Vampire's Slice Of Life

1111  Stuck In A Loop

Lith lay in his futon and went over the conversation he had with the priestess and shrine maiden. As the night turned richer, something strange happened. Takk! Takk! A faint voice of someone hammering was heard by him. For a few seconds, it was faint, but then, gradually increased, and within a few minutes, it felt as if someone was hammering a nail into a wall right beside his ears. Annoyed, Lith turned around, but saw nothing that could possibly make this noise. ʼIʼm not like the dumb protagonists of horror movies who would go and check whatʼs wrong. If itʼs making noises, then let it be.ʼ

Thinking so, Lith tried his best to sleep. However, after a while, he felt someone was beside him. A strange sense of Deja Vu filled his mind. He rolled to the side, and in the end, found nothing. Eventually, as the night turned darker, he could see faint silhouettes behind the thin door. Lith changed positions and sat in a lotus one. He looked at the silhouettes for a while, then decided to meditate and ignore it. No way in hell was he going to try something stupid such as checking up on that. The night passed, it was the next day. The shrine maiden came to greet him and said breakfast was ready. Lith chatted with the shrine maiden and the priestess over some rice balls and tea. The two told him about the existence of wandering souls, and as the conversation came to an end, the priestess left, and the shrine maiden guided Lith back outside, sending him off towards the Lumpia city. A few steps away from the shrine, a flash of darkness filled Lithʼs vision. He found himself standing on top of a tall mountain. Everything around him was pink, the trees, the leaves, the shrubs…

Turning around, he saw a shrine maiden dusting the leaves on the ground with a broomstick. Her pristine face had a gloomy look on it as she absentmindedly dusted the ground. Things looked quite suspicious, but having no other choice, Lith walked up to her to strike a conversation. The lady snapped out of her thoughts and warily looked at Lith. He gave her a warm smile, and eventually…

”…the priestess would be able to help you better.”

”…the priestess will be back shortly.”

”…remember, do not go out of your room…”

.

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The night arrived and Lith felt strange in this room. The sense of Deja Vu had gotten stronger and he felt as if he had experienced this already. Lith, however, did not venture outside, and kept meditating. His cultivation was improving with each meditative session. The next day arrived, and after breakfast with the shrine maiden and the priestess, he took his leave to go to Lumpia city. Darkness flashed in front of his eyes, and Lith found himself on top of a tall mountain. There was a shrine maiden near the shrine, with pristine looks, dusting the ground with a broomstick. Having no else to talk to, Lith went to her to strike a conversation. .

.

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”…Kento shrine…”

”…emperor…”

”…Lifan…”

”…remember to not venture outside at night…”

…..

Darkness flashed in front of Lithʼs eye. In the next instant, as the light returned, he found himself standing on top of a tall mountain. Everything around him was pink. There was a shrine and a shrine maiden dusted the leaves on the ground with her broomstick…

.

.

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”…remember to not venture outside…”

”…please send the guest off…”

…..

Darkness flashed in front of Lithʼs eyes and as light returned, he found himself standing on top of a tall mountain. Everything around him was pink…

…..

Darkness flashed in front of Lithʼs eyes and as light returned, he found himself standing on top of a tall…

…..

Darkness flashed in front of Lithʼs eyes and as light returned…

…..

Darkness flashed in front of Lithʼs eyes…

…..

Darkness flashed…

…..

Darkness flashed…

…..

By the 19th day of repeating the same thing over and over again, the sense of Deja Vu had gotten so strong that Lithʼs mind was telling him to venture outside and not obey the commands of the two ladies. However, his mind also told him the consequences, and at the end, Lith did not leave the room and simply meditated. …..

Almost a month passed with barely any change in the events. Lith was stubborn and did not leave the room at night. He avoided anything that felt suspicious and continued on his way.

…..

Another month later, a change finally occurred. Lith was repeating the same thing, however, a new person had arrived at the scene. It was a lady in white robes with a gentle look on her face. Her lush black hair was tied in a bun with a pink ribbon and she seemed to be an elder from some sect. The lady sat on top of a tree away from the area of the shrine and watched everything that was happening. A handsome young man in strange clothes kept repeating the same thing over and over again along with the shrine maiden and the priestess.

She watched them repeat things three times, before deciding to jump down and rescue this young man. The lady cracked her neck and walked close to the area of the shrine. The moment the lady set foot, darkness flashed in front of her eyes. However, before it vanished, and vision returned to her eyes, the lady slashed her own eyes with her blade, blinding herself. The darkness never vanished, and the lady could not see again, but she wasnʼt worried. She walked in front with great strides and made her way to the place Lith was soon going to be in. She had memorized the entire pattern within three days. An eerie feeling crept up to the lady. It seemed like someone was shackling her ankles and trying to pull her back, but she continued to move forward. Creepy whispers were then heard along with footsteps. It was as if someone was walking right beside her and breathing extremely close to her ears. Lith, who was starting from the beginning once again in the new loop, found a third person this time along with the shrine maiden. It was a lady with her eyes bleeding, holding a blade in her hand. ʼHmm?ʼ Lith wondered if he was in danger or something and put his guard up.

Unlike the past loops, he did not go to the shrine maiden to strike a conversation, and instead waited to see what this lady in white robes was trying to do. The lady soon reached Lith. She did not hear any extra footsteps, so she figured that Lith hadnʼt moved from his place. ”Boy…” the lady said. ”Say yes if you can see me walk close to you.”

Lith was utterly confused. But nonetheless, said yes. The lady nodded lightly and stopped when she was in front of him. She looked up at his face with her bleeding eyes, and said, ”Listen closely to what I am about to say…”