30 Days | (ONC 2022) ✓

Chapter 5: Week One Again?!

December 1, 00XX

Elliot awoke and looked up to see the pristine white ceiling of his room. Hell no.

He shot up to a sitting position and began sweating. One thing was right, he's stuck in a bloody time loop. He needed to find Ythyr and accept his damn deal as soon as possible.

He didn't hear the knock at the door, and he flinched when it creaked open. "Nightmare?" Zaila asked with a worried look, and he looked up from where he had fallen on the floor. "Jeez Elliot, what was that? You look like an idiot." She chuckled. "But seriously, are you alright?"

"There's a meeting, right?"

"Yes, how did you know? You were asleep the whole time..."

"I overheard. And yes, I'm alright. I just had a nightmare." Zaila was about to speak, but he continued, "and I know what happened to me, the–uh demon attack, right? I was just resting, and I happened to overhear." He was terrible at lying but what he said wasn't exactly untrue.

"That's good to know," she smiled. "I only came to check if you're alright and tell you about the meeting. Are you going to come?"

"No thanks, I'll stay here for now. Still a bit sore after that magic hit me," Elliot forced a grin and stretched out his arm. "See?"

"Well, if you say so."

As soon as Zaila left, he got up and made a plan. Once the meeting began, he would sneak out to see Ythyr. Then he would accept his deal. Simple.

He waited for a few minutes before leaving his room. Thanks to the memories of the last loop, he wasn't stuck wandering around the halls like a lost puppy. On the way, he avoided the few angels that still remained and stopped until he reached the gate.

This time, he didn't look back. Instead, he took a deep breath and readied his wings.

And Elliot left heaven once again.

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Elliot flew down and landed in the forest. He spotted the tree he had crashed into in the last loop. He followed the path with his heart thumping. Funnily enough, it was the same tree that marked the path that led him into the camp.

Gravel crushed along the foot of his sandals while he took the time to look around. Everything really looked the same as it had been, no broken off branches, no signs of fighting. Not a speck of dust was out of place.

A twig snapped ominously as he continued down the road. For some unknown reason, there was something odd in the air. Then he felt it.

He froze when the slightest hint of magic sparked in the air, and he looked down to find a familiar-looking circle burnt into the ground. Well, this was bad.

Danger was screaming at him to leave, but his legs felt anchored to the earth. Elliot opened his wings instead and tried flying away, only to find they were affected as well. True panic only began to set in once he started glowing, but before anything could happen, Ythyr came into view and dispelled the spell with a flick of the wrist.

"Ah, sorry about that. It was just a precautionary measure."

"For what!?" Elliot stumbled forward, the invisible weight finally gone. He leveled a glare at Ythyr, who wasn't even the slightest bit apologetic.

"Well, I didn't want another scenario like last time. You can't blame me for being wary. You snitched, remember?" Ythyr smirked, "what was that adorable thing you angels say? Right, liars go to hell." Ythyr hollered at Elliot's face as he glared at him. "Though I hope you keep your promise this time."