[read Rewinding Time: Burning At The Stake (PT1)]

As the tension in the square reached its peak, Sage Bishop, bound and facing the unjust trial, suddenly screamed out a single word, "KALISTAR!" Her voice echoed through the square, sending a shiver down our spines. It was a word imbued with power, her defiant last stand. The crowd gasped, and a hush fell over the scene as the significance of her cry lingered in the charged air.

As the tension in the square reached its peak, Sage Bishop, bound and facing the unjust trial, suddenly screamed out a single word, "KALISTAR!" Her voice echoed through the air, shattering the oppressive silence. For a heartbeat, time itself seemed to halt, and every person in the square stood frozen in awe and fear.

Instantly, Tobias and I knew—that was the code. Our mission had led us to this precise moment. Sage's defiant cry wasn't just a plea; it was the key we'd traveled back in time to find. "Kalistar," I whispered, the word sending a shiver down my spine.

Before I could process what to do next, a shout rang out from behind us. "There! Those children! They're not from around here!" A burly townsman pointed directly at us, his face twisted with suspicion and anger.

My heart hammered against my ribs as we turned to run, the crowd parting like a disturbed hive of bees. Tobias grabbed my hand, and we sprinted through the chaos, dodging outstretched arms and furious faces.

"Stop them! They're allies of the witch!" Reverend Carlton's voice boomed, and the mob surged after us with newfound fury.

We darted down a narrow alley, but our pursuers were relentless. Tobias took a sharp turn, leading us through a labyrinth of twisting lanes and shadowed backstreets. But it was no use; the townsfolk knew the area far better than we did.

As we skidded around another corner, our path was suddenly blocked by a group of stern-faced men. They grabbed us roughly, dragging us back to the square. "Let us go!" Tobias yelled, struggling against their iron grip.

When we were thrust back into the square, the crowd erupted in jeers and accusations, their eyes burning with hatred. Reverend Carlton stepped forward, his expression one of grim satisfaction. "It seems we have discovered more agents of darkness," he declared, turning to the crowd. "These children are in league with the witch!"

I looked up at Sage, her green eyes filled with both sorrow and unwavering resolve as she met my gaze. "Remember," she mouthed, the word "Kalistar" silently forming on her lips.

My heart sank as the reality of our situation closed in around us. We had the code, but now we were caught in the same trap meant for Sage. The stakes had never been higher, and our mission never more perilous. The fate of both our worlds depended on our next move—if we could find a way to make it.

As the crowd closed in around us, the shouts and jeers growing louder, my mind raced to find a way out. The wooden platform, the scaffold, the ropes and barrels nearby—it all blurred together in a frantic search for an escape route.

My eyes locked onto a stack of crates near the edge of the square, partially obscured by a large canvas. "Tobias," I whispered urgently, "we need to get to those crates. Follow my lead."

Mustering all my courage, I elbowed one of our captors in the ribs with surprising force. He staggered back, giving Tobias and me just enough room to break free. We sprinted towards the crates, weaving through the frenzied throng. But the townsfolk were hot on our heels, their accusations ringing in our ears.

"We're almost there!" I called out to Tobias, reaching for the canvas. I pulled it down on top of us, using it as cover as we squeezed through the small gap between the crates and a nearby building.

Just as we thought we were in the clear, a sharp cry pierced the air behind us. I turned to see Tobias clutching his side, a dagger protruding from between his ribs. My breath caught in my throat, a cold dread washing over me.

"Tobias!" I screamed, rushing to his side. His face was pale, eyes wide with a mixture of pain and fear.

"Go," he managed to gasp, blood seeping through his fingers. "You have to make it."

"No, not without you!" I cried, tears blurring my vision. But the angry shouts of the villagers grew closer, and I knew we had no time.

Tobias's hand trembled as he reached into his backpack, pulling out the ancient device. "Take it," he insisted, pressing it into my hands. "Get the code back. Save our future."

His strength was waning, but his resolve was as unbreakable as ever. With a heavy heart, I nodded, knowing it was what he wanted—what we needed to do.

"I'll come back for you," I promised, my voice cracking.

Tobias gave me a weak smile. "I know you will. Now go!"

Clutching the device and the precious code it held, I scrambled out from under the canvas and raced through the labyrinthine alleys. The grief and fear pushed away by sheer determination. Each step carried me further from the chaos but closer to the desperate hope that our mission would succeed.

I turned back one last time, my heart breaking as I saw Tobias's figure growing smaller, surrounded by the furious mob. "Stay strong, Toby," I whispered, steeling myself for what lay ahead. I had to survive, for him, for Sage, for our world. And so, I ran, the weight of the future pressing heavily on my shoulders, but the spark of hope burning brightly within me.

As I fled through the chaotic maze of the village, the sound of angry voices and heavy footsteps echoed behind me. My heart pounded in my chest, not just from the exertion but from the emotional turmoil tearing me apart. The weight of the ancient device in my hands made every step feel all the more urgent.

I stumbled into a dark, narrow alleyway, the walls closing in around me. With no clear path forward, panic began to rise. That's when I saw it: a small, weathered wooden door slightly ajar, leading into what looked like an abandoned house.

Without a second thought, I slipped inside, pulling the door shut behind me as quietly as possible. My breath came in ragged gasps, the darkness around me only amplifying my sense of dread.

The room was dimly lit by a solitary candle on a rickety table, casting flickering shadows on the rough wooden walls. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed a figure slumped against the far wall—an elderly woman, her eyes filled with a resigned sorrow. Her wrists were bound, a clear victim of the witch hunts.

"Who are you?" she asked weakly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"I'm... I'm no one," I stammered, the weight of my situation crashing down on me. "I just need to hide."

As I moved closer, the woman's frail frame and tired eyes told a story of hardship and despair. I couldn't just leave her here, a helpless victim of the same injustice that had put Sage on trial. But helping her would attract attention, jeopardizing my mission, and put both of us at risk.

"I can untie you," I whispered, swallowing my fear. "But you have to promise to stay quiet."

The woman nodded slowly, tears of gratitude welling up in her eyes. As I worked at the knots, a muffled cry from outside reached my ears. The mob was close, and they were searching every house. Time was slipping away, and I had to make a choice.

A sudden cold realization hit me. The only way to truly avoid attracting attention was to make it look like I’d never been here—that she was alone. My stomach churned at the thought, an overwhelming sense of revulsion washing over me. But there was no other option.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice trembling as I tied a piece of cloth around her mouth, muffling her ability to speak. “I’ll come back for you, I promise."

Her eyes widened in panic, but there was understanding there too, a sad acceptance of her reality. I moved a crate in front of her, hoping it would be enough to shield her from immediate discovery, but my actions felt like a betrayal of my conscience.

With a heavy heart, I crept back towards the door, every fiber of my being screaming at me to do more, to be better. But the mission came first—and that truth tore at me more viciously than the villagers’ daggers ever could.

As I slipped out into the open air again, the guilt gnawed at me, lingering like a shadow. Yet Tobias’s last words echoed in my mind, urging me forward. I had to succeed, even if it meant leaving behind parts of myself in the process.

The path ahead was uncertain and perilous, but there was no turning back. I carried the hope of two worlds with me, and the promise of redemption for those I left behind.