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Guardian of Time

By: Cimmaron Spirit

Chapter One: A Sacred Duty

"What then is time? If no one asks me, I know: if I wish to explain it to one that asketh, I know not."

-St. Augustine

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NOTE: This story is entirely fictional. This is not meant to represent my real life, and any resemblance between real persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Though, I haven't heard of real furry time travelers yet, so I guess there might not be much in the way of coincidences in that regard.

December 31st, 2006

It was a night that Tyler would rather forget. Despite the festiveness, and the promise of a better year to come, the fourteen year old youth would rather be anywhere but where he was now. It was but a few minutes till midnight, and here he was, crashing through the wintery underbrush of the forest that surrounded the cabin of his misery and torment: that of his uncle. The alcoholic and womanizing brother of his father, the only family member that would take him after his parents died, had finally gone too far.

For seven years he had lived here, and for seven years he had regretted his agreement to live with his "cool" uncle. He lived in the Northern Manitoba wilderness of lakes and forests that stretched for miles and miles. He hunted, made his own food, and lived the rugged, individualistic life that was "cool" to the then seven year old, still in shock after hearing that his mother and father had died when their car and two pickup trucks and a semi meet on the frozen highway in the middle of a blizzard.

However, his uncle only agreed to take him, he later found out, for the money that came with looking after him. Enough to keep him stocked up on booze for years. But when he drank, he became abusive, beating Tyler over any slight grievance. When he was sober, he would apologize and try to be nice, but it never made the young boy better. And what was often worse was that he would leave for days on end to go to the nearest town, and find some female companion to spend the time with. Which left Tyler alone in the cabin for long times, with little to nothing to do but be lonely.

But tonight, here he was, running away from that. His uncle had started drinking again. And when his uncle, in his drunken stupor, stumbled over a chair and crashed to the floor, Tyler was the one who faced the wrath.

The boy felt at his cheek, still stinging from the slap upside the head. And that was it. He wouldn't take it anymore. So when his uncle finally passed out, he grabbed his jacket and ran. He didn't care where he was going, but anywhere than there.

Tyler tripped over a root, and shouted as he fell into the deep snow. He laid still for a long time, before he finally raised his head, tears streaming down his face. He was now deep in the forest that stretched to the horizon from the cabin, and he didn't know how far he went. He climbed to his feet and stumbled to the nearby tree, before collapsing at its base, sobbing.

"Why am I here?" he cried into the trunk of the tree. "Why did I leave?"

"Because it is your destiny, young man," a deep voice said behind him. Tyler spun around to gasp at the sight of the old, weathered man. A long grey beard and his white robes he wore rustled in the breeze of the frigid night, though he showed no effect to the temperature. In one hand he held a long, sharp scythe in one hand, and an hour glass in the other. His steel grey eyes looked upon Tyler, who was startled and terrified at the sight of the figure before him.

"Who...who... who are you?" he stammered at last, fearful that the answer is one that he would not want to hear.

"Don't worry, young Tyler," he said. "I am Chronos, the Keeper of Time. I mean you no harm. Now come with me, young man. Your destiny waits only for you to begin."

"But...what are you talking about?" Tyler called as the old man turned to lead. "And what destiny?"

The elderly figure stopped and looked back. "You need to come with me. I will explain what you are, and what you must do." He started down the path again, and Tyler, not knowing what else to do, followed after.

They walked through the trees and forest until soon they come across a small clearing, sheltered from the wind and biting cold. Chronos stopped at last, and waved Tyler over to the center of the field. "Now then, we can begin." He began to wave the scythe into the air, mumbling something that sounded like Ancient Greek...

"What?" the teenager asked, as he suddenly gasped as the forest around them started to bend and twist, contorting into angles that are impossible. The darkness soon gave way to light, and the cold disappeared, bringing warmth to the forest that was melting away, to be replaced by tall Doric columns, surmounted by a massive triangular roof that soon enclosed what was once the open field. The snow covered ground seemed to melt away suddenly, showing gleaming marble slabs and a mosaic on the floor that represented a large hour glass in the center. Surrounding it was other devices and methods of time keeping throughout history: a sundial, pendulum clock, and a pocket watch amongst them. From each of the four corners, water spouts emerged, and gushed forth clean water, which filled the miniature canals around the edge of the building, ringing the entire room with water.

