In the depths of my mind, a haze began to lift, revealing fragments of something forgotten—a life once lived in a quaint village where the scent of fresh wood shavings filled the air, and laughter echoed through the narrow streets.

I was just an ordinary son of a carpenter, my father’s apprentice in a modest shop nestled at the edge of town. The walls of the workshop were lined with tools, their blades glimmering in the warm sunlight that streamed through the open window. I remember the feel of the smooth wood under my fingers as I learned the craft, shaping rough blocks into beautiful creations. My father’s hands were calloused but skilled, guiding me patiently as I learned the art of carpentry, the rhythmic sound of chiseling wood a comforting backdrop to our days.

As the years rolled by, I grew older, my youthful curiosity transforming into a steady determination. My father, a quiet man with a heart as strong as the timber he worked with, often spoke of the joy of creating something that brought happiness to others. "Every piece you make carries a piece of your soul," he would say, his voice gruff but filled with warmth. Those words echoed in my heart as I took over the shop, each creation a reflection of my dedication and love for the craft.

Life took a turn when I married the love of my life, a vibrant woman with laughter that danced like sunlight on water. Our days were filled with joy—she would visit the shop, her presence brightening even the dullest moments. Together, we envisioned a future, dreams woven into the very fabric of our lives. But the happiness we shared was fleeting.

It started with a cough—a sound so innocent, yet it spiraled into something far more sinister. Days turned into weeks, and soon I found myself helpless as illness took hold of her. I watched, heart heavy with despair, as the woman I adored grew weaker, her laughter fading into echoes of sorrow. The vibrant light she once brought into my life dimmed, and as I held her frail hand in mine, I felt an unbearable weight settle in my chest.

When she passed, the world felt hollow. I had lost my muse, my partner, my heart. I never remarried; the joy of companionship felt like a distant dream I dared not chase again. When she passed I heard the sickly sweet voice of another woman. I didn't catch what she said and no one was around me so I ignored it.

Instead of seeking companionship, I poured my grief into my work. I became especially good at making toys, each piece crafted with love and a hint of longing for the joy I had once known.

The years blurred together as I lost myself in my craft. I spent countless hours in the workshop, the air filled with the sweet scent of freshly cut wood. I carved intricate designs—spinning tops, wooden animals, and dolls with painted smiles. The joy of creation became my solace, but it was in the giving that I found a flicker of light amidst the shadows.

When I gifted a toy to a child, I saw their eyes widen with wonder and delight. Their laughter, pure and unrestrained, wrapped around me like a warm embrace, reminding me of the happiness I once shared with my wife. It became my mission to make toys for the local children whose families couldn’t afford them. In those moments, I felt as though I was honoring her memory, a legacy of joy that transcended loss.

As I aged and neared retirement, I made it my life’s work to create happiness for others. I envisioned a day when laughter would fill the streets again, and perhaps, in those fleeting moments, I would catch a glimpse of her spirit in the eyes of a child. It was a quiet existence, marked by the passing of seasons and the joy of giving, yet the weight of solitude lingered like a shadow, a constant reminder of the love I had lost.

And now, as I stand on the precipice of another life, those memories wash over me like waves on a shore, reminding me that even in the depths of despair, there is a light worth fighting for. The echoes of laughter and the warmth of love still reside within me, waiting to be rekindled in this new journey ahead.

Opening my eyes and blinking a few times to remove the weariness, I got to work. I had been having strange dreams of late, all about different people. The morning of my sister's birthday started differently this time. I woke up early instead of late like at the beginning of the game. I checked my gear to make sure everything was perfect. I had my gray cowl and scarecrow cloak ready. A leather belt to keep the cloak from getting ripped off should something happen. I put some leather strips over the top of my Dollmaster's mace just to be sure Jack wouldn't recognize it. My fear was if he knew it was in that demon door near Oakvale, he'd suspect I was one of Oakvale's inhabitants. That would lead to further complications I was not prepared to handle. Last but not least, I checked my newest spell form I decided to call "Dark Visage."

"Spell form" is what I decided to define the different uses of spells like Time Control as. Dark Visage is similar to an invisibility spell in that light is moved in a way to conceal something. The difference is that instead of hiding the image altogether, I create an absence of light that can be perceived. So everyone will look at my face and it will appear to be made of the purest shadow. This is done by removing the light from one place altogether instead of just bending it around me. Then, since I have to do something with the light I removed, I'll release it from the front of my spell mask where my eyes should be. I'll admit I got the idea from the dark mages from the Final Fantasy series. This mask would make even Jack question if what he's fighting is human.

