Project Eliora
SYSTEM ERROR

-ERROR DETECTED -

-RESET REQUIRED-

-FORCE WAKE UP-

As my eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room, I slowly pushed myself off the floor, my heart pounding in my chest. Being devoid of any familiar furniture or personal items made the empty space seem eerie. It appeared as though the room had been emptied of all life and meaning.

I was left wondering what had happened. I looked at myself to see that I was still wearing the same clothes from the last loop. Why was the reset incomplete? Was it the presence of those mysterious tears that disrupted the normal course of events? My mind was filled with unanswered questions, which strengthened my resolve to replace the answers.

I took a firm breath and carefully avoided the tears that had appeared on the floor as I made my way through the room. Each step brought a heightened sense of anticipation and unease, but I persisted anyway because I had to get back to the school. I stopped short as I got to the door, my hand resting on the handle. Eliora. I just needed to replace her again.

As I opened the door, my heart flew out of my chest, and I nearly fell to the ground. I was face-to-face with my mom as her cold, lifeless eyes bore into mine. I continued on, ignoring her haunting gaze, with a mixture of fear and tenacity coursing through me. As I made my way to the main door, I also came across my dad and brother, both in the same trance-like state, their eyes both fixed on me.

I felt the weight of my mission pressing down on me when I went outside and was greeted by a strange scene. The tears in the sky tore through the fabric of reality, revealing glimpses of distant celestial bodies. The strangeness of the loops increased at that precise moment. The existence of these cosmic portals only heightened the mystery that had already enveloped me. But amidst the terror, a spark of awe ignited within me. Through those bizarre rifts, the vastness of the cosmos was revealed, and it was both mesmerising and fascinating.

But I couldn’t let myself be consumed by the beauty of the spectacle. My goal was to break this cycle and free everyone from this perverse existence. As I observed the tear-ridden landscape, my determination grew stronger. I moved forward with renewed vigour, prepared to face whatever difficulties lay ahead. The tears in the sky seemed to beckon, their ethereal glow urging me to move closer as I made my way to the school, avoiding the tears as I did.

There was a large crashing sound, and I turned around to see that a large portion of the ground had given way. The loop was falling apart, and it seemed that it was a very massive problem. I quickly resumed my journey, focusing heavily on reaching the school again and replaceing her.

“Elisa!”

I stopped and looked around to see Reuben landing right beside me. I felt a mixture of relief and joy as my eyes landed on his. I instinctively extended my hand and drew him into a tight embrace. He seemed taken aback by it but did not resist as he reciprocated the action. After a short while, we pulled away from each other.

“I was so worried.”

He confessed, his voice filled with genuine concern. He gestured towards the chaotic scene surrounding us.

“I had to replace you. What in the world is happening?”

I chuckled wearily as the pressure of the circumstances pressed down on me.

“Honestly, Reuben, I have no freaking clue.”

His eyes swept over the perplexing spectacle that was playing out in front of us.

“I noticed everyone fixated on you, their eyes following your every move. It was eerie. So, I decided to investigate, and here we are.”

As he was finishing up, a loud noise reverberated through the sky. We both looked up, our eyes drawn to a tear expanding and pulsating with energy. As I turned to face Reuben, determination blazing in my eyes, my heart began to race.

“I found her, Reuben. I found Eliora.”

His clenched fists matched the ferocity of my resolve. With a definite tone in his voice, he demanded.

“Where is she?”

“She was at the school, but I died and woke up at my place.”

Reuben’s expression changed, showing a mix of worry and perplexity.

“There was no reset, though.”

“That means the loop really is collapsing. We needed to replace her immediately”

I urged, my voice growing urgent. He nodded in agreement, ready to join me in the search.

“Then let’s head back to the school. We can get there quickly by flying.”

But a voice stopped us in our tracks before we could move.

“Stop!”

The voice yelled in a breathless and urgent manner. As we turned around, her white hair was instantly recognisable, and she could be seen panting heavily while catching her breath.

“I’ve finally caught up with you. It’s a miracle.”

She exclaimed, her eyes glistening as she approached me. I looked at her, surprised by her sudden appearance and the urgency in her voice. Reuben quickly stepped in to stop her before she could move forward, rushing towards her with rage in his eyes.

“Wait”

She started to say something, but her words were cut off when Reuben punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground.

“Reuben”

I muttered, as I was impressed and shocked by how quickly he reacted. Reuben mounted himself on top of her, his anger fueling his actions. He launched a barrage of unrelenting punches, connecting with her defenceless form. Blood trickled from her nose as she tried to shield herself from the onslaught. Her attempts to resist were futile against Reuben’s superior strength. She struggled valiantly to survive while being beaten and disoriented. She punched and kicked while gasping for air, her instincts going into overdrive.

