Zorian is in a time loop. If he doesn't want to deal with Xvim, he just stops going to see him. He doesn't really care about school at this point. It's the same deal with the priest - he got suspicious because of Zorian's skill level, Zorian just stopped seeing him. Even if Zorian wants to have a school loop, I'm sure he can either bypass Xvim entirely, or just fake something to him.

It's a fucking time loop. Zorian can completely disregard Xvim if he wants to.

 

I keep wondering if these time loops are going to have the same effect as a certain other timelooper from anime, where the loops build up and stack the karmic importance and magical raw power of someone. (don't say the name of the anime, I know, just don't want to spoil that)

We know that souls don't stack, not really, the spiders that got soulkilled remained dead, so, this soul trap doesn't get stronger with each loop at least, and neither does Zorian, in that way. He just gets more practice and knowledge.

Yet I feel that someone, somewhere is and this whole demon/god thing will blow up like that.

 

The whole story is based around subverting this trope. Zach is the one with the standard shounen-anime imperative (he goes around and kills things to get raw power) while Zorian is investigating the whole loop and gaining strength in reasonable doses. I think it's explicitly stated somewhere that he's not naturally gifted in terms of magic.


That's honestly one of the huge draws of the story for me.

 

I am not talking about Zorian, here. I think that might be the goal of the antagonist. Really need to reread some chapters, forgot the stuff about the gods, angels and so on.

 

Zorian had below average power but above average skill compared to the average mage. But both were still within the norm. Considering how studious and intelligent he is, Zorian was actually considered fairly skilled with decent potential, afaik.

It was stated that he wasn't naturally gifted in natural raw magical power, but in this universe, power and control is a sliding scale (the more power you have, the less control you have over it, and vice versa). Zorian was clearly above average in his year, though nothing special.

Considering what he's accomplished and how good he's gotten in the what, five years he's spent in the loop, he's clearly talented.

 

Enjoyed the progress and hints to come this chapter. I read the whole thing a couple weeks back and thought it was excellent. Popped in here and saw the last chapter had the reception of being underwhelming, and I feared that one chapter at a time might ruin it for me. But again there was no trudging, and this one promises forward momentum.

I saw some talk on Red Robe, I haven't read through the whole thread but I'll plop down a theory. Red Robes is hiding in plain sight as Zachs guardian.

We know that he and Zach get into an altercation quite often, and he isn't simply blown off (iirc sometimes beats him to a stand still). That takes some doing.

He would also be in a position where Zach could have come to him in the past. Then after getting in on it he would have access block or implant Zachs memories to his desire. It seemed to be taken for granted that Zach always had problems with his guardian, but if I understand correctly that could be altered artificially through memory manipulation. This also (re)sets Zach off from the original goal or quest of the whole Time Loop.

This means Zachs Guardian/Red Robes(?) creates a situation where his antagonist purposefully rebels against him. There are two outcomes 1) Zach is contained, goes to school, under watch, wants nothing to do with RedGuard. 2) Zach blows him off, goes and 'powers up' but otherwise not truly achieving something, and is under watch or at least attempted surveillance, and wants nothing to do with RedGuard. Despite all the foofaraw by being the obvious irritation it is probably the single most effective thing to make Zach ignore him (after getting what was needed).

Again he has a ready made, very smooth, reason for his people to watch Zach. Know thy enemy. Whatever else Zach is still clueless of the big picture and not really being a thorn to Red Robes ultimate plan.

There is also the somewhat cliche point of the guardian trying to usurp control from the rightful heir, and his position would almost certainly provide him with contacts throughout the upper echelons of power throughout Cyoria, and beyond. And, to make something up completely, the "every good antagonist thinks he's the hero" thought makes it possible that snot nosed brat Zach comes to him with a quest from the gods. Instead of helping the Chosen OneTM RedGuard sets out to do what must be done, or seek an alternative which for example might see a true end to the gods, but would benefit humanity more tangibly (some greater goodTM which he has fallen to).

There is probably evidence contrary to all of this supposition, typically as a reader I'm one of those who don't try to guess ahead, rather just relax and enjoy things unfolding.

 

I found most of the chapter pretty bland. I am really getting sick of the portal/mayor investigation and am glad that that is being rapped up. I loved the ending with Xvim though.

