Heading through the side entrance of the university she made her way to the bicycles she knew were kept near the kitchen. Running down a hallway, there on the side, was a box of new work clothes that had been delivered for those who kept the gardens. Grabbing a pair of trousers, she quickly pulled them on. Too wide on the hips they slid down, the sash from her robes was quickly fashioned onto a makeshift belt. Heading into the kitchen now, she pulled the stole from her shoulders and shrugged off the rest of her robes, then wrapped the long fabric of the stole around her torso, covering herself from her chest to her naval, tying a knot at her waist. Now feeling significantly more mobile out of the heavy robes, she grabbed a bike and cycled away towards the town.

Luckily she knew the way, she could get there with her eyes closed. Well, she could definitely get back with her eyes closed. She'd done it a couple of times, whilst far too drunk to be on a bicycle, but yet also far too drunk to care. She couldn't remember the first time she'd snuck out of the university, but once she knew the way it had been a regular thing. Sia had never approved, but she couldn't remain there, it was suffocating. The constant rules and disapproval, never being allowed to ask questions. Well, at least the positive is that she was definitely never going back.

The road to the town was lined with trees, beyond beautiful fields stretched the horizon. The sun shining in the sky, warm on her skin. The day truly was a glorious one, only ruined by the smell of smoke drifting down from the university. Chrona pedalled faster. The realm of Chriyo was a fairly small one, made up of a few small towns surrounding the university. The people who resided here were all humanoid, unlike other realms. Well, even more than all being humanoid, they were all human-like, although the gods of the realm would argue that the humans were like them of course. In other places there were people with wings for arms, people whose bodies were half snake, half dog, half bird. There were giants and dwarves and all other people that Chrona had never seen before. But soon she would, and she could not wait.

The town nearest to the university was conveniently the one that homed the inter-realm trains. Due to the town's size the station was small. Only one trans-dimensional portal was set up. The only way to get to Chriyo was to travel to the terminal in Olympus and change. There were only two trains a day, used very occasionally by Olympian citizens wanting a relaxed getaway to a simpler place. 

She had been born in Chriyo, she had never left here. She had hated Chriyo, she had hated the university. Her mother was here, she briefly considered if she should go home, but no, that wasn't an option. She would not risk bringing danger to her family. Plus that was probably the first place they'd look for her. No, she was going to go to Olympus. She was going to experience things she'd never felt before, it was everything she'd ever wanted. Just not exactly how she'd wanted it. She wondered what her mother would think when she heard what happened. She had never wanted her to go learn time magic, she had never wanted her to go to the university. She had always worried. They had argued so much about it, Chrona could never understand why she was so against it. Maybe she'd known it would end up like this, not that she could. Chrona hadn't inherited this power from her mother after all.

But there was no point pondering what ifs, what was done was done. Even if she could turn back time and change today, and the theory behind this was patchy at best, the failed student knew she wouldn't. Ever since the dreams had started, Chrona had felt turmoil swirling inside constantly. However now, as the bicycle carried her into the town, a strange sense of peace had built inside her. One word carried on repeat in her head. "Okay". It had been a response to her pleas, that's all it was...and yet, it also felt like it was also telling her it was going to be 'okay'. 

The town of Horsis was the largest in the whole of Chriyo, and yet was still small. Calling it a town was generous. It consisted of two pubs, a market, a tailor and a train station with just one platform. There was no entertainment other than drinking, most of the land used for farming. The place had remained stationary in time, never moving forward. Even now the people hated the station, maintaining that they had no use for such a connection to the other realms. The old ways were best, dimensional portals made static in structures could surely never be safe, everyone knew, at least in Chriyo, that the only safe way to travel between realms was a Door opened by at least five spatial mages, they didn't trust tech mages at all. 

More than simply the integrity of the realm, there was the other issue of the station as far as the citizens were concerned. By making travel so easy it allowed unwanted things to slip in too easily. Things like magazines, sugary food, theatre and technology. All in all, it was a very boring place to grow up. 

Chrona was very excited about the prospect of learning all about these things. The teachers had always said that time mages should always live a simple life, that they should avoid all temptations and connect with the beginning. This was another thing that never made sense to Chrona, how could she connect with the essence of time if she only ever tried to connect with the beginning, shouldn't those wanting to master time also make sure to connect with the past and the...even she knew better than to finish that thought. The only question that she had kept to herself, no matter how much it bothered her.

Finally reaching the station, the biggest issue with the drop out's escape plan would now be tested. Whether Chrona could truly escape was now a matter of luck, for although there was a station, it did not follow a timetable. Due to the realm's anti technology mindset, no one here was actually trained in maintaining the train or the portal. Instead the work was carried out by Olympus Terminal employees. The train that arrived in Chriyo was simply for the workers to carry out their daily maintenance, passengers wanting to travel between the two realms were subject to the daily schedules of the engineers. 

In theory there were two trains out of Horsis station a day, although often only one would actually come. How long the train would remain was also uncertain, highly dependent on which engineers actually came. Masters of the craft may only remain for fifteen minutes, but also due to how quiet it was, apprentices were regularly used to get more practice somewhere quiet. It was likely that no train would arrive for hours, it was possible that no train would arrive until the next day. No one appeared to be following her yet, but Chrona was under no illusion that that meant they would just let her go. She tried to push back the thoughts on what that meant, it meant considering the explosion. 