“This is for everyone, everyone you’ve caused suffering to.”

Reuben seethed, his grip tightening around her neck and his fingers closing in on her throat.

“Reuben, stop; we cannot kill her yet.”

I said this as I tried to plead with him. Killing her now would not be the worst thing to do, as she is the only one who truly understands and can provide the answers and solutions we need.

She gritted her teeth and yanked his arms away from her neck. With a burst of strength, she managed to break free, keeping her arms extended to create distance between them. With a determined scream, she launched Reuben off of her. Reuben staggered and quickly regained his footing, his blade of energy materialising from his arm. She scrambled away, clutching her injured neck as she gasped for air, as he moved menacingly towards her. Reuben put his foot on her leg, stopping her attempts at escape as she groaned in pain. Reuben prepared to kill her by raising the energy blade far above his head.

“Stop; I am not who you are looking for.”

She struggled to speak.

“Eliora is who you are looking for. I am not her.”

Her words reverberated through the air, echoing in my mind. Had I been mistaken all along? If she wasn’t Eliora, then who was she?

When I looked over at Reuben, his anger had temporarily given way to confusion, and he appeared momentarily stunned. He seemed torn, struggling to process what she had just said.

“You are lying.”

He shouted, his anger resurfacing. I quickly reacted and ran towards Reuben, grabbing his arm and meeting his eyes.

“Reuben, stop; we need her alive.”

She could be lying about not being Eliora to save herself, but that still did not mean I wanted her to die yet. I pleaded, hoping to reason with him.

He screamed in agony, a mingling of rage, frustration, and despair, as tears streamed down his face. He forcefully pulled his arm away from my grasp, storming off in a fit of emotion. I watched as he retreated to the edge of one of the chasms, now transformed into a cliff. It looked like whatever Eliora did to him was something personal, as the turmoil consumed him. But at this moment, I had to prioritise the truth and the search for answers.

My attention was drawn to the girl’s coughs and heavy breathing. Her hand was now tightly wrapped around her reddened neck as she sat down on the ground. I squatted down next to her out of concern.

“Are you alright?”

With genuine concern in my voice, I asked. She gave me a quick glance as she scanned my form. Her white pupils twinkled momentarily, captivating me with their enchanting allure. Then she averted her gaze.

“No, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Above us, another disturbance echoed through the sky. The hues changed, settling into a tranquil combination of blue and orange that was reminiscent of morning colours.

“Yazmin”

I turned back to her, confused by what she had said.

“What was that?”

“Yazmin, that is my name, not Eliora.”

She clarified, her voice firm. I reached out my hand to her, hoping to lend her some support. She swatted my hand away, though.

“I think I’ll stay here for now; besides, your friend needs you.”

She remarked, gesturing towards where Reuben had retreated. Understanding her desire for solitude, I nodded in acknowledgment. I turned to face Yazmin after casting a glance over at Reuben, who was still perched on the cliff’s edge. I decided to stand up after exhaling a sigh.

“You are right about that.”

“What is your name by the name?”

I looked at her as she asked the question. That was interesting because Eliora is aware of who I am, but it seems that this girl is not. There was the chance that she was pretending, though.

“You can call me Elisa.”

I stated, revealing my name to her. As I turned around to leave, I heard her softly muttering my name to herself, perhaps intrigued by its significance. I went over to Reuben and sat down next to him. He kept gazing off into the distance, his mind wandering.

The scene in front of us was magnificent. Countless stars adorned the expanse, some twinkling brightly while others shimmered faintly. The ethereal beauty of the scene was enhanced by planets that were surrounded by vivid, multicoloured clouds. Reds, blues, and hints of green mingled in a dance of the cosmos.

“So, technically, were we in space?”

I asked out loud while grinning at the realisation. My thoughts were interrupted by Reuben’s voice as he spoke to me.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

I returned his gaze and noticed the sincere amazement in his eyes.

“Yes, it truly is. Amidst all the chaos and uncertainty, there’s still beauty and wonder to be found.”

I replied, my voice filled with awe, and tucked my legs close to the edge.

“I’m sorry you have to keep seeing me like that.”

Reuben apologised in a voice choked with regret.

“You don’t have to apologise for showing emotions; maybe you can dial it down a notch.”

I responded, trying to lighten the mood.

“I’ll try.”

