Several years after the birth of the new Eternity…
Eternity had grown into something alive, something more than Melania or Endar could have imagined. Its skies shimmered with colors that spoke of hope, pain, and memory. Rivers flowed with waters that hummed melodies of creation, while its forests thrived with life untouched by corruption. Yet, even within this paradise, there were shadows—traces of choices made, sacrifices endured, and wounds that refused to heal completely.
Melania stood on the edge of a quiet hill, gazing over the expanse of Eternity’s ever-changing terrain. Her heart was heavy with questions she could never answer, yet lighter than it had been in years. A child’s laughter drifted through the air, carried by the warm wind, tugging at her lips until a soft smile broke through.
Below her, a young girl—no more than five or six—ran through the fields, her dark curls bouncing as she chased after a flickering thread of golden light. The child’s laughter brought life to a place that had once been cold and unyielding.
“Alia!” Melania called.
The girl turned, her golden eyes—a mirror of Eternity’s energy—shining with joy.
“Look, Mama! The threads are dancing!” Alia pointed, her small hands reaching for the floating strand of light.
Melania descended the hill, her steps steady and deliberate. As she reached the child, the golden thread twined around Alia’s fingers, a gentle pulse passing through it.
“They’re not just dancing,” Melania said softly, kneeling to meet the child’s gaze. “They’re speaking to you. Do you feel it?”
Alia tilted her head, her expression serious now, as though listening to something far away. “It says… it’s happy. It says it wants to protect us.”
Melania’s breath caught. The threads of Eternity often echoed the intentions of those who touched them, and Alia’s purity made them sing in ways Melania herself hadn’t heard for years.
“I think they like you,” Melania whispered, brushing the child’s hair back. “You’re a part of them, just as they’re a part of you.”
As the child continued playing, Melania’s thoughts wandered to Endar. He had grown distant over the years—not emotionally, but physically. His role as a guide and protector of Eternity’s delicate balance often took him to the farthest reaches of this realm. Yet he always returned, though the weariness in his eyes spoke of battles fought and burdens carried alone.
That evening, as the sun dipped low, painting the skies in hues of crimson and gold, Endar appeared at the horizon. His figure was unmistakable, framed by the endless expanse of Eternity’s light. Alia spotted him first, her delighted cry echoing across the field.
“Papa!”
Melania turned, her heart skipping a beat. Endar’s expression softened as Alia barreled into him, her small arms wrapping around his legs. He lifted her effortlessly, pressing a kiss to her forehead before meeting Melania’s gaze.
“You’re back,” Melania said, her voice betraying both relief and worry.
“Always,” Endar replied, though his voice carried the weight of unspoken struggles. “But there’s much we need to discuss.”
As the three walked back to their home—a place nestled within Eternity’s living heart—Endar spoke of fractures appearing in the realm’s balance. Factions were rising, some seeking to reshape Eternity for their own desires, others drawn by its immense power.
But as they talked late into the night, the child between them slept peacefully, her dreams untouched by the growing tensions of the world around her. For now, they were together, and that was enough.