Chapter 28 - Through Time

I floated through an empty void. I wasn’t exactly sure where or when I was. It felt like I existed in every single moment in time at the same time. I could see every possible point in time. I saw the time of the universe's creation. I could see the age of the dinosaurs.

I could even see the ages of men, elves, dwarves, and demi-humans, finally, amidst the time stream. I saw him, Maxwell. He, too, was floating, seemingly confused about where we had ended up.

Maxwell turned his head and saw me, his face scrunched up into one of outrage. “Why you! I’m here because of your meddling! If you just died like a good boy, then perhaps none of this mess would have happened!”

The confusion I had turned to anger at that very moment, yet I still kept my calm. I figured I could at least talk the situation down so we could get back to where we came from, yet he surged forward, spear in hand.

His eyes burned with a hatred that hinted at no mercy, and talking would happen.

I saw it coming, of course, I dodged and swung, hitting him again with my sword. It dealt another serious cut. “Hold on!” I pleaded. “If we’re stuck here, it’s more beneficial to find a way out together so we can continue our fight.” I tried to reason.

Maxwell, however, didn’t seem to be having it and crashed right into me, sending us tumbling into another point in time.

We were in what looked to be a vast jungle, with trees that looked alien to me. They resembled palm trees but had tons of branching pathways that seemed illogical for a tree like that to have. They grew strange purple fruit on them.

I didn’t have time to dwell on my new surroundings as Maxwell charged again. I dodged; however, I noticed I was running out of juice on my copy. My shield had begun to dim, yet I noticed my reaction speed didn’t decrease.

I wondered if maybe I permanently altered my brain from copying this?

Either way, he could predict my movements; I only stood to lose if I remained in sword mode. So I swapped to my shield in the hopes that blocking a few hits would charge me right back up.

“I’m smarter than you. I know exactly what you’re thinking in that you plan to copy my ability again. It seems it hinges on your shield. Well, too bad you must not have my powers, which means you are vulnerable!” He charged, but before he could make it to me. We heard a noise.

“Huh? What was that?” I looked around for the source of the noise. It sounded like some kind of animal. Even Maxwell stopped to look around. “What kind of monster dares to interrupt our duel?!”

Then I saw what had actually interrupted us. It looked unreal; in fact, I didn’t believe it. In fact, I didn’t think I would ever put this statement into words.

But what stood before us was none other than a Velociraptor. In fact, I noticed we were surrounded at every angle by them. It was like something out of a movie, but sadly. I wasn’t watching them from the comfort of the big screen.

“How about we put this fight on pause for now to deal with these intruders?” I suggested to Maxwell, however he seemed not to be listening to me.

“Hah, screw this! More chances for me to kill you!” He lunged forward, which I was able to block with my shield. A velociraptor would nip at him, which prompted him to spear it through the head.

Nice, I finally had enough charge with my shield to recreate his special ability again, then I can maybe find my way to the present. Either way, I didn’t have time to think, I pushed the energy into me as I always did.

I didn’t feel the intense pain like I did before; in fact, I felt no pain at all, yet I still felt the same sense of rush. “I suppose I’m used to this now, or my body is anyway.” I grinned, I switched over to my sword, and made short work of the approaching predators.

Finally, I charged back at Maxwell, and we both traded blows for a little bit. We both increased our speeds to their fullest limits, breaking the boundaries of logic itself, before reality once again became undone.

The path to a different time is now here.

Floating through again, we found ourselves back in the Arctic reaches, where the Iron City should be. However, I found that there was no city, just a town full of random dwarven villagers.

The housing looked primitive, mostly igloos and other housing meant for warmth; there wasn’t a hint of the elaborate forges and industrialization the Iron City was known for.

Maxwell, however, didn’t care about that, choosing to charge right at me. I dodged, and we both flew right into the heart of the city. Our battle was now surrounded by onlookers. I charged forward; precognition didn’t matter anymore when we both could do it.

However, with the first few strikes, I was being pushed back before finally, I was kicked into a nearby building, demolishing it whole.

Everything spun around me. I could hear the voices of onlookers checking to see if I was ok. Some were too scared to do anything. I immediately got up and sped forward to block Maxwell’s attack.

“What are you doing?! You could have killed a civilian!” I scolded.

“Isn’t that the point?” He grinned.

This was bad. There were too many civilians around, and if Maxwell was willing. Everybody here was in grave danger, so naturally, I did the first thing that came to mind. I sped up to the point I could create another entrance to the timestream.

Once the familiar-looking hole in reality appeared, I threw Maxwell and myself inside.

Finally, I saw it, our time. The one we left, if I could just get him in there, then I could finish him off before any damage could be done. I still had a hole in my stomach after all.

So far, I noticed I had barely any blood on me. It seemed the downside to his speed is that when everything is happening in less than a second. It makes it hard for the blood to flow out of the body.

Still, I lost a lot in the brief time things were normal.

Not to mention, Maxwell himself took several blows and looked to be on the verge of collapse as well. I knew I didn’t have time, and neither did he; this would be it. The final bow, here and now, it gets decided.

I charged, and so did he, but there was a key difference. For Maxwell, it had to have been his first time trying. He was sloppy, used to other people dying for him; he never had to deal with an opponent at his skill level.

The weakness wasn’t his ability; it was Maxwell himself.

Right on cue, an opening. I blew past his spear and thrust my sword into him. Sending us both hurtling into the now slowly closing time hole to the present.

Finally, we were through, I fell onto the snow hard as with Maxwell.

I was bleeding fast, and my ability to copy had faded. I looked over for Maxwell, but he was gone; all that remained was a slowly dissolving spear and my sword lying there on the ground. The blood slowly begins to fade as well.

It was over.

The crowd watched as the man who was supposed to have executed me died in turn. Tetsuo and Grace. Who had already been looking after Elowyn. Suddenly turned to me, some medics within the crowd turned to me.

Even Reuben had drifted from his office to the site of the execution to gawk.

That was the last I saw before passing out. I didn’t think I would die. Yet a part of me really hoped I didn’t, I still had things I needed to do. As long as I had to do those things, I couldn’t give up, not when I also had friends beside me to support me.

I’m content.

Remaining participants: 28/100.

Game status: In progress.

Razan Hamada Status: Alive.