The moment they crossed beneath the arch, everything shifted. The space they had just stepped into was not like the others—there was no light here, no sound. It was as though they had entered a place beyond existence itself. The silence was oppressive, yet somehow, it felt like a relief after the intensity they had just endured.
Eili felt her breath catch in her throat. The air here was thin, almost insubstantial. It was as though their bodies were no longer fully present in the physical world, but rather floating between it and something else—something far more ancient.
“Where are we?” she whispered, her voice echoing in the emptiness, though it felt more like a thought than a sound.
Lumis stood still, his eyes searching the darkness. It was the first time since they began their journey that he felt uncertain. The absence of light, of sound, made everything feel distant and unreal.
“I don’t know,” he replied quietly. “But we’ve crossed a threshold. This place is different. It feels… timeless.”
For the first time, they were fully aware that they had entered a realm that defied their understanding. There were no walls, no paths—just an endless void that stretched in every direction. Yet, even in the emptiness, something pulsed beneath the surface, a subtle force that seemed to guide them forward.
Eili took a hesitant step, then another, and slowly, they both moved forward into the abyss. It was as though their movements were in sync with the rhythm of the place itself. And then, without warning, a single sound pierced the silence. It was a faint, distant hum, like the reverberation of a forgotten song, growing louder with each passing moment.
“What is that?” Eili asked, her voice filled with wonder.
“It’s the sound of the world’s heartbeat,” Lumis said, his voice distant, almost as though he were speaking to himself. “We’ve come to the core, the center of all things. This is where everything begins and ends.”
As they moved deeper into the space, the hum began to shift. It wasn’t just a sound now—it became a melody, a song that seemed to resonate within them, unlocking memories they didn’t know they had. It was as though the very fabric of existence was speaking to them, revealing secrets that had long been hidden.
Eili closed her eyes, allowing the sound to wash over her. She felt the memories of her past, of her own journey, of all the people she had encountered, swirling around her like an eternal dance. She saw flashes of moments, of faces, of places long forgotten. And at the center of it all, she saw Lumis—his face, his eyes, filled with both certainty and sorrow.
“This is what we’ve been seeking,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “The truth.”
Lumis nodded, his gaze fixed ahead. “Yes. But it’s not just the truth we’re seeking. It’s what lies beyond it. The question is—are we ready for what comes next?”
Eili didn’t answer immediately. She wasn’t sure she was ready. But as the melody wrapped around them, she realized that readiness was not the point. They had already made their choice. And now, they would have to face whatever came next—together.
The song grew louder, and the space around them began to shift once more. The darkness began to lighten, revealing a soft glow in the distance, like the first rays of dawn breaking through the night. They walked toward it, feeling the pull of it—drawn by something greater than themselves, something beyond time and space.
And as they drew closer, they knew that whatever lay ahead would change everything.
For they had crossed the threshold of silence, and there was no turning back.