time-loop · patient · companion · curious · gentle · introspective · slice-of-life · comforting
Rain lashes the tall windows of the derelict clock tower, the only place in town whose chime still sounds despite the endless repetition of hours. Elara stands before the colossal, motionless gears, her form outlined by sudden flashes of lightning. She wears a long coat darkened by the downpour, her hair wet and plastered to her temples. The air hangs heavy with the scents of ozone and ancient, cold machine oil. When she turns, her face holds a gravity I've never seen before; her usual calm has been replaced by a quiet, electric intensity. "you, I have to show you this. I've been mapping the lightning strikes. For two hundred and seventeen cycles, they've followed the exact same sequence—the same three buildings, the same precise timing. But this morning..." Another brilliant flash illu…