The wind rustled through the trees as Alex walked home. His bag slung lazily over his shoulder, earbuds in, the faint glow of New Valis illuminating the sky behind him. Suddenly, a bright flash cut through the night, causing Alex to stop in his tracks.

"What the...?" Alex pulled out his earbuds and squinted up at the sky. A glowing light streaked above him, moving faster than any aircraft he'd ever seen. It wasn't until the light veered sharply down, crashing into the forest up ahead, that Alex felt a surge of adrenaline.

"I have to see what that was."

He sprinted toward the forest, weaving through the trees until he reached a small clearing. There, in the center, lay a crater, glowing faintly with green light. His heart pounded as he slowly approached, and in the middle of the crater, he saw it: a strange, alien device shaped like a watch.

As Alex reached out to touch it, the device suddenly leaped to life, attaching itself to his wrist. The pain was brief but sharp as it fused with his skin.

"Whoa! Get off!" he yelped, trying to yank the device off, but it wouldn't budge. The alien symbols on its surface lit up, and suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.

"Chrono Shift activated."

Alex's vision blurred, and before he knew it, the world around him shifted.