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The time was counting down.
Tick. Tock.
Forever rushing forwards. Not able to stop. Had to save them. Not enough time to save everyone. Couldn't help everyone, make everyone happy. Time...
Tick. Tock.
Why was there so little of it? It poured through his hands as he grasped desperately at the hours, the minutes, the seconds. He lost so much when he turned back the clock again. They lost so much. More than him, because he got to keep the masks and the items and the memories, but they never received the help he had given them.
Tick. Tock.
It rushed away, disregarding all in its path as the danger grew closer, closer and the people's panic spread to envelop their minds until they were cowering in corners, crying, trying to make the death of their loved ones as blissful as possible.
Tick. Tock.
Sometimes he wished he could give up. Just sit down and die with the rest of them. But then he returned to Clock Town again, and was overcome by the reality of everyone. He couldn't let go, not when they reminded him so much of his own country.
Tick. Tock.
He was an adult in a child's body. He couldn't decide if that was worse then a child in an adult's body, because this time he felt so powerless to stop the eldritch creatures he faced. But he pushed on regardless, because he had to do this. He must . He was a hero, and heroes were unable to stop and rest when the land was in peril.
Tick. Tock.
Dawn of a New Day . The most beautiful words he had ever heard anyone speak. The sky and the wind and the celebrations of the people all screamed of his success. The wonderful feeling reminded him of his purpose, and he set off on a new quest, triumphant. Riding away with all the time in the world.