Plot-twisting...
Plot-twisting...
Chapter 55. Threshold
Zorian and Zach use the Key to access the Gate, where the Guardian of the Threshold reveals that the Time Loop is merely a simulation and they are copied souls. After manually restarting the loop, Zorian wakes up in Cirin and is soon joined by Zach for the train ride to Cyoria with his family. Zorian then begins intense training with Xvim and Alanic to master non-structured mental defenses and soul sensing.
Using the Key, Zorian Kazinski and Zach Noveda finally unlocked the Gate, where they encountered the Guardian of the Threshold. The Guardian revealed the true nature of the Time Loop, explaining that it was a temporary mechanism designed by the Maker to recreate a one-month period. Its primary purpose was to prevent copied souls from diverging too far from their original templates. Through this conversation, Zorian learned the devastating truth that he was merely a temporary copy and that his original soul remained outside the simulation. The Guardian also detailed the specific mechanics and privileges tied to Zach's Controller Marker and Zorian's Lesser Marker.
Reeling from these massive revelations, Zorian manually restarted the Time Loop. He woke up in his bed in Cirin, struggling to process his existential reality as a copied soul. Shortly after the restart, Zach Noveda traveled to Cirin to visit Zorian in person. For this iteration, Zorian decided to allow Kirielle to accompany him to Cyoria. Zach joined Zorian, Kirielle, Cikan Kazinski, and Fortov on the train ride back to the city.
Motivated by the looming threat of Red Robe and the memory of the Aranea Matriarch being permanently erased from the Time Loop, Zorian intensified his magical training. He sought out Alanic, a helpful instructor who began teaching him personal soul sensing. Additionally, Zorian worked closely with Xvim on basic shaping exercises and the discipline of non-structured mental defenses. Moving away from formalized spell structures like Mind Blank, Zorian learned to better utilize his innate Mind Sense and Empathy to protect his mind against advanced Mind Magic.
Zorian and Zach use the Key to access the Gate and meet the Guardian of the Threshold.
The artifact that generates and manages the time loop.
aka cube, the Gate +1
A fifteen-year-old magic student beginning his third year at the Royal Academy, who prefers isolation to his overbearing family.
aka Zorian, the black sheep
An emotionless, non-sapient spell construct designed by the Maker to manage the time loop and interface with the Controller.
aka Guardian, the Guardian
The Guardian explains that the Time Loop is a mechanism created by the Maker to test copied souls, revealing the distinct functions of the Controller Marker and Lesser Marker.
Zorian manually triggers a restart of the Time Loop, waking up in Cirin and grappling with the realization that he is only a copy.
Zach travels to Cirin to check on Zorian following the timeline restart.
Zorian allows Kirielle to accompany him this time, and Zach joins Zorian, Kirielle, Cikan, and Fortov on the train to Cyoria.
Zorian begins learning personal soul sensing from Alanic and practices non-structured mental defenses and shaping exercises with Xvim.
The original looper and official Controller of the time loop, who struggles with precise magic but excels at raw power.
aka Zach, original looper +1
Zorian's hometown, which features a train station but lacks official magical infrastructure.
A hostile time traveler who recently managed to exit the time loop.
aka the Controller
Zorian's perceptive and overbearing mother.
aka Mother
Zorian's highly energetic, nine-year-old little sister who constantly pesters him.
aka Kiri, little sister +1
Zorian's charming but highly irresponsible older brother who is entering his fourth year at the academy.
aka older brother
A unique spiritual mark that designates an individual as the true Controller of the time loop.
aka marker, the marker +1
A temporary soul mark used to bring non-looping copies into the time loop.
aka lesser markers, Lesser Marker
Basic magical techniques used to practice control and concentration.
aka shaping exercises, shaping exercise
A psychic ability that allows the user to detect nearby minds.
aka mind sense
A passive psychic ability to sense the emotions of others.
aka empathy
A highly developed, magically saturated city built around a massive Dungeon entrance.
An artifact broken into five pieces that acts as an administrative override for the Gate.
aka the Key
A structured spell used to completely block a user's mind from psychic intrusion.
aka Mind Blank
A discipline of protecting one's mind without relying on formalized spell structures.
aka non-structured mental defense, non-structured mind magic
A branch of magic focusing on telepathy, mental intrusion, and psychic defense.
aka mental defenses, non-structured mental defenses +1
A specialized magical ability that allows a mage to directly perceive and interact with souls.
aka personal soul sense, personal soul sensing +1
“Maybe I’m a little biased, since my family all died and I wish I actually had a family… but I honestly can’t figure out your animosity for them.”
“I mean, I know it’s hard to practice non-structured mind magic when you aren’t psychic like me, but I’ve seen other regular mages with similar defenses and theirs were a lot better than this.”
“Alanic has access to potions I have never even encountered elsewhere and knowledge of how to help if something goes horribly wrong. I don’t think it’s going to be too much of a problem, though – he’s a pretty helpful person, despite initial appearances.”
“Why was such a rule put into place? I mean, there is only one Controller to begin with, so why put that sort of limitation in place?”
“They aren’t a copy, so there is no problem with them leaving. But everyone else would have to kill someone to get out, and that’s unacceptable. Is that correct?”
“If one of the copies wanted to leave this place, you could switch their soul with that of the original?”
“Let’s move on to something else. Guardian, you said the Gate is barred because the Controller has already left the time loop.”
“Scattered across vast distances. And if the Maker is a god like you suspect he is, well… the gods have been silent for centuries. That only leaves his agents. Who would that be?”
“That is the job of whoever placed the marker on you. And by temporary, I mean that the target of the lesser marker will retain their memories and abilities for up to six iterations before the marker dissolves.”
+10 more quotes →“But if copies that retain awareness for more than a month count as people and killing them is wrong, doesn’t that mean that using these lesser markers is effectively murder?”