ALL NOVEL Loop 254 - Part 117
“Ugh, I feel like I have been missing everything recently. Did it work?” Cal asked as he woke up on the ground. He wasn’t sure if he had been mumbling his questions or if his ears weren’t working right. Considering his head was pounding, it was probably both. He was still in Ethel’s realm, so he guessed he hadn’t been unconscious for too long.
“Do not try to move much yet Cal. You have likely channeled far more mana in the last few minutes than you have in every other loop combined. Ethel’s realm has been stabilized. Once Melissa recovers, she will be over to heal you,” Excalibur’s voice caused the hammering pain in his head to intensify. Yeah, he agreed moving was not a good idea at the moment, but he had a question burning at the back of his mind that he needed to ask.
“What happened to Onelder? The last thing I remember was you telling him to hold it together,” Cal asked. His voice, surprising himself, was full of concern. When had he stopped hating the alien?
“It is best you rest for now, and we discuss his fate later after you have recovered some,” The sword answered.
“Wait, what? No, tell me what happened. Considering the worst thing I can think of is just him restarting the next loop without his memories, there is something you know that I don’t, isn’t there?” Cal demanded an answer. The pain in his head could wait. He tried to stand and managed to get as far as his knees before the overwhelming nausea started.
“Onelder’s gone, Cal. I think he knew this was the likely outcome, and what the rest of us other than Excalibur didn’t understand is he meant permanently,” his father’s voice came from behind him. He felt the man’s hands slide under his arms and help him to his feet as the weight of what he had said settled in.
“How? How can someone permanently die in a loop?” Cal didn’t understand; as far as he knew, they were effectively immortal right now.
“We may be in a time loop, but consider that our memories are being retained through the loop. Some places are not being reset on each loop either, such as these realms tied to each of you. Then there is your console in the void house, tied to some being further outside the loops. While I cannot say this with one hundred percent certainty until the next loop starts, Onelder severed his own connection to reality itself, and that will not be repaired when the loop restarts. It is possible to overtax your core to the point that your own life force begins to feed your channeling, and if you push that far enough, you will break down all the bonds that make up your being. There are people out there capable of using mana to resurrect the dead and rebind life forces to this reality, but I know of none who are able to do so after complete mana death. Onelder knew this as well,” Excalibur explained.
Cal’s stomach felt like a lead ball had appeared in it. So it was possible to die in these loops, and the man who had killed him so many times was the first to do so, sacrificing himself for the future of the universe. How was he going to explain this Twonger? He tried to say something in response to Excalibur, but all that came out was the word: “Oh.”
“I am deeply sorry, and if there were any other way, I would have suggested it. I was only willing to participate in this suggestion because Onelder himself knew what it would entail. Once everyone has recovered, I will explain further what I understand to be the nature of this loop. For now, I believe it is best that your father and Captain Lightspeed get you back to the void house to record,” Excalibur apologies did nothing to help how Cal currently felt. He let his father lift him onto the horse and guide them back out of the realm in silence.
***
The door to Cal’s room flew open, and a very crank old woman slowly hobbled her way into the room.
“Alright it’s been long enough, time for you get the hell out of bed and come eat with the rest of us. Even I’m up and walking now,” Ethel yelled at him the minute she was entirely through the door.
“I’m glad you’re awake, but…” Cal was cut off before he could finish his reply.
“No buts, get your ass up. Onelder didn’t die because of you. He died because the Gryalth invaded our universe and are planning to kill us all. Yes, we failed to save him, but we didn’t have any way to do so even if we had known it was possible and happening, and if anyone should be feeling guilty, it’s me. He did this to hold my realm together. Now get up and come get breakfast with everyone,” She snapped at him.
Cal was a little shocked when he realized his body was standing up; apparently, Ethel’s yelling was good for something. He considered her point as he walked to the cafeteria. There was a lot of truth in what she said about Onelder’s death, and while he didn’t entirely disagree, he still considered himself at least partially responsible. He was sure of one thing, though: without the Gryalth, none of this would be happening, and if permanent death was possible within these loops, he would make sure the creature that had attempted to kidnap him, causing this chain of events, would also feel what it was like to truly die.
He sat down at the table next to Albert and Frank, forced a smile, and looked over at the small capybara who had most bonded with the Cyclopean. While Albert looked a little worse for wear, he also looked to be handling it okay. As the smell of the freshly cooked breakfast fully hit his brain, his hunger kicked in.
“Hey guys, what’s the best food today?” Cal asked.
“We’ve been doing one of the meals Onelder showed me each day as a tribute, which seemed like the best way to honor him,” Albert answered as he pointed to a strange-looking egg-like dish on his plate.
“Well then, please, pass the eggs,” Cal again forced a smile a smile. Ethel was right, he had been in bed too long, and his friends and family needed him.