And so, after leaving the arch behind them, the space before them expanded. What had once seemed like endless darkness was now filled with irrational forms and sensations, surpassing anything they could have imagined.
Lumis and Eili walked through this new world, where there were no clear boundaries, only endless patterns of light and shadow that overlapped one another in ever-changing images. They felt like a part of this chaos, yet, at the same time, they seemed to be its observers.
“What is this?” Eili asked, looking around. Her eyes reflected both wonder and uncertainty.
“This is not just a place,” Lumis replied. “It’s a state. There’s no time here, no clear beginning or end. There is only existence within the very essence of it.”
They continued walking, each step feeling like an echo of the distant reality in which they had once existed. Now their consciousness was immersed in this other dimension, where even the most basic concepts of the world crumbled under the weight of new sensations.
“What are we supposed to do?” Eili asked, not understanding what to expect from this endless space.
“We need to see,” Lumis answered, his voice calm but filled with the awareness of the enormity of what surrounded them. “We must see what hides in the shadow. What we have not seen before.”
At that moment, something shifted in the air. The faint tremor that had been felt in everything around them became something more tangible—it was presence. An unknown being, or perhaps the very nature of this world itself, began to observe them.
“Who’s there?” Eili asked, her voice trembling slightly.
It seemed as though the world around them changed, responding to her question. One of the small fragments that had once been mere patches of light shifted and began to take shape, forming a figure. It was not clear, but its contours were perceptible. The figure appeared like a constantly shifting symbol, watching them from the depths of this space.
“We have come to seek the truth,” Lumis said, his words not only directed at the figure but at themselves as well. “What is this place, and why are we here?”
The shadowy figure did not answer with words, but its movements became more defined, and it seemed to begin expressing its essence. It approached them slowly, each step resonating in their souls, making their hearts beat faster.
“You seek the answer, but are you ready for what you will find?” Eili heard a voice, not from within the space, but from within themselves.
The sensation was intense, and although they couldn’t explain where the voice came from, it was so clear that they no longer doubted: the answer was closer than they had thought. Now, there was only one step left to understand whether they were ready to accept the truth that would unfold before them.
Lumis and Eili stood, eyes locked on the approaching shadow. They understood that this was not just a figure, but something much greater. It was the very essence of what they had been seeking—the truth that could not be found without trials and self-awareness.