He didn't. He just saw Zorian dealing with the heavy hitters with regular magic.

 

I agree, but

Yup, he mentions using blasting rods on enemies that got close.

---------- Post automerged at 07:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:30 PM ----------

She wasn't kidnapped because she was (presumably) dead. What makes you think she escaped the (1-2 times) Zorian saved her?

 

Okay, I had a different reaction to that. I have perhaps not updated my view in light of the past few chapters, but my interpretation was that she had died in the process of trying to retrieve her bike, and that the cat seen at the river was her mother (now that we know they can turn into cats). I think that theory was first mentioned in this thread many pages ago.

(It's also possible it was just Nochka feeling sad about her bike in cat form. Unlikely, though, IMO.)

I don't understand why Nochka would return there after her parents were murdered. I also am pretty sure that the sighting was very early in the restart (it happened when Zorian accompanied what's-her-name into the Araneana tunnels for the first time), which doesn't match up well with the very late-in-the-restart murder this time around.

---------- Post automerged at 07:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:45 PM ----------

This is what I was referring to:

(That it was a young-ish cat, though, reinforces your interpretation. I suppose they were killed more early in previous timeskips? Weird, regardless.)

 

Man, it would have been hilarious if the time loop broke and Zorian stood there like an idiot after mentioning it to Kyron.

Edit: Also, the timing on the sad cat by the bridge doesn't match up with the murders at all. That happened on the 2nd day of the original loop.

The cat could be Nochka feeling sad about the bike, but I now suspect it was her mother in cat form, mourning her daughter.

 

That's pretty much what I said

The problem is this line:

 

Guys, not everything has to be grimdark.

---------- Post automerged at 03:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:46 AM ----------

If Zorian had been caught using mind magic he would not have been greeted as warmly as he was by Kyron, and I suspect at least some mention of his use of questionably legal magic would warrant at least one mention, if it had been spotted. As it is Zorian was mentioned using five blasting rods to defend people (as Qgqqqqq noted), which is the much more likely thing to be picked up on in the heat of battle, I think.

 

I disagree. Kyron mentioned him "messing with" the monsters, and Zorian says he felt no reason to lie that late in the loop. Kyron noticed the mind magic.

 

Mind magic is pretty much entirely restricted and hence illegal to learn without permits and such to prevent abuse. The gray area comes in because Zorian technically has learned no restricted spells. His mind magic is a product of an inborn ability and hence there are no laws about it.

 

Did anybody get the feeling, that Kyron knows something about the loop?
The way he looked at him at the and and the general style of how it was written, gives me to think.

 

What's grimdark about it?



I didn't get that at all, Ishaq. His reaction seemed pretty natural, from what we know of his character.

 

Yeah, this update was great. I love that Zoarian has begun to actually be useful even in large-scale combat.

Can't wait to see what other mindfuckery shenanigans he gets up to next.

 

Mind magic isn't illegal. When told that Zorian's empathy was a form of mind reading Taiven said that she didn't give him permission to read her mind. Following the implication, mind magic just needs consent to be used on a person. The issue is that Zorian should not have access to mind magic spells, not the manner he was using them in.

The thing that constantly impresses me about the story is how much foreshadowing Nobody has used. The first time I reread the story I thought the cat staring at the river was just an example the empathy that the ready was unaware of. Now he has shoved two plot points into it.

 

I think this might come into play again later, but it might also just be a red herring.

 

When you're a child, the smallest loss can be a terrible tragedy. Losing your bike can be like losing your entire world.

And note that Zorian runs into the girl while dodging a cranium rat swarm. They're monitoring Nochka perhaps, so the cult always seem interested in her right from the first loop.

 

Actually, reading through the end of the chapter again, I've changed my mind. Zorian definitely admitted to using mind magic in the battle there.

 

Update.

As always, his interactions with his sister and his classmates are my favourite aspects of this story, really liking the new characters.

Also, we finally got some information on his eldest brother.