The glowing cube hovered in the echo's hands, pulsating with erratic energy.
It emitted a low hum that seemed to sync with Alex's heartbeat.
Shadows twisted strangely across the spinning temporal cyclone.
"…Of course… now my future self has a glowing cube… totally normal," Alex muttered, staring at the pulsating object.
Cube Mechanics
Alex quickly deduced:
The cube absorbs chaotic energy from surrounding anomalies.
It amplifies intentions—good or mischievous.
The cube can create small micro-time loops, trapping objects or people temporarily.
"…Okay… so… basically… it's chaos in a box… with a fancy glow… love it," Alex whispered.
Comedic Chaos
The T-Rex skeleton flopped into a slow-motion boombox spin.
A Victorian gentleman tried to duel a hoverboard, arguing about proper etiquette.
Alex's echo tossed the cube casually… it bounced off a knight's helmet and started absorbing fragments of reality like a vacuum.
Alex groaned: "…Yep… reality's becoming a blender… and I'm the chef… great."
Villain's Manipulation
From the edges of the golden crack, the villain's shadow whispered:
"The cube… is more than it seems, Alex. Every choice you make, every loop you create… it records. It learns. It judges. Can you use it… without becoming trapped yourself?"
Alex squinted. "…Judging me… as if I needed more opinions today…"
Alex's Strategic Move
He grabbed a floating teacup and a holographic keyboard.
Tossed the teacup at the cube, creating a mini-loop that deflected the cube's energy back at his echo.
Used the keyboard as a bridge to redirect anomalies, stabilizing a small area of chaos.
"…Chaos control… cube manipulation… level up unlocked… maybe I'm getting good at this," Alex whispered.
Cliffhanger – Cube's Unexpected Effect
The cube glowed brighter than ever.
A fragment of the future—a miniature version of Alex's entire life—projected from it.
The echo's grin widened. "Welcome to your timeline, Alex. Can you handle the mayhem without breaking yourself?"
The villain's voice echoed ominously:
"Phase 4 approaches… the cube reveals the truth of your choices. One wrong move… and all eras collide irreversibly."
Alex gulped. "…Truth… choices… eras collide… yep… this is my kind of Tuesday… definitely Thursday now."
End of Chapter 20