more dangerous than any creature on Earth.

The lion growled and bared its sharp fangs. Ryan asked Fen for help through telepathy, but Fen didn't answer and just watched them while licking his lips.

"Fen...! H-help!" Ryan shouted. Panic hit him. But Fen remained unmoved.

The lion pounced on him. Ryan threw himself to the ground and reflexively stabbed his sword at the lion. He closed his eyes in fear.

He felt the tip of the sword clash with a hard object and then seemed to penetrate something soft. Ryan peeked through his eyelids, he managed to stab the lion's head until it went through the back of its head. Instantly the lion died and fell on Ryan's body which was lying on the ground.

The blood from the lion spilled onto Ryan's trembling body, he was still silent and stared at the sky with a blank stare, too shaken to push the lion's body off his body.

Suddenly he saw Fen's canines above his head, grinning and his voice sounded in Ryan's head, "Thank you for the main course. You managed to handle it well."

Then the weight of the lion's body on Ryan's body disappeared.

Ryan struggled to sit up his body shaking with shock and anger.

"You just watched?!" he exclaimed. "I almost died!"

Fen shrugged as he tore the lion's flesh. "But you didn't die," he replied, calm as usual.

Ryan paused, then said, "Why protect me if you're not going to help?"

Fen chewed slowly, "You need the experience. This is a test of your survival skills. The vomiting showed you're not ready for battle."

Ryan felt the knot in his stomach tighten. "So this is your plan? Letting me face the lions alone?"

"Yes. You need to learn what it means to fight for your life. Not every challenge will have a safety measure."

Ryan looked away from Fen in frustration.

"Next time, you might not be so lucky," Fen added, his tone serious. "Survival is brutal. Just accept it."

***

As the sun began to set and his hunger was finally satisfied, Fen bit Ryan's hand lightly, and they teleported back to Ryan's room.

Ryan stepped into the bathroom, letting the warm water wash over his body. He scrubbed his whole body vigorously, trying to wash away the lingering scent of blood.

Ryan held back his anger, knowing Fen could hear his thoughts.

Instead, Ryan turned his focus to the confusing hieroglyphics on his desk, pouring out his frustration to unravel the mystery.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, Fen stood waiting. "I have to go somewhere," he said. "Urgent matter."

"Okay, be careful," Ryan replied with relief.

Fen narrowed his eyes, catching a glimpse of Ryan's relief before disappearing into the shadows. His blurry figure disappeared in an instant, leaving Ryan alone.

Ryan watched Fen disappear into the darkness and sighed.

"Finally, some time to myself," he whispered.

He ate his dinner quickly and returned to his room, eager to continue his work though the exhaustion of what had happened earlier in the day was gnawing at him.

He couldn't focus. He glanced at the sword hidden under the bed. The gaze of the lion that had pounced on him earlier was still clear in his eyes.

"What if I die today?" The thought made him shiver.

Fen's actions, though calculated, felt heartless.

He continued to think about the hunt without realizing his surroundings.

***

In a dark corner, a figure loomed behind him, the dim light outlining its human-like shape.

Ryan remained oblivious to the presence hovering very near to him.

The figure was watching him.

After a few minutes, it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving no sign of its brief presence.

***

The next morning at the excavation site, the team was startled by the sound of car horns and the roar of engines. Vans and trucks rolled into the campsite, kicking up clouds of dust.

One van came to a screeching halt, its side door opening with a metallic clang. A man, about 45 years old, wearing a tropical shirt and shorts, waved enthusiastically toward the campsite. A smug glint was in his eyes, and his chin was jutted upward. His smug smile and cocked chin conveyed a sense of entitlement as if he expected everyone to know him.

Dr. Hassan and the others glared, clearly annoyed by the chaos.

"What is this mess?" Brandon muttered, squinting against the sunlight.

"Tourists? Here?" Amr said with disbelief etched on his face. "KV5 is closed for tourists."

Dr. Maria shook her head. "Not now, of all times…"

"It's James," Dr. Hassan replied, his voice calm, though the wrinkles in his beard were furrowed.

"Son of a b*tch!" Dr. Matt cursed, his anger bubbling beneath the surface.

The convoy continued past the KV5 excavation site, eventually arriving at Professor James' camp at KV7.

In the past, Professor James' team had stolen artifacts found at Dr. Hassan's excavation site. It was unclear how it happened.

Dr. Hassan reported the theft, but there was insufficient evidence, and the case remained unsolved. Since most of Dr. Hasan's team was loyal to Dr. Hassan, they also held a deep grudge against Professor James.

Ryan just sighed and went back to his hieroglyphics. He was a little worried about what Professor James would do, but now his mind was more preoccupied with the mysterious power of time within him.

***

Fen returned to Ryan's room at night. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Ryan turned around after locking his room door when he suddenly saw Fen appear out of thin air.

Startled, Ryan cursed under his breath and turned on the light. "Damn it, Fen! You scared me half to death!"

"Coward," Fen retorted, a grin spreading across his face. "I thought archaeologists weren't easily frightened."

Ryan rolled his eyes with annoyance. "Are you enjoying this, aren't you?"

"You should see your face!" Fen laughed.

Ryan frowned. Fen was lying lazily on Ryan's bed.

"Fen…" Ryan began, unsure of how to voice his thoughts.

"Yeah?" Fen replied, propping himself up on his elbows. "When I was with Paser, I was there for three to four hours, but in real-time, it was only thirty minutes. However, when I was with you yesterday, the time felt the same. How is that possible?" Ryan's voice was calm but laced with confusion.

Fen was silent for a moment. "Hmm... Your experiences are different because of the different mechanisms of time travel. Teleportation within the time stream does not disrupt the flow of time," he explained, his tone serious.

"What do you mean? Are you saying Paser pulled me into his time?" Ryan asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm not entirely sure, but yes," Fen continued. "That method creates a localized pocket of time. His presence bends time, allowing for brief interactions."

"Who is he?" Ryan pressed, his curiosity piqued. "I mean... Paser can use such powers. He's not just an ordinary Guardian, is he?"

Fen's expression changed. "He's part of the Elite Circle, second only to the Council of Twelve."

"As a member of the Elite Circle, Paser uses advanced temporal manipulation," Fen explained. "He can create temporary shields in time, protecting sensitive events. He can also 'echo' himself across timelines, monitoring various scenarios."

Ryan's eyes widened. "That's incredible." Fen nodded, his expression serious. "Paser's actions are by the Lord of Time's instructions. Every member of the Guardians of Time must strictly adhere to these rules. If they act outside the Lord's permission regarding time and its manipulation, the consequences can be severe."

Ryan's brow furrowed. "What happens if the Lord's instructions conflict with moral justice?"

"Not everyone agrees with the Lord's methods," Fen said, his tone hinting at a deeper truth. "But that's not your concern right now. Your focus is on studying and training."

With that, Fen stood up, straightened his back, and lay down again. Ryan's mind was filled with questions, but Fen's calm demeanor offered no more answers.

"Train your mana core," Fen instructed. "You must expand it to the size of your fist." Fen closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep, leaving Ryan to his thoughts.

Ryan shook his head and chuckled softly. "Easy for him to say."