Once Upon a Loop

Intro

As far back as humankind remembers, monsters have always existed. They crawled out of the North Atlantic Ridge, slithered through the cracks of plate boundaries, and lay dormant in the husks of forgotten buildings. Some rushed forth from the mouths of volcanoes like molten wrath, while others, patient and unseen, waited beneath still waters or frozen tundras.

"Don't drop your guard."

It wasn't just a greeting anymore—it was a lifeline, a ritual to ensure that the person before you wasn't something else in disguise.

Forced into the margins of the world, humanity built its refuge in the ruins of what came before. Cities crumbled into graveyards; the wilds became hunting grounds. Yet even the hidden corners offered no mercy. The ice of the North Pole carried plagues that stripped flesh from bone, while the depths of the oceans birthed horrors no mind could withstand. In swamps, there were dragons—great scaled beasts that towered above trees. But even they paled next to the winged monstrosities that stalked the forests, talons sharp enough to impale and leave gore-soaked ruins of what once were people.

The line between nature and nightmare blurred long ago.

In a small clearing deep within the ruins of a forgotten town, two sisters walked side by side. One carried a blade dulled by years of use; the other carried bags full of supplies. They were crucial for survival, the scraps that the survivors were able to offer them. 

"Keep up," said the elder sister, her voice low and sharp. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes flicking between the path ahead and the figure trailing behind her. "Don't make me drag you again."

The younger sister nodded but said nothing, her eyes fixed on the ground. Each step stirred ash and broken glass beneath her boots, a crunching sound that sent shivers down her spine. She didn't need reminding to stay silent. Out here, noise was a death sentence.

Above them, the faint flap of wings broke the silence, and both sisters froze.

The elder grabbed her sister's arm and yanked her behind the shelter of a crumbling wall. She pressed a finger to her lips and crouched, her grip on the blade tightening until her knuckles turned white.

The younger obeyed, her heart hammering against her ribs. She barely dared to breathe.

The sound of wings grew louder, circling overhead. Dust rained from the brittle stone wall as shadows passed over them.

There weren't enough trees as cover here — if the predator were to just look down slightly, surely it would see them, sense their fear, the sound of their heart pounding... 

But it never did. Perhaps it was the rune on their backs from a shady merchant, keeping the beast off their scent, or it was just pure, dumb luck. She felt more inclined to believe it was the latter.

The elder sister exhaled slowly, standing again. She tightened her grip on the blade and motioned for her sister to follow. "Let's move. We don't have time to waste."

But the younger sister hesitated, her eyes lingering on the horizon. Something about the air felt different today, heavier, as if the world itself were holding its breath. She couldn't place the unease, but a single thought burned in her mind:

Today would not end like the others.

Don't mind the cover picture, it's completely unrelated to the story😅