The darkness before them felt thick, like a great blanket, swallowing everything in its path. Their footsteps echoed in the empty space, like ancient songs that hadn’t been heard in thousands of years. They moved forward, and it seemed as though the space around them was invisible, yet filled with an unseen presence.
With each step they took, the atmosphere was filled with an indescribable silence, occasionally interrupted by strange sounds—rustling, as if some unseen force was unfolding ancient sheets, or muffled thuds, echoing off the walls of this unknown world.
— This isn’t just darkness, — said Endar, glancing around. — It’s some kind of space between worlds. Maybe even… between time.
Melania nodded, unsure if she was right. But with every step, it seemed time here truly had a different nature. The fog surrounding them wasn’t just a cloud, but seemed to consist of separate particles of time that had no form.
There were no rules here, only a feeling that something important was about to happen.
— What is this place? — asked Melania, pausing for a moment as a series of stone arches opened before them, leading to a vast hall.
Endar approached one of the pillars. He could feel the cold stone beneath his hands, as though absorbing the remnants of the past. The stone walls were covered with ancient carvings, showing scenes that echoed their own experiences. These were faceless figures, yet with expressive gestures, like those radiating inner strength or gazing into a distant future.
— It’s like a book that cannot be read, — he said, examining the images. — Maybe these are the remnants of an old world… or of time itself.
Melania felt a rising sense of awe. She knew that here, in this place, she would have to make a decision that would change not only her fate but everything she knew about Eternity. She stepped forward, as if listening to voices that weren’t spoken but still resonated in her heart.
And suddenly, from the darkness, a figure emerged—the Keeper of the Threshold. As before, he was fully dressed in a black cloak, his hood hiding his face, and his hands rested calmly in front of him. It seemed as though this man had no right to be here, no place in this reality, yet his presence was inevitable.
— Are you ready? — he asked calmly, though his voice was no longer as cold as it once was. It carried a special tone, as if the words were spoken not only to them but to this very space, which seemed to live its own life.
Melania raised her head, looking at the Keeper, and felt a strange calmness. She was ready. There was no longer any place for doubt in her heart. This was not just a journey—it was a necessity.
— We are ready, — she said firmly.
The Keeper nodded, his face still hidden, but in his eyes, there was a strange gleam, like a distant flash of a star.
— Do you believe you can change the future? — he asked.
Endar pondered the question and, looking at Melania, replied:
— We cannot allow Eternity to lose what we’ve built. We must move forward.
The Keeper silently nodded and stepped back, retreating into the darkness. And now, as he disappeared, a vast hall opened before them again. But this time, everything looked different. The walls were covered with inscriptions that shifted under their gaze, and the columns began to move again, creating new paths leading deeper inside.
This space didn’t just change—it lived. It responded to their steps, to their decisions. And when they stepped into it, they felt their choices becoming part of something greater, something invisible, yet all-encompassing.
— What is this? — Melania asked, feeling the ground beneath her feet begin to shift.
— It’s more than just a place, — Endar replied. — It’s the heart of Eternity. It’s… everything we’ve created.
They continued onward, feeling a tremendous force moving inside them. Their decisions, their steps became heavier, but they kept moving forward, knowing that what lay ahead could not be taken lightly.
Here, they would have to choose whether they would preserve everything that had become part of this new Eternity, or create something even greater, accepting the price for the future.