The station had no walls. There was one set of stone steps that led up to the long platform. It ran the length of the small town, one end sloping down into grass. The other end, a large arch, was built over the track. Runes carved deeply into the stone. Along the edge of the platform, a small fence ran along the edge, opposite to that, another fence blocked access to the tracks. As she approached this meant Chrona could see one thing very clearly, and that there was a train currently stationary on the platform. Just the one carriage, but that was all she needed. She began to wonder if maybe she should start considering herself a goddess of luck instead of time. Well in her mind it was certainly owed to her, today had been nothing but blessed by misfortune. Ditching the bike, Chrona quickly dashed up the stairs. By the arch she could see a man doing... something. From where she was, she couldn't tell what, honestly even if she could have seen she probably still wouldn't have known. Quickly, whilst he was distracted she opened the door to the carriage as quietly as possible and let herself in.

Looking around, she tried to find somewhere to hide. As now she was here, she realised that she had no means to pay for a ticket. In her rush she had no time to grab any of her possessions, no clothes, no books and definitely no money. Not that she had much money, students of the university weren't allowed to work and were given a very small allowance. She probably hadn't even had enough money for a ticket to Olympus. The train carriage consisted of two sets of doors out onto the platform and fourteen booths. The carriage was built for luxury, not quantity of passengers. With no other ideas, Chrona slid under one of the tables. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and hoped for the best.

She tried not to think of what would happen if the engineer found her, what she would do if he kicked her off. But more, she tried not to think of the smell of smoke that had come from behind her as she fled, the sound of the explosion. Chrona hoped that everyone was alright, no matter what had happened she did not wish them hurt. As much as she had hated this place, it had been her home and they had been her family for most of her life. This was never what she wanted. She had dreamt of what this day should have looked like. Everyone was meant to have been celebrating her success, there should have been drinking and dancing. She should have given Sia a hug before she left, both pretending that they weren't the other's best friend, tears barely held back. She should have gotten on this train with a destination planned, a job and home to go to. Bags packed. She should have been waving out the window goodbye. Instead she was curled under a table desperate not to be found. The only thing that was the same were the tears she was barely holding back.

The sound of the door opening was loud against the silence. Chrona held her breath. The man slammed it closed and then walked away from her to the front of the train and entered the engine room. The train jerked back before it started moving forwards. Quickly picking up speed as it neared the portal. The sensation as it passed through the portal was unlike anything she had ever experienced before, her body felt like it would float, like there was no gravity. Yet at the same time, her body felt sluggish and heavy, with an intense sense of vertigo. The world around her seemed to spin, like the train was turning upside down. She desperately wanted to look out the window, to see what the dimension used to travel between realms looked like, but she didn't dare. The door to the engine room opened again and the man walked down the carriage slowly before sitting in the booth opposite her.

"You might as well come out now." The man said. Chrona jerked in shock, hitting her head on the table. Not as subtle as she'd hoped then.

"How long have you known I was here?" Chrona asked as she pulled herself up onto the seat.

"Since you ran up the steps." He was looking at her curiously, elbow on the table, head resting on his hand. He had long dreadlocks pulled back into a loose bun, golden clips interspersed throughout his hair. 

"Then why did you...?" Chrona started, surprised.

"Do you mean me any harm?" He cut her off. One dark eyebrow rising slightly. Behind him out the window she could see the Void. The space in between realms, it stretched out beyond the imagination and yet seemed to bear down upon the train like it would crush it with the darkness. The darkness streamed into the window, making the frame almost impossible to see. In the distance Chrona thought she could almost see colours swirling, or maybe it was something moving? Stars seemed to blink in and out of existence. Chrona felt her mind begin to itch. She quickly focused on the man before her, the Void outside was making her uncomfortable. Above the windows were signs she would not notice on this trip, they said 'Do not stare into the Void'.

"No, of course not! I would never..." the stowaway answered indignantly.

"What about the people of Olympus, or Asgard, or well, any of the realms?" He cut her off again.

"I don't want to hurt anyone!" Chrona answered quickly. Honestly, although what stowaway would answer differently? Surely the man before her knew that, what other answer could she give? Regardless of the truth of her answer, it didn't actually matter, all that mattered was the others' response. He clearly wasn't threatened by her, or else why would he have let her on the train. Rather, the one who should be concerned in this situation was Chrona herself.

"Well then, there's no issue. Name?" The man was looking at her expectantly. 

"Chrona..." She answered hesitantly. His eyes were warm and kind, she had little other option but to trust that he meant well. Best case scenario, he was a bored worker letting her ride for free to add some entertainment to his day. Worst case...no, she wouldn't catastrophize. Luck had been on her side since she had reached the station, Chrona decided to believe that her luck would hold a bit longer. But, just to be safe. "I can't pay for the ticket...I think you know that. So why are you alright with me stowing away on this train?" She asked.

"Hmmm...who knows. I guess it just seemed interesting." The man frowned. "Mostly I guess I just didn't see a reason to stop you. This train comes regardless of customers. The realms of Chriyo and Olympus have an agreement which to my understanding means the portal cannot be closed. Due to this it has to be maintained. The best way to get here to maintain the portal is via the train itself. So what's one non-paying customer on a customerless train? Plus there's free movement between the two realms, so there's no need to stop you on that front either. Basically Chrona, the reason is, why not?" He stood, and pulled something out of the pocket of his jacket and held it out to her. "Here, a ticket."

"Why?" Chrona took the offered paper.

"Simple..." he grinned at her. "No one is going to complain that I let a paying customer onboard if you do decide to go and commit a bunch of crimes. Now, I should probably get back to work. We're almost there now." 

She watched him leave in silence, too tired to even try to understand the engineer's intentions. Chrona leaned her head back against the glass and closed her eyes. Waiting for their arrival.

***