I am in the Creator Ruins at that fort, and I got to the sundial. I was fooling around wit it, couldn't get it to work, so I tried stepping in the purple light. Before I did that, however, I was attacked by some dudes so I just equipped my bow and shot them down. I then tried to again equip my Large Shield +2/Katana +3 combo, but dropped my shield. I picked it up, but then discovered that my bow was on the ground. I tried to pick the bow up, but there wasn't enough room in my backpack. So then, I threw a whole bunch of junk into my Bag of Holding and tried to pick up the bow again. Still didn't work. Forgetting the bow, I turned to the Sun Dial, and forgetting about the purple light, clicked on it numerous times. Then I rememberd, stepped into the purple light, and took a lot of fire damage. Afraid something went wrong, I stepped into it numerous times and nothing seemed to happen still, besides me taking fire damage. Then I tried the bow again. Didn't work. Now I am confused as to if I am in the past or present. How do I figure it out?

Hahahaha Willard Willard.. its simple I had the same problem myself I kept stepping into the light. I tell you this STAY AWAY FROM THE BRIGHT LIGHT. Did you go to the garden and talk to that women if u didn't GO NOW and come back to the Dial she gave u a time crystal check ur inventory and u should see it right click on it and use on the DIAL ta da!

Hehe, just like a moth, huh? Thanx Scythe, I just got that word of power.