Chapter 91: A Path Paid in Blood

Do we know if souls from the Time Loop actually go to the afterlife - or whatever happens in this world after death?

Dark Prophet

I wonder whether Taiven's soul, or Kael's, reached the afterlife before the tunnel closed...normally souls hang around their bodies for a few days, I know, but it doesn't seem unthinkable that theirs might have had the sense to evacuate.

Carl Antuar

I honestly hope that Panaxeth doesn't get free. I would like to hope that something like that happens in a later novel. However I could see the final battle being Silverlake and Redrobe vs. Z & Z - albeit with an equalizer. Or better yet Zach being busy with QI so Zorian has to fight Silverlake and Red Robe. Now that has potential

Dark Prophet

An epic conclusion to the time loop! Looking forward to the real deal.

Not as easily as Zorian, but Zach can communicate with his simulacra, yes. No, they still need their help to activate them. Well, they could set up a gate opening procedure without them, but they would have to train a bunch of humans to perform tasks that SDA usually do, and this would take a lot of time and money. They are using spell formula, it's just that I don't mention it most of the time. It doesn't have to be in the form of a staff or rod, it can be int he form of a bracelet, ring, etc. It's just more expensive the smaller the item is, but with Zorian around that becomes largely irrelevant. (And even Zach knows how to make spell focusing items on his own; he's not completely ignorant of spell formula.) No. The 'spell' she uses are her own innate magic abilities - their probably divine origin aside, she had intuitive understanding of how they work and how she should use them. Magic items would be far more alien to her and using them would require her to basically become a mage. Extremely unlikely.

Domagoj Kurmaic

Now, the real hype begins. No do-overs. New, powerful factors, such as the Angels and Demons. A hostile Silverlake and Red Robe on the loose. There is also Quatach-Ichl with knowledge of the situation now. On the bright side, the Cyorian Aranea are back, and there is no monthly time limit. Zorian and Zach are ungodly powerful, and Zorian probably has a way to break through Mind Blank, too, making him extremely dangerous to any opponent short of Panaxeth. Even if the Primordial gets out, it is not the end of the world, just a really shitty thing to happen. Even in that situation, with Zorian and Zach’s powers, and perhaps even with TWO Silverlakes, if they want to help, they could re-seal the Primordial. Who knows, maybe the Angels can help by using Divine Power to restrain it long enough to erect a dimensional restriction around it, or something along those lines.

Armo

I just revisited some of the latest chapters and remembered a few questions I've been wanting to ask: Can Noveda communicate with his simulacra over long distances? Are ZZ capable to use Bakora Gates without help from the SDA? Why don't ZZ or QI use spell rods? (They just no good for anything beyond simple spells)? IIRC it's mentioned that Alanic uses a battle staff (if that's any way related). Lastly, since Princess can perform a few complex spells, could she use (or be taught to use) any magic items?

Prince Hakeem

I think there was between 6-12 left so theoretically Zach could stay in a while longer but Zorian wouldn't notice since Zach should still appear outside the loop at roughly the same time as Zorian.

Dark Prophet

I was also looking forward to two Xvims throwing marbles together at students. Or Zorian saving his original self during the invasion in front of his entire class and the original is like, "Who are you?" and Zorian says, "I'm you, but stronger". My fantasies are crumbling. I am glad Kirella was not on the platform. It was bad enough with Kana dying. I can also see Zorian writing some pretty crazy books. He already wants to write a beginners guide to Empathy and Mind Magic. Mind, Blood, Soul, and Demon Magic for Beginners. Or something like "Top Ten Tips for Time Loopers that the Guardians don't want you to know; number six will shock you"

Val

If they ever simply cannot stand to be there any longer they can just leave prematurely. Besides... who says they stay sane until the end? If you ever read some of the time loop fanfiction you know they have the protagonists become quite detached and alien in their thinking after a while. Ghost Serpent did have an inexplicable burning hatred for previous time loopers...

Domagoj Kurmaic

In hindsight, it was kind of obvious that there would be safeguards to stop people from just waltzing out of the loop and into the real world. I mean, while they were doing some SERIOUSLY advanced magic, it was not exactly something that someone who has looped for decades might not figure out or think of, let alone someone who has looped for centuries which is SUPPOSED to be what you normally get. Thinking about it though, how could anyone stand being alone that long? Zack was going crazy after just a few decades.

Val

Souls don't really work like that

Matthew M

Great chapter! Thank you, man. Why didn’t he just swallow his old soul? And become stronger? :) and how many chapters are you planning?

Found another one: "The imperial orb pulsed three times with translucent weaves of rainbow light before the seemingly pulling the pitch black rift into itself." I assume it should be "before [] seemingly pulling"

Adrien Matricon

Thanks for the chapter, it was awesome! By the way, I have a typo to report: "Unfortunately, they have been a more unreasonable about this than you have so we have kind of ended up kidnapping them." I assume it should be "they have been [] more unreasonable"

Adrien Matricon

We'll he's not up to his total limits yet, but he has long since hit the point of diminishing returns. He has been doing this for more than a decade, effectively. I'd say about... 80% of his potential peak? Something like that.

Domagoj Kurmaic

So a long time ago, you posted about Zorian's absolute potential and what he could do at the peak in terms of feats. How close did he get?

Vanathor

Wow. Just wow. Very organic resolution to this arc! Loved it and looking forward to Z and Z meeting again. Not to mention their adjustment to reality.

Adurna

If he doesn't kill his old self his old self will die in a month by the hands of the invaders or Panaxeth. So it isn't that horrible what he did

R Z

I'm afraid of what Zorian will become, he was reluctant to doing bad deeds, but he still did more and more as time passed, and now he kidnapped people, used mind magic. It would be interesting if he did get overboard, or at least struggled with that now that he's out of the loop. The me from ten years ago certainly is a different person from me now. The old me doesn't exist anymore. The only difference in Zorian's case, is that he has to consciously kill his old self, and I don't know if I would be able to do it

Bananeeg

I've managed to track down the typo you indicated, but just a note for the future - simply giving me one word correction is often a nightmare to track down in a 13 thousand word chapter like this, unless the word is very rare or unique. It's better to include five or six words before or after the typo to put some context into it and make finding the section through 'find and replace' function give less results. Again, it wasn't a problem this time, I'm just throwing that out there.

Domagoj Kurmaic

Not really. Zach doesn't really want to consider that Zorian and the others might not make it, and Zorian is focused on making things work. A more emotional goodbye would require them to dismiss the whole thing as a failure in advance. They obviously aren't going to do that.

Domagoj Kurmaic

Great Chapter!

Simon

Thank you!

Andrew

Well that was certainly interesting to see, while it was overall fairly predictable that Zorian was going to get out by himself it will be very interesting to see if there will be much of an aftermath at the tactics they had to use in the end.

Damn. Crazy, and amazing chapter. Don’t you feel Zach and Zorian should’ve had a more emotional possible goodbye?

Matthew M

Well there are no more loops (unless Zach decides to stay to the last possible loop but that seems needlessly risky) now they just have to deal with an invasion, Red Robe, and Silverlake.

Brian Griffith

Was a fantastic chapter that makes me want more! Thanks again :) Take care

Leaf

Warm --> ward

Boredwayfarer

Oh shit is hitting the fan.

Boredwayfarer

thanks for the chapter, it was amazing

Daniel I Beer

Wonderful! Thanks :D

Leaf

Thanks!