Chapter 11: Consequences

“You realize you look very silly right now, right?” Goren asked as he stood beside me.

I was still holding Yana in my arms, barely able to comprehend that she was truly gone. The weight of it crushed me. This had happened because of me. These Dark Hunters – none of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t changed the future by warning her.

Goren knelt beside me when I didn’t respond. “What aren’t you getting? None of this matters. You’ll die, and when you wake up, she’ll be alive again. You know that, so stop with this self-pitying bullshit!”

Slowly, I raised my head and met his gaze, still numb.

He stood up, rolling his eyes. “Mikaela and her lackeys went inside. I assume the Grave Moles will attack us soon. Are you finally ready to level up?”

I looked down at Yana’s still body again, ignoring him completely. Seeing her like this just made me want to give up.

“Oh, you’re pathetic.” Goren snapped, frustration fiiling his voice as he turned his back to me. “When you finally stop wallowing and realize the power you now hold, come find me.” With that, he left me alone.

I didn’t want to fight. She was dead, and it was because of me. Yes, everything will reset after I die, and none of this would matter. Hell, I wouldn’t even remember it was my fault. The one silver lining of this cursed system. But that didn’t change the fact that right now, right at this moment, in this run, she was gone. I killed her. Nothing I say or do from here would undo that.

An even deeper realization suddenly struck me. The Dark Hunters had appeared mostly in this area of the antechamber, where Yana was. Could it be that they were targeting her? What if they were hunting her because she was the one who changed the course of things? Was this what Chronos had warned me about? He said that if I told anyone, Erebus would know and make my life a living hell. Does that mean that Erebus will just target and kill Yana again and again in every run from now on?

A cold shiver ran down my spine at the thought.

I couldn’t let that happen. Stuck in this time loop, there was only one way to make sure Yana’s death wouldn’t become a permanent reality, and that was to level up, get stronger, and defeat Erebus.

I looked at Yana’s peaceful form in my arms, the knot in my chest tightening as I whispered. “I’ll make sure it never happens again.”

Gently, I laid her on the ground beside the other fallen adventurers, my heart heavy. Then, without looking back, I made my way toward Goren, determined to make the most out of the time I still had left in this run.

Goren's assumptions were correct. The Grave Moles and Void Spiders made their appearance once again. We fought. There was no point in running away, not with what I knew. Goren even helped me land the last hit on one of the Grave Moles, letting me gain the full XP from the kill, despite the fact I barely did anything to help.

[+544 XP]

[Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point]

[Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up]

I had no time to choose as the fight continued.

Eventually, they overwhelmed us. Despite my efforts, one of Void Spiders ensnared me with its webs and a Grave Mole landed a killing blow.

[Health: 0% - You Have Died]

***

When I woke up in my bed, I realized the Loop Count message didn’t appear. Even weirder than that, I still had all my memories intact.

Just as I was about to question this strange predicament, I noticed a figure seated at the desk next to my bed. Chronos. He was wearing a long black leather coat over a white shirt, and boots with some of the thickest soles I've ever seen, his feet casually propped on the desk. His long coat hung loosely behind him, the fringes swaying slightly as he rocked back in the chair.

“Good morning.” He greeted me, though his expression was anything but greeting.

“Good – “ I started to reply, but he aggressively swung his feet off the desk and turned toward me, leaning in as he spoke, cutting me off.

“What did I tell you about talking to anyone about this?” His voice was sharp, emphatic.

I couldn’t respond. I had nothing to say in my defense. I just averted my gaze, feeling the weight of the accusation.

“You even asked, and I explicitly told you to not to tell Yana.” He continued, his tone harsh and unforgiving. “Yet you did it anyway. Do you think I’m joking? That I exaggerated the stakes and the dangers?”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“No, I just – “

“You just decided to ignore my warning!” he interrupted, is voice rising with anger.

There was a brief pause, but the tension in the room was palpable, making my skin crawl.

“Now,” Chronos said in a lower, grim tone, “there will be a price to pay. Your friend is marked by Erebus.”

My heart sank as I realized my earlier fears might come true and Erebus will now kill Yana purposefully in each run. I raised my eyes to meet his. “Marked?”

“Yes.” Chronos said, his voice heavy as he averted his gaze. “Those Dark Hunters of his…They are his direct agents. He sends them whenever he senses a disturbance - something that my sovereignty over time might produce. He now suspects that she’s my champion, and he’ll likely keep a close eye on her in future runs.”

“Her?” I asked, confused and terrified. “But I was the one who told her! Why didn’t he mark me instead?”

Chronos sighed in frustration. “Because you’re a washed-up adventurer who maxed out at level 50 , Aidan! Erebus doesn’t believe I’d choose someone like you to represent me. You’re too weak to even be considered a threat. Your friend, on the other hand, is strong and has incredible potential. She’s a legitimate candidate in his eyes.”

