Finish the prompt - The forbidden button: The Timeline paradox.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANE3X8PZY1

Why would you press the big red button that says 'DO NOT PRESS'?! Coral barks.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuI9aFFRbiN

"Uh... it was shiny." Robbat shrugs, smiling sheepishly.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQhp6Th8gP

A large door on the other side of the room creaks open.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78wlGkgCN9

The playful smiles on their faces vanish instantly.

An icy wind rushes out of the dark doorway, carrying an eerie silence that sends chills down their spines. Coral's heartbeat races. Her hands begin to tremble, and without realizing it, she hides behind Robbat, tightly gripping his arm.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6r7elL6u3

"R-Robbat... I don't think we should go inside," she whispers, her voice shaking.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPYL4yZYST

Robbat swallows nervously. He is just as frightened, but he knows he cannot let Coral see it.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5keGXcEwW

"We've already pressed the button," he says softly. "There's no turning back now.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lFum5vwas

Taking a deep breath, they slowly step through the mysterious doorway.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0niprhQB9T

The room inside leaves them speechless.

It looks like an endless maze.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7dbMMGBx4

Dozens of narrow paths stretch in every direction. Every road looks exactly the same, making it impossible to tell which one is safe.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUvnNAywMZ

"What now?" Robbat asks.

Coral carefully studies every path before pointing toward the left corridor.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZYzIsB5Fp

"I don't know why... but I feel we should go this way."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7shnkPV8W5

Robbat nods.

"Then let's trust your instincts."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYVddYEahR

Together they begin walking carefully, every footstep echoing through the silent maze.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBABRkT2Z8

Minutes later...

They suddenly stop.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSVSdOepwY

Standing before them is a gigantic creature.

It is nearly fifteen feet tall.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjJMQYHJ29

Its body is covered with rough feathers mixed with reptilian scales. Giant claws hang from its arms like curved blades. Its mouth is filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth, and blood drips from its lips as it tears apart a pile of raw flesh lying on the ground.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGowrrh2nF2

The disgusting sound of bones cracking echoes through the chamber.

Coral freezes.

Her breathing becomes uneven.

Robbat instinctively stretches his arm in front of her.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuvwf0LThY

The creature suddenly stops eating.

Very slowly...

It turns its head.

Its glowing yellow eyes lock onto them.

For several terrifying seconds, nobody moves.

Then the monster smiles.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1Y1fId7k0

Its smile is worse than its appearance.

"Fresh prey..." it growls.

Coral screams.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVR2WNtFeE

"ROBBAT!"

"RUN!" Robbat shouts.

Both of them sprint through the maze with every ounce of strength they have.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aDPVwnIwW

Behind them, the monster slowly begins walking.

It doesn't even bother running.

Each step it takes shakes the ground beneath their feet.

The creature laughs loudly.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNNniBtjXi

"Run as much as you want!"

"This entire world belongs to me."

"You cannot escape."

Robbat glances behind and notices something horrifying.

One step from the monster covers almost the same distance as several seconds of their desperate sprint.

"Coral, don't stop!" he yells.

"I'm trying!" she cries while gasping for breath.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWINGHCfrEO

The maze finally opens into a ruined village filled with broken houses and dead trees.

The two quickly hide behind the remains of an old building.

Both of them struggle to control their breathing.

"I don't think we'll survive," Robbat says quietly.

Coral wipes the tears from her face.

"No."

Robbat looks at her in surprise.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMBMjFGc2A

"No?"

She shakes her head.

"Every creature has a weakness."

"If we panic, we'll die."

"If we think, we might survive."

Robbat nods silently.

Coral looks around the area.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEx4DYjJqXQ

Suddenly, she notices a flowing river in the distance.

"Look!"

Robbat follows her gaze.

"The river?"

"What if..." Coral says. "What if that monster can't cross water?"

"We don't know."

"I know."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejRNVKDjfq

"But we have no better option."

The terrifying footsteps grow louder.

The monster has almost reached them.

"Let's go!" Robbat shouts.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHts7tJVev

They rush toward the river as fast as possible.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxdAR5ug6U

The monster follows, laughing all the way.

"I like brave prey."

"You'll make my meal much more entertaining."

They reach the riverbank.

Without hesitation, Robbat jumps into the freezing water.

Coral follows immediately.

The current is powerful, but they manage to swim across.

The monster finally reaches the opposite bank.

It stretches one enormous claw toward them...

...but stops.

Its face twists with anger.

"COME BACK!"

The creature roars so loudly that birds fly from the nearby trees.

"THIS RIVER IS THE ONLY PLACE I CANNOT CROSS!"

Coral and Robbat exchange relieved smiles.

"It worked..." Coral whispers.

They collapse onto the grass, exhausted.

After resting for a few minutes, Robbat notices something unusual.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVP2A1Ilw5

A massive stone wall stands ahead.

Embedded within it are four enormous doors.

Each door has a glowing button.

Above them, ancient words are carved into the stone:

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TPn2fe5Op

"Choose wisely. Every door leads to another timeline. One wrong choice may trap you forever."

Coral remembers the mysterious book they had found earlier.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTm99AhKbs

"This is exactly what the book described."

Robbat nods.

"It said there are four timeline doors."

"We have to cross three of them."

"And the fourth..."

Coral finishes his sentence.

"...is forbidden."

Silence falls between them.

Robbat slowly reaches for the first glowing button.

"Ready?"

Coral takes a deep breath.

"No."

She smiles nervously.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVgfFUhCZd

"But let's do it anyway."

Robbat presses the button.

The ancient door slowly opens.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJ5RrjZxCD

A blinding golden light pours out.