He gave a soft chuckle. A moment of silence hung between us, allowing the gravity of the situation to sink in. It was time for answers, and I needed to understand what had transpired.

“What happened back there?”

I finally mustered the courage to ask. Reuben was silent and inhaled deeply before breaking his silence.

“I lost my family because of her. I lost everything and everyone I cared about.”

His voice was heavy with sorrow.

“Eliora and her army invaded my planet, took control, and had everyone placed in the loop. I and my sister were able to get away, but only because my parents gave up their lives for me.”

He paused, his pain palpable.

“I returned years later to replace my planet decimated. Eliora’s forces had exterminated everyone. That’s when I made a vow—to replace her and exact revenge, not just for what she had done to me but to prevent others from experiencing the same pain.”

He took a second break to collect his thoughts.

“When I discovered she had taken over Earth, I immediately rushed here. It took time, but I found a way into the loop, and I’ve been here ever since, hoping to locate her, hoping for any clue that could lead me to where she was.”

As his words sank in, I couldn’t help but exclaim,

“Taken over Earth?”

Reuben nodded solemnly in response to my surprise.

“Yes, she invaded the planet. I’m sorry you had to replace out this way.”

He expressed sympathy, as it was etched on his face. I shrugged, a mixture of disbelief and acceptance washing over me.

I have always wondered how we were all placed in the loop. So it wasn’t just my town that was included in this; the entire world was. I thought this all was some kind of mind control or something similar, but they literally steamrolled the entire planet. I did wonder why. Why was she invading planets? Sci-fi movies usually depict that when aliens come to Earth, they usually come to harvest our resources, but there is something much bigger at play here. The biggest sign is that there would be absolutely no need to place us in the loop if that was the only goal.

“Not what I expected, but I’ve entertained even crazier scenarios.”

Reuben continued to speak with a determined expression in his eyes.

“That’s why I want to kill her. By ending her, I believe I can put an end to all of this.”

He fell silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts. His words hung in the air, intimidating and unyielding.

“I wanted it to be her. When she denied being Eliora, I didn’t want to accept it. I wanted to end this and bring it to a resolution.”

He murmured, his head sinking onto his knees. I smiled reassuringly and extended my hand to touch his hair.

“You’re going through a lot.”

I said it softly.

“We both are.”

He said this, acknowledging the weight of our shared burdens.

“I don’t know how this will all unfold, but we can’t give up. We have to keep pushing forward.”

“Yeah”

He responded, his voice filled with a mix of determination and uncertainty. A sudden burst of light caught my attention, drawing my gaze toward the distance. I witnessed an awe-inspiring display of light and gas clouds unfolding within the celestial expanse.

“Wow”

I whispered as I watched the spectacle play out in front of me.

“It’s probably a supernova.”

He said this as he too watched the explosion, his voice carrying a mixture of excitement and admiration.

“It’s amazing”

I replied, my eyes glued to the brilliant display.

“Yes, indeed. What we are looking at is a nebula.”

“Well, just so you know, I have very little knowledge about space, so could you explain?”

I asked, eager to understand more. He took a deep breath and began to explain, pointing to the brilliant glow that cut through the surrounding darkness.

“A nebula is essentially a vast cloud of gas and dust. It serves as a cosmic nursery, nurturing the birth of new stars.”

He straightened his posture, his gaze fixed on the radiant light.

“A supernova, on the other hand, occurs when a star reaches the end of its life cycle. As the star nears its demise, it releases gases and dust, which form the nebula. The explosion grows increasingly brighter and expands, sometimes spanning days or even weeks. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure why we can witness this phenomenon, but I’m certainly not complaining.”

Together, we sat there, staring in silence at the celestial explosion, fully immersed in the magnificence of the cosmic spectacle before us. After a moment, I let out a sigh and rose to my feet after making the decision to head back.

“I am going to replace out what Yazmin knows.”

“Yazmin?”

He asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Yes, that’s her name. Anyways, I...”

He interrupted me before I could finish my sentence.

“I am coming with you.”

He declared, rising to his feet, and I turned around, facing him with a smirk on my face.

“Come on, then.”

I said, and I motioned for him to follow as we walked towards Yazmin’s location together. She was still seated on the ground, engrossed in tinkering with a device on her arm—the same one I noticed the first time I encountered her. As we approached, she looked up, setting the device aside.

“Good, you are back. Whatever is happening here is a phenomenon. I’ve been analysing the data, and it appears that the loop is on the verge of collapsing.”

So I was right about that. I was so curious that I had to ask.

“Do you know why?”

Yazmin gave a straightforward but puzzling response.

“It is simple; it is because of you.”