I shook my head in disbelief. By telling Yana what I knew, I hadn’t just gotten her killed – I’d dragged her into this mess, making her an easy target for the embodiment of Darkness. But something still didn’t add up.

“What about Goren?” I asked, my mind spinning. "He seems to be part of it as well."

"He doesn't matter." Chronos replied sharply, waving his hand in dismissal.

“Who is Dolos?” I asked.

Chronos’ face twisted in disgust at the mention of the name. “Don’t ever mention this name near me again.”

“Who is he?” I pressed, unwilling to let it go.

“A thorn in my side, and that’s all you need to know.” Chronos replied, his tone bitter. “Avoid Goren at all costs. He might seem like he’s helping you now, but you cannot trust him.”

“You have to tell me more – “

“And you had to listen to me!” Chronos snapped, cutting me off. “Don’t you dare come to me with demands after you broke the one simple rule I gave you.”

I sighed heavily, my guilt weighing me down. “You’re right. Seeing her die, right in my arms…That was punishment enough.”

“It wasn’t.” Chronos shot back coldly. “You’ve only made this whole ordeal harder for yourself - and us! We can’t afford to lose here. Do you even understand what’s at stake?”

I clenched my fists, my heart sinking deeper.

Chronos continued. “You don’t get to choose your next skill upgrade. I’ll do it for you.”

With a snap of his fingers, a system message popped up.

[Skill acquired: Temporal Trace lvl.1]

[Next Level: lvl.2: Increases the number of possible marks available in each loop to 2]

“Temporal Trace?” I asked, confused. “Why this one?”

“So, you can see things the way I see them - and understand the consequences of your mistakes first-hand.”

His response was cryptic, and his mood clearly wasn’t open to more questioning, so I decided not to push further.

Chronos’ gaze darkened as he spoke again. “You will also remember her death.”

A shiver ran down my spine. I had hoped I would forget it.

“But you said I can’t keep my memories between loops.” I pointed out, trying to remind him of the rules he’d set for the system, hoping he might change his mind.

“I did.” He said, his voice firm. “But you need to remember this - to make sure you don’t repeat the same mistakes again. And to remember what you’re fighting for.”

The young man stood up, his presence looming. “Now, go and fix this. I chose you for a reason, and I’m still waiting for you to prove me right.”

Before I could respond, he snapped his fingers again, and everything went black.

***

[Loop Count: 4]

I woke up with my conversation with Chronos still ringing in my ears. He was so angry…I didn’t ask to be part of this. I was literally forced into it! Why did he have such high expectations of me?

The rest of my memories were gone. The only things that remained, beside both of my conversations with Chronos, were Yana’s death and the fact that it was my fault. The image of her peaceful form, that weak, fragile smile on her face - it haunted my mind. I found myself tearing up. I couldn’t let that happen again. Whatever happens this time, and in any future loops, I won’t get her involved in any of this. I’ll make Erebus realize he was wrong - that she wasn’t part of this – and he’ll leave her alone.

Another memory that remained were two names – Goren, and Dolos. I could only recall that they had something to do with this time loop game.

I glanced at the Déjà vu system screen to see where I stood.

[Déjà vu System: Level 3]

[Loop Count: 4]

[Experience Points (XP): 112 / 1200]

I had a long way to go until I reached the next level. I wondered if it was possible to do it in a single loop, using the Checkpoint skill again, of course.

A knock on the door startled me. Looking at the clock on the wall, I realized it was probably Yana. I’d wasted the entire morning lost in mourning and guilt.

Yana.

I rushed eagerly to the door and opened it quickly.

There she stood. Her long red hair was tied back in a single braid, her freckled face showing mild surprise. Her red lightweight armor hugged her frame, and instantly I remembered why she chose that color. “So the enemies won’t see me bleed.” She once said. It sounded so foolish and pretentious, I couldn’t stop laughing at her, and eventually she gave in and we laughed at this together.

But there was something more there. The effect of the Temporal Trace skill - what Chronos wanted me to see. A dark aura surrounded Yana, so dark it was almost tangible. Above her head, a message was displayed:

[This unit is marked by Darkness]

My hearts pounded as I understood the gravity of my mistake. That’s what being marked by Erebus meant. If he and his minions could see this aura around her, just like I could, she was going to be a prime target for them.

“Aidan?” she asked, confused. “Why are you not ready yet?”

Ignoring her question - and the stench of Darkness clinging to her - I pulled her into a tight hug, the memory of holding her lifeless body flooding back, bringing tears to my eyes again.

“Aidan, what’s wrong?” she asked, even more bewildered.

I knew I could never tell her about any of this - ever again. It was my burden to bear. I had to protect her, no matter the cost.

“It’s nothing.” I lied, holding her even tighter. “I missed you.”

She hesitated, then hugged me back.

For a brief moment, I felt peace.