Whispers of Sands

In a world where time materialises as a rare, sand-like dust, each individual possesses an unknown quantity of time that defines the length of their life. The Time Palace stands at the heart of this realm, housing at its center the Fountain of Youth, source of all time. Protected by powerful time-bending entities known as the Keepers of Causality, the Time Palace remains shrouded in secrecy.

Amidst this world, an organisation called the Time Stealers emerges. They steal slivers of time from "time sprouts" on the outskirts of the Palace, and distribute them to those in need – the dying, the sick, and the poor.

Our protagonist is a member of the Time Stealers, and the story begins during a routine "time heist". However, driven by a vision of a loved one's demise, the hero decides to ventures deeper into the "Corridors of the Time Palace". 

As they dive deeper through the intricate corridors of the Palace, they encounter a "Keeper of Causality". A gigantic entity resembling an hourglass and formed from intricate gears and wheels making regular clock and winding sounds. And although it fiercely defends the inner gates of the Palace, our hero surprisingly manages to make it through. And as they pass the gate, a sentence appears on the arch: "Everything happens for a reason", and the Keeper of Causality stops chasing him.

Reaching the central area of the Time Palace, the hero stands before "The Fountain of Youth", with flowing sands that reflect the warm light of day, undulating and whispering their hypnotising melody. Surrounded by a lush forest of crystallised flowers and plants, the hero focuses on their mission: gather enough time to spend the rest of their life with their loved one. But the Fountain holds a secret – time grants not the wish people desire but rather what they deeply fear the most. It just so happens that in most cases, in their desperation to avoid death, people unknowingly fear life, leading to a cursed gift of eternal living, hence the name everyone gave to the Fountain of Youth.

Confronted by the overwhelming power of the Fountain, the hero realises that their true fear actually lies in not cherishing the time they could have spent with their loved one. Upon this realisation, the hero is sent back in time, to the day they first had their vision. Armed with this knowledge, they now face their challenging futur, embracing the present instead of fleeing from their fears by seeking ways to mend the situation.