I have no problems with Xvim/Taiven/Whoever being made aware of the timeloop; I only object to the idea of him being able to add others to it. When other people know about the timeloop, it allows their relationship with Zorian to change and grow. Things need to be able to change in this story to keep it interesting. Hell, for that reason I wouldn't even be completely against adding another person to the loop. But it would also have to be limited to a single meaningful character. A romance subplot or Aranean familiar... something along those lines could work if done carefully.

Well, Zorian hasn't really had the opportunity to follow through with Tavien yet. This is his first loop back at school since he made that promise. I expect she will be brought in on it in the next chapter.

I wouldn't call Zorian self-serving either. No more than anyone else anyways. He doesn't go out of his way to help people, but he will if there is nothing else he is doing or it is simple and easy for him. Tavien is someone he considers a friend so he will be helping her out.

 

I found the bit about only special candidates are send to Xvin interesting.

This means that even from the begning he was saw as someone to watch.

 

The spiders weren't soulkilled; they were probably just kicked out of the loop. I think that's the conclusion that Zorian came to after investigating what it takes to destroy a soul.

They should be back and alive when time stops looping.

 

I've had an idea in my head that that was just a convenient excuse, and that for some reason Zorian was deliberately chosen to be forced into Xvim's care. The line "most of the students being sent my way need to be humbled somewhat, for their own good" gives me me a lot more confidence in the idea.

"Lets send that smug little unfriendly bastard to Xvim" definitely fits with the Zorian at the start of the story.

 

That seems unlikely. Zorian may not have been a terribly nice guy at the beginning, but you have to admit he was serious about his studies. He wasn't smug or arrogant, only bitter and self-centered. Xvim's style did nothing for that.

 

Part of that is because we see inside his head. I can very much buy him coming off as aloof to others, especially when you add in who is brother is

 

I'd have to disagree with you there. If he really was aloof, or a smug, little unfriendly bastard at the start of the loop, then I don't think that it'd be so easy for him to approach various classmates like he has in various restarts. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to meet privately with someone who's been a dick.

 

If he was aloof actually approaching classmates is a decent way to break that impression though. Zorian was just an introvert to couple with his empath issues in the beginning which can give off "don't approach me" vibes. If he starts approaching others in a friendly manner those go away.

 

I've binge read this story over the past couple of days. Wow, this is a pretty incredible world that the author has created! I kind of knew that Xvim would eventually become a big player, the foreshadowing for that was good. I can't wait to see where this story goes from here.

I feel like Zorian needs to contact Zach soon. I'd like to see what has been going on with him for the past year or two.

 

I really hope more people get brought into the time loop soon. The story is getting a little repetitive, lol. Seriously though I'd like to see some side characters develop and the time loop makes romance impossible. Not that Zoarian seems very interested...

 

Ya, I agree that the lack of focus on romance is a nice change of pace, but I'm starting to find it a little unrealistic. I mean, Zorian is supposed to be a teenager, yet beyond the occasional reference to that one chick turning him down in the past he seems to never even think about the opposite sex.

He's a teenage with mind control powers in a time loop! He should at least have the occasional naughty thought.

 

Personally, I feel that the reason Zorian has no interest in women or romance matters is because he's still hung up on what happened with Taiven. I mean, if you take into account his inferiority complex and self-esteem issues caused by his family (and partly by his empathy), it kinda makes since.

I'm just throwing this out there, but what if Taiven was his first crush, ever? She's very straightforward and doesn't hide anything (which is good for him who has empathy) and she probably didn't compare him a whole lot with his brother, not to mentioned, all the girls he probably met before were from his hometown, where his family was well-known and influential.

If that's the case, and Taiven WAS his first crush, and when he tried to tell her his feelings and went on a date with her, she basically thought it was a joke, and told it straight to his face, how do you think he would feel? It would make his disinterest in women make sense, since the last time he paid attention to a woman and started to pursue romance, he crashed and burned, and did a lot of damage to his already low self-esteem and heightened his inferiority complex towards his brothers who never have problems with social matters like those.

I feel that until he confronts Taiven about what happened, he will not be paying to much attention to other girls in the loop. And I feel that that will be very important towards his changing character, which is a core part of this story.