The space Melania and Endar entered felt both strange and familiar. The air was thick and heavy, saturated with the scent of antiquity and magic. Above them stretched a dark purple sky, threaded with streams of light that resembled broken paths or cracks in reality. The ground they walked upon had the texture of faded memories—smooth like glass, yet flecked with hazy images that appeared and vanished beneath their steps.
Ahead stood a towering tree. Its trunk was black as ash, yet its branches glowed, as though countless stars were entwined within them. Each branch emanated a sense of time—a memory, a moment, or a fragment of life that once held significance.
“What is this?” Melania asked, her voice soft but inquisitive.
“This is the Tree of Memories,” Endar replied, his voice tinged with wonder, as though he hadn’t expected to find this place. “Once, such trees were the heart of Eternity. They preserved the connections between nodes, maintaining balance.”
“But this tree looks… damaged,” Melania said, stepping closer. She reached out to touch the trunk, and as her fingers brushed against it, one of the branches trembled and released a bright beam of light.
The light coalesced before them, forming an image. It was a scene from the past: a group of people clad in long robes stood around a node similar to the one they had just restored. One of the men, who bore a striking resemblance to Endar, held a symbol in his hands, though his face was younger, more naive.
“Is that… me?” Endar whispered, staring at the scene.
“It’s your past,” Melania said, her voice laced with understanding. “The Tree shows memories that may hold importance.”
“I’ve never seen this moment,” Endar said, stepping closer. “But I remember it. This was my first node. We were trying to…”
The scene abruptly shifted. Chaos unfolded before them: the node fractured, unleashing waves of destructive energy. People screamed, and Endar stood frozen, holding the shattered pieces of the symbol.
“We failed,” Endar whispered, his voice trembling as he turned away, unable to bear the sight of his own memory.
“Endar, this isn’t just a memory,” Melania said, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. “The Tree is showing you something significant. Maybe it’s the key to understanding what’s happening now.”
“But it’s just a reminder of my failure,” he said, lowering his head. “I couldn’t save that node.”
“And perhaps that’s why you’ll succeed with this one,” she replied, meeting his gaze with warmth and determination.
Before Endar could respond, the Tree came alive again. Its branches moved, weaving a stellar pattern. From their light, a new image emerged—a figure cloaked in shadow, with eyes that burned like crimson flames.
“It’s him,” Endar whispered.
“Who?” Melania asked, gripping her blade tightly.
“Astran,” Endar replied, his voice tinged with fear and anger. “He was my mentor. And he’s the reason for all this chaos.”
The shadowy figure remained silent, but its presence was suffocating. The darkness around them thickened, and Melania felt her blade tremble in response to the power emanating from the image.
“He seeks weakness in the nodes,” Endar continued. “He’s always dreamed of turning Eternity into something that would bend to his will.”
“Then we’ll stop him,” Melania said resolutely.
“It’s not that simple,” Endar countered. “Astran knows more about Eternity than any of us. He uses memories, the connections between nodes, to break them from within.”
“Then we must find his weakness,” she said firmly. “If he wields memories as a weapon, perhaps there’s something in his own past we can use against him.”
The Tree glowed again, and this time, its light enveloped Melania and Endar. The space around them shifted, and they found themselves in an entirely different place. Before them lay a node, similar to the one they had just restored, but it was surrounded by a sinister aura.
“This is his node,” Endar said. “This is where it all began.”
Melania gazed at the node, a fire of determination blazing in her eyes.
“Then we’ll uncover the truth,” she said. “And end his game once and for all.”
They moved forward, leaving the Tree of Memories behind. Yet its light lingered with them, a reminder that even the darkest memories could hold the key to victory.