The forces battling within the hearts of the heroes were on the verge of breaking. Each of them felt how their inner world was gradually fading under the weight of the choice before them. Eternity and the world stood at the crossroads, and they, as its guardians, had to decide which path to take. The darkness, though it had receded, continued to pull at them with its cold, invisible threads, ready to swallow everything they had fought to preserve.
Antem was the first to break the heavy silence. He stood still, breathing deeply, contemplating everything that had happened and what still had to be done. His sword remained in his hand, heavy from the invisible burdens placed upon it. It was his essence, his symbol of strength, and though weary, he wasn’t about to release it.
“We can restore the world,” he said, his voice sounding like a verdict, as though it was the only remaining possibility. “But will it be real after this?”
Lumis, leaning against his device, which was now cracked and powerless, lifted his head. His gaze never left Antem, but the depth of his words was incredibly heavy. “We can fight, but the price will be unimaginable,” he said. “We have to be ready for the fact that this choice won’t be easy.”
Ayna, listening to them, wondered how much strength they had left for this choice. She moved closer, her movements fluid, but there was deep fatigue in her eyes. They were all on the edge of what was possible. And yet — she knew that the moment when eternity and the world collided was the moment of ultimate truth.
“The choice we have to make is not just about saving the world or eternity,” she said, her voice cold but firm. “It’s about choosing between suffering and the possibility of starting a new path. Perhaps the world and eternity can exist together, but it requires great change. And these changes must be made to the very essence of our existence.”
Tarik, who had been silent until then, approached her. His expression was calm, but there was deep concentration in his eyes. “We chose to be part of this world, but can we also be part of eternity?” he asked, posing the question they had all been avoiding.
Antem looked at him, his eyes softening. He knew this moment was decisive. Then, without hesitation, he nodded.
“We must decide whether we want to preserve the world as it is, with all its troubles and joys, or are we willing to sacrifice this world for the sake of eternity,” he said.
And then, among them, a voice spoke — a voice that did not belong to any of them. It was a voice that seemed to come from all directions, filling the space around them.
“You search for an answer in a world where there is no single truth,” the voice spoke. “You wish to choose, but the true choice is to let go of what you know and allow a new world to be born from your hearts.”
They all turned. They knew this voice, though they could not see its source. It was the very essence of eternity itself, testing them. Now, their choice was not about preserving one world or the other, but about accepting both. They had to become the bridge between the world and eternity, not choosing either, but creating a new reality that would unite all that exists.
“If we do this,” Ayna said, “we will no longer be who we are. But this could be the path to what we seek.”
Her words became the final catalyst for the heroes. They knew there was no more time for contemplation. Now, they had to act. And this choice was not just theirs but one that belonged to each of them, from the deepest core of their beings to the furthest reaches of their souls.
“Now or never,” Tarik said, ready for what was about to unfold.
And so, united, they took a step into the unknown, choosing not the path of preservation but the path of transformation, the path that would lead them to a new world, where eternity and time would hold new meaning.