William:
As the dragon loomed above, its eyes ablaze with hunger, an overwhelming force of intent gripped me. Nausea surged, and I resigned myself to an inevitable fate. All sound faded, replaced by the ominous rhythm of the dragon's fiery breath. In the distance, the princess frantically shouted, her mouth moving in desperate urgency, though the words were lost to me. The sunlight, which moments ago bathed me in warmth, vanished as I gazed up at the dragon's gaping maw, poised to consume me.
Finally grasping the princess's frantic gestures, I understood her plea to run. Yet, it was too late; the dragon's jaws descended, and the world around me blurred into impending darkness.
In an instant, sinuous vines ensnared my body, wrenching me free from the dragon's gaping maw and propelling me towards the exhausted princess. She bore the toll of her effort, blood trickling from her nose—a consequence of wielding the formidable forces of nature mana, an ability not yet fully mastered.
"I'm sorry, Princess. This won't happen again. Arthur, go, get her out of here!"
Arthur, visibly frightened yet resolute, was the only one capable of escorting the princess to safety.
"What about you?" she demanded.
"...Someone needs to stay here, distract the dragon, and buy enough time for your escape. I'm the only one strong enough. Go, avenge your father for me will yeah."
Arthur hesitated but comprehended the urgency. "Just come back alive, and don't you dare die on us after all the effort it took getting you alive" he said with a smile, then left swiftly.
Now, only the colossal 80-meter dragon and I remained, poised for a desperate confrontation.
Watching Arthur and the Princess depart lifted a huge weight from my chest. I could go all out now, unhindered by the fear of harming anyone. Yet, even with my unrestrained efforts, victory seemed improbable. I was dying here.
The dragon lifted its head, a low, ominous sound emanating from its throat. The charge grew louder until it unleashed a colossal wave of sound directed at me. Swiftly, I dodged to the right, pondering the nature of its peculiar attack. Dragons were renowned for their fire-breathing prowess, yet this one wielded control over time, the sound attack left everything aged in its path.
As the dragon prepared another assault, I lunged at the beast, striking its throat with all my might. To my dismay, my blow left no scratch or dent. I fell to the ground, futilely targeting its legs, but the dragon seemed impervious. It toyed with me, indifferent to my feeble attempts.
In a last desperate act, I aimed for its eye. Leaping towards it, my arm collided with its wing, a resounding crack. I plummeted to the ground, the dragon pinning me down with its wing, preparing another devastating attack. Facing imminent death, I reflected on my failures. I hadn't protected the king, failed to confront HIM, and now Arthur and the Princess in the forest all alone. I was a failure, deserving of death.
The dragon unleashed its time attack, aging me without inflicting pain. My skin withered, bones aged, and after the assault, I estimated I had aged 90 years. Defenseless, the dragon poised to devour me, but it suddenly halted, displaying signs of worry. Roars filled the air as it frantically searched for something. Spotting a figure approaching, it launched a diminished time attack to no avail, then fled in haste.
The figure, an elderly woman in tattered robes, approached me with the support of a cane. In her frail voice, she said,
"Come now, William, you have not yet fulfilled your destiny."
She touched my head, and I instantly fell into a deep sleep. When I awoke, I found myself in a cozy cabin, the old woman busy at a cauldron. I examined my hands, astonished to find the skin no longer bearing the marks of age but that of youth. Scanning my body where the dragon's blow had struck, I discovered a complete restoration to my former self. Whatever the elderly woman did surpassed the capabilities of entire nations. Could she aid me in facing HIM? Could she possibly defeat HIM?
"No, child, I cannot defeat HIM. Perhaps in my prime, there was a chance, but even then, it would have been a slim possibility," she responded.
My eyes widened in horror. Could she read my mind? Was she doing so now?
"Yes, child, I observed you, testing whether you'd attempt something impulsive, as your race often acts based on emotions rather than logical thought."
"HOW? How can you read my mind and even frighten a dragon of such caliber?"
"Now, now, child, you need rest. Though your body has reverted to its previous state, the rapid aging back and forth has taken a toll. Your body needs time to readjust."
"NO, I NEED ANSWERS, WITCH! You possess the power I need, the power that can help me eliminate that man. The longer I rest, the longer he will lives, and the longer my friends are in danger. I need answers!"
She chuckled and replied, "Oh, how long it has been since I've been called a witch. Good times." With a smile, she bid me goodnight, and a heavy, drowsy sensation overcame me. I drifted into sleep, barely able to keep my eyes open. Had she enchanted me with her sleep spell again? I didn't even notice her move. My eyes closed, and I succumbed to sleep.
Upon awakening, my body felt stiff and heavy, making movement a challenge. Had the witch cast a spell on me?
"No, child. Your body is in pain from the rapid aging it endured. Give it time; you'll regain normal mobility in about a week."
"A WEEK? Look, I apologize for my earlier response, but I don't have a week. I need to reach my friends!"
"It's alright, child. They are safe, hiding in a cave with no monsters nearby. They'll be fine."
"Even so, I need to get to them. We don't have time to waste! HE..."
"Come now, child. You've been hurrying for two straight days. Both you and your friends need rest. They will be fine, and if anything happens, I can help them."
I gazed at her with annoyance, acknowledging she was right. Even with Sentinel's help, would it be enough to defeat HIM? I chose to stay and listen to the old woman.
"Oh my, is that any way to address the lady who saved you?" she laughed.
"Fine, I'll stay, but you must stay out of my head, alright?"
"Fine, fine, child. Now, I know you're eager for answers, so go ahead."
"How were you able to fend off such a dragon? What power do you have to make a dragon flee?"
"Hmm, I have many powers. One of them is controlling time, like that dragon. That's how I healed you. I suppose my control over time was superior to the dragon's, forcing it to retreat."
"HMMM, why save me?"
"Ah, well, that's because you are yet to fulfill your destiny. Your death there would cause the universe to spiral out of control, along with time itself."
"My destiny? What is my destiny?"
"Oh, child, you know I can't tell you that."
"Then can you tell me if I ever kill HIM?"
"I can, and you won't."
"WHAT! WELL, YOUR FUTURE SIGHT IS USELESS AS I WILL KILL THAT MAN!"
"Listen, child. My future sight has always been accurate, whether I wished it or not. I've tried many times to change it, but it never does. I'm sorry, but you will never kill that man."
"TSK, we'll see about that. Just because you can't change your destiny doesn't mean I can't."
She chuckled, "You are right, child. Who knows, maybe you can change it. Only time will tell. But as of now, you have to drink this."
Pouring a bright green liquid from her cauldron, she handed it to me. It emitted an enticing aroma.
"Will I be okay drinking this?" I asked.
She grinned, giving me a thumbs up.
I took a sip, and to my surprise, the potion had a delightful sweet and sour flavor. It instantly loosened my muscles and made me feel better but also made me extremely tiered which made me go again back to sleep.The following day I woke up and my whole body felt new again I felt ready to fight.