Originally I'd planned to just use a mask of some kind, but I realized that Jack might try to remove my mask with his maximum effort. Since the plan is for him to withdraw from fear of an unknown enemy's power, it would destroy everything we'd strived for. So I looked into how the Physical Shield spell maintains itself. The spell works like a siphon, pulling the needed mana and turning it into physical force-type light that moves along the body. The light energy does not get used up, but instead, Will energy is consumed to keep it in place. Even the weakest mages' Will energy replenishes faster than the consumption while the Physical Shield spell is taking no damage. When damaged, the repairs take a considerable amount of energy to fix. I still don't understand how the breathable atmosphere inside the shield is done, so I can't use Physical Shield yet.

What I copied was the siphon matrix the spell uses. A "spell matrix" is what mages call the flow of Will energy from a spell world into the physical world and how it interacts/manifest in it. It turns out that although a spell world makes these by itself, some Archmages have learned to alter them to their advantage. I was a little surprised that study into this had already existed when Scarlet told me. The matrix resembled several overlapping infinity symbols (8) that coincided with parts of the body. The center of an infinity symbol, where all the lines cross, is where it connects to the user's Will pool. There, the matrix both draws energy and feeds it back. There were other parts in the matrix, but I can't think of anything similar to compare it to. These parts interacted with the light energy and made sure it covered the body perfectly. With a little tweaking, I could turn a shield matrix into a concealing one. I don't need to make the light energy; I just need to move it. So the energy consumed is almost nonexistent for just covering my face. Other useful applications for this may exist, but they won't serve much use to me right now. What good does hiding in a dark spot do if Jack can just cover the whole area in flames? Harnessing enough light to hurt him would cost as much Will energy as making my own laser. So, for now, I'll stick with my Awesome mask. God, I just want to say I am the Dark Knight, but I'm no Batman.

Done double-checking my disguise, I went outside. Good to get some air before the chaos looms. Going outside, I saw that the cheating husband from the game was already at it. The girl he was seducing looked like a 16-year-old jailbait. So I made a quick detour to tell the cheater's wife what he was up to. In this world, polygamy and divorce are allowed. They have an agreement sworn in front of gods and mankind that they only want each other. He took a pledge beyond regular marriage, and yet he chooses to not uphold it. If he was unhappy with this arrangement, he could just choose to get divorced. Oath-breaking is one thing, but he is taking time off work to cheat and not provide for his kids. Now that seriously rubs me the wrong way! What kind of bastard would make his kids go hungry so he could get a little extra freak on the side? Public opinion is somewhat with me on this too, as people here believe you can have as many wives as you can afford to take care of properly. The children are included in this clause as well.

To be honest, it's the children's situation that upsets me the most about him. I've watched over the past year how he treats them. He acts like they are animals to be taken care of and his wife the servant to do so. Remember the bully who wanted to destroy his sister's teddy bear? Guess who his son and daughter are. The little girl is too young to understand that what she's living through isn't the norm. Her older brother is just angry and going through puberty while not knowing how to handle it. All because his dad's not there for him and his mother is occupied with his little baby sister. Instead of hating his dad, whom he has been taught to respect, he chooses to be jealous of his little sister because she has all his mother's focus. Then the boy goes around beating up all the kids in the town smaller than him. It's a typical broken home story.

"Excuse me, ma'am," I called out to the cheater's wife. She was a really beautiful blond woman who couldn't be over 30 years old.

"Yes, young lad. Sorry to interrupt you, but have you seen my husband?" The woman inquired.

"Actually, it is about him. You see, he is making out behind my neighbor's house with some floozy, and I don't want my sisters to have to see that."

"Right, I'm gonna turn him into Balverine food! Thanks, young sir for telling me," the cheater's wife said before running up the hill.

I wasn't doing the good deeds this time for gold to get my sister's birthday present. I gave her my gift early yesterday night. It was a resurrection vial I'd saved up for, just like the one she got Dad on his birthday. Mom and I got one too, but unfortunately, we were only able to get four. Not because we didn't have the money, but because they are way rarer than they were in the game. My theory is it may actually just be turning back time by one second, but I can't be sure without testing, and to do that would require dying. So no, I don't plan to test it. I tried examining it with my "Will Sight" technique, but it just looked like a super compact chunk of Will energy.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

After having taken care of telling the cheater's wife, I went up the hill to deal with their son. Unlike before, where the bully had been hurting the little boy to get the bear, it was just starting.

"Get away from him!" I shouted.

"What? Are you not gonna mind your own business? For this little twerp?" The bullied questioned while trying to look imposing.

There was no one else around, and anyone who may have looked in our direction wouldn't be able to make out the details. I was already about an inch bigger than the bully this time. The fact he was putting on a facade of courage, to begin with, showed he was unnerved by it.

"Little boy, go and give his sister back her teddy bear. I'll deal with him," I commanded while giving the bullied a steeled glare. I could tell the cheater's son was afraid of me by the sweat rolling down his face.

