Antem opened his