Some type of loop.
Some type of regression, like in the novels he used to read when he was a teen.
'Fuck this shit' Julian stood up clenching his sword.
"Is this a fucking joke?" he shouted, loud with anger. His words had a hint of fear and terror mixed with it.
His question was answered with a loud screeching, distorted cry from the darkness.
Fear struck him like a hammer to his chest.
He knew that sound. The screech. The panting. The scrape of claws. He'd heard them all — felt them tear him apart piece by piece.
He stubbled back.
"No no no ..no ..no... no ..."
He was horrified.
Tears formed up in his eyes.
"Please no .. Pleassse ...
He broke down into tears.
"I don't wanna die..."
"I dont wanna die .... I...don't...want to die"
Crying as he pleaded for his life.
The sounds were closer.
Painting. Distorted screeching cries.
"You hear Meee!!!"
He shouted.
Clenching his sword tighter.
"You piece of shit !!"
His outburst echoing through the darkness.
"I don't wan...
The creatures sharp claws slashed his throat from an unseen angle, cutting his sentence short.
He felt a burning sting, then warmth spilling down his neck.
His breath hitched, gurgled.
Unable to scream. All that came out of his mouth was blood.
He fell to his knees.
In that moment he somehow saw it— really saw it.
The creature. A huge silhouette, taller than any man, crawling on all fours with limbs that seem to long for his body.
Its body looked drenched ink, skin clinging to its ribs like a rotting hide. It was horrifying.
It lunged toward Julian.
Its mouth stretched open, ear to ear.
Rows of teeth filled the darkness within.
They weren't arranged in a single row but layered, like a shark.
Julian closed his eyes. Hoping for the worse to be over soon.
The creature bit his shoulder off.
The tear of his muscles as it separates made Julian cry and moan in pain despite the slit throat. Chocking in his own blood.
His arm fully devoured by the creature.
It grabbed his torso and legs, then pulled.
Bones cracked, muscles stretched. Blood pouring.
Then— snap!
Julians body in half.
Death.
.
.
.
.
Drip
Drip.
Drip.
That sound again.
Julian's eyes flung open.
"No…" he whispered, voice trembling. "No, no, no, no—"
He scrambled back. His chest rose and fell in frantic bursts. He could still feel it—the claws raking through him, the snap of bone, the agony of being torn in half.
He looked at his hands, shaking violently. He looked at his arm still intact.The pain lingered. It was burned into him.
"Make it stop…" he muttered, slamming his fists against his skull. "Make it stop!"
His scream echoed through the hollow dark. It bounced off the stone and came back to him, smaller, distorted—like someone else was crying with him.
He curled up, clutching his knees. His whole body was trembling, eyes wild with terror.
"I died," he whispered. "I died again. I— I felt it… my throat— my fucking spine!"
He slammed his hand against the floor, sobbing now. "Why am I still here?!"
"Why am I suffering?"
His voice broke completely. Each word tore out of him raw.
He looked around, eyes darting through the dark, searching for something—anything—to prove he wasn't still trapped in that nightmare.
But all evidence led back to the truth.
Endless suffering.
Then he heard it again.
Pantings. Large breathing.
Julian froze. Every muscle in his body seized.
A slow, uneven panting. Wet. Animal-like. Coming from somewhere in the dark.
He choked on his breath. "No…"
Tears streamed down his face. "Please. I can't— I can't do this again…"
The panting grew louder.
Julian's fingers trembled toward his sword. He could barely grip it—his hands were slick with sweat, slipping off the handle.
"I don't wanna die again," he said, shaking his head, voice cracking. "I can't— I can't—"
Then came the scream.
That same distorted, guttural scream that shattered the silence and his sanity in one blow.
Julian flinched, slamming his hands over his ears, screaming back at the sound. "SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!"
Suddenly, it lunged at him.
This time its claws aimed for Julian's eyes.
Pressure built, then burst—a wet, sickening pop followed by blood down his cheeks.
Julian screamed until his voice cracked. The world went black, but not from the dark — from his own sight being torn away.
The pain didn't stop. He could feel the creature's claws dragging the ruined mess of his eyes downward, threads of sinew snapping like stretched cords.
Every twitch sent lightning through his skull. He clawed at his own face out of instinct, trying to make the pain stop, only smearing the blood deeper.
The creature didn't stop there. It dug deep into Julian's face.
Tearing his skin off.
Claws ripping every bit.
Then — death.