As they went deeper into the cave, crystals and ancient patterns began to reveal themselves. Kai shattered every obstacle in his path in a single move, regardless of their size. As they carved a path through the crystals, muffled sounds of stalactites echoing in the darkness began to reach their ears. After a while, they arrived at a colossal room surrounded entirely by red, dim lights; the sounds echoing in the eerie silence felt like harbingers of an unknown danger.
Kai broke the silence in the middle of the path."I've never been to a place like this before. There must be a reason we're here. That friend you buried might know something, rock head."
Alex replied with a mocking tone, walking more cautiously than Kai."I hope so, or I'll make you pay for it."Kai responded with a laugh, and his echoing laughter only intensified the strange lagoon-like sounds in the cave.
"I don't think you can hurt me," said Kai confidently.
"Maybe some other time... Hey, look behind you!" Alex's voice suddenly grew serious. When Kai quickly turned around, he saw a massive Minotaur glaring at him from the darkness.
The Minotaur was monstrously large, almost merging with the ceiling. Its half-human, half-bull body was muscular and grotesque like something out of a nightmare. Its eyes burned like red flames in the dark, and its breath formed clouds of mist in the cave's cold air. Its horns looked tougher than the centuries-old cave stones, and its massive hands, covered in fur, looked capable of crushing bones with a single blow. Each step shook the cave floor, and its presence filled the air with an oppressive threat.
Without giving Kai a chance to react, the Minotaur charged at him with a furious growl. Yet Kai stood still as if there was no threat at all. Just as the Minotaur swung its massive axe at him with full force, Kai suddenly leaped aside, causing the axe to slam into the ground. The sound of metal tearing through the stone echoed through the cave. Not giving the creature a chance to recover, Kai placed his hand on its head without hesitation. In an instant, a blinding flash of light filled the room, radiating a level of energy so intense it could blind the eyes.
When Alex was able to see again after the explosion, there were two Minotaurs in front of him. However, one of them was larger and completely red — the embodiment of pure rage. The original Minotaur suddenly turned toward Alex, changing targets, and struck him with the handle of its axe. The powerful hit sent Alex flying into a corner of the room. When he hit the ground hard, he was momentarily dazed, hearing the echoes of battle cries around him. As he gathered himself, he saw the two Minotaurs fiercely battling each other; each strike shook the cave, and the creatures fought to the death.
Caught between the battle of these titanic beasts, Alex tried to comprehend the chaos of the room. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something shift at the far end. Acting purely on instinct, he jumped to the side — just as the deafening sound of giant jaws crushing the spot he'd just been filled the room. The sight in front of him rivaled any movie scene he'd seen before: a colossal Basilisk, its eyes burning like fire! Although its initial strike had missed, it was clearly ready to attack again. Alex, breath held, realized he was facing another deadly threat.
The Basilisk recovered quickly from its failed attack and turned toward Alex again. Gasping for breath, Alex scrambled to hide behind any obstacle he could find in the cave to escape the monstrous serpent.
"A little help right now would be great!" he shouted, looking around for Kai. But the only sound he heard was the Minotaur's furious roar growing louder. Kai was locked in his own battle. As Alex's sense of helplessness grew deeper, he narrowly dodged another of the Basilisk's attacks. His heart pounded as he scanned the room, eyes locking on the largest rock in the chamber. Making a split-second decision, he darted around it and instinctively leapt onto the Basilisk's tail, holding on tightly as if clinging to his last chance at survival. He didn't know why he did it — only that something inside told him to.
When the Basilisk turned its massive head toward him, Alex saw the deadly glint in its eyes. He shut his eyes tight in fear. Taking a deep breath, he allowed the energy building up in his body to flow freely into the creature. It felt as though every part of him was channeling into the beast. Power surged from his hands into the Basilisk's body, and a deep silence fell over the cave.
Time seemed to stop. The Basilisk froze, its massive body trembled, and then it collapsed silently to the ground. Every roar, every growl in the cave ceased. Still holding his breath, Alex slowly opened his eyes. The Basilisk's massive body was motionless; the silence that enveloped the cave echoed like a cold whisper of victory.
***
When Alex opened his eyes, he noticed a red Minotaur rapidly approaching him. But after blinking once more and standing up, he saw that only Kai was standing in front of him.
"Did you just... turn into a Minotaur?" Alex asked in astonishment.
"Only the best kind," Kai replied with a grin. "But I think what you did was even cooler." He pointed with his fingers at the baby Basilisk standing beside Alex.
The massive serpent that had just attacked him had now turned into a harmless, adorable baby. Alex couldn't believe his eyes.
Kai looked at Alex with admiration. "You're truly an impressive Ender..."
