The boundary between worlds stretched out, turning time into a volatile, elastic canvas where each moment could be both distant and near. They found themselves in a new reality, where space was not merely void, but a living fabric, reacting to every movement, every glance. The five of them stood in a place more like a zone of transition than an actual world. The sensation that they were walking on the very edge of existence permeated every fiber of their being.
Antem raised his head, his gaze fixed on the boundless expanse unfolding before them, yet he could not see distinct outlines. Only a shimmer of light, not belonging to the sun or stars, scattered across the darkness, beckoned him. He could feel the world living around them, responding to each movement they made.
“We’ve become part of something much greater,” he whispered, his voice lost in the silence that was not silence at all, but something with depth. The feeling was such that even their words seemed to dissolve into the air.
Lumis glanced at the faces of his companions and realized that they, too, felt the overwhelming weight. It was so intense that even in thought, it was difficult to accept all that they had gone through and were still going through.
“This place will change us,” he said again, though he had neither the strength nor the desire to discuss it. His voice was soft but resolute because right now, in this moment, they had become something else.
Ayna stood apart from them, her gaze focused on the indistinct horizon, which seemed to fade into a mist, as though reality itself could not remain in one place. She could feel how each breath became heavier, but it wasn’t fear she felt. It was a certain ability of this world to absorb everything they carried within, revealing the depths of their hearts.
“This world is testing us,” she finally said, her words ringing out like a command from the very heart of this place. “And only a true choice will define who we are.”
Their attention shifted to Tarik, who had remained silent all this time. It was as though he could feel the essence of this world seeping into him, examining his innermost self. But he was not afraid. He was calm, for he understood — whatever choice they made here would not be final. Each of them, with all their doubts and questions, would move forward, but they would change in the process.
“We will come to this moment,” he said, “but this moment is not tied to how we think of ourselves. We must let this place change us.”
Meanwhile, the earth began to tremble, and the space around them grew even more abstract. Stones that had seemed solid just moments ago began to crumble to dust, leaving only memories behind. Their steps were light, for every movement seemed to pull them deeper into the endless space.
On the horizon, another form appeared — a vast arch rising from the ground, where there was no sky. It was filled with mysteries, and each of the heroes could feel that this was not just a structure. It was something more, something that had helped to create new worlds.
“This is our path,” Antem said quietly. His words needed no confirmation. They all felt that they must pass through this arch.
With each step they took, it grew closer, and that proximity filled them with energy. They all knew that this would be a turning point, a moment when they could finally feel the power of this place, determine their own abilities, and understand to what extent their capacity to change the world around them could reach.
They would not turn back. This world required them to accept themselves and the choice that lay before them, but it would also reveal whether they were ready to hold eternity in their hands.