As the temple magically was built up, torches were lit by some unseen force, all along the inside of the building, illuminating the dark corners of the temple. A massive altar about three feet tall and six feet wide, engraved with the visions of events throughout history, rose up from the floor. Chronos stepped toward the massive block in the center of the temple, his scythe tapping on the polished marble floors like a cane. He set down the hour glass beside the altar, and motioned Tyler to join him in the center.

"Welcome, young man, to the Temple of the Worlds," he said with pride.

"But... where are we?" He clearly wasn't in Manitoba anymore.

"This is actually not anywhere that you'd know. We are in the center of a massive wheel; the hub, so to speak. From here, I can see into the past, the present and the future of thousands of different worlds," Chronos explained.

"Thousands of worlds?" Tyler asked in confusion.

"Yes. Each one is different from the last, and based on an alternate outcome of an event in your world, the Alpha Timeline," Chronos continued, moving his finger over the top of the altar. As he did, hologram images appeared, showing Earth, like a blue and green marble. "For example, this world here," he said waving his hand to bring up a different Earth, this time feeling different even though it looked the same. "This world is ruled by Fascist Dictators who war over the remains of the world." Another wave of the hand, and another globe appeared. This time, it clearly was different: there was only one land mass in place of all the continents. "In this world, the continents never broke up, leaving the world as a massive Pangaea continent. Wars are more frequent, but hatred and bigotry is nearly eradicated due to the constant contact with other cultures." He brought up new worlds and explained them: "Nuclear war destroyed this world, while a disease has rendered this world uninhabitable. The Roman Empire still exists in this world, while the British Empire still reigns in this one."

"So, it's like a massive, and real version of Alternate History, isn't it?" Tyler asked, and Chronos nodded.

"And on each one of these worlds, there are people who would wish to alter time to suit their goals, especially on the Alpha Timeline, the world you came from." Chronos explained.

Tyler looked on in awe at the thousands of different worlds. "But what is this one?" he asked, moving one that caught his eye. He had no idea how, because it looked like all the others. But something drew him to it nevertheless.

"That, I must say, is a special one, for that is the second world that ever was created, the first Timeline Beta. From the emergence of life on this planet, a human/animal hybrid began to dominate much like human's do on Timeline Alpha. These are called the 'furries', but otherwise, their history is exactly the same as your world. In fact, other timelines, from Gamma to Omega, also diverge from this timeline, in which even more timelines can diverge from."

"So there's an infinite number of worlds, all based on a world of a higher level?" Tyler asked, and Chronos smiled.

"Very few truly understand how the timelines work on the first try. I'm impressed," he beamed, and Tyler grinned back.

"But, the problem with that there are millions, if not billions, of worlds, is that there is, no matter the way the world developed, evil and pain and suffering. And that evil, and even ordinary people, are always playing the game of 'What If?', and many would take the chance to do so. The Guardians of Time cannot allow that. Although there are other worlds, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for ordinary people to travel to the world that they wonder about, so their playing with the Space-Time Continuum will alter their world, and almost always in a way that they would not have expected." Chronos continued to explain. "And this is where you come in, young man."

"You...you want me to... be a Guardian of Time?" he asked in stunned disbelief. Chronos nodded.

"Why me? I don't have any special skills, or magic abilities. Heck, I can't even travel through time!" Tyler explained in exasperation.

"That is where this comes in," Chronos answered, waving his scythe again, and on the altar, a bright white appeared, and there now, hanging in nothingness, was a pocket watch. It had no color on it; it was more the shape of a pocket watch than anything else at the moment.

"This, Tyler, is a Chronodevice. Every Guardian of Time has one. With it, you can travel backwards and forwards through time, and to other worlds. It is unique in only that the person it was given too can use it, for it is only calibrated with the internal power of the holder. Because, believe it or not, despite the fact that it can take you through time, it needs power to do it, and that power comes from inside you."

The young boy stared in amazement at the pocket watch, just floating in midair. It seemed as if it was both invisible and visible at the same... with no color, but you couldn't exactly see through it. "So, this is mine?"

"Indeed," Chronos replied, waving his hand to offer it to Tyler. "Go ahead and take it, and then your training to be a Guardian can begin.

