In an instant, I can stop time or make it flow absolutely without my intervention. It's like rewinding. No one sees me at such moments, they pass through me. I can use this power on humans, fauns, and grimms. It is easy to turn a young man into an infirm old man, or vice versa, to make him turn to dust with the help of the power of time, or to return a person to his original state. Can say... I became a God. I can control life and death, because almost all laws are subject to time. The whole world lives only because I want to. Or because I have absolutely nothing to do. I knew absolutely everything and that... It was terrible.
I've tried to die countless times, but this force needed me. He always went back a few minutes before his own death. Even if I was falling from a great height, this force didn't care. She always pulled me out. I've let myself be killed by the strongest creatures in this world, hundreds, thousands, millions of times. I couldn't remember at what point it all started. Although I could have easily returned to that moment. Yes, this is a tautology. But there is too much of it in my story. I stopped feeling pain and joy, and only boredom remained in my eyes. I always want to sleep. Although I have slept more than this world lives. The power of time... terrible.
It was fun at first. Interesting. I learned all the secrets of this world while this very world froze in front of my eyes, giving me complete freedom. I could move around safely while the rest of the world froze. I have visited the most secret Atlas bases, seen many experimental weapons, and even used some of them. I was drinking coffee in the Vale council office while they were sitting with their mouths frozen, talking about something. I saw Ozpin, who, as always, was sipping his coffee in the office thinking about something. Most likely about Salem and her new plan. Yes... I knew all about Salem and Ozpin. Queen Grimm and the eternally reborn Ozma, who is trying to stop this Queen. Or not? In fact, the truth is much more complicated and unpleasant. There are no attempts to stop Salem, and there are also no attempts by Salem to completely destroy humanity. They... It was as if they were playing, and people were considered only pawns. There are no wins or losses in this game, because they don't care. If humanity loses in this round, Ozpin will just wait for new people, a new cycle of this endless story. If Salem lost, she just waited. I was waiting for a new moment to continue this game. I've seen almost everything. There are many options for the future, which I influenced in different ways. Sometimes he influenced openly, demonstrating his abilities and knowledge, trying to beat these two at their own game. I've done it many times, but in the end, even this kind of activity got boring. They became... too obvious. I already knew about all their possible moves, their reactions to some actions, their answers. The past can also be influenced. I've done this hundreds, if not thousands of times. But there are no parallel universes here, one stream, one cycle that has been going on for millions of years.
Is it possible that the Gods decided to mock us? Over those whom they called their worst mistake? I saw the beginning of this story. How the God of Darkness passed through the moon, partially destroying it, causing dozens of meteorites to fall on Remnant. I saw it with my own eyes.
I've seen the end, which is always the same. The Remnant is dying. The universe is dying. And then everything starts all over again.
At first, I talked a lot, told people I trusted. Ozpin was one of them. He trusted me, gave me advice on how not to go crazy, damn it, I could even swear then that I saw some pity and sadness in his eyes. It's a pity that it was all just a game. Ozpin... I wasn't worried. About no one. He was just making an appearance. He has lived for thousands of years, so he is still able to portray emotions and somehow show them. And I've already stopped doing that.
There was also General James Ironwood. From the Atlas. I tried to tell him something too. But he decided that I was crazy or brainwashed, because "Even Salem wouldn't come up with such stoned nonsense." And this is a direct quote. He tortured me in all different ways to see or understand my reaction. It has happened thousands of times. But I wasn't offended. I actually stopped being offended. And angry. The anger disappeared, along with the joy and optimism. Feelings have ceased to be something important in my life. All that remained was boredom and longing.
Winter was always there for him. Winter Schnee. The eldest daughter of Jacques Schnee, the head of a huge corporation for the extraction and sale of ashes. Platinum hair is forever embedded in my head, leaving a vivid mark in my memory. Her cold gaze that always burned through me. Of course, it was different. I knew any of them. Kind, loving, even family. I have tried many times to start a family with a variety of girls. I don't think I've ever loved anyone, rather... I was trying to entertain myself. Girls died in my arms at a very old age, and I just quietly asked if it was worth prolonging their lives a little more. Winter asked to extend it the most. She lived with me for over five hundred years. Perhaps that's why I remember her more than others.
I was a God. Or he just put himself on their level. But it didn't matter anymore. The true Gods had long since left this world and did not think of returning. I asked them myself. Each of our meetings is their first, although it would seem that the Gods should be able to manage time. But even they were not capable of it. I considered myself superior to them. Above the Gods. I don't know if I could kill them, but they can never kill me, only if I want to. And even if they do, I'll still be back for a couple of minutes before I die. I cheated death. I have deceived the Gods. A liar who has learned how to manage time.
Heh, a liar. This word perfectly characterizes me. Once I wanted to go to Beacon so much that I decided to forge documents and cheat my way into the Hunter Academy. Without aura, training and at least some skills. What is most successful, I even succeeded. And I met Weiss Schnee. Jacques' second daughter. Platinum hair. She was the second, after Winter, who wanted to live longer than one hundred years. But she was still the first person I truly loved. And maybe even the last one.
It took me an incredible amount of time to figure out exactly what Weiss liked. He played with time to please her, supported her when it was necessary, or on the contrary, scolded her. She appreciated all sorts of little things that others might not notice. I learned to do it for her. I learned to play the guitar like a pro. I sang, on a global level, if only she would notice me. My little Weiss... I will never be able to forget this time.
All the cycles had the same main characters - Ruby Rose, Yang Shao Long, Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladona. Those who were supposed to defeat Salem and Ozpin, destroy all the grimms, finally end this cursed cycle that the Gods left behind. But they didn't have time to do it. Even with my help. Time was on my side, but apparently Time had its own plans. It did not want the victory of good. Or evil. Time has not subdued me, and I have not subdued her, we live in mutual symbiosis.
Millions of attempts to finally end their journey in completely different ways. In some attempts, I removed any minor danger in their path, as a result of which they were too weak to do anything. In those moments, I even killed Salem with the help of Time, but it was too little. This was their path, they had to finish it, my intervention in the main battle only rolls back time. Sometimes, on the contrary, I deliberately created as many dangers as possible to make them stronger and more prepared. But it was still too little. And to be honest, I have long lost interest in this idea, considering it useless. I shouldn't have gotten involved in this at all.
Once, just once, I did. I did not interfere and did not shine, and the reward was a rollback in time. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. If there are too many interventions, there will be a rollback. Too little is a rollback. Even with a little help, a freaking rollback happens. That's why I lost interest.
After that, I went on a rampage. I didn't care anymore what happened or what would happen. After all, there will still be a rollback in the end. I have seen the death of this world, but I have not seen its continuation. I know everything about this world and nothing about what might be after. The power of time... terrible.