The echoes of their choice at the weaver of fate’s tower had not yet dissipated, yet the world was already responding to their decision. The space around them began to shift, as though Eternity itself were adjusting its essence to account for their will. But this was only the beginning, and each of the heroes felt that the responsibility they had taken upon themselves would only grow.
The road led them through a desolate land, where time itself seemed to stand still. No wind, no sounds — only silence, filled with an invisible sense of expectation. Stone boulders rose along the path, scorched by ancient battles. This place felt like something more than mere ruins. It breathed the past, as if it were watching them.
— Something happened here, — said Kairen quietly, glancing around. His hand instinctively rested on the hilt of his sword. — I feel the stones carry the weight of pain.
— These are the traces of the old Eternity, — replied Endar, stopping by a large pillar cracked with age. — This used to be a nexus, but now it’s shattered. The remnants of past structures always carry something… dangerous.
Melania stopped beside him. Her fingers touched the surface of the stone, and images flashed through her mind: battles, sacrifices, the fall of ancient keepers. These memories were not hers, but she felt their power as if they had left an imprint on the very fabric of reality.
— We must be careful, — she said, looking back at her companions. — The past can be more treacherous than it seems.
The Shadow from the Ruins
Their steps grew louder than usual, as if the silence emphasized each sound. They moved cautiously, scanning the broken stones, when suddenly, a wind that hadn’t been there before arose from nowhere. It swirled around them, piercing them with cold.
— This is unnatural, — Endar said, sensing the air around him beginning to change.
Suddenly, from the shadow of the ruins, a figure emerged. A form woven from black energy, nearly impossible to see, but its eyes gleamed like cold stars.
— You touch once again that which you should not, — came a low voice. It sounded familiar yet foreign at the same time.
Melania raised her head, gazing at the figure.
— You’re here again, — she said confidently, though a sense of tension stirred within her. — What do you want?
The entity slowly took a step forward, and the space around it began to ripple as if reality could not withstand its presence.
— I am the voice of the past, — it said. — And you must know that what you are creating has already shaken the balance. Your interference is the cause of a weakness that allows that which was destroyed to resurface.
— Balance needs change, — Melania retorted. — We cannot leave things as they were. The old order was unjust.
— But are you prepared for the fact that the new order might be even worse? — the entity asked, its voice tinged with irony. — Sometimes, by changing one evil, you create another. You, the heroes summoned by Eternity, must understand this.
Kairen stepped forward, his sword flashing in his hands.
— If you’ve come to threaten us, this will be your mistake. We won’t back down.
The entity merely laughed. Its voice echoed like shattered glass.
— I am not your enemy, — it said, and the darkness around it dispersed. — But I am not your ally either. I merely remind you that every choice you make is a shadow that follows you. Sometimes, it becomes your curse.
A Message from the Past
The entity raised its hand, and before the heroes, a vision appeared: a nexus similar to the one they had already restored. But this one was different — distorted, with cracks through which fire seeped.
— This is one of the nexuses that was destroyed, — the entity explained. — But it still holds threads that can influence the future. You must decide whether to restore it or let it disappear forever.
— Why must we decide this? — Endar asked. — Isn’t Eternity capable of handling such matters itself?
The entity tilted its head, its eyes glowing.
— Because now you are part of its will. What you have created cannot exist without your intervention. You have become the keepers of this world. Was that your wish? Or did it happen by chance? You must decide if you are ready to accept this role.
Melania looked at the nexus, which shimmered in space. Her heart was in turmoil, filled with many emotions. She felt the weight of responsibility but also the fear that every choice she made could become fatal.
— We will do everything we can to ensure this world survives, — she finally said. — But we demand more answers. Who are you, and why have you appeared before us now?
The entity took a step back, its silhouette starting to fade.
— My answers are but shadows of what you must understand for yourselves. I am merely a warning. But remember: time is not always your ally.
The darkness dissolved along with the figure, leaving the heroes alone. The nexus still shimmered before them, like a challenge.
The Trial of the Nexus
— What will we do? — Kairen asked, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.
— We can’t leave it like this, — Melania replied. — This place is too important for balance. But what will happen if we make a mistake?
Endar simply nodded in silence. He already understood: their journey had only just begun, and this choice would be one of many they would have to make.
They stepped forward toward the nexus, ready to face the trial that awaited them.