The aftermath of the shattered hourglass rippled through the city. Time stabilized but only barely. Shadows of fractured seconds still flickered at the edges of perception.
Juno, Milo, and Idris stood atop the clock tower's highest balcony, overlooking a city that seemed to hold its breath.
"The Chronodebt's threat hangs over us like a guillotine," Idris said quietly. "This was just the opening act."
Juno clenched her fists, feeling the weight of every borrowed moment.
Suddenly, the air thickened. The clock hands above them spun wildly, reversing and accelerating in erratic beats.
A new presence emerged—a figure cloaked in swirling sands and glowing cogs, larger and more imposing than before.
"This ends now," the figure's voice echoed, "or time itself will unravel."
The final battle for the first arc had begun.
Juno raised her Divider, heart pounding.
As the city's fate hung on a thread, she knew one thing for sure:
No matter the cost, she would fight to save every second.