Just as Alex was about to speak about the future, his eyes drifted behind Kai. Upon seeing the severed head of the original Minotaur lying on the ground, a strange feeling welled up inside him. He felt like he was living in a mythological epic."So this is where we meet for the first time in the timeline..." Alex said, taking a deep breath. "That's great, but listen to me—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a strange sound interrupted them. Suddenly, the baby Basilisk and the Minotaur's body began to melt in mid-air and merged into a sphere of energy forming in the center of the room. As the energy slowly condensed into a round shape, Kai and Alex approached it curiously and saw that a small puppy was staring at them from the core of the energy.
Alex crouched down next to the puppy and gently picked it up. His eyes were full of astonishment. This Husky... it was his Husky."This is impossible... you were dead," he whispered. As he felt the warmth of the puppy, his emotions grew more tangled.
Kai realized the energy of the being in front of him was the same as the creature that had just been buried in the ground."Maybe your old friend did die."
Alex looked up at Kai. "What do you mean?"
"Time is a loop," Kai explained, a wise expression forming on his face. "Sandra says time is very complicated, but from what I understand, the friend you buried was an Ender, and before dying, they brought you here. That means their ending point was also their beginning."
That could be true. Otherwise, the Husky appearing in a random time was nearly impossible."So what happens now?"
"You brought an Ender into being, so you may ask for something in return. It knows you now. When the time comes, it will help you."
As Alex pondered the meaning of Kai's words, he remembered how the Kai in his own time also spoke of time being a loop."This is really complicated... but I think I know what I want. If you can understand me, I want your help for something I will do in the year 2017. Please help me when that day comes, Husky."
Kai smiled lightly."You named it Husky? That's a nice name... a bit odd, though. Hey, don't look at me like that. I'll make sure it stays that way. I promise."
Alex stood up while petting the dog's head."Ah, so that's where the name came from."
Kai gave Alex a friendly pat on the shoulder."What's your name, stonehead?" he asked, the playful spark still in his eyes.
"You don't need to know that yet," Alex said confidently. "I think you'll come to know me as your favorite student."
Kai raised an eyebrow mockingly."Bold claim, but I like you."
Alex paused for a moment."I think we forgot something," he said, frowning and looking around. "I'm done here, but how do I get bac—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the baby Husky suddenly started licking Alex's face. In that instant, everything around them vanished. Time began to shift once more. Alex recognized the looping sensation again. The same thing was happening all over again.
Alex traveled through time without saying goodbye to the baby Husky. He felt an emptiness inside, perhaps because the Husky was still too young to travel with him. This time, he arrived at the grand dojo of the school principal. Normally, time travel didn't change one's location, but thanks to the Husky, it had become possible again. As Alex entered, he began to hear voices coming from inside. The closer he got, the clearer the voices became.
"You speak as if someone told you about me..." He recognized that voice; it was his own.
"Yes, Alex did. That person was you..." As Kai finished his sentence, a burst of light erupted in the room, and the man standing before Kai vanished. Alex stepped onto the dojo's terrace and joined Kai.
"Goodbye, Alex... and hello, Alex. I wonder which time you're from?" Kai's voice was mocking, but a growing rage stirred inside Alex. He wanted to scream, but he knew it was pointless. No matter how angry he was at Kai—whom he believed mocked him while hiding information about his father—he could even blame him for the loss of Husky.
"I passed the exam and saw what I needed to see. Except for one thing. You said I already knew it, didn't you? But there was something missing..." His voice was firm and determined.
Kai scratched his chin as he replied."You're talking about the entrance exam from five years ago. Yes, I remember. But all I knew was who had placed the information there."
He couldn't hold it in any longer; he shouted with all his might:"You're lying!"
Kai stayed calm."I have no reason to lie to you. But the one who deleted the file was the same as the one who placed it."
"Who are you talking about?" Alex's voice was filled with curiosity, but his anger still lingered.
Kai had now stood up. His mischievous look was gone; his face had turned serious."You, Alex. Don't you get it yet? You can't find anything about your father. What if the version of you who knew everything about your father changed their mind at the last minute and deleted the parts about him?"
Alex felt all his fury dissipate under the sudden waves of thought. Kai was right. Maybe he had arranged his entire life himself in advance. Maybe he was the key to all the answers. Or maybe someone behind all this had arranged everything to prevent him from learning the truth from the start. So would he make his choices inspired by future outcomes, or by his own free will? How could he ever know...
"How many times have you seen my future self, Kai?" he asked, his voice beginning to tremble. Kai turned his deep gaze toward the magnificent night view from the terrace; a gaze not just thoughtful, but filled with a sorrowful melancholy.
"Enough times, son. Enough times..." Kai's voice was filled with the anxieties and regrets of his past. In that moment, the uncertainty and confusion within Alex deepened further; he felt trapped in a loop. Perhaps the shadows of the past were the mysterious key that would shape the future.