The fog dissipated slowly, as though reluctant to reveal the path through the chaotic forest. The trees, twisted into bizarre shapes, resembled living creatures silently watching the travelers. Melania walked ahead, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger, even though she knew ordinary weapons were useless here.
“This isn’t just a forest. It’s alive,” she said without looking back.
“You feel it too?” Endar asked, his eyes scanning the ground carefully with every step.
“It’s watching us,” Linara added, slowing her pace. Her ancient compass, which had been spinning erratically, suddenly froze. For the first time, the needle pointed straight ahead.
The air grew heavy, almost stifling. Something was shifting, and they all felt it. The forest began to emit strange noises—a faint rustling that soon transformed into whispers. Quiet at first, but steadily growing louder, the whispers surrounded them, coming from all directions.
“Stop!” Melania raised her hand sharply.
The whispers merged into words, muffled as though spoken through water. The forest pulsed, breathing like a living being.
“Do you hear that?” Linara whispered, her voice trembling.
“I hear it. But what is it?” Endar asked cautiously, stepping forward.
“It’s… voices,” Melania said, tilting her head as she strained to make out the sounds. It felt as though they were invading her mind. The voices were varied—old and young, male and female—but all of them repeated the same thing.
“They’re saying, ‘Turn time back,’” she said softly.
“Turn time back?” Endar stopped and turned toward her. “It’s a trap.”
“Or a warning,” Linara suggested.
The whispers abruptly stopped, leaving a heavy, oppressive silence in their wake. It pressed against their ears, making them feel vulnerable. Then, a figure emerged from the gloom—transparent and flickering, like light dancing on water.
It was a man, dressed in simple traveler’s clothing, but his eyes burned with an eerie blue flame. His form seemed both real and otherworldly.
“Who are you?” Melania asked, her voice steady as she fought back the unease creeping through her.
“I was one of those who guarded Eternity,” the figure said, his deep voice layered with countless emotions—grief, anger, and resolve. “Now, I am but a shadow, a remnant of what once was.”
“You’re one of those we… freed?” she asked, recalling the lives that had been bound to sustain the old Eternity.
“Freed?” The man’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “You destroyed something that should never have been undone without consequences.”
“We’re building a new Eternity,” Melania replied firmly. “There was no other way.”
“Building?” His voice rose. “You have no idea what you’ve done! The old Eternity was flawed, yes, but it kept the world in balance. Now everything teeters on the brink of chaos, and this is only the beginning.”
“We understand the consequences,” Endar interjected, the runes on his hands faintly glowing. “But you didn’t come here just to lecture us. What do you want?”
The man studied him intently before turning his gaze to Melania.
“I’ve come to warn you. This forest is not just a place. It is a nexus where time and space intertwine. Every choice you make here creates echoes. Some of them can save, but most will destroy.”
“And what are we supposed to do?” Melania asked, her voice steady but tinged with urgency.
The man’s burning eyes seemed to pierce through her, and for a moment, he looked almost sorrowful.
“You must tread carefully. The forest will test your resolve. It will show you the truths you fear most, and if you falter, the echoes you create will tear this world apart.”
Before Melania could respond, the figure flickered and dissolved into the mist. The oppressive silence lifted, but the air remained charged with tension.
“We keep moving,” Melania said firmly, gripping her dagger more tightly.
Linara hesitated, clutching her compass. “What if we’re not ready for what lies ahead?”
“We don’t have a choice,” Endar replied. His runes glowed brighter now, casting faint blue light on the twisted trees around them.
The forest seemed to shift with their every step, reshaping itself as though responding to their presence. The voices did not return, but the weight of the figure’s warning lingered heavily over them.
Melania glanced over her shoulder at her companions. “Whatever comes next, we face it together. No matter what truths this place reveals.”
The others nodded silently, and together, they ventured deeper into the labyrinth of the forest. Each step felt heavier than the last, as though the forest was dragging them into its heart. Whatever awaited them, it was something they could no longer avoid.