Learning to Love Time Loops Without Going Insane

“I don’t feel any different, well beyond the crushing weight of stress now that I’m responsible for saving the world.” Cal tried to give a big smile as he said this, but his heart wasn’t fully in the joke. The stress really was building. He always intended to do his best here, but he had also hoped to hand a lot of this off to Andrew once they had figured out how to help him.

“Cal, you’ve been doing this for how many loops now, and you’ve just realized this responsibility?” Stan looked at his son with a raised eyebrow.

“Just because we are all trapped in a repeating cycle of twenty five years doesn’t mean I’ve gotten any better at long term planning. Okay I’ve got a little better. Alright alright, enough of my mental state. It’s time to look at my status screen.” Cal managed a real smirk as he said status screen. The idea of being able to view his world through gaming mechanics was appealing, something tangible, and most of all something he understood well.

Thanks to the last twenty plus loops he had played just about every game out there. He found them much more enjoyable than schooling. He did the education, but he was sure the rate Andy was about to pursue his studies would put him to shame.

Cal pushed these thoughts aside and selected Status Screen. There were four options on the next screen

.

Cal Marshall

Bolt

Grannus

Barron

He selected his own name and was presented with a list of statistics. He read them off for his audience.

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Cal Marshall

Cal

Species:

Human

Class:

Courier

Fighter

Wizard

Specialty:

Food

Fists, Rifles

Electricity, Rock

Level:

5

1

1

Bonded Entities:

Barron

Bolt

Grannus

Elemental Affinities:

Earth

Lightning

Rank:

1

2

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

“I think we can all agree the important thing here is that I am officially a wizard.” Cal announced after he finished reading off the chart.

“Yes, a level one wizard, what a great thing to be proud of.” Andrew was smirking as he said this.

“Hey I don’t see you being listed as a wizard anywhere, actually I wonder if I add all of you to my party if I can see your stats as well. Before I do that though, I'm guessing Barron wants to know his stats though and may as well look at the other two spirits while I’m here.”

“Yes, I do very much.” Barron flew over to Cal and landed on his shoulder.

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Barron

Species:

Mana Spirit

Class:

Energy Shaper

Specialty:

Void

Level:

2

Bonded Entities:

Cal

Elemental Affinities:

Dark

Rank:

2

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

“Nice, I’m an energy shaper, quick do the other two, I bet they are shapers too.” Cal obliged and read off the others.

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Bolt

Species:

Mana Spirit

Class:

Energy Shaper

Specialty:

Electricity

Level:

3

Bonded Entities:

Cal

Elemental Affinities:

Lightning

Plasma

Rank:

3

1

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Grannus

Species:

Mana Spirit

Class:

Energy Shaper

Specialty:

Rock

Level:

1

Bonded Entities:

Cal

Elemental Affinities:

Earth

Rank:

1

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

“Looks like Bolt is the strongest of you three.” Cal looked at Barron as he gave him the news.

“Yeah that makes sense, do you see that small burst of light over there?” He pointed into the distance. “That’s her trying to link our realms, when that happens things are going to get interesting around here.”

“That’s great, once all three of you are truly bonded together Cal will be able to utilize your abilities much easier.” Ralth walked up and clapped his brother on the back, startling Cal with just how strong he had become.

“Well, that sounds fun, hopefully no explosions this time around though. Time for the party menu.” Cal backtracked and selected the party option.

Current Party Members (Note: Current Maximum Party Size 10)

Cal Marshall

Barron

Bolt

Grannus

Add Party Member?

“So, we have far more than ten that need to be in here I think. Any volunteers to sit out?” Cal asked the group.

“You can skip me, and capybaras for now. I doubt with its current operating level it would be able to produce any meaningful information about myself anyway. I’m certainly an anomaly in power as far this universe currently goes.” Ralth volunteered.

“Okay then, I think assuming we leave out Many Legs we can get everyone else for now.” Cal added Andy, Andrew, Bug, Ethel, Jen and Stan as party members. “Who wants to see their stats first?” Cal suspected he knew who would yell the loudest and wasn’t surprised at all.

“ME ME ME!” Bug screamed above everyone else.

Cal returned to the status screen and selected Bug from the newly listed options.

