Learning to Love Time Loops Without Going Insane

“Should your crack be pulsating like that? The other two aren’t.” Cal asked the small spirit.

“No, probably not, I think it’s because I’m not whole, I also feel like there is already someone inside.”

“Interesting, do you think it’s future Andy?”

“That would make the most sense, we know he’s somewhere, and my realm would make the most sense.”

“Boldly into the void we go, then”

“Can’t we just go normally?”

“I suppose, but where’s the fun in that?”

Cal and the spirit stepped from his bedroom into a world of shadow. There was a soft dim light permeating the world, what there was of it at least. Once Cal was fully free from the crack he began to fall into nothingness. There was no land here, no sky, just an infinite gloom.

“Uh, any idea what we are supposed to do here? The other two realms had their own starter mana wells, I don’t really see anywhere yours could have that.”

“Nope, there should be some sort of landscape I think though. I guess those parts are with the rest of me. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright I’ve got an idea.” Cal lifted his hand, pointing his finger into the darkness he fired off a small blast of lightning into the darkness. It lit their path as it went revealing debris slowly falling all around them until it hit a larger platform and fizzled out. “Did you see that in the distance, let’s try aiming in that direction. Hopefully this place works the way I think it does.” Cal oriented his body so that he would fall in the direction the bigger platform floated.

He hoped this place worked the way he thought it did. Neither of the other two realms had been overly large. Their creators claimed they would expand and their own powers grew. This meant that this realm was also likely finite so, in theory, as they fell, they would just cycle around to back above the platform.

Cal smashed headfirst into a steel platform, it wasn’t at breakneck speeds, but it still hurt like hell. “Fuck, ow, dammit, that really hurts.” He whined into the void.

“Of course it did, what kind of idiot tries to fly through an area with near zero visibility. Are you about to explode again like the last time you got here?” Cal thought he knew that disdainful voice. It was always so full of annoyance at the existence of their shared reality.

“Nice to see you too Andy, how have you been? Have you considered some decorating, I bet our little spirit here would have some great tips.” Cal made sure to keep his voice just outside the range of obvious sarcastic mockery as he stood up. He understood that Andy was likely miserable given how dreary this realm was currently stuck at.

“Actually now that you ask, unusually I have some news for you from two loops ago.”

“Oh yeah, who babysat you anyway?”

“Please tell me you aren’t actually calling it that.”

“And lie to you, that seems rude.”

“Fine. More importantly Ethel wanted me to inform you that she also has a spirit within her. Apparently it allows her to communicate with plants and give them minor growth. She said it was only small plants, but I have a feeling that has more to do with a lack of training than real limitation.”

“That old lady is full of surprises. I wonder how much more she is keeping from us, but more importantly you’re fully onboard with magic, that’s great.”

“I’m on board with the idea that the universe is able to express natural forces in a way we haven’t fully managed to understand yet, and this is just one of them.”

“Close enough.”

“Hey little buddy, how would you feel about the name Barron?”

“Hmm, I think it works, but I need to be completely together to make a final decision on it.”

“So this guy here is what created this place I’m stuck in?”

“I did, do you like it?”

“Well it’s better than nothing.”

“Do we know why there is so much random debris here?” Cal gestured to the random junk floating near enough to make out.

“My hypothesis is that this is what remains of the room I was in when the gravity generator went critical and pulled the room into itself.”

“Yes, I think he’s right. If we could find a way to collect the bigger pieces and stitch them together, maybe we could create some more room in here. It would likely be easier to integrate myself with a clearer sky at least.”

“It might be doable, we just need some kind of tether to pull myself back here once we get to another chunk.”

“Can you reach that spool up there, I believe it’s a roll of steel cable.” Andy pointed up at an object slightly out of their reach. Cal looked at the ground below his feet and pushed some of Grannus’ power into it. The floor grew under Cal’s feet just enough so that he could reach the cable above. He then pulled the power back into himself allowing the floor to return to its original shape. He then unrolled one end of the cable, holding the end to the plate below he tried arcing electricity into both of them until they held reasonably rightly together.

“I don’t think it would ever impress anyone who actually knows how to weld, but it should work well enough for us.” And he dived off the side of the platform before Andy had a chance to respond.

The next several hours were spent with Cal reeling in platform after platform. “I think this is the last one.” The spirit yelled to Cal as he pulled himself next to Andy.

“Good, I don’t have a ton of energy left and I still need to weld these platforms together.

Andy, can you start moving them where they are supposed to be? It will be easiest if we follow the break pattern I think.”

“Yes, I agree. I wonder if any of the equipment still works.” Andy began the process of assembling a puzzle of giant steel sheets. Some property of the world made them nearly weightless as they floated around what had become his home. Cal followed behind him slowly fusing all the torn metal back into solid connections. He tested each break point with a few leaps to make sure his handiwork was holding. So far so good.

Once they completed the assembly process Cal slumped down in the center of the space, exhausted. “Well Andy, now you have a few thousand square feet to wander around in, much better than before. Hey look, this light even works.” Andy flipped a switch above his head on the side of the cabinet he was leaning against. Light spilled into the center of the complex, it did nothing to ease the oppressive gloom all around them. “I’m just going to rest here for a bit.”

“Take all the time you need. I’m going to see if any of these computers actually work.” Andy started walking around tapping various buttons at different consoles. Cal heard several fans spring to life around him. Something was clearly still working. Cal closed his eyes, maybe a nap was what he really needed.

“Cal wake up, we have a problem.” Cal felt Andy shaking him as he came to.

“Ugh, what now?” His voice was full of annoyance, bordering on anger.

“Sorry, don’t get mad Cal, Andy is serious, there's a big issue and it’s my fault. I’m really sorry.”

Cal took a deep breath and stood up “Okay, I’m awake, what’s going on?” His voice still sounded half asleep.

“I managed to get the gravity generator monitor systems back online. This world is decaying at a rapid pace. The additional energy sources of Barron and yourself seem to have increased it significantly, but it had already started even without you too. It’s likely because of the splitting apart of Barron.”

“Can we fix it?”

“I think so, but we don’t have a lot of time, seven maybe eight loops at most, and then Barron and I are gone for good.”

“Understood, I assume we need to find a way to put Barron back together again?”

“Yes, the good news there is I know how to do that. We just need to get the other three generators into this building and let them all detonate together. You will need to be with them to make sure the power channels properly into Barron, and I believe my younger self will also need to present otherwise the link won’t manifest correctly.”

“Alright, then I guess it’s time to start some corporate espionage loops. We can spend the next three loops fully detailing the buildings where the other generators are kept and then figure out how best to transport them all here.”

“There’s one final problem there. Moving the generators outside of their housing will cause them to go critical within hours. You are going to have to find a way to move them from across the country to Dallas on the final day of the loop, all at the same time.”

“Piece of cake, we just need to figure out teleportation.” Cal smiled, but on the inside this had him worried. He couldn’t afford to lose Andy’s knowledge and he had no idea how they were going to accomplish this, but he also didn’t have much more time to think it over. He felt the energies within himself building to critical levels.

“Sorry guys, looks like I’m about to clock out for the loop. See you next time.” He managed to squeeze out the last word as his form took on the golden brilliance milliseconds before the burst.