Your worst nightmare (IV) Time Walker

~ About ten thousand years ago, before the War of Magic ~

Barachiel and the other survivors went back to Uranos. He wanted to speak with the Fourth Guardian personally; when he realized where he was, he noticed that he wasn't alone. He was in a private meeting with the other Guardians, and Barachiel ended up hearing part of their conversation without them realizing it.

Third Guardian: That is ridiculous! Why wouldn't you inform us?

Fourth Guardian: I did not believe the situation was as grave as it was. I also realized the gravity of it all after the host of five thousand I sent to the site was annihilated.

Second Guardian: Why send a host if you were unaware of how grave the situation was?

Third Guardian: This is the pinnacle of incompetence! Are you aware of the number of lives lost due to your dreadful leadership?

First Guardian: Selaphiel. What have you done?

Fourth Guardian: I assure you; this is but a misunderstanding... You needn't worry about me. Just help ready our forces to battle this Dark Dimension. Now that we know what we're up against, we can better prepare our forces to prevail on the next attack.

Third Guardian: But we do not know what exactly it is we're up against now, do we? Your previous attempts have been quite costly and bore no fruit whatsoever!

Fourth Guardian: Forgive me, brothers! I see that now... But I beg of you... Please help me make things right!

Second Guardian: The situation is dire... but let us not only be casting stones at one another. I will forge an arsenal of light that will be effective against beings of darkness. This way, our forces will stand a chance against any being opposed to light… against any spawn of this Dark Dimension.

Third Guardian: It may be wise to warn the other races. We may need to ally ourselves with their best warriors.

First Guardian: Very well. We shall proceed. But our conversation isn't over, Selaphiel.

Fourth Guardian: I will prove that you have no reason to worry.

While the other Guardians teleported away, the Fourth Guardian headed to the chamber where the Engine of Time was kept. 

From that moment on, Barachiel didn't fully trust Fourth Guardian Selaphiel anymore.

Barachiel: {He just lied to their faces... Why? What is he up to?}

~ At the same time, elsewhere ~

Two giants were having a contest of strength with locked hands. One was slightly larger than the other, and it looked like the larger one was overpowering the other.

Giant: [I can't be stronger than you, brother!]

Giant King: [You don't need to be stronger. Just capable... And I know that, at the very least, you are as skilled as the warriors I respect the most]

Giant: [I withdraw!]

They were competing in front of a crowd of other giants. They all seemed disappointed by the king's brother's attitude about fighting.

"[He's a coward]."

"[Nah, he's just weak. Could you beat the king?]"

"[It is not our way. We never abandon the battle. We kill, or we die. We never falter!]."

"[And he's the king's brother... What a disgrace!]."

Giant King: [I hope you never do that again, brother.]

Giant: [I... I am sorry... I just... Fighting seems so pointless to me...]

Giant King: [We are a race of warriors! This is our way. You disgrace me, brother... And for what? What would you rather do instead of battle?]

Giant: [I... forgive me, brother...]

They were all in the Giant World. This was a pocket dimension annexed to the Arkana. Several times, giants bored out of their minds would attempt to traverse the Arkana in search of battle. The Giant King had forbidden it and punished any giant that would break the rules. They were only allowed to enter the worlds of men with the king's permission.

As all the giants went separate ways, after the contest of strength between the Giant King and his brother, two of them encountered a stranger... Looking like an angel but with the mark of a pentagram on its chest.

???: You cannot understand what I say, can you?

Giant A: [Do you speak the human language?]

Giant B: [Idiot! You know only those with royal blood can do that. But that is no human...]

Giant A: [What does it want?]

Giant B: [Probably just looking for food. Let's ignore it]

???: [I am indeed looking for food] [Pardon me for this, but you seem quite delicious]

Giant B: [What? It speaks our language! Who are you?!]

???: [This vessel I have acquired was once known as Ramiel... But I have evolved... I am something else entirely now. Let me show you... through my HUNGER!]

Ramiel opened his mouth wide. The giants squared off to fight him, but they had no idea what to expect.

Ramiel: [CONSUME]

Both giants started to feel as if they were being twisted inside out... their muscles, fibers, cells... every ounce of their being was splitting apart. After a brief moment of unbearable pain, they turned to dust and were swallowed by him instantly. As he consumed them, Ramiel grew bigger. It seemed like consuming other life forms was mutating him... changing him into a hideous monster.

Ramiel: That hit the spot!

Over the following days, Ramiel consumed several giants. The giant king became aware of the situation and decided to face him. The king's brother said he wanted to go with him.

"[Brother, I know I never liked fighting. But I must do it now to protect our people. Now I have a reason to use my strength!]."

Giant king: [Finally! Let's teach that monster a lesson, so he regrets ever coming here in the first place!]

~ Present day, after Legend used Time walker to reverse the flow of time ~

Legend saw all his friends, including Kohrr. They were in the same place as before, in an awful battle against an endless number of Mimics. As they were all engaged in battle, Kohrr was violently torn apart by the Mimics.