Tyler was still unsure. This seemed so much like a dream that his overactive imagination would only come up with. He looked around as if seeing if anything was out of place and pinched his hand. He felt the pain, so I guess it wasn't a dream. Tyler at last sighed, and stepped up to the altar. He reached the top, the pocket watch at eye level with him. He took a deep breath, and reached his hand closer to the device...

And then lightning crashed outside. The torches on the walls were blown out like if they were candles, leaving the entire room in darkness. Tyler and Chronos looked around trying to see what was going on. At last Tyler gasped at the sight of the black robed figure standing in front of him. He was tall, with silvery grey hair combed back on his head, and a small mustache and goatee on his face. His features looked as if it were chiseled from stone. The black robe waved in the breeze that seemed to have suddenly appeared in the past few moments. Under the robe, it looked as if he was wearing an old fashioned military uniform, but with no medals or any other identifiers of what he could be. Bronze buttons gleamed, despite the lack of light, and Tyler could see a silver chain running from inside the uniform into one of his pockets.

"Zeitherr," muttered Chronos, moving his scythe in a threatening manner.

"Why Father Time," the tall, mysterious figure replied with the faintest traces of a German accent. "It is so good to see you again."

"Well, the pleasure is all yours," Chronos venomously jabbed back. "Now leave this place, or face the consequences!"

"Is that anyway to treat a guest?" he replied, with a mocking pain. He wandered over to the altar, and looked at the pocket watch that hung in midair, still untouched by Tyler. "And I'm assuming you have a new Guardian to try to sic on me?"

"You're looking at him!" Tyler bravely exclaimed, making the dark figure glance over to the fourteen year old boy. His eyebrows twitched, but his grey eyes bored in on him, trying to pierce his body.

"So, Chronos, you are getting young children to try to fight me?" he replied, clicking his tongue. "Of all this time I thought you were a god, and you still can't fight me yourself. But of course, if you were a god, it would be a no contest, as I would for surely be defeated."

"Last chance, Zeitherr," Chronos warned. "Leave this place now, or you will never see the light of another day."

The evil figure grinned, and opened his cape and pulled out a golden staff, engraved with runic carvings and topped with a golden orb. Chronos' eyes grew wide at the sight.

"Surprised?" Zeitherr asked, pointing it at Chronos. "It is, indeed, the Staff of Vremja, with the power to blend worlds together."

"You wouldn't dare..." Chronos challenged.

"Oh, but I would..." Zeitherr taunted back. He picked up the staff, the golden orb glowing brighter and brighter. With a fierce wave of the metal rod, a streak of lightning surged forth, aimed at Chronos. The aged deity simply aimed the scythe at the oncoming light, the best shield he had. The bolt made contact, and pushed the god backwards across the marble floor, but the lightning bolt was deflected toward the altar.

With an enormous crash, the lightning bolt impacted the ornately engraved block of stone, but it didn't break. But as it hit, Tyler gasped, and fell to the floor, knocked unconscious.

"Tyler!" Chronos cried in dismay, but Zeitherr only grinned.

"So, how is the new Time Guardian to defeat me now?" he mocked. The Keeper of Time growled lowly and leaped at the offending figure, his white robes billowing as he unleashed a war cry. The blade of the scythe was stopped in its track by the golden staff. The evil figure then tossed Chronos back, who landed heavily on the altar, knocking the floating pocket watch off its balance, and falling to the floor. The device bounced and rolled as it happened, coming to rest a ways away from it former place. Zeitherr grinned, and leaped up, somersaulting over Chronos to land near the Chronodevice. He raised the Staff of Vremja, but before he could bring it down on the pocket watch, Chronos' blade sliced through the golden shaft, abolishing it of all its power.

"You fool!" Zeitherr cried, shaking the two parts of the staff in his hands. "You have destroyed the most powerful time altering device in all the worlds!"

"But a price to pay to insure you can't use it!" Chronos shot back, reading his scythe for the next attack. Zeitherr roared out a challenge, and charged at Chronos, using the two ends of the broken staff to try to defeat the aged deity. Every attack was parried by the scythe, and soon Chronos swung it at Zeitherr's midsection, forcing him to jump backwards. As the two continued to fight, each attack being expertly blocked or avoided, as the temple itself seemed to stretch and bend, images of events in the past being shown, but they were unseen to the two fighters. At last, Zeitherr was back at the pocket watch. Chronos ran at him, scythe raised to attack, but the evil figure grinned, and kicked the elderly god in the gut, making him double over in pain, the scythe clattering to the marble floor.

