Hourglass

In a faraway corner of space, two beings were locked in a fierce battle. One was a man wielding a sword, and the other was an enormous dragon, so vast that the man seemed like an ant in comparison. However, upon closer inspection, it was clear the dragon was covered in deep cuts and wounds, with severed limbs and gashes marring its massive form.

The man, though barely injured in comparison, stood with only one arm remaining. Yet his condition was dire; his body was on the brink of collapse, and his life hung by a thread. Despite his dire state, he lifted his sword with his one good hand, raising it high above his head. In a single, precise motion, he swung downward. The blade sliced cleanly through the vacuum of space with a swishing sound, cutting through the dragon from the top of its head down to its tail in an instant.

As the dragon's massive form split apart, the man surveyed the battlefield around him. Planets that once teemed with life were reduced to rubble, stars had exploded, and fragments of celestial debris floated in the void. He sighed heavily, his gaze settling on the lifeless forms of his friends and comrades who had perished in the battle.

Weary and battered, the man staggered toward a floating chunk of rock and sat down. "I can't go on," he muttered weakly. "I will die soon." His voice carried a note of resignation. "The only thing I can do now is use that artifact and rewind time... to save the lives that were lost and prepare for what's to come."

Resting his sword beside him, he reached out into the empty space with his remaining hand. His arm seemed to disappear partially into the void, as though piercing an unseen barrier. When he pulled back, he held something in his grasp—a shimmering hourglass etched with ancient, glowing runes. The artifact pulsed faintly, radiating a power that felt beyond comprehension.

With trembling hands, he flipped the hourglass over. As the sands began to flow, his body gave out, and he passed away.

Far away, on a blue planet in the Milky Way—Earth, a world as ancient as the universe itself—an event began to unfold. To its inhabitants, Earth was an ordinary place, unaware of the ancient histories written into its very existence. None of its people knew the truth, save for two beings.

Something was awakening. Its presence sent ripples through the very fabric of existence, heralding an uncertain future.

From the surface of the Earth to its core, the planet's layers stretched in immense depth—solid rock, molten magma, and the layers of metals that made up the Earth's interior. At the very center, nestled in the deepest, most hidden part of the planet, there was a golden ball. Its design was complex yet beautiful, shining with a soft glow. Ancient runes, etched in a language long forgotten, were inscribed on its surface. This mysterious object pulsed faintly, as if it were alive, echoing an energy that had been dormant for millennia.

Deep within the Earth, this awareness stirred from its long slumber, disturbed by an unusual disturbance—something had awoken it. As this ancient force roused, another event unfolded on the surface of the Earth. A young man, his hair as dark as the vast emptiness of space, woke from his sleep. A flash of red light flickered across his eyes, an intense, unnatural glow.

The young man's hand shot up to his head, his fingers gripping at his temples as though trying to stop the pain that surged through his mind. His breathing was shallow, but after a few moments, the pain faded, replaced by a clear, determined glint in his eyes.

He slowly rose from his bed, his body stiff from the unfamiliar sensations. He walked toward the window, staring out into the quiet, peaceful world outside. "So, the artifact really did work," he thought. "It sent me back after I killed the Void Dragon. But... I was too injured, and I returned to this time with all my memories intact."

A small sigh escaped his lips as he gazed outside, his expression turning thoughtful. "At least now I have the chance to fix some of the mistakes I made in my life. I'll make sure my little brother and sister don't end up like before. I won't let them die in the war."

His gaze softened as he looked out, almost nostalgic. "It feels good to see how peaceful things used to be," he muttered under his breath.

The young man, Ethan Cromwell, was what some would call a regresser. He had been given a second chance at life, thanks to an artifact called the Sands of Time. This hourglass-shaped relic was an ancient and powerful object that could manipulate the flow of time. It had allowed Ethan to return to the past after his death in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), where he had slain the fearsome Void Dragon. But, exhausted and on the brink of death, he was sent back to Earth, and now, with all his memories intact, he could try to change the course of his life.

Ethan's hand reached out to the desk nearby, his fingers brushing against his phone. He picked it up, unlocking the screen to see the date. "March 10, 2020..." he whispered. "Three years before Ascension Online is released... fifteen years before the war. I've got to start planning for that VR game, for what's coming."

He looked out the window again, his mind already turning with thoughts of the future, strategies forming as he considered all the possibilities. 

Ethan stood there, thinking about the next three years. There was no time to waste. The first thing he had to do was remove all those people who had betrayed him and, worse, had been responsible for the deaths of his parents—greedy individuals who had manipulated situations for their own gain. He would take back what was rightfully his, all the shares his parents left behind. 

He couldn't let them get away with it. His parents' legacy would not be tarnished by their treachery.

Next, he needed to learn martial arts. The VR game was like real life, but with magical elements. Anything he knew from real life—whether skills or knowledge—could be used in the game.

He walked away from the window and went to the bathroom for a nice shower.

"I can't wait to see my brother and sister after so long," he thought. "I also have to get things ready for them and for my childhood friends."