I had been sitting for hours on the cobblestones before the suspension bridge, staring at the stone wall with its archway that led to the cemetery. That's where the spider lurked, as far as I could remember. Yet it hadn't shown itself since I settled here. And as I sat, I sank deeper into self-reflection.
More precisely, I was trying to understand how I had ended up here—but the answer eluded me.
If I strained my memory, I could recall only one thing: before all this chaos, I had no mystical past to speak of. I had simply gone to sleep and found myself in that endless desert. Being in that sandy world had felt remarkably like dreaming. I hadn't even known where I was heading or why, just wandering through golden dunes into the unknown.
And now…
Since the rewinding, I constantly felt the presence of this… sand of time. With focus, I could even summon it at will. I had done so several times already.
My veins would glow with golden light beneath my skin, and time would rewind, looping repeatedly to the moment I first woke here. Though eventually, I realized I couldn't rewind time more than a few minutes anymore—far less than the first time. And yet, I didn't feel any weakening. Instead, I began to think of other ways this ability could be used.
I could, for instance, make the sand not reverse time, but slow it instead.
Tossing random objects into the air, I slowed time and watched them fall in languid arcs. This slowing required effort—something like striking with half strength versus full. Only, here it wasn't muscles that tensed, but something else I couldn't define. At maximum effort, time nearly froze—but it drained me faster. Still, even the strongest slow motion demanded less energy than rewinding.
And finally… there was stopping time altogether.
Stopping required roughly the same effort as rewinding, but I could maintain it for just over a minute. Not too shabby, I thought. In that span, I could probably impale that spider at the cemetery with every sword and spear scattered around. Though… would it even kill the thing? Could it even die? The monster's shield seemed to suggest otherwise.
Of course, there was a downside.
The longer I slowed or stopped time, the more these strange mystical powers drained, reducing how far I could rewind time. Still, the powers did regenerate—like physical energy. Run a few laps, catch your breath, rest for a minute, and you're ready again. Eventually, though, I'd need proper rest. Already, I was starting to tire faster; my one-minute stop might soon only last forty seconds, maybe even half a minute.
That was the extent of my strange ability for now. No other functions of the sand of time had revealed themselves. Stop, slow, rewind. Not bad at all, in my opinion. With the powers roughly understood, all that remained was deciding my next move.
First, I thought, I'd better cover myself. And no, I still had no intention of dressing up in a dead nun's robe. I searched the boxes and barrels near the chapel. Some old rags were there, long rotted. But just ahead, by the bridge, I found a stake hammered into the ground with a crimson banner, a silver lion rearing on it. Struggling, I pulled it free and draped it over myself like a cloak. Not perfect, but at least my ass wasn't freezing. And it was cold.
I wandered the chapel grounds a bit longer, inspecting the area.
But there was nothing else of interest. To move forward, I'd have to cross the cemetery where the spider waited. After all, there was neither food nor water here. Staying put would eventually be a real problem—if I feared the monster. But what did I have to fear? I could manipulate time… sort of.
Mentally bracing myself, I headed toward the cemetery.
"Shh…" I hissed, wincing as I stubbed my foot on the bridge. Barefoot.
Hopping back to a stone, I inspected my foot. Right enough, I'd snagged a massive splinter.
With a dissatisfied hiss, I plucked it out—and to my surprise, golden grains poured from the wound instead of blood. They flowed, not scattered, forming tiny streams in the air. At that moment, I felt… something strange, familiar.
"Wait…"
A flash of insight. Testing it, I rewound time. My veins shimmered with gold again, twisting in intricate patterns across my body. And from the wound, even more golden sand spilled, swirling into a vortex that amplified my temporal power. I could rewind further, nearly back to the very beginning—but exhausted, I tumbled back into normal time.
"Ah… I see… so that's it…"
And the wound vanished.
It became clear: if I had wounds, sand would pour instead of blood, boosting my time powers. That explained why my first rewind was stronger. Ironically, I realized this only because I'd caught a splinter.
I rested a little before returning to the cemetery. Using sand didn't tire my muscles, but the fatigue felt real. Ten more minutes of rest, and even my rumbling stomach quieted.
Naked, hungry, and now a master of time, I lifted myself from the stone and set off for adventure.
Approaching the arch, I slowed time.
Passing under it, I looked up. The creature still perched there, eyes closed, seemingly unaware of me. I gauged the distance. Not even a spear would reach it from here. First, it would have to drop, and since it hadn't noticed me yet, I risked a run past it.
In slow motion, I dashed to the crucified girl statue, hiding behind it, then returned to normal time.
Pressed against the wall, I listened. The spider hadn't moved. Perhaps it was asleep.
Then… a cliff lurked immediately behind the statue.
Later, under slow time, I ran through another arch to a rocky islet. Another cliff.
"What… the hell?"
Shocked, I realized the cemetery and chapel weren't connected to the main land. No escape.
"What now?"
Peering down the cliffs, I considered descending. Without rewinding, impossible. I'm no climber; I'd fall. But with rewind, even if I fell, I could return. Rewind would eject me from my body, allowing another attempt—even death wouldn't stop me.
Still, the thought of this descent was bleak. Ice-cold waves would batter me. And the far shore, with the castle, was full of cliffs I couldn't scale, even with rewinding. I'd have to swim to a proper coast. Could my powers save me from exhaustion, or only prolong agony?
The outlook was grim.
"Fine… first, I deal with this thing," I muttered.
Back to the cemetery, the spider noticed me immediately. Its monstrous gaze met mine. The thing was grotesque—but I felt no fear. It had already killed me once. Painful as it was, fear had no claim here. The mere thought of the swords piercing it again made my body shiver.
But it didn't happen.
I walked slowly toward the wall, pulling a spear from the ground.
