The dark alleyway seemed to close in around Ethan as the shadow's voice echoed in his mind, revealing the enigmatic power bestowed upon him. "Welcome to your new life, Ethan," it sneered. "A world where you will never find peace. A world where you will always be my slave, you piece of trash."
Ethan clenched his fists, his determination fueled by the defiance burning within him. "I won't be controlled by you, you fucking dickhead." he vowed silently, his eyes narrowing, he felt angry.
Then, a strange sensation enveloped him, as if the very air crackled with anticipation. Ethan's mind raced as he realized the true nature of the power within him. It wasn't control over time but rather a lifeline amidst the chaos—a gift of checkpoints.
The instructions of the ability became clear:
1. Automatic Temporal Checkpoints:
Ethan's Time Sanctuary creates checkpoints automatically at pivotal moments, triggered by extreme emotions, life-threatening situations, or crucial decisions.
2. Rebirth at Checkpoints:
Upon death, Ethan will revert to the latest Temporal Checkpoint with full memory of events leading up to that moment, effectively resetting the timeline from that point.
3. Strain and Consequences:
Overusing Time Sanctuary leads to mental strain and physical fatigue, with each reset taking a toll on Ethan's mind and body. Excessive resets can cause temporal anomalies, subtly altering events in unpredictable ways.
With the rules laid out, Ethan's will hardened. He was no longer bound by a linear existence; instead, he held the power to shape his fate, to learn from past experiences, and to defy the shadow's control, he was excited thinking he was very lucky and the main character in this world, "supposedly".
But fate had a cruel twist in store for Ethan. As he navigated the alley, a shadowy figure emerged—a robber intent on taking what little Ethan possessed, he jumped on Ethan.
"Hand over your valuables, kid." the robber growled, flexing a gleaming blade that reflected the alleys small source of light.
Ethan's heart beated fast, adrenaline surging through him. "I won't let you take anything from me, fucker" he replied defiantly, his voice mixed with a mixture of fear and determination and willpower
The robber laughed very loudly, the sound echoing off the alley walls. "Hahahhahaahahahahaha fucking stubborn, aren't you? Well, then. You asked for it."
In a flash, the robber grabbed Ethan's neck, the blade slicing through the air with deadly intent. Ethan's instincts kicked in, and he dodged the initial strike, his heart pounding in his chest.
Their struggle was fierce, each blow exchanged with desperation and determination. Ethan fought with all his strength, refusing to give in to the robber's demands. But in the fight, the blade found its way, slashing across Ethan's throat.
Pain seared through Ethan's body, his vision blurring as blood gushed from the cut, He staggered back, clutching his throat, gasping for breath, his nose started to bleed. He could barely speak due to the cut on his neck, he tried his hardest.
"No... I won't die like this," Ethan thought desperately, panic and fear gripping him as death threatened to consume him.
But as Ethan's consciousness began to fade, an angelic voice said. "Ability: Time Sanctuary activated", the world around him freezing in place. He felt the sensation of resetting, his consciousness shifting back to a previous Checkpoint.
The pain of death was still felt, he was crying and sobbing, however, Ethan, facing the robber once more due to the initial reset in the timeline, the fate stayed the same. He was attacked by the robber once more. The robber said "Give me all of your valuable items bitch.", Ethan said "No way, not in hell", not even in the endless void, the robber was surprised hearing the word "Endless Void", he thought "The fuck you mean endless void what the fuck is that??" but the robber ignored Ethan's words, thinking he was crazy and scared from him.
"You're pretty stubborn, aren't you kid" the robber laughed, surprise and frustration evident in his voice.
But Ethan was determined. With each reset, he learned from his mistakes, adapting his tactics, his movements becoming more fluid, his mind sharper. The robber grew increasingly frustrated, unable to understand how this seemingly ordinary boy kept coming back.
Eg:- he got killed 2 times after that.
Finally, on the third reset of the deadly encounter, Ethan's movements were a blur of calculated precision. He anticipated the robber's every move, countering with swift strikes of his own.
In a final desperate attempt, the robber swung wildly, the blade grazing Ethan's throat once more. But this time, Ethan was ready. He sidestepped the attack, delivering a decisive blow that left the robber sprawled on the ground, defeated, he quickly took the robbers knife and stabbed him in the chest. he had defeated the robber. All of this pain was worth it. He sat on the ground. Panting, he said to himself "Hahaha, just wait you false god. I'll murder you by my own hands, I'll cut your heart and feed those to street dogs. Wait for me", after saying that. A voice said "Checkpoint Acquired." he had acquired a checkpoint by killing the robber, now whenever he dies. He'll come back to this certain moment when he murdered the robber.
Pain seared through Ethan's body one last time as Time Sanctuary activated, the world freezing around him. But this time, there was no return to the alley, no reset to face the robber again