What is your Nemeses? We all have different ones, but we can never truly defeat them. The story of one woman`s fight with the supernatural as told by the Archivist

The Orb of Time

The Orb of Time was not of human origin. It was said to have formed in the heart of the first storm, where Mother Nature herself gave it life. A shimmering sphere of translucent energy, it pulsed with a rhythm akin to a heartbeat, an eternal reminder of the delicate balance of the world. It was the ultimate guardian, whispering truths about what was, what is, and what is to come. But it was also a lure, a beacon for those who sought to wield its immense power for their own gain.

My name is Selene, and I am the Keeper of the Orb. Not its wielder, mind you—no mortal could claim that honor. That belonged to Mother Nature herself. My role was to protect it from those who would defy the natural order. For centuries, my family had borne this sacred duty, each generation passing down their wisdom, their scars, and their fears.

My Nemesis was not a man or woman but an entity born of chaos, a shadow known only as the Rift. It had no true form, shifting between shapes, voices, and even dimensions. Its hunger for the Orb was insatiable, for with it, the Rift could twist time itself, unraveling the fabric of existence.

The Warning

The Orb began to hum one evening as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in fiery hues. I froze in my small sanctum, the Orb glowing brighter than ever. It had never behaved this way before. Slowly, I approached, feeling the weight of its energy pressing against my chest.

The vision came suddenly, flooding my mind like a torrent. I saw the Rift materializing in a bustling city, bending the flow of time. People moved backward, their lives unraveling in reverse, while others were aged into dust. The Orb whispered warnings in a voice that was neither male nor female, a chorus of nature itself: “The Rift has come. It seeks the beginning and the end. Guard the balance, Selene.”

The Battle

The Orb’s power had limits—it could not fight. That was my task. Armed with the tools passed down through generations—enchanted runes, a blade forged in volcanic fire, and a staff imbued with the essence of an ancient oak—I left the sanctum and followed the Orb’s guidance to the city.

The Rift was already there, a swirling vortex of dark energy hovering above the streets. Time rippled around it, creating pockets where children played in the past while adults aged before my eyes. It was mesmerizing and terrifying.

“Selene,” the Rift spoke, its voice a cacophony of all I feared. “You cannot protect the Orb forever. Give it to me, and I shall end the chaos of time. No more pain, no more death.”

Its words were a temptation, but I knew better. “You are chaos,” I shouted, planting the staff firmly into the ground. “And I am order.”

With a burst of energy from the Orb, the battle began. The Rift hurled fragments of time at me—visions of my past mistakes, futures where I failed, and moments I desperately wanted to relive. But I had trained for this. Using the staff, I redirected its attacks, anchoring myself in the present.

The blade glowed as I sliced through the Rift’s tendrils, severing its connection to the timelines it sought to control. The runes on my armor activated, forming a shield that deflected its most ferocious attacks.

The Aftermath

Hours or seconds later—I couldn’t tell—there was silence. The Rift’s form dissolved, retreating into the void. But I knew it wasn’t gone, only weakened. It would return, as it always did.

The Orb dimmed, its hum fading into a gentle thrum. I sank to my knees, exhausted but victorious. The city began to stabilize, time flowing normally once more. People emerged from their homes, confused but alive.

As I returned to the sanctum, the Orb pulsed again, its whisper softer this time. “You are the guardian, but the Rift is eternal. Balance is a cycle, Selene. Be ready.”

I stared at the Orb, feeling the weight of its truth. The Rift would return, and I would fight again. For as long as the Orb remained, so too would my Nemesis. It was the price of balance—a price I was willing to pay.