They were drawing closer to the center of the spiral, and the world around them had become brighter, as if the very space itself was dissolving in light. Gradually, all sound faded away, leaving only the muted rhythm of their hearts. Time seemed to lose its meaning, and even the sensation of movement had become irrelevant — everything merged into one boundless moment.
Before them appeared a colossal arch, seemingly carved from pure light. Its edges shimmered as if a thousand golden threads were winding around its contours, creating an illusion of eternity. From the arch emanated a stream of energy, containing everything — life, time, thoughts.
Lumis and Eili stood before it, entranced. They felt their hearts beat in response to the light, as if their souls longed to enter this space where everything seemed to find its place.
“Is this… what we’ve been searching for?” Eili asked, her voice soft but filled with unwavering resolve.
“Yes,” Lumis replied, not taking his eyes off the arch. “This is the center. The center of everything.”
They stepped forward, and immediately felt the light envelop them. At first, it was merely a warm glow, but then it became dense and overwhelming, as though they were plunging into something larger than just space — it was the very mechanism of existence.
Before them appeared what resembled a vault — a massive bowl of pure light, within which lay a crystal radiating infinite brightness. It wasn’t just an object — it was a symbol embodying the essence of everything that surrounded them. Waves of energy pulsed from it, penetrating every cell of their bodies, every thought, every breath.
“This… this is the heart of the universe?” Eili whispered, her eyes wide with astonishment and awe.
“It’s not just the heart,” Lumis replied, his voice deep but calm. “It’s what sustains everything. It’s the source from which all things begin and to which all things return.”
He took a step toward the crystal, and at that moment, the entire energy around them erupted in light. The light, which seemed impossible and endless, engulfed them. They felt their bodies merge with it, their minds opening and absorbing an ocean of knowledge.
And then, suddenly, everything became clear. They saw how time, this illusion of time, began to dissolve before them, how everything they had known became part of a greater picture. The world was no longer divided into separate moments — it was whole, an uninterrupted flow in which every moment was interconnected with all others.
Lumis understood that this was what he had been searching for. It wasn’t just an answer — it was a path. A path to understanding oneself, to understanding that behind all illusions, there exists one great truth. And that truth was within each of them, in every step they had taken, in every thought that had led them to this moment.
“We found it,” Eili whispered, her voice full of triumph and realization.
“Yes,” Lumis said, his eyes reflecting a new light. “But this is just the beginning.”
What they had felt there was only the beginning of a grand journey that awaited them in the future. For the truth they had uncovered was only part of the great path, and only now did they realize that the real struggle was only just beginning.
And they were ready for it.