The Planet That Exists Only Once
THE LAST PLANETARY CLOCK · August 5, 2026
The universe had rules.
Every planet had a location.
Every star had an age.
Every moment had a beginning and an end.
But there was one place that broke every rule.
A planet that existed only once.
A planet that could not be found in the past.
Could not be reached in the future.
A place outside time itself.
Its name was:
Elyria Prime.
Arin Solace stared at the strange planet through the window of the stolen Chrono Guardian ship.
The planet was unlike anything he had ever seen.
Half of it was covered with endless forests glowing with golden light.
The other half was a frozen wasteland covered in ancient ruins.
Two different worlds existed together.
Two different moments existed at the same time.
“How is this possible?” Arin whispered.
Mira Kael stood beside him.
“Because Elyria Prime was created before time became stable.”
Arin looked at her.
“Before time became stable?”
She nodded.
“Before the universe decided how reality should work.”
Kiro scanned the planet.
“Analysis complete.”
Arin looked at him.
“What did you find?”
The robot paused.
“This planet is impossible.”
Arin sighed.
“You say that a lot.”
“Because the universe continues creating impossible things.”
Mira almost smiled.
The ship landed near an ancient city.
The moment Arin stepped onto the planet, he felt something strange.
Not fear.
Recognition.
Like he had visited this place before.
But that was impossible.
“I know this place,” he said quietly.
Mira looked at him.
“No.”
Arin turned.
“What?”
“You don’t know this place.”
She looked at the ruins.
“You remember it.”
The difference confused him.
“What’s the difference?”
Mira answered:
“Knowing comes from experience.”
She looked at him.
“Remembering comes from somewhere deeper.”
The city was empty.
But not destroyed.
The buildings were perfectly preserved.
Ancient machines still moved silently.
Strange lights floated through the streets.
As Arin walked deeper into the city, he noticed something carved into every wall.
A symbol.
A clock with no hands.
The same symbol as the Chrono Engine.
“Who built this place?”
Mira looked around.
“The first time travelers.”
Arin stopped.
“Humans?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Something older.”
They reached the center of the city.
There stood a massive tower.
At the top was a circular doorway.
The door opened when Arin approached.
Kiro scanned it.
“DNA recognition detected.”
Arin looked confused.
“My DNA?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Before Kiro could answer, a voice came from inside.
Because you are the final creation.
Arin froze.
A figure appeared.
Not human.
Not machine.
A being made of light.
Its body constantly changed.
Sometimes appearing young.
Sometimes old.
Sometimes nothing more than energy.
Mira bowed slightly.
“Guardian.”
Arin looked at her.
“You know this thing?”
The being answered:
“She knows what I am.”
Its voice echoed.
“I am Orionis, the first keeper of time.”
Arin stared.
“The first keeper?”
“Yes.”
“Did you create the Chrono Engine?”
Orionis looked at him.
“No.”
A pause.
“You did.”
Arin stepped back.
“No.”
Orionis continued.
“In every timeline, humanity eventually reaches the same discovery.”
The being raised its hand.
“The ability to see time.”
Images appeared around them.
Thousands of versions of humanity.
Thousands of versions of Arin.
“In most timelines, humans use it for knowledge.”
The images changed.
“In some, they use it for power.”
The images changed again.
“And in a few…”
Arin saw himself.
Destroying timelines.
“…they try to repair everything.”
Mira looked at him.
“And that is where everything breaks.”
Arin looked at Orionis.
“Why me?”
The being became silent.
Then answered:
“Because you are the first human who could see time without being destroyed by it.”
Arin frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does.”
Orionis approached.
“Most minds cannot handle infinite possibilities.”
A pause.
“They break.”
Arin looked at Mira.
“But she can.”
Orionis looked at Mira.
“She is different.”
Mira became quiet.
Arin noticed.
“What are you hiding?”
Mira looked away.
Orionis answered for her.
“She is not from the future.”
Arin stared.
“What?”
Mira closed her eyes.
“Arin…”
The Guardian continued.
“She is from a timeline that never existed.”
Silence.
Arin looked at Mira.
“What does that mean?”
Mira finally spoke.
“It means I was created by the Chrono Engine.”
Arin stepped back.
“You’re not human?”
Her eyes filled with sadness.
“I was.”
A pause.
“Then time changed me.”
Suddenly, the planet shook.
The golden forests turned black.
The frozen side of the planet began melting.
Orionis looked toward the sky.
“It has arrived.”
Arin looked up.
A dark crack appeared across reality itself.
The same shadow from the ruined timeline.
The same voice.
TIME IS A DISEASE.
Mira’s face turned pale.
“The first mistake.”
Orionis looked serious.
“The thing that exists outside creation.”
Arin grabbed his weapon.
“What is it?”
The Guardian answered:
“The original timeline.”
Arin stared.
“What?”
“The first version of reality.”
The sky darkened.
“Before humans.”
“Before stars.”
“Before time.”
The shadow grew larger.
“It was erased.”
Orionis looked at Arin.
“But erased things do not always disappear.”
The shadow reached Elyria Prime.
The planet began breaking apart.
Orionis turned toward Arin.
“You must make a choice.”
“What choice?”
“Destroy the Chrono Engine forever.”
Arin froze.
“Or?”
“Use it one final time.”
Mira looked at him.
“Arin, don’t.”
Orionis continued:
“If you destroy it, time will become stable.”
“And if I use it?”
The Guardian looked toward the darkness.
“You may restore the original reality.”
Arin understood.
“And everyone?”
“Everyone will exist.”
Mira grabbed his hand.
“But you won’t.”
Arin looked at her.
“What?”
She looked at him with tears.
“In the original timeline…”
A pause.
“You were never born.”
The planet shook violently.
The choice was clear.
Save everyone.
Or save himself.
Arin looked at the collapsing universe.
Then at Mira.
And he realized the hardest battle was not against time.
It was against losing everything he loved.
To be continued…