She said it matter-of-factly. I experienced a mix of surprise and perplexity. How could I be the reason for the loop’s collapse? If it was due to my escape from the loop, shouldn’t the collapse have occurred much earlier? Questions raced through my mind, searching for answers.

“Me? How is that possible?”

Yazmin paused, her gaze meeting mine, as if contemplating how to explain.

“There is one significant event that coincided with the collapse.”

My mind immediately wondered about the tears all over the place. Could they have played a role in this unravelling? But why were they important, and where did they come from?

I struggled with the mystery in front of us, lost in a sea of ideas, trying to replace the truth that was concealed beneath the surface of our peculiar reality.

“But how do I fit into the whole equation?”

“You came into contact with the reality rifts, didn’t you?”

Although I was unfamiliar with the term, it appeared to be another way of referring to the tears in reality I had experienced.

“Yes, I did, but why are they appearing now?”

“They have always been present in the physics lab. It is a way to travel across loops. I don’t have the exact mechanisms down yet, but I can still use it to do that.”

Reuben, who had been silently watching, spoke up.

“How did you replace out about these tears?”

Yazmin scowled at him, evidently still angry from their earlier interaction.

“Let’s just say I know a lot of stuff.”

She said it cryptically.

“Like where Eliora is?”

Yazmin laughed but replied, dodging the question.

“While we’re on the topic of Eliora, by the way, we need to leave soon because I am pretty sure she is well aware of the problem that we have caused to the loop, and she is going to take action; best if we avoid that.”

“So is it safe to say that you are responsible for breaking me out of the loop?”

I asked her, and she looked at me.

“Yes, you are right about that. I have been experimenting on different people in different loops, trying to see if there was a way to break your consciousness free from its effect.”

So, this was all taking place in my head. The insight was becoming more apparent. I had thought that Eliora had the ability to manipulate reality and time, but now it seemed that all of this was just a creation of my consciousness. However, the question of where my physical body was in reality remained.

Yazmin continued.

“It always failed, but I was not going to give up. So I persisted, I got here, and I conducted the experiment the moment I purposely bumped into you and told you to meet me at the physics lab.”

“You said that so you could see if I could retain my memories after a loop. If I did retain them, I would go to the physics lab during another loop to meet you.”

“Exactly, however, I was not particularly optimistic about the success of the experiment, so I left the loop only to return now when I received a massive abnormality spike.”

“I assume that was the moment I touched the reality rifts.”

“Indeed”

There was a sound above us that prompted us to look toward it. Between the divided expanses, a very small orb of energy appeared in the sky. It was pulsing and emitting energy waves, gradually growing in size.

Yazmin quickly got to her feet.

“Ok, we need to leave the loop because Eliora is taking action.”

She swivelled to face Reuben.

“You know your way out, right?”

“Of course I do.”

She then looked at me.

“I can get you out of the loop now that you are free from it, but I don’t know what will happen if you leave the loop now. Your body may lose all cognitive functions; you might also not be in the right state of mind, but if you remain here, there is no telling what Eliora might do. She might reset the entire thing so that you just go back to forgetting each loop, she might kill you because you escaped the loop, or she might do something else.”

Holy crap. I didn’t like either of my options, but I want to free everyone from this; for that to happen, I needed to be out of the loop.

“I am not waiting in here for Eliora to do whatever she wants to me. I am leaving.”

She nodded.

“Ok, then I know there are a lot of questions you have; you will just have to wait until I meet you on the outside.”

She began tinkering with the device strapped around her hand again.

“When we exit the loop, I will come and pick you up.”

She turned to Reuben again.

“Do you know Line 19?”

“Yep”

“I am on frequency 2212; I will tell you how to replace me there.”

“Sure, make sure you hurry up.”

She continued fiddling with her device while ignoring him. I was shocked to see how much the ball of energy had grown when I looked up. While continuing to pulse, it produced a humming sound. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see Reuben.

“So this is it; you finally get to leave.”

I took a deep breath.

“I guess so.”

“The outside world is crazy, Elisa. Be prepared.”

Recognising the uncertainty that lay ahead, I turned my head away. Whatever the situation, I knew I had to deal with it head-on.

“Words of wisdom from Reuben, I suppose.”

I said, trying to lighten the mood, and he chuckled softly in response.

“Yes, you’re right. Just be cautious out there.”

“I will”

I firmly retorted. I took a moment to mentally prepare myself for the challenges that awaited me beyond the loop.

“Okay, then, we’re ready to leave this place.”

Yazmin announced, moving closer to our gathering. Out of curiosity, I decided to ask her a question.