Rachel: Noooooo!!

Richard was then skewered, thrown in the air, and crash-landed in front of Legend.

Richard: Why didn't you - - do s-s-some-thing... Le-gen-d?

Legend remembered that this was a nightmare... But it was still a very distracting and anxiety-inducing experience. And still, he was trying to focus.

Legend: {I have another shot at this... I have to defeat him with the Sword of Light right away! The nightmare will be interrupted soon. When that happens, I'll have a window to attack...}

Everyone experienced their own personal nightmare in the same exact way as before. Only Legend was aware of the time rewind. And so, the moment finally came, and the nightmare was interrupted, bringing everyone from the Nightmare Dimension back to the Arkana.

While the others were mentally staggered and still attempting to understand what had just happened, Legend rushed at Relm with blinding speed. With one swing of the sword at mid-range, a massive beam of light was fired that went straight toward Relm's direction. Relm reacted quickly enough to manage to teleport away so the light wouldn't hit him.

Legend: {He... Avoided it?! It can't be! Now what do I do?!}

Relm: Well... That was unexpected...

Richard: Legend... Look out!

Richard went for a surprise slash that cut Relm's arm off. But Relm used the severed arm to cut Richard in half with his own sword.

Rachel: Great One that gave life to everyone; hear my plea! To he that has been cut short of this existence too suddenly, I –

Relm: PIG!

Rachel couldn't finish channeling the spell of Life to save Richard because she was turned into a pig. When Nimrod saw this and tried to rush to Rachel's side, he was turned to stone.

Legend: {Everything happened exactly the same way! Except...}

Relm: Time to end this.

Meg: Remember, Legend. I believe in you.

Relm: Oblivion...

Legend: No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

Relm: ... BLAST!

The force of the blast pushed Meg away before it reached him. But like before, the powerful beam destroyed Richard's corpse, Nimrod's petrified body, and Rachel in her pig form. Just before it hit him, Legend activated Time Walker, reversing the flow of time again.

As time was rewinding, Legend wondered if he was going to be able to change the outcome.

Legend: {I tried defeating him with a surprise attack, but that didn't work... What can I do to change the outcome? I just can't seem to strike him with the Sword of Light…}

Time resumed its normal flow from when they were all trapped in the Nightmare dimension. Legend experienced the same nightmare once again and still couldn't manage to get through it unaffected.

The loop repeated itself three more times... meaning that he tried to defeat Relm attacking him by surprise in different ways, but he always managed to dodge his attack, avoiding getting hit by the Sword of Light. Legend saw his friends die every time. He relived the nightmare repeatedly, suffering through its anxiety and despair.

On the sixth time that he rewound time, as they were all out of the nightmare and back in the Arkana, Legend ran to Meg.

Meg: You used the sword's grace, didn't you?

Legend: How'd you know...? Ok, no time for that... – Legend looked pretty desperate. The urgency in his facial expression let Meg know that he heavily felt the burden he had to carry.

Meg: How many times have you used it? Legend... There is a limit to how much you can alter the flow of time. If you continue to rely on Time Walker, there may come a time when it simply doesn't activate because you used it all up. DO NOT LET THAT TIME COME.

Legend: But nothing else is working! I tried defeating him with surprise attacks... I try saving everyone, but I keep failing! Everyone dies! Every single time! I've had to watch them all die because I'm not good enough...  I don't know if I can do this... Meg... I... I don't know what to do... I'm tired of watching everyone die again and again! I... I can't take it any longer!

Meg: Legend. I believe in you. If you have that sword, it's because you are a hero. You just haven't realized it yet.

Relm: I guess I better deal with you first!

BE GONE! – Relm opened a portal right above Meg's head, which vacuumed him in, sending him to another dimension.

Legend: {...} – Legend's mind went blank for a moment. The burden of the responsibility weighed on him heavily. His inner doubts were significantly undermining him. And a mighty foe was threatening all his friends and humanity itself.

Rachel: I won't allow you to fulfill your deranged objectives... I'll fight... To protect the Arkana!

Nimrod and Richard said a few words before starting their attack. During all this time, Legend was trying to think of a way to change the outcome... To save everyone. But his mind was blank. And time was running out.

Moments after the heroes started attacking Relm, Richard was cut in half. Rachel attempted to cast Life, but Relm targeted her for a spell.

Nimrod: Rachel, get back!

After hearing Nimrod say that Legend suddenly seemed to get an idea.

Legend: {That's it! It has to be it... I don't have any other ideas... So this one'll have to do!}

Relm: Oblivion... BLAST!!!

Legend: Sword of Light... Grant me Time Walker one more time!

The sword heeded Legend's call, and time was rewinding once again. But this time, it went further back. Way, way back. Legend made it go as further back as it let him... all the way to the moment when they were still at Dalmacia, in the throne room, defending the king, when The Reach was invading the land. Legend's consciousness was updated, and he immediately said something to Meg.

Legend: Meg. I need you to give a message to Merlin and his goons.

Meg: You want me to what?