The threads of the new Eternity pulsed in the air, like a living fabric of reality, but their fragility was tangible even without magic. Endar walked ahead, scanning the path through the dense forest, while Melania felt her heart tighten with every step. Their victory seemed so distant now—it looked like only the first step in an endless struggle.
“We’re close,” Endar said, stopping and turning to Melania.
“Can you feel it?” he added, gripping the hilt of his sword.
Melania paused and closed her eyes. The light of Eternity pulsed within her chest, and she sensed the presence of something foreign. It was as if a dark stain crawled through the delicate threads of the network, distorting them.
“They’re already here,” she whispered.
At that moment, a figure emerged from behind the trees. A tall man in a dark cloak, wearing a mask, took a few steps toward them. He held a device that glowed with red light, his smile almost triumphant.
“You’ve wasted too much time,” he said, his voice steady and cold. “Now your creation will become our tool.”
“Who are you?” Endar demanded, stepping forward. His hand was already on the hilt of his sword.
“Who are we?” the man raised the device, and a glimmer of madness lit his eyes. “We are those who see Eternity not as a fragile canvas but as a source of unlimited power.”
Melania felt anger rise within her.
“Eternity is not a tool,” she said firmly. “It is life, and it belongs to no one.”
“Life?” he laughed, but the sound was sharp, like the echo of metal. “You’ll understand soon enough. But for now, let me show you what happens when your fragile idea meets reality.”
He pressed a button on the device, and shadows erupted from the ground around them. They were creatures made of nothingness—darkness taking the form of beasts with fiery eyes. Their growls merged with the rhythm of the disrupted threads of Eternity.
Without hesitation, Endar drew his sword and charged at the enemies.
“They’re trying to destroy the node!” he shouted.
Melania focused, calling upon the new power. Golden sparks surged through her body, rising into the air and forming gleaming spears. She hurled them at the creatures, tearing the shadows apart.
The battle raged on, but the enemies were too numerous. The figure in the mask disappeared, leaving his creations to fight in his stead.
“We need to find the node and protect it!” Melania shouted as the shadows kept advancing.
Endar nodded, and they pushed forward. A new trial awaited them—the node of Eternity was under threat, and those behind this attack had yet to reveal their true strength.