The oppressive weight of the time loop hung over Ryuto and his companions as they regrouped near the edge of the square, away from the cheerful music and laughing townsfolk. Though the scene appeared idyllic, none of them could ignore the sinister undercurrent coursing through Crysthaven. Each passing moment brought them closer to another reset, and another death.
"We can't keep standing around," Ryuto said, his voice firm. "If this loop resets again, someone else is going to die."
Celeste nodded, clutching her staff tightly. "Agreed. But if we rush in without a plan, we'll just be running in circles."
"Running in circles is what we're already doing," Nina muttered, crossing her arms. "I say we smash that hourglass to bits and see what happens."
"We tried that," Edwin said, his tone clipped. "It knocked us back and reset the loop. If we keep making the same moves, we'll get the same results."