"Thank you! I'll take Rosie to her," the toddler said as he went down the hill as fast as he could.

I decided to use his fear in my favor. So I used my new mask to add a bit more. The bully's face went pale when my face turned inhuman.

"You came here to destroy your sister's bear to hurt her feelings! Well, it's your job as her brother to protect her from those who would bring her harm. Did you know it was your destiny to DIE today and be remembered as the jackass who broke her bear?" I emphasized the "DIE" part as I raised him from the ground by his shirt collar with one hand.

"Are you going to kill me?" the bully cowered.

"No, I came back from the future to change this fate. Today Oakvale will be attacked by bandits, but this time it will not fall."

"WHAT?" the bully yelped.

"I'm giving you a second chance to be a real big brother. I know your dad's a real jerk, but I promise it will get better. I know you often bully just to take money from the more fortunate children in town so you can fill your belly."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?" the bully said angrily.

"Everything," I simply replied back in a soothing tone.

"You don't know me," he added.

"I've known hundreds like you who've suffered the same," I stated back.

"So what?"

"So I'm giving you a choice. I can kick your ass till you can taste it in your mouth, or you can choose to work for me. Since your father shall be somewhat indisposed going forward, it will be up to you to provide for your family. As a powerful Will user, I'll need a good assistant. Someone whose main job will be to keep my secrets and aid in personal affairs. The pay will be much more than your father makes working full-time. So you'll have the power to be your own man and be the big brother you should be. A man to be respected!" I laid out my propaganda before the kid I hoped would soon be an ex-bully. In truth, I needed his help. He is one of the only youths old enough to look after other kids and young enough to believe what he is told. Younger folks tend to have a more open mind, while an adult might say they know time travel, future sight, or transformations are impossible because they have never seen it.

"What's the pay?" the boy asked, going straight to the point.

"For now, 500 gold a month," I promised the youth. His jaw dropped, and I uncast my "Dark Visage" while he collected his thoughts.

"Your pulling my leg!" the bullied grumbled, red-faced.

I tossed a small satchel at my side that contained exactly 500 gold. The boy stared at the vast sum of money even his parents had only seen a few times.

"Your task today will be taking your sister into the Barrow Fields Demon door named Nemo. He's a friend of mine and will protect the children of the village for us. Stay there and look after the children and ALL their needs. There will be food, clean water, cooking utensils, and a sleeping area with beds and blankets. Also, I have seen you around, but what is your name?" I said, laying out his task while requesting my future partner in crime's name.

"It's Fred," the youth replied gently, picking up the gold-filled satchel. He was handling it like it was made of eggshells.

"... okay! Well, Fred, here's the deal. You don't tell anyone right now I'm a Will user at all. It's a SECRET! So if you tell anyone or hurt any more children, I'll make you wish you were dead." I threatened.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anybody. So, boss, what's your name?" Alfred asked.

"It's Arn," I answered.

"Cool, um, do you mind if I grab some blueberry pie before I take my sister to the door?" Alfred requested.

"Sure, but why?"

"It is just that it's my sister's favorite, and she hates me now, but if I get her some pie, it will make it easier to get her there," Alfred mumbled, flustered.

"Unless you die first, it is never too late to start being a good brother," I said while giving the older boy's shoulder a pat. He would be so embarrassed if he knew how much younger than him I am.

Alfred ran off to do just as he had said. I could tell he was earnest in his promise. 500 gold was a lot of money, but a highly paid assistant would be less likely to ever betray their employer. You cannot buy loyalty, but you can make it hard for someone else to bribe him. Who's going to risk losing a 500 gold job for 250 gold? No one would, and few people got that kind of income laying around to bribe anyway. So I can trust he will keep his mouth shut and do as he's told for now, especially since he needs the income. Earning his own living will give him a good kind of manly pride too. The kind that keeps you from stooping so low as to bully those smaller than yourself because it would hurt that same pride.

I heard a feminine voice that felt familiar, calling out to me. I looked around but there was no one near me.

"Second Coming of the Angel of Mercy."

The hell? When did I become an angel? I've always been just a normal human being. I scratched my head uncertain where the voice came from or from whom.

With the only task left, I could choose to do is help the guy who needed to pee, I decided to skip that one. I went to go get in my gear since Theresa and our parents were tasked with getting all the town's children into Nemo. I'd made it easier by addressing Alfred and his sister separately. Now there were literally only like three other kids that they needed to take there. Naia was currently flying up over the town, keeping an eye out for the bandit attack. She'll let me know once they are here, and then she is to head into Nemo as well. Then her task will be to help look after the small children too. Not going to leave all the work on poor Alfred. That would be cruel because small children can be terrifying in large groups.

As I got my gear on, Naia let me know she could see the bandits approaching slowly from far away in the distance. Putting it all on took a while since I was using the "Sock Method." It's not what it sounds like. The sock method is a book here about using layers of socks and balled-up socks to make someone look more filled-out muscle-wise. With this normally silly method, I'll look like I'm a short but full-grown adult.

Naia then let me know Theresa was already in position, hiding with her bow in a tree by the village gate. Scarlet and Brom were on their way back from Nemo now, just a bit ahead of them.

Geared up and visage on, I headed to the town's gate. I stood there, and the villagers watched. Then came, as if on cue, a male villager running through the gate just ahead of Brom and Scarlet, who was in full gear. Scarlet had her physical shield on, and Brom was in "full metal gear," or full plate/chainmail armor, as some foolish mortals call it.

An arrow flew between them as they focused on running. Once Scarlet realized it was headed straight for the running villager, it was out of her reach but not mine!

"Barrier!" I called out as I made a "Time Shield." I didn't want anyone to actually know what spell I was really using. Best to make them think I'm the master of many different and unheard-of magics.

The arrow bounced off thin air, and the villagers went "Ooh" and "Ah" in response. I once again called out "barrier" again as I used my time shield to cover the gate entrance. This let Brom and Scarlet know it was safe to turn around and close the gate. Once the gate was closed, I let the time shield go to conserve Will energy and be ready to block off areas the bandits might try to cross through. With the gate closed, the bandits had no easy entryway into the town. They could wade through slippery, rocky rivers or climb steep hills. It would not stop them alone, but it would slow them down. It would slow them just enough time to give Theresa a better shot.

My sister let loose volley after volley of multi-arrow shots at the crowd of bandits. There were actually probably less than 400-500 of them in total. It was just that the village had less than 50 people and only one hero originally. Now there were four of us, and the door wasn't left open.

Dozens of brutes fell to Theresa's arrows before the gate exploded open in a fiery blaze. From the center of where the gate had once been was a glowing hot knife. The knife was in the right hand of Jack of Blades! He wore the same black leather outfit with his short red cape as he did in the game. His mask was white like porcelain with streaks of red like flames. His outfit was covered with knives, except where he had his dead siblings' masks mounted over his abdomen.

"Hello, Scarlet, it's nice to see you again," Jack said in his same monotone deadpan voice. Why does he sound a bit more like Hannibal Lecter than before? I knew the mask was actually his real face, but was it always so creepy-looking?

"Care to just tell me where the sword is? You can save all these people," the monster offered. He acted like it was a bargain for what he asked and not like he understood the people's lives had any value. That's because he doesn't see the value in life. I could tell from the dark indifference in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter if she wants to tell you or not. Your opponent is me!" I claimed as I stood before my family and the town with the Dollmaster's Mace in my hand. The whole time I spoke, I used time control to slow/speed up my voice at certain intervals to sound older and different from my own. The result was my voice sounded inhuman, just like Jack did in the Anniversary version of the game. The Jack in front of me sounded more like the version from the original games, but there were similarities to both.

"Who are you? Some new nobody Hero? I don't have the time for this," Jack scoffed in the same monotone.

Scarlet had already intervened informing the guards earlier that the Guild had sent word of a potential bandit attack. She had instructed them to fortify other areas of Oakvale, asserting that we would defend the main entrance. This assured us that the other areas would remain fortified against bandits.

Theresa continued unleashing a volley of arrows. Each arrow tore through the chaos, striking down bandits with lethal precision. I focused my Will, creating a horizontal time blade that severed the bodies of some who made it past Theresa's assault.

Then, amidst the chaos, I saw him walking calmly closer towards me—Jack of Blades, or at least he was pretending to be calm.

“Oh, very good, Hero. I’ve never met your acquaintance. What do they call you?”

I put up a facade, faking a snicker. “Haha, the bumpkins of Albion wouldn’t know of beings from beyond. All you need to know is that I am greater than you and your antithesis.”

Jack readied his weapon, a chilling glint in his eyes. “Well, we shall see about that.”

"No, I'm not some new hero. I'm just another being from the void. What? You don't even recognize someone from your birthplace?"

"There are no other void beings!" Jack replied while changing how he carried himself. My statement clearly put him on edge.

"Oh, there are NOW," I spoke truthfully, emphasizing the word "NOW."

"How?" Jack questioned.

"Not sure, but if I did know, I wouldn't tell you," I said, knowing Jack could tell that most of what I said wasn't a lie. The fact he knew that I did know gave validity to my earlier statement. Even my statement about being a Void existence technically wasn't a lie. Space is a void, and we all live inside of it. Also, I lived in the void for about a year's worth of time.

"Why are you with them when you should be with me?" Jack reasoned as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

"Well, you see, you're old and powerful, but currently weakened. Best to take out the competition while he's unprepared," I said as menacingly as possible while readying my mace. Its go time, motherfucker!

This is how the showdown Begins!