Ancient Hourglass

The Ancient Hourglass is an Outworldly sacred item that can stop and reverse time on a universal scale. It recognizes Gustav as its master, but early use drains life-force and produces delayed physical strain before he reaches a true Alpha rank.

History

Retrieval from Planet Vespa

Endric identifies the Ancient Hourglass's location and leaves its retrieval to Gustav. Two possible methods are known: destroy Planet Vespa to expose the artifact, or plant Gustav's compressed essence and wait months for it to reach the planetary core. Gustav rejects genocide and chooses the slower route. When the Hourglass recognizes its master's essence, it merges with that essence and returns to the surface with him. (Chapters 1338–1340)

This acquisition happens while Gustav is a universal fugitive and costs him months of reduced access to his power. His choice preserves Vespa's population and establishes that his rightful relationship to an Outworldly artifact does not entitle him to destroy its surroundings for convenience. (Chapter 1340)

Reversing destruction and death

Gustav first uses the Hourglass to restore a destroyed machine. Turning it over stops living activity throughout the universe, and the descending golden sand measures how far events rewind. Grabbing the Hourglass stops the flow and fixes the chosen point. The reversal restores structures, positions, and injuries across galaxies, not just in Gustav's immediate area. (Chapter 1354)

The effect consumes Gustav's life-force energy. Frequent use before he is truly Alpha-ranked eventually leaves him weakened for days, and the System orders a three-month pause. The item's most consequential intervention occurs when Gustav is killed during the confrontation with Angy: the Hourglass manifests over his corpse, draws his consciousness back, reverses the battle and Jack's death, and lets Gustav stop the rewind at a point where he can pursue another outcome. (Chapters 1412, 1500)

Dimension Six later lists the Hourglass among the five artifacts required for Gustav's Outworldly restoration. By chapter 1643 it is connected with the other sacred items in the ongoing ritual; its individual condition afterward is not stated. (Chapters 1595, 1643)

Abilities and properties

• Stops time and reverses events on a universe-wide scale while its golden sand flows. (Chapter 1354)
• Lets Gustav select an earlier point by stopping the sand, restoring matter, injuries, positions, and even deaths within the reversed interval. (Chapters 1354, 1500)
• Draws on Gustav's life-force before he reaches sufficient formal strength, causing delayed exhaustion and requiring long recovery intervals between uses. (Chapters 1354, 1412)
• Recognizes Gustav's essence as that of its master and can return from a planetary core through that resonance. (Chapter 1340)
• Forms one of the five components of the ordered Outworldly restoration ritual. (Chapters 1595, 1643)

Chapter 1363 contains a conflicting count—four sacred items acquired with three remaining—while chapters 1527 and 1595 explicitly establish five total. The later direct enumeration controls this article.

Ownership and custody