The team gathers behind Acronix, surveying the stream that gurgles before him.

Cole eyes it dubiously.  "It looks like any old river to me."

"Are you sure that this is it?"  Lloyd asks.

"Well-"  Acronix begins.

"It doesn't look very special."  Kai mutters, then looks guiltily at Nya.  "Not that there's anything wrong with your Element, Sis."

"You're the only one implying that there is."  She answers, narrowing her eyes at him.

"If you'd just-"  Acronix tries again, only to be interrupted once more, this time by Nya's furious hiss.

"So the Master of Fire's still scared of a little water, huh?"

"You would be, too, if you had you as a sister!!!"

"Kaaai..!"

"Oh, shoot!"

Any further remark is cut short by a very large wall slamming down in between the two siblings.  They both turn their heads to glare at you accusingly.

You raise your palms up defensively.  "Not me..!"

Nya pivots around slowly, scanning the team.  "Then who..?"  Her eyes land on Rhea, who's doing her best to blend in with the trees, but her glowing teal eyes give her away.  "You."

Rhea gulps.  "M-me?"

"You're casting an illusion right now, aren't you?"

Rhea snorts.  "Pfft-!  No..!"

Nya punches Kai through the barrier, and he yelps.  Nya nods.  "Yep.  Fake."

The wall dissolves, and Rhea's eyes gradually fade back to normal.  "You never know, it could've been real.  Are you telling me that you would punch a real wall?"  She grumbles grumpily.

"I would and I do.  It raises my pain threshold."

"That is at once very cool and very concerning."

"I also do it with bricks."

"..Now that's just sad."

"You'll be sad, too, once I break your face."

"AVAAAAAA!!!"

"Please don't, you're only encouraging her."  Ava sighs.

"HA!!!"  Rhea yells.

"I was talking to Nya."

"Oh..."

"May I speak now?"  Acronix asks timidly.

"Sure."

"There's only one way to find out if the stories are true.  We've got to test it out."

"And how do you propose we do that?"  Zane queries.  For some reason, Morro gives a tiny gasp upon hearing his words.

"I'm not sure.  It would be unwise for one of us to even touch it."

You roll your eyes and scan the forest, looking for a decent-sized young sapling.  When you find one, you uproot it and bring it over to Acronix.  "Try this, it should work as proof.  Then we'll know if this is the real Time Stream or not."

"If it even actually exists."  Jay mutters.

Acronix gives you a grateful look and takes the sapling.  "Thank you."

Ava glares at you suspiciously, and you quickly hurry back to Morro and take hold of his arm.

Ava harrumphs and goes back to watching Acronix.

"Well, would you look at that.  You were right, Windy.  She does like him."

Morro snickers.  "I'm looking forward to the show."

Acronix tosses the young tree into the water, and you all lean towards it, watching eagerly.

The water around the sapling begins to foam dangerously, churning as if there are dozens of little piranhas attacking it just beneath the surface.  The tree's leaves quickly fold back into buds, then disappear.  The branches, and then the entire tree, shrink until there's nothing left but a seed, then even that vanishes.

Jay jumps back with a hoarse scream.  "HOLY SPINJITZU, THAT'S TERRIFYING!!!"

The others nods agreement, shocked into silence after observing the voracity of the water first-hand.

"This could be very useful to us somehow."  Lloyd states thoughtfully.

"Indeed it could be, young ninja.  To me."  Krux answers, sauntering up to him, backed by dozens of Warriors.

A.N: This far in, and I'm still not sure how long this book wants to be.  I think it'll be wrapped up soon, but knowing my luck, it'll be another dozen chapters!  😅

It does seem to be writing itself at this point...

Very sus...

I'll be keeping an eye on my notebook and see if it makes any sudden moves late at night.  😜

Thank you all for your support!  😸💗

623 words.