Time was forever changing, each death sparks a cycle, and upon returning, will bring forth new unsettling challenges. Although a predetermined fate is set in motion, free will is a major variable, something that may alter the very world. Each regression in the world he's sent to is new, the blessings, challenges, even heroes and their respected villains who'll end the world.
"Meera... why did you do it? I told you, I had it all controlled. You bumbling fool, how come you don't have any sense of preservation?"
On his third life, tragedy befalls as his pointless search for his past companion results in the passing of the present savior. Having been ignored and never felt the slightest warmth from Zayn, Meera felt a sense of inferiority to anyone they met. This led to her taking drastic measures, and irreversible choices, which led her down the path of her untimely demise.
"You finally looked in my direction... it's a pity I'll never get to see it for a second time. But even once was enough, take care, Zayn,"
Meera's callus-infested hands yearned for a touch of her savior's warmth, but upon contact, she felt nothing in her grasp. Her hardened skin, which inforced her mighty grip on her great sword, denied her dying wish; she instead gazed at him one last time. A hint of deep affection, longing, and admiration lingered on her fading stare, which only added grief to her comrade.
"Meera!!!"
With the passing of this timeline's promised savior, it made his time on this loop arduous to navigate through all the mystery it offered even delaying his encounter with the villain. The most challenging aspect was the new challenges, terrain, and even the entire way of survival altered to a different possibility for even the power system has changed beyond recognition. Because of this known fact, no matter how much he regresses he starts like everyone else, the only thing he has to overshadow his peers is his sense of danger and composed heart built under his countless loops.
'Why am I even going at this point, for what purpose? I was never once a man who valued justice, was it the pain in my loss of comrades? Thats was by far the most logical variable, but I had enough. As time passes that sadness became anger, however with enough time and reflection what I truly wanted was an escape from this damned fate of mine, I wanted to believe I cared but I too was selfish. I pushed them to the brink of dying, and I guided them to save the world, over and over again, but upon my realization, my frustration over their failures turned to envy, I yearned for the sweet embrace of eternal rest,'
After witnessing deaths and experiencing them over and over he came to be numb, tears were never shed, nor did they even linger in his gaze, only fury and unbridled rage persisted as they perished yet he remained. Was regression truly a blessing, he heard words of many speak that their life would be better if they knew the future and could return for a second chance, he too would say such a thing if only time was stagnant. Unchangeable and therefore predictable, but no, time had no control over free will, the choices everyone makes correlated to the ending of it all, whether it'll be long, swift, painless, or gruesome.
"Kehahahahaha! Do you truly think your army of darkness of safe? I had this entire place filled to the brim with holy water, and I don't give a fuck if I die right after so bring it, bloodsucker,"
At some point, he'd gone insane having regressed by a thousand times and his mind had amassed countless worthless information that he crashed out multiple loops till he found a way to cope. Alcohol, substance abuse, all the possible bliss he tried to numb his ever-growing insanity till he realized this act of his only worsened his state of mind and therefore caused the entire timeline to die. As his never-ending loop continues his mind slowly deteriorates, there was even a point where he slaughtered everyone hero and villain alike to stop the coming end, but he never once succeeded.
[The world has yet to end.
However, you have no means of continuing this cycle.
The end has already commenced, you killed the villain, but the only means of stopping it; is the hero has perished at your hands hence a stalemate came into play there was no victor on each side but the end still lingers.
You've failed to accomplish your task.
The relic 'Faulty pocket watch' has awakened its blessing, 'Regression.'
The blessing of 'Regression' prevents you from dying, you will be returned from the start. May your next cycle be successful]
"Damn it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" At the gorge near the ocean, he screamed till no air remained in his lungs, and all his anger, and frustration seemingly poured, as he cursed the heavens, for his unjust mockery. "Did I do something wrong? Why is it that no matter what I do, I always end up falling? This Regression, it isn't a gift, but no more than a horrendous curse, if I angered you then strike me down, no man should deserve such a horrible fate,"
He yearned for a reply, the sky in turn rained, and not a single voice even appeared as he kneeled on the ground, he relinquished a knife and pointed the sharp edge near his neck. He had no hesitation in his movement, and for the very first time death was about to claim his life not by the hands of others nay he was fed up, to the point he'd commit suicide. This was something he had never once tried in his entire time as the wielder of time for all he knew his blessing was only triggered when his life was threatened by someone else what would've happened if death was struck by himself?
[Greetings, young lad or lass.
I am Dr. Elias Veron.]
The voice who guided him from the past and even now responded by simply playing the letter that he read before the start of this never-ending hell, but something was different. The voice that sounded so neutral before became rough and low, as if it came to possess an old, tired soul of a man who seeks nothing more than his end, yet he never once achieved such a goal. This tone played for the rest of the letter and there he realized a horrible truth about what lies at the end of his choice, a fate seemingly worse than what he currently has.
[If you are reading this, then the book has acted once again, and all hell is about to break loose. Time is nearing its end.
I am sorry to say that you have been chosen as the successor of this cruel and arduous fate, and I can only wish for your success.
This book, which you have read, is no more than an invitation, and the contents you've studied are the experiences I amassed.
I beg of you, never lose hope. No matter the pain, loss, or numbness—don't waver. Keep moving forth]
"Is this the path that'll play out if I continue? Elias Veron, all this time, you were here, in the form of that guiding voice. So, surrendering meant I'll be consumed by the same authority that trapped me in this loop?"
The guiding voice never once replied after that, meaning it took all the willpower Veron ever had to defy the shackles of time, to bring forth such a piece of distressing information, to never waver, and to keep moving forward. The pocket watch brought him back to the past, back to the interview to prove whether he was worthy of dwelling in the world that these entities had created and if he was qualified to be a candidate. This time was overly different, his eyes once dead glimmer anew, he bravely rushes for the new challenge waiting until he finally knows that freedom is never impossible, and surrendering is a fate worse than this loop
"I have no useful knowledge, no means of mastering this world's powers quickly, but I do have a second chance. Something everyone yearns for in life. So, no matter how long my journey persists, I'll keep on fighting, in this Timeless Regression,"