“How exactly will you replace me?”

She wore a smug smile.

“I have my ways.”

And with that cryptic response, she left me with a sense of intrigue and anticipation.

“Elisa”

As I heard my name being called, I turned around to see who was calling me. To my surprise, I was surrounded by a void with no one in it. I looked around for signs of anything, then I caught sight of a figure standing amid the void in the distance. I marched towards it with my fists clenched and determination in my eyes as anger surged inside of me.

“You told me to trust you, yet you came to enslave my planet, trapping us in a loop. What type of sick joke was that?”

The closer I approached, the more I recognised the figure. It was Holly’s form that she had taken up this time. My anger began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of sadness and weariness. I took a deep breath to relax myself as I closed my eyes.

“I know I have given no reason for you to trust me, but you will understand soon.”

“Explain it to me.”

I asked, my voice softer but full of curiosity.

“The loop is going to experience a full reset, so there is no time for that.”

She replied cryptically. So Yazmin was right—that was the purpose the orb served.

“I know you are planning to leave the loop. I just wanted to warn you that out there, I won’t be able to protect you.”

I laughed sarcastically. How could she claim to protect me?

“And how exactly are you protecting me?”

I scoffed, but a sudden rumble shook the void, causing me to lose my balance momentarily.

“What the hell?”

I cried out, attempting to regain my balance. Without another word, Eliora turned and started walking away.

“It was nice meeting you, Elisa, but our time is up. I hope we cross paths again, and by then, you will have found a way to stop all of this.”

Confusion and uncertainty filled my mind as I tried to decipher Eliora’s cryptic words. What did she mean by stop all of this? She says this as if she did not want this to happen. Was she trying to deceive me, eliciting sympathy? As she stopped and turned around to face me again, her enigmatic tone only deepened the mystery.

“Extend my greetings to Yazmin and tell her that if she is looking for a weakness, then go for the source.”

What was the connection between Yazmin and Eliora? What did she mean by going to the source to replace a weakness?

“I don’t know what you mean by all of that, but one thing I’m certain of is that we will replace you, and we will stop you.”

I declared firmly that I was determined to uncover the truth and put an end to this twisted game. Eliora grinned, her face a mixture of expectation and resignation.

“I hope you do.”

I found myself standing next to the others, back in their presence, before I could say another word. They both had puzzled looks on their faces as I stood next to Yazmin and Reuben, sensing that something significant had happened.

“What is wrong?”

Yazmin asked as she fixed her gaze on me and watched every move I made.

“It was Eliora.”

I replied, my voice filled with a mixture of astonishment and uncertainty. Reuben clenched his fists briefly but then released them, letting go of his anger.

“Again?”

He muttered under his breath with a hint of annoyance in his voice. With confusion still etched across her face, Yazmin questioned further.

“What do you mean, again?”

I explained, trying to make sense of the encounter myself.

“Eliora spoke to me.”

Yazmin didn’t say anything and had a blank expression.

An explosion above us suddenly caught our attention. When we turned to look up, we saw the energy orb pulsing dangerously fast and losing stability.

“We’ll discuss all of this once we’re outside.”

Yazmin said, her eyes returning to her device, then turning to me and Reuben.

“We are ready.”

She said this as Reuben and I looked at each other, and he nodded as a sign that he was prepared to leave this confounding place. With a subtle nod in return, I braced myself.

“This is it; I’m finally going to leave.”

I thought, feeling a rush of excitement and anxiety. Reuben faded into nothingness in an instant. Next, the device on Yazmin’s arm emitted a series of beeps, causing her to collapse inwardly before disappearing as well. I was the sole remaining occupant of this surreal realm.

A mixture of awe and dread overcame me as I stared up at the pulsating ball of energy suspended between the broken tear in the sky. The split sky presented two contrasting panoramas—a sombre grey expanse with drifting clouds on one side and a magnificent cosmic backdrop of swirling stars on the other. A captivating and otherworldly scene emerged as the celestial bodies expanded beneath layers of vibrant gases, dust, and cosmic matter.

The orb emitted an ominous sound, resembling the cries of countless birds. The wind whipped around me, tousling my hair, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the spectacle before me, but despite all of this splendour, I felt a heavy burden in my chest.

My family.

My friends.

Everyone I cared about

I was doing this for them, to free them from the confines of this endless loop. I was resolute and prepared to go the extra mile. As I turned my attention back to the pulsating orb, a wave of anxious anticipation swept through me. In a sudden burst of blinding light, I instinctively shielded my eyes with my arm. And then everything went black.