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Bug

Species:

Awakened Dog

Class:

Student

Specialty:

Geography

Level:

1

Bonded Entities:

Elemental Affinities:

Rank:

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

“I think your nose is paying off Bug, that and Ethel’s special education.” Cal pat Bug on the head.

“She’s my best student.” Ethel cheerily announced.

“But professor Ethel, I'm your only student.”

“Not for long you aren’t, Many Legs needs an education and I expect you will be tutoring her alongside my lessons.”

Cal read off Andrew’s status next.

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Andrew Thomas

Future Andy

Species:

Human

Void Attuned Human

Class:

Scientist

Chemist

Artificer

Specialty:

Geology

Void Materials

Mana Infusion

Level:

6

2

1

Bonded Entities:

Elemental Affinities:

Technology

Rank:

3

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

“Hrm, why is technology of all things considered an element, I wish this all a little more scientific.” Andrew said after hearing his own status read out.

“You’re the artificer, maybe you can add more capabilities to this.” Cal shook his head at the man as he spoke.

“Possibly, I’ll have to investigate it more.”

“Alright next up, dad and then Jen.”

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Stanly Marshall

Stan

Species:

Human

Class:

Hunter

Builder

Boxer

Specialty:

Rifles, Knives

Hammer, Wrench

Fists

Level:

3

6

2

Bonded Entities:

Elemental Affinities:

Rank:

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Jennifer Marshall

Jennifer Cole

Jennifer Thompson

Jen

Species:

Human

Void Attuned Human

Class:

Soldier

Security Guard

Specialty:

Infiltration, Firearms

Firearms

Level:

7

2

Bonded Entities:

Elemental Affinities:

Rank:

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

“Well, Jen is certainly winning on number of names, and scary military stats.” Cal looked over at his stepmom. “I’m guessing you can’t talk about all of that.”

“I mean, I can now, but before these loops, no generally it wasn’t something I could speak on.

“Next up Ethel, I’ll skip Andy until he’s here to see it himself, doesn’t seem right otherwise.”

R.I.S. Party Analysis

Name:

Ethel Rose

Species:

Human

Class:

Teacher

Beast Trainer

Druid

Specialty:

English

Dogs

Plants

Level:

8

6

1

Bonded Entities:

Elemental Affinities:

Green

Rank:

1

Note: Deeper Analysis Available With Terminal Growth

“Ethel, I think this means it’s time for you to make contact with your mana spirit.” Cal added after he finished reading.

Ethel looked up at Barron “Any chance you think you can give me a hand with that. I have no idea what I’m doing, but in a few weeks I’m likely going to be spending a lot of time here trying to figure it out. That is assuming here is safe from prying eyes?”

“Oh it is, they won’t detect you here professor Ethel, and yes I will do my best to help. I wonder what a green mana spirit is.”

“Probably a very angry plant elemental that isn’t happy with what us humans have done to the world, but hopefully not too angry.” Cal jokingly answered Barron.

“If I could interrupt, I believe you’re finished with the terminal for now. The other capybaras and I have prepared a list of building materials we would like. Is this something you would be able to start acquiring?” Albert asked.

“Oh yeah, we just need to start building our funds. I’m going to my dad in charge of working with you all on this. Do you all have food covered Albert or should we start getting that piped in here as well?” Cal glanced over the list before passing it to his father.

“I think we will be fine on food, we have many channels there.” Albert answered.

“Perfect, Ralth, I’d like you to stick around here this loop and help me with some training, possibly Ethel as well once she’s done with her current plans.”

“Absolutely, I was hoping to stay with my family from now on. I’ve missed you all greatly. I will need larger accommodations though.” Ralth looked around the void. “Perhaps a room here will work.”

“We already had you on the building plans.” Albert called from a table where he and capybaras were scribbling notes on paper around.

“Wonderful.” Ralth smiled at his animal friends.

“Alright everyone, I want to directly fight the Gryalth this loop and see what happens. I figure we start with something simple and try defending the Dallas lab, and then we see what happens as the invasion continues. It’s time to learn what they are capable of in a sustained war.”

“I was just going to suggest that. I would also like it if we could capture some of their technology for me to study. I especially want to see a few of their weapons.” Andrew had a look of greed briefly on his face. Cal fought down and urge to laugh.

It was time to train.