Zeitherr looked down at the old man. "You have failed. Although you have destroyed this chance for me to rules the worlds, you have now ensured that next time I will not be denied." He lifted his heavy jackboot, and before Chronos could stop him, brought it down on the Chronodevice, smashing it to pieces.

He laughed a harsh, Germanic laugh. "Now no one can stop me in my quest for power!" Zeitherr looked at the weakened and battered god, trying to climb back to his feet. "Not even you."

He laughed and wrapped the cloak around himself. A dark cloud of smoke billowed up from where he stood, and when it cleared away, the evil figure was gone. All that was left was the two halves of the now destroyed Staff of Vremja, and the remains of the Chronodevice. The images of the past now started to disappear, and the temple itself seemed to reform back to normal.

The Keeper of Time looked over to see Tyler lying on the ground, his body limp. He finally rose to his feet, and limped over to the young boy. He checked for a pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief when he found a steady heartbeat.

"Young Tyler..." Chronos softly said, looking into his youth full face. "You are still needed. You must return. You must..."

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Tyler softly opened his eyes, but all he could see was blackness. He looked around, trying to see if anything was nearby. But all he could see was the nothingness.

He tried to move, but his body felt like it was being held down. Despite the feeling of floating freely in the darkness, he was trapped. He opened his mouth to try to speak, but his jaw and mouth refused to work.

He began to panic, wondering if this is what death felt like. He had no idea, but it was not fun, and quite frightening...

Relax... a voice from somewhere called. Relax...

Who are you? His mind screamed, scared beyond all sense of comprehension.

I am your Guardian, the voice replied in his mind. You are not deceased, nor shall you die for a long time to come. You have so much left to accomplish.

OK, but what am I doing here? Tyler thought back.

Preparing for your return to the world. For when you go back, you will still be the same, but you will also be different.

What are you talking about? He thought again. What are you doing to me!

Relax... and I will return to you in time... the voice said, fading with each word. Relax... Relax...

Tyler started to panic again, but a sense of calmness started to wash over his body, the panic being swept away, and replaced by calm. His eyes started to close again, his mind being lost in the tranquility of the darkness. He felt something start to climb up on his arms, almost like warm water, but not. The warm water seemed to cover even more of his body, soon covering every inch of his frame. As it did, he felt a new sense of power rise up: speed, endurance, strength. His vision seemed to grow sharper, as did his sense of smell, and his hearing seem to be improved many times over.

Something seemed to be changing in him, but Tyler wasn't sure what. But whatever it was... it felt good. And, it seemed as is if it was for the better...

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Chronos continued to hover over the young boy, still out cold. For a few minutes he started to breath heavily, almost as if he was panicking, but soon a normal, relaxed rhythm took back over. But something seemed to be changing, but Chronos still did not know what it was.

The elderly deity climbed back up and walked to the altar. He could see where the scorch marks from the lightning bolt had landed on the altar, and it was then that he realized what had happened.

The Alpha Timeline, where Tyler was from, had been forcibly merged with the "furry" Beta Timeline! The two globes that represented the two timelines, virtually identical to the other, where starting to phase out, and blend together to form one with the worlds they paralleled. He realized that must have been what was happening. By forcing the two timelines together, it meant that now the two formerly separate worlds and all the histories that branched from both of them, were now merging to become one massive timeline: making furries exist in the Alpha Timeline since the beginning... as well as in all the other timelines that branched from the Alpha timeline, which was every other timeline in existence. History was being rewritten as he gazed on, and he couldn't do a thing to stop it.

This also included the changing of a large percentage of the human race on these worlds into furries, and a large fraction of furries into humans. It was if two boulders collided, and merged, and gave no prior indication that they were separate. Chronos knew of the power of the Staff of Vremja, but he was now seeing its power in action. Thank the gods it was now destroyed, and never to be used again...

Tyler started to moan softly, and Chronos looked up, and made his way over to the young boy, He was still knocked out, but his body was starting to react to...something. But what happened next was a complete surprise, but not exactly a shock now, to the Keeper of Time.

