Chapter 3 – Rewind

Toki POV:

Slowly fading back into reality, I watch as time slowly reverses around me, and the damaged buildings and rubble begin to form themselves back together.

The dead bodies litter the ground. However, those with injuries who were still alive reverse back and heal from their wounds.

In shock, I look down to find myself in perfect condition with Kya and Arlo also looking stunned as if time is retreating backward.

Fixing mistakes in time that are bound to be broken. I climb to my feet and ask Arlo and Kya if they have any idea what's going on.

They both shake their heads and say, "No idea."

Moments later, my eye begins to flash images like it has prior. However, I'm able to slowly keep myself up.

Kya and Arlo run to me, asking what's going on, and Arlo mentions that my eye might be an awakening piece. He has some foresight ability from the books he reads.

As they hold me up, I notice the consumption rate of my soul energy is lessened when spread out between others.

I steady myself, and more images flash before me where I found the dead Wind Reathers.

Flashes of Lord Tooj and a cleric fighting begins then as the images flash forward as the fight continues.

I see Lord Tooj lose his arm and is eventually sliced into ribbons before his enemy.

My heart sinking, I tell the others we need to assist Lord Tooj stumbling to my feet.

They look confused but agree to help as we step outside to find the wind barrier much smaller and barely covering my house, maybe 20 feet from cutting into the house itself, along with the rest of the barrier having shrunk!

We begin running down the road and find Lord Tooj facing off against some red creature with cleric robe pieces extruding from the horns of his body.

Around us are a handful of injured townspeople and even a few spirit users too injured to move. By the looks of it were injured by the aftermath of this fight.

Lord Tooj is basked in a golden aura coupled with red blood streaking down his face and around his arms.

Within an instant, Lord Tooj kicks the demon in the chest at blinding speeds sending him crashing into nearby houses.

A bolt of light shoots up to myself and the group.

Lord Tooj:

He says, "It took you all long enough to get here! What have you all been doing? Sleeping?"

"Regardless, I'm going to create an opening for you all, and when I do, it will be up to you all to seal this creature away, showing us an empty vial with a needle at the end shining gold."

"There isn't enough time to discuss what's going on. Just trust me when I say I have seen enough outcomes to know this will work!"

But everyone grab Toki's Shoulder and get ready!"

As this is going on, the creature erupts from the building rushing towards us, and that's when Lord Tooj snaps his right index finger just like during the Cleric review, and everything begins fading into a golden light, but this time, I was able to see what was happening.

Lord Tooj and the creature began rewinding back to before he kicked him into the building, and it's as if the creature had no idea of what happened.

The same goes for the entire town area, with everyone repeating their actions.

Kya and Arlo, you remembered what just happened, right?

Kya: "Yes, however, it looks like everyone else lost their memory, but for some reason, we retained whatever just happened now."

Arlo: "Yea, what Kya said. But what opening are we supposed to be looking for, and what's an empty vial going to do that monster?."

Yea, that's a good point. I can try to take a glimpse into where the signal will be, but it will most likely revolve around the timing of Lord Tooj revealing the Vial!

Closing my eyes and focusing my energy slowly draining into my eye, I get flashes of Lord Tooj making a final stand and ends up getting his hand chopped off before flipping the Vial in the air.

From the vision, I can visualize him yelling out, "Now!"

Cutting off the power, I gasp for air, dropping to a knee, and tell Kya and Arlo we have the opening!

I'm too weak right now, and Arlo, you lack the speed to close in fast enough once the opening starts! You will encase Kya with Wind Magic to enhance her fire output.

Kya, are you okay with taking the lead on this? I will carry you using Earth Magic so you can get right behind him without making a giant flare gun of yourself until it's too late!

Kya: "I got you! My minions need me to save the day!" Standing tall, she gives a short chuckle before asking what she actually needs to do.

Good question, Kya, So your objective is to catch the Vial that Lord Tooj throws into the air and deliver the final blow with the opening he creates for you.

As we finish our conversation, the fight between Lord Tooj and the creature reaches its climax point, and the creature enters an injured stance as Tooj takes the Vial out and dashes toward the creature.

Okay, Kya, let's get this started. "Earth Magic!" Silent Step!

Arlo: "Wind Reathing" Support Case!

In an instant, the earth around Kya's feet carries her at an alarming rate right to the battlefield, and just as Lord Tooj's hand gets cut off, he yells out, "Do it!"

Kya screams out in a fiery rage and performs a large flame wheel supplemented by Arlo's wind and drives her heel into the base of the Vial, crashing it into the creature's neck, slowly fading him away and into the Vial.

Gasping for air, I yelled out we did it. Before too long, the dust begins to settle, and we see Lord Tooj use his spirit reathing to reattach his hand before passing out from exhaustion.