“Time loop?” the guardian mouthed uncomprehendingly. Its eyes flashed for a moment before it refocused on them again. “I’m sorry, but the gate is barred.”
“What?” Zach protested. “What the hell do you mean ‘the gate is barred’?”
“The Controller has already left the time loop,” the Guardian explained. “It’s not possible for anyone else to leave.”
There was a brief silence as Zach and Zorian processed this claim.
“But I thought we were the Controller,” Zach protested.
“You are the Controller,” the Guardian agreed easily.
“But you just said the Controller has left the time loop,” Zorian frowned.
“He has,” the Guardian confirmed.
“Why is the time loop still in existence, then?” Zorian asked.
“The time loop cannot end while the Controller is still inside the time loop,” the Guardian said.
“So the Controller has left the time loop, but you can’t end the time loop because the Controller is still in the time loop?” Zach asked incredulously. “Don’t you realize how stupid that sounds?”
“I don’t think we’re dealing with a sapient being,” Zorian said. “It’s some kind of animated spell performing its function and getting confused that there are multiple Controllers when there is only ever supposed to exist one. Guardian, how many people are you talking with right now?”
“Only the Controller can access this place,” the guardian placidly answered.
“So wait…” Zach said in a trembling voice. “You’re saying…”
“Red Robe has somehow tricked the control room into thinking he’s the Controller of the loop,” Zorian sighed. “He has already left. And so no one else can leave.”
“The gate is barred,” the Guardian confirmed.
Well, fuck.
End of Arc 2