Tyler's body started to grow longer, bones cracking and strengthening, and new muscle built upon the old. The t-shirt and jeans he had worn stretched and began to rip. His hands began to shift, one finger blending in with the rest, and his nails grew darker, almost like part hooves. Then a red-brown hair started to grow up and out, soon covering his arms. The new pelt started crawling along his body, covering it all in the long brown coat of fur.

His body was now too much for the straining clothes, which ripped and shredded, allowing the taller, stronger being that was growing to be unhindered by the fabrics that formerly covered him. His growth and transformation only accelerated with this change, the short hairs now reaching to cover his torso and moving down his legs. His neck grew longer as the fur expanded its reach. With the chestnut colored coat reaching his face, his nose and mouth began to stretch out into a long muzzle, with his nostrils being pushed to either side and growing larger. Tyler's ears melted into the side of his head, and were replaced by two triangular, pivoting parts, this time positioned on the top of his head. The black hair on the top of his head grew longer, and seemed to race downward along his longer neck, giving him a long, flowing mane.

As the hair reached his crotch, the changes continued, and the young boy's human like penis grew much, much bigger, and adopted a more equine shape and speckled coloring, with a flat head and medial ring roughly half way along the thick, almost impossibly large shaft. The base of the new cock was encased in a furred sheath, which allowed the massive member to slip inside for protection. The ball sac, now also covered in the brown fur, had ballooned to nearly the size of well-developed melon, and a larger one at that.

The brown pelt at last reached his feet, still encased by the running shoes he wore. But they simply burst, to be replaced by two massive hooves, insuring he would never need to wear another pair of shoes again. The last change to the former human was that of a tail, which broke out from his back, eliciting a grunt and snort from the still "sleeping" boy... if you could still call him that. The long, flowing tail, the same black color as his mane, nearly reached to his fetlocks, and swished gently.

The changes were quick, and slightly shocking. Within moments, a human boy had been turned into an anthropomorphic equine. Chronos had seen his share of both humans and anthro's in his immortal life, in one world or another. But this, the changing of a human to equine, was, if anything, incredible.

The new stallion started to shift from his spot, and he opened eyes to look at Chronos, the smaller human eyes now replaced by larger, soft brown eyes.

"Wha...what happened?" he asked tiredly, looking at the Keeper of Time.

"Zeitherr tried to make sure he would have no opponent to take over the worlds. I tried to stop him, but it was too much," Chronos said calmly.

Tyler looked up, to see the two halves of the staff of time, as well as the shattered remains of the Chronodevice. He collapsed back to the ground.

"So, I guess I'm not a Time Guardian now, huh?" he asked, disappointment in his voice. "I was starting to like the idea too."

"Now who said that?" Chronos asked, making Tyler turn to look at him. Chronos grinned, and from his white robes he pulled out another Chronodevice, exactly the same, with no colors, just a shape.

"But... how...?" stammered the confused boy.

"The one he destroyed was a fake. I knew he would try to destroy it, and remove the only obstacle to his plans, which you are," Chronos said. "That is your destiny."

Tyler looked at the pocket watch, and clasped it in his hands. As soon as he touched it, a bright white light emerged, forcing the two to shield their eyes. But soon the light vanished, and Tyler was now holding a golden pocket watch, with a design that he couldn't comprehend, with a lightning bolt, waves, fire, a sun, and a mountain being some of the most notable images now a adorning the back.

"You, young man, have a very special gift there," Chronos whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"Only one other Chronodevice, in all my time as the Keeper of Time, has had that image engraved on it. It means that you now have, besides the ability to control time, a gift from each of the Ancient Greek gods: their power. When you need to, you can call on one of their powers; like water, fire, earth, and light. All the other Time Guardians where given the ability to only use one of those powers, but you now can use anyone of them.

"And the last Guardian to have it was brave, courageous, intelligent, friendly, and creative, all talents and qualities that you possess. You should be honored, Tyler, and make sure to use it to the best of your abilities."

Tyler grinned, and looked back at the pocket watch. But as he did, he noticed the fur covered hand that held the device. He gasped, and looked at his hands, realizing they were now covered in short brown fur. He tried to stand up, but his hooves were caught in the ruined clothing of his. He tripped and fell heavily on the marble floor, and dragged himself toward the pool of water that surrounded the temple. He looked down, and saw the horse muzzle that now graced his face.