"Hey… maybe we can talk?" I asked.
I was ready to slow time, preferable to a full stop. The spider couldn't defend against attacks in slow motion, and it drained less energy.
Then… the monster braced, gripping the wall. Rising slightly, it drew a deep breath.
"KYAAAHHH!"
A scream so piercing it knocked me backward, scrambling my thoughts. I thought it would just leap, but then—
It leapt.
Not onto me with its shield as before, but landed in front, raising on four legs, hammering me with its swords. Again, again, and again, blades piercing me. I couldn't stop time or rewind, shock choking me.
Only after a shield strike flung me aside did I exit my body, wrapping time in a golden sand vortex, reversing events. They had finished me without chance—I had truly died. But I returned not far, just before the spider's scream.
Time resumed.
The spider screamed again.
Now ready, I covered my ears and dropped the spear. Partial protection. The vibration still reached my bones, but the second time, I endured. When it leapt, I stopped time.
Golden sand from my fatal wounds still whirled around me.
"My turn, you bastard," I hissed.
I was furious. A deadly grievance burned in me. Even if it were a human, I would have done this. Grabbing the spear, I drove it into the spider's face. The spear sank with resistance but felt like plunging a knife into dough. No blood.
I didn't stop. Rusty sword from the ground, thrust in. Then another, pressing nearly to the hilt. Spear, sword, spear, sword.
Finally, a club—found suddenly—smash to the face, skull breaking.
"Ha…" I exhaled, stepping back. The sand vortex dissipated.
With a wet crunch, the creature twisted unnaturally, squealing. Dark blood gushed from multiple wounds. Finally, the spider collapsed.
"Well, got it, huh?"
A grin crept across my lips. Satisfaction and relief surged through me. Revenge did wonders for the soul, apparently.
I approached to kick the spider…
"GHAA!"
It sprang to life, golden blade through me.
"Damn it…"
Rewinded slightly, just before I touched the spider. Angrier now.
"Die already!"
Time stretched as I pounded it with the club. Face a bloody pulp, I hit again and again. In slow motion, the monster responded slowly, trying to fend me off.
Bam! Club shattered its limb. I continued, sword by sword. Exhausted, I dropped the club but kept striking with swords lodged in its body.
It was still alive.
Its other arm swung slowly—enough for me to chop with a sword. Bone and flesh yielded. I sawed the limb down, pressing it with my foot, until it finally fell.
Normally, I'd have vomited at the sight of such gore. But now, a cruel rage burned, demanding pain and dismemberment.
Exhausted, I paused, leaning against the statue. Releasing time, I observed the mangled creature. Using slow motion and weapon swings drained me faster, but the spider didn't move. Pretending again? Or finally… gone?
Rested, I slowed time and approached, retrieving a golden sword from its severed arm. Too heavy to swing, but I could thrust it into the immobile beast like a spear.
"All done?" I exhaled.
The monster didn't respond. Then it began crumbling to dust. Its shield clattered down, followed by all weapons.
"Ha… guess that's really it…" I smiled.
Amid the grey ash, golden grains glimmered—tiny pearls, fragile, not my sand. I collected one; crushing it released tiny particles that absorbed into me, restoring strength, hunger, and thirst abated.
"Interesting."
I wrapped the rest in a piece of banner. Better to save such restorative spheres.
And then… I realized a new function of the sand. Examining the spider's golden sword, I wondered if I could manipulate it with my powers. A scratch later, the golden vortex swallowed it, making it disappear. I could summon it back to my hand—or send other objects, even the spheres, to the desert.
This golden sand thrilled me. Truly, a power over time itself.
I felt trapped on this rocky island, yes…
"Why am I even here?" I asked the void—or perhaps the World Tree in sight, immense and majestic, though offering no solution. A rhetorical question, as always.
But this time, an answer came…
"Are you not here to become the Lord of Elden?" a pleasant female voice rang.
"What…"
Startled, I saw her.
A girl on a horned steed appeared from nowhere. A horse—or goat—or something between, bouncing in the air, hooves ringing like bells, leaving a silver trail. They descended from above.
"You don't know?" she asked, brushing the mane thoughtfully.
I settled on calling it a horse. The surreal appearance added to the unreality. I was disoriented, but gathered my thoughts.
"No… I don't know how I got here. Where am I? Can you tell me?" I tried for a friendly tone.
She looked around. Hood shadowed most of her face, but lips, chin, and chestnut curls were visible. Slender figure, soft voice.
"This is the Chapel of Waiting," she said. "Here lie the extinguished, those bereft of the Tree's blessing. And now grace calls you to restore the world's order."
"That… that's the Tree of Erd?" I asked, pointing to the golden tree.
"Yes…" she looked oddly at me. "You know nothing? Forgotten?"
"Probably…" I mumbled.
She dismounted, walking to the spider's ash.
"A battle was fought here, recently…"
"Ah… right… a monster attacked me, like a spider… with a human face."
"The Spawn," she nodded. "Godric's wretched creations. Once extinguished souls like you, torn apart and stitched together."
"Wow… that's… unpleasant."
"Yes… but they're powerful, and you defeated it?"
Interest flickered in her eyes.
"It wasn't easy…" I said cautiously.
She studied me more closely. I adjusted the banner, but most of my torso was already visible—hardly a secret. My body looked surprisingly fit, though still a naked vagrant.
The horned horse approached—no, a horse. Leaning close, it sniffed me.
"Looks like the Flow likes you," she smiled.
I asked about the place, the castle, Elden, and the order. She nodded.
I realized something else: she had arrived here on that airborne mount, meaning she could help me escape. And we understood each other perfectly, though speaking a strange language I hadn't known before—now seemingly native.
Perhaps this place wasn't as hopeless as it first seemed.