The Currents of Time Continue to Flow

Chapter 3

Karl finished chopping wood and wiped the sweat off of his forehead. The sun was blocked by the trees but the heat was inescapable. A towel was presented to him by an 8 year old child who looked concerned.

"Tech, I'm fine. Did you weed the garden?" Karl accepted the towel and placed it on Techno's head. Techno took off the towel and saw the grin on the human's face. He smiled back slightly and grunted in affirmation.

"That's good, harvest should be around the corner." Karl was used to the grunts and humming the child preferred over actual words. He held out his hand for Techno and the kid easily placed his hand in the time travelers.

Karl led them back to the small wooden cabin they made in a dark corner of the forest. Basic needs had become an issue when they started living in the forest. Karl had to learn how to make clothing quickly and the sheep with judgemental stares were no help.

They had made their opinion of Karl clear when they ran from him even when he offered wheat as a peace offering. They had even bit him when he wasn't paying attention, they clearly preferred Techno over him and made the point to ignore Karl at every turn.

Techno took to almost everything like a fish to water. He helped maintain the house and even explored the forest when Karl wasn't looking. Karl kept himself from forgetting his home by telling Techno stories every night speaking fondly of people he knew and the places he had seen.

Karl watched the currents closely observing the patterns and calculating when he could return home. The main issue now was what would happen with Techno. He couldn't take him with him to the future and Karl didn't want to abandon the kid he saw as his family.

He could start to jump more often but it would be taxing and dangerous. Techno could almost sense his worry and squeezed his hand.

"Up." The demand made Karl smile. The kid hadn't let him carry him since they meet unless he was hurt or upset. Letting go of Techno's hand Karl easily picked the child up and continued to the house and moved through the doorway into the small house with practiced precision. Techno easily tucked his head into Karl's neck and sighed happily.

An upside of the whole thing is Karl got much stronger. He had to build the house all on his own with Techno watching. So now he could probably beat Sapnap in an arm-wrestling match. He smiled sadly at the memory and tried to place Techno on the rudimentary couch however the child held on to Karl like a leech.

"Tech, I can't make dinner with you hanging on me. You have to let go." Techno stared silently back at him still holding on. If Karl could see the small pout on the child's face and gave in quickly.

Karl pretended to contemplate it and heaved a sigh with a smile. He set the child back on his hip and walked into the small kitchen. Reaching for a pot he started the dinner of beef stew.

Techno rested his head on Karl's shoulder and let out a small sigh of happiness closing his eyes. Karl had saved him when he needed someone the most and stayed by his side, unlike others.

He knew that Karl had come from a far-off place. The stories and tales of people and events were both mystical and familiar. Names and descriptions of faces floated around in his head during the night and manifested into dreams and nightmares.

Dreams of him and Karl happily playing with Karls promised, nightmares of Karl being hunted down, dreams of training with a blonde man with large wings, nightmares of axes and swords covered in blood. Happy smiles on a child's face that melted quickly into swirls of confusion and screams that sounded painfully familiar.

Techno's hand clutched onto Karl's blouse for dear life fearing the man would disappear at any moment. He opened his eyes and focused on the brown curls that had grown long enough to be tied back.