He turned around and kicked off the remains of the denim jeans he wore. He took a deep breath and stood up, shakily, on his new hooves. He took a few steps, the hooves clicking nosily on the marble floor.

"What happened?"

Chronos sighed, and moved to the recently transformed, and nude, stallion. "Zeitherr used the Staff of Time on me, and it was deflected to the altar. As it hit, it unsuspectingly merged the timelines of your world and the furry world. This now means that the Alpha Timeline has been changed, so human's and anthro's live side by side."

"Can't you change it back?" Tyler asked.

"No. For one thing, only the Staff of Vremja comes close to the power needed to try, but even then, the results are unpredictable. If it failed, it could destroy the Alpha Timeline, and with it, every world in existence. And, anyway, the Staff of Vremja has been destroyed," he said, pointing to the two golden halves lying on the floor, "to make sure Zeitherr couldn't use its power to try to take over the worlds, his one goal."

Tyler sighed. "So I guess I'm stuck like this now, huh?" but then he remembered the voice in that darkness: ...you will still be the same, but you will also be different.

Chronos turned back to the altar, and made his way to the hologram images to look at them. "I'm sorry this has happened to you, and I would help you turn back if you want. I do have that power, but I cannot guarantee success."

"No, that is alright," Tyler replied. He turned around to the Keeper of time with a grin on his face. "I think I might get used to this."

Chronos smiled. "As long as you are happy with your new body. After all, it's yours until you no longer need it, which will be several thousand years from now. As a Time Guardian, your life will have been extended far longer than anything a human can even hope to achieve, and the younger you start, the longer it will be. Since your starting at the age of fourteen Timeline Alpha year's, this could easily mean ten, maybe even fifteen, thousand years of life to go.

Tyler gasped in astonishment. "So, I guess I'm next to immortal, huh?"

"Pretty much," Chronos smiled. "Now, I believe I should take you to meet your fellow Time Guardians. Zeitherr will not be able to try to take over the world for a long time now, which will give us a chance to train you in everything you need to know." He stepped away from the altar, grabbing his scythe and hourglass as he did so.

"But one thing, Chronos," the young man asked, walking over to the altar. "If you say that this is a new life, should I get a new name or something too?"

The old man stood for a moment in thought. "I see why not... after all, Tyler is a very common, and therefore, boring name."

The horse-boy chuckled at that. "Well, what should I be called?"

Chronos looked up to the boy. "I do have a name, if you wish to hear." The new furry nodded.

"It is a Spanish word that I believe will suit you well in your new form. Cimmaron, meaning a domestic animal that has returned to a wild state. And I believe it fits you very well."

The boy thought for a few moments, looking at the deity and at his new body. The memories of his abusive uncle still rang through his mind. But the name did have that quality of a new beginning, a unique, one of a kind name, who's meaning fit in well with his new life.

"I like it. Cimmaron it is."

"Excellent, young man," Chronos said. "Now, Cimmaron, let's go." He waved his scythe, and soon the temple started to vanish again. The columns, the marble floor, the altar, the water filled canals, all started to vanish again, and the setting reappeared, only this time as a futuristic setting: grey walls with lights and wires and cables snaking along, harsh lights, and a sold metal floor that gleamed and reflected as well as the marble floors of the temple.

"Come with me, Cimmaron," Chronos said, leading the young stallion down the empty and vacant hallways, a maze that the now suddenly tired anthro wouldn't be able to remember. At last they arrived at a door, which swooshed open silently. Chronos lead the equine inside.

"This here is your new room," he said, pointing to a bed. "This is yours, and the other belongs to your roommate, currently out on a mission. I'm sure you too will get together well."

"Clothes?" Cimmaron asked.

"You have some new clothes, more suited to your new body, in that dresser," he replied, pointing to one near the bed that he said was the young furry.

The young boy walked over to the bed and promptly fell on it. Chronos chuckled. "Tomorrow, your training begins, so get your rest." The stallion murmured something, but soft snores soon drowned them out. The Keeper of Time nodded, and left the room, the light shutting off and leaving the room in darkness. But in his unconscious mind, the horse heard the voice again; soft, calming, and yet strong and powerful:

Trust your instincts, trust your friends, and do what you think is right and just, and you will do well. Good luck, Cimmaron.