Chapter 409: Zach

Chapter 409: Zach

It Begins

Zach swam through the River of Time, it was his domain, his to rule and his to command. The River wanted to flow ever forward, as he had decreed it, but it also obeyed, reluctantly. Zachs life was devoted to learning, to understanding Essence, but also to protecting, to fostering a better kind of a world. It was why he had gained his Ideal, he was the Dreamer of a Better World. It was ingrained in him, he had lived a life in a world that was bleak and empty. He wanted to see this real world be the best it could. A shining example of what people could achieve together.

Yet, he had seen reality, that there were people in the world who would do all they could do prevent that dream. He had resolved himself to try and show them a better way. And that started with protecting what he could, with teaching them to be better.

Deep in the realm of Time, he grabbed hold of the River of Time and pulled it back. His body so recently reduced, had its limbs returned. Events were moving in reverse as he rolled Time back. The River bank turned to sand, what was built collapsing on the banks back into the endless expanse of sand waiting to for a river bed to be carved through it, for events to solidify on its banks.

It fought him, more than it had before. He frowned, feeling the weight of that time that he rolled back, but he pushed his will against it. He needed more time, to pull it back to before the fight with the yeti and the monster in the city. An hour? A day if he could. The more time he had to plan the better the outcome.

He moved past Anroshs death, her body repairing itself before his eyes. Then the weight increased, and Zach felt as if a mountain was just dropped on top of his shoulders. The rivers flow backward slowed, and Zach pushed his will, trembling against it. Something was wrong, he looked at the River of Time and saw it there, on the banks, the yeti, Raazel Equinar, a statue of him standing on the banks of the river. A fixture, an event. It glowed with such intensity that even in the Realm of Time, Zach had trouble looking at it. It was him, Zach realized, he was just so heavy on Time, his actions firm, as if when he made them the world didnt want to forget.

Zach roared in his head, his will crashing against that of the weight of the yetis presence in the realm of Time. Time rolled back, fire retreated toward Raazel, then he was caught, trapped by frozen roots and vines. Zach pushed and the Time slipped from his grasp, the river crashed down onto the sand and surged forward, carving a path ahead once again.

NO! Zach yelled as he failed. It wasnt enough, he knew that it wasnt enough. He needed more time, he reached for his perk and knew that he wouldnt get it. The perk was spent, again it was unavailable to him. There was no more time.

Anrosh as wolf raised her head, and a moon appeared above her manifesting her power, her domain of frost expanded and all grew still. No, it was this moment, Zach realized. She froze it all, Time included. Raazels weight on the River of Time coupled with her power being used made him lose the grasp on Time.

There was nothing that he could do.

Anrosh raised opened her mouth, preparing to blast Raazel with a breath of frost, the attack that would destroy his armor, cause him to use the fire that would blow everything around them.

Zach focused his mind, he didnt have the Time in this world, but he needed to think, needed to plan. He focused on Of Mind, Analysis, and Prediction, and he sunk into his mental world, crafted by his Vivid World perk. He copied the real world, armed with the knowledge stored by his other perk, Analysis.

Zach's will bearing the weight of his need, he continued. Time after time, always the same result, but getting closer.

Anrosh attacks, and Raazel retaliates. Fire destroys everything. He steps closer to Anrosh before Raazel speaks and Naha follows. As he had learned the yeti wants them alive. He speaks, and instead of attacking Anrosh, he lashes out with black lightning at Ender. As always, Ender turns to petals, evading.

The ruined ground around them trembles and trees sprout out of the ground, growing tall. Anroshs armor ripples after the attack, recognizing the threat. Zach dashes forward, attacking in tandem with Naha. The shadows from the trees let her harry the yeti better. Constructs appear, and they fight through them. He pulls on time, destroying them before they could fire.

The yeti notices, but Zach is filled with time, it is not enough. They get close and strike at him, Zach is careful not to cause too much injury. Throwing attacks that could kill but miss.

The yeti realizes the danger. Roots grow from the ground and frost covers them. Raazel blinks away. The frost on the plants is detonated, hitting Raazels raised shield. A giant sword made of Ice falls on his head, and Raazel turns on the wolf. Black lightning lashes out and hits her in the side, obliterating her arm, but the armor holds, saving her life.

Nahas ideal goes off in the moment Raazels attention was on Anrosh. Shadowy hands grab him and hold him down, a fist made out of shadow appears above him, her image unravels and the realm of shadows opens up beneath him.

Raazel summons more constructs, a spear of light pierces into a shadow and Naha screams, her image breaks. The trees around lash out, roots grab Raazel over the shadows as the fist lands and drives him into the ground. Zach arrives, his sword glowing with his skill.

He attacks and where Raazel was out of time before, now he is in sync. His constructs lance through Zach destroying his limbs before he can finish the attack. Chains grab hold of him and pull him into a cage. Then they flash away.

Again.

More and more, Zach ran through the possibilities, refining the result with all that he knew about his allies and enemy. When he finally arrived at something that could work he pushed it through, knowing that his skill could not work for much longer. Then, at last he had a possibility. His skill winked out, and he felt his mind open up, as if all his protections were stripped and laid bare, a price paid. He didnt have the time to worry, his will was barely holding on. He had to act.

Now it began, for the last time.