Together...

They step into another universe.

The moment Robbat and Coral stepped through the glowing doorway, they were blinded by a warm golden light.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMg4A7ky4P

When they finally opened their eyes, they stood speechless.

The terrifying world of monsters had vanished.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6TsCoJxLj

Instead, they found themselves in a breathtaking kingdom filled with colorful flowers, crystal-clear rivers, floating butterflies, and enormous glowing trees. Tiny fairies flew gracefully through the air, their shimmering wings painting the sky with beautiful colors.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdelsracHP

Coral smiled in amazement.

"This place is... beautiful."

Robbat nodded, but his attention was fixed elsewhere.

Standing at the center of the kingdom was a magnificent palace built entirely of sparkling crystals.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhrXSwHCnC

A graceful Fairy Queen descended from the palace steps. She wore an elegant silver gown, a crystal crown rested upon her head, and her rainbow-colored wings glowed brilliantly behind her.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1vGSGQ5aK

Robbat couldn't help staring.

Coral quickly nudged him.

"Robbat!"

"Huh?"

"Stop staring at the Queen."

"I wasn't..."

"You were."

Robbat scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93ZDOTEKWk

Coral crossed her arms.

"We came here to survive, not to admire beautiful queens."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPjPFXz73B

Before Robbat could answer, dozens of fairies suddenly surrounded them with glowing spears.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXToGJzbIl

"Don't move!"

Within seconds, both of them were escorted before the Fairy Queen.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzOLxX4O7O

She looked at them carefully.

"Who are you?" she asked calmly.

"You don't belong to this universe."

"Are you monsters?"

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTBliollgv

Robbat immediately shook his head.

"No, Your Majesty. We're humans."

The Queen narrowed her eyes.

"Humans rarely reach this place."

"Prove that you're telling the truth."

She slowly walked down the palace stairs.

Taking out a small silver dagger, she gently made a tiny cut on Robbat's finger.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7al8Ef4sC

A drop of bright red blood fell onto the white marble floor.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Lu29aZMi4

The Queen smiled.

"So it's true."

She looked toward Coral.

"Monsters bleed black."

"Fairies bleed blue."

"But humans bleed red."

Coral immediately held Robbat's hand.

"What was that for?"

"It was the only way to know whether you were lying," the Queen replied.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHnw7Ozncs

Coral took a deep breath.

"We're sorry for entering your kingdom without permission."

"We're searching for another timeline."

The Queen remained silent for several moments.

Finally, she stepped aside.

"The final timeline door lies beyond this forest."

"But listen carefully."

"The last button was sealed for a reason."

"If you press it..."

"You may meet another version of yourselves."

"But remember..."

"Two identical souls were never meant to exist in the same universe."

"Break that rule..."

"...and the timeline will choose only one."

Robbat and Coral exchanged worried glances.

Still...

They thanked the Fairy Queen and continued their journey.

After hours of walking through the enchanted forest, they finally arrived before the last stone gate.

Unlike the previous doors, this one was covered with glowing warning symbols.

A giant red button stood at its center.

Above it were ancient words:

DO NOT PRESS.

Coral looked at Robbat.

"If we stop now..."

"We'll never know the truth."

Robbat smiled.

"We've already come this far."

"Let's finish what we started."

Both of them placed their hands on the button.

"Three..."

"Two..."

"One..."

Click.

The world around them shattered like broken glass.

Everything spun violently.

Seconds later...

They landed on a snowy mountain.

Cold winds howled around them.

A group of young hikers stood nearby.

Among them...

Robbat froze.

Standing only a few feet away...

...was another Robbat.

Coral covered her mouth.

Beside him...

...stood another Coral.

Both versions looked exactly like them.

The alternate Robbat smiled.

"So..."

"You actually made it."

The alternate Coral laughed softly.

"Our guesses were right."

"You crossed every timeline."

Robbat stepped forward carefully.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrjLbEKCr3

"So... you're really us?"

"From another universe?"

The other Robbat nodded.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGoELMcLO7

"Exactly."

For the next few minutes, both pairs shared stories of their different lives.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxYiyvwIbw

Everything felt unbelievable.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZmSJtFbyJ

It was the greatest adventure either of them had ever experienced.

But suddenly...

The alternate Robbat glanced toward the edge of the mountain.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOhzYjwpiQ

His smile slowly disappeared.

Without warning...

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSK9hJ4OxwI

The alternate Robbat shoved Robbat with all his strength.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhBk7RALgK

At the very same moment, the alternate Coral pushed Coral off the edge of the mountain.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JTiwRmsqH

"No!" Robbat screamed as he desperately reached for Coral's hand.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6uNLx1dBA

For a brief second, their fingertips touched..

Then they slipped away.

Both of them plunged into the endless valley below.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PAdzLtnTD

The alternate Robbat looked down silently and said,

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PGmWoaIrz

"There can never be two Robbats or two Corals in the same timeline."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIte7EmJmQO

"The timeline always protects its own balance."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY45DhQ260V

"If two identical souls exist in one universe, one of them must disappear."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQm3vDXru3S

"The destiny that is written can never be changed."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HWYmC1rUJ

The alternate Coral lowered her eyes and whispered,

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKYRDzgwvQ

"This isn't murder..."

"This is the law of time."

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLjhurCOvk

As Robbat and Coral disappeared into the darkness below, the mountain fell silent once again.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WJms7Mu5S

The timeline had corrected itself.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6R9kwAnCX

Because no universe can ever allow two identical people cannot exist in the same timeline because time itself restores the balance.

36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZalgmyU6MA

The End.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4U6zu4MwK

ns216.73.216.67da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically