Zu Mari spent the next two days fully immersed in the basic forms of reshaping the world with dimensionalism. Forces beyond his understanding, which could only be grasped through precise applications of spirit and magic and soul essence in specific patterns... it was enough to dizzy his understanding of reality itself.
Not enough to drive him away. He refused to give in, refused to hesitate or give up. There was no other way. He had to know how to retrieve Fire Twilight Death. If this was the way, then this was the way.
He studied until he passed out, then woke and studied some more.
Nira brought him some food at one point, and he ate it without looking away from the book. He heard the distant murmur of the four girls' voices sometimes, but ignored them in favor of focusing on the one thing that stood between him and victory.
Three more days passed before he began to comprehend what the book said. He tried the exercises, his progress slowed by his inability to circulate energy properly through his body, but the strength of his core allowed him to bypass some of the requirements and adjust others. He finished the first, simplest exercise on the eighth day, twisting the light from the window to hit the ceiling instead of the wall.
He stood, hands extended, watching the dance of light and shadow on the ceiling as his twist shook unsteadily, then snapped back into place with an impact strong enough to knock him back off his feet. Even a simple exercise had this much power. A real dimensional spell would be yet stronger still.
He blinked dizzily and wobbled unsteadily as he got to his feet. If that was the backlash from twisting an arms-length of reality by a few degrees in angle, then he could see the danger in doing something like a portal across the continent.
To draw Fire Twilight Death here from another world entirely... that was the kind of spell that could destroy both worlds if he were to make a single mistake. And destruction of that magnitude... Luja Ni would not be strong enough to reverse whole worlds.
Zu swore not to make any such errors. He would practice here inside the loop until he was entirely and completely capable of wielding the power of dimensionalism without flaw. He would master it as completely as he'd mastered everything else, and he would be triumphant.
The girls were louder than usual for a day or so, but Zu ignored them. Nira brought him food a few more times, and once offered him a few tips on how to maintain the mental connection between distant points required. He thanked her, ate the food, memorized her tricks, and returned to studying.
The book was not long, but it contained a wealth of terminology that Zu had never heard of before, and all the understanding of it came slowly. Twice he had to stop and ask Nira about specifics, feeling ashamed of his ignorance as she smirked and mocked him, but then she did explain them well and clearly, so he wasn't sure how she felt about him at all.
His relationship with her was too confusing at the moment, more confusing by far than dimensionalism.
So he continued his studies until one day when he wasn't even doing anything dangerous, without warning…
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Zu nearly fell over as another captive stumbled into his back, the chain yanking him forward as those ahead of him moved while he remained still. He blinked against the harsh daylight, having been accustomed to the cozy dimness of Nira's rooms.
The balcony. The portal. The loop had reset itself.
“Luja Ni,” Zu whispered. “What happened?”
“Someone died, I don’t know who, but it was someone whose spirit could not be allowed to depart. I’m sorry to pull you from your studies. I had no choice.”
Zu fell silent and let the scenario play itself out. Menya and Nira gave their usual spiels, though Zu was pleased to see Nira gave him a proper smile and seemed to be addressing her kindly-meant words to him specifically. Sometimes she even said something slightly differently than she had the first time, his memory not lining up exactly with her adjusted speech.
But then it was over, and they stood waiting for Master Elvanis to descend from his tower.
Unlike last time, when he’d never shown up at all, this time he came down like a thunderbolt. No presentation, no drifting show of power, just slammed down onto the railing with enough force to shatter it and send stone shards flying away.
"You, you, you, and you, come with me." Master Elvanis pointed to four people, none of whom Zu recognized. "The rest, send to the trials." The chosen four hesitantly stepped forward, then some force grabbed them up, crushed together as though gathered in a giant fist, and dragged them through the broken balcony out into the air as Master Elvanis flew away almost too fast for Zu’s eyes to follow.
He stared after them, unsure of what this new change meant. Clearly, Master Elvanis was not affected by the loop, and he retained his memories. What exactly he was looking for or trying to accomplish with his sequentially stranger orders, Zu couldn't guess.
Had Master Elvanis done something to get himself killed? Was it his death that had forced the loop to restart?
"Why is it that you reset the loop every time someone whose spirit retains their memories is killed?" Zu asked quietly, prodding Luja Ni.
"It's very simple and very complicated, but the real answer is that my influence cannot extend into the realms beyond death. An ordinary person's soul would be reversed without any problems, their death forgotten and therefore non-real. But for one who dances with me, they would actually enter the death realms and then be brought back. That is forbidden by laws deeper and older than my existence. Therefore, any time one who would remember it begins to approach the gates of death, I am obligated to revert to before that would happen."
"And you can't mind wipe them or something?"
"No. The soul is inviolable by the touch of entities of different tiers beyond mortality. Only mortals can mess with each others' souls, for someone such as me to tamper with them would be seen as an unforgiveable violation. I would be executed on the spot for such a thing."
"Even if you had permission?" Zu asked.
"Who would give a higher entity write access to their...” her voice faded as she understood. “You, Zu? But why? What use would you have for dying and remaining dead beyond your death?"
"I have an uneasy feeling," Zu said, his eyes still trained on where Master Elvanis had disappeared. "I think it would be best if there is no possible way to connect my death with the control of the loop. From now on, when I die, I want you to wait a random amount of time - from a few hours to a few days - before resetting the loop. You have my permission to wipe any memories of death and beyond from my soul."
"I don't know, this sounds like the sort of thing that will be Noticed."
"Please, Luja Ni. I cannot let them discover me. If Master Elvanis realizes that I retain memories, he will... I don't know what he'll do, but it'll be bad. Worse than death, I'm sure. Worse than whatever your overlords would do to me."
Luja was silent a long time, then finally responded. "Very well. As you are willing to take on the risk... I too will accept the potential of being unmade. For you. I will do as you ask."
Zu exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Luja Ni. I knew I could rely on you."
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