Chapter 67 – The Collector's Master
The sky above Crosshaven became completely silent.
Even the wind stopped.
The people in the streets looked up, confused.
No one understood what was happening.
But everyone felt it.
Something far more dangerous than the Curator had arrived.
---
The Curator slowly lowered his head.
His hands tightened around the golden key.
"No..."
he whispered.
"Not now."
---
The cold voice spoke again.
"Curator."
"You were given one task."
"Preserve the timelines."
A pause.
"You have become attached."
---
Kai frowned.
"Attached?"
The Curator didn't answer.
He kept staring at the darkness.
Like a student waiting to be judged by a strict teacher.
---
The darkness slowly opened.
It wasn't a portal.
It wasn't a doorway.
It looked more like someone had erased part of the sky.
From that empty space, a tall figure stepped forward.
Unlike the Curator, this being wore no elegant clothes.
Only a long gray coat.
No crown.
No weapon.
No glowing aura.
Its face was hidden beneath a simple hood.
Yet the moment it appeared...
Every instinct screamed one warning.
**Do not underestimate it.**
---
The Eye tried to observe the stranger.
Nothing.
The First Thought searched every possible record.
Nothing.
The Warden reached for its chain.
Then stopped.
For the first time in its life...
It didn't know whether chains could hold this person.
---
The hooded figure looked at the Curator.
"You hesitated."
The Curator remained silent.
"You questioned your purpose."
Still...
Silence.
---
Finally, the Curator spoke.
"They deserve to live."
The hooded figure tilted its head.
"That is not your decision."
---
Noah stepped beside Kai.
"Who is that?"
Kai answered quietly.
"I don't know."
"And that's what worries me."
---
The hooded stranger looked toward Crosshaven.
Its gaze stopped on Evetyl.
Then on the white flower in her hand.
Finally...
On Kai.
For the first time...
It smiled.
"You."
Kai blinked.
"Me?"
"You've changed."
Kai frowned.
"Have we met?"
The stranger answered calmly.
"Not yet."
---
Everyone exchanged confused looks.
The sentence made no sense.
Kai scratched his head.
"That's... not how meetings work."
The stranger gave a faint smile.
"Not from your point of view."
---
The First Thought immediately reacted.
"Temporal inconsistency detected."
The Eye floated closer.
"You know him from the future."
The stranger nodded once.
"Correct."
---
Kai stared.
"So..."
"You've already met me?"
"Yes."
"And I haven't met you?"
"Also yes."
Cr-Hook sighed.
"My head hurts."
Even the First Anomaly looked confused.
---
The hooded figure turned back toward the Curator.
"Return."
The Curator looked at Noah.
Then at the frozen world inside the white door.
Then back at the stranger.
For a long moment...
He said nothing.
---
Finally...
He closed the leather book.
"No."
The word echoed across the sky.
The hooded figure became still.
"You refuse?"
The Curator nodded.
"I've preserved worlds for longer than I can remember."
"I believed I was saving them."
He looked toward Noah.
"But I never asked whether they wanted to be saved."
---
Noah slowly smiled.
The Curator continued.
"I thought perfection was kindness."
A pause.
"I was wrong."
---
The hooded stranger sighed.
"Then your purpose has ended."
The moment those words were spoken...
The golden key in the Curator's hand cracked.
A thin line spread across its surface.
The Curator looked down in shock.
"My key..."
The crack grew wider.
Then another appeared.
Then another.
---
Kai stepped forward.
"Wait!"
The stranger looked at him.
"He made a choice."
Kai said firmly.
"Isn't that worth something?"
The hooded figure was silent.
Kai continued.
"You keep talking about purpose."
"But people aren't tools."
"They're allowed to change."
---
For several seconds...
Nobody moved.
The stranger looked at Kai carefully.
Almost as if studying him.
Then...
It laughed.
A quiet laugh.
The first emotion anyone had seen from it.
"That's exactly what you said."
Kai blinked.
"What?"
"In the future."
"You said those exact words."
---
Kai looked completely lost.
"I seriously need a timeline."
The First Anomaly burst out laughing.
"So do I."
Even the Curator smiled.
---
The hooded figure looked at Kai one last time.
Then it raised one hand.
Everyone prepared for an attack.
None came.
Instead...
The cracks on the Curator's golden key slowly disappeared.
The leather book closed peacefully.
The white door behind him became smaller.
Until it fit inside the book itself.
---
The stranger lowered its hand.
"The collection is suspended."
The Curator looked stunned.
"You're... letting me go?"
"For now."
---
The hooded figure turned away.
Just before disappearing into the darkness, it stopped.
Without looking back, it spoke.
"Kai."
"Keep walking."
"Eventually..."
"We'll meet for the first time."
Then the darkness closed.
The missing stars returned.
The sky became whole again.
Crosshaven breathed once more.
Kai stood quietly.
Looking at the place where the stranger had vanished.
Evetyl walked beside him.
"What are you thinking?"
Kai smiled faintly.
"I'm wondering..."
He looked at the endless sky.
"...what kind of future makes someone remember me before we've even met."
Far away...
In a place beyond time...
The hooded stranger removed its hood.
A young woman smiled sadly as she looked toward the timeline below.
"I'll see you soon, Kai."
"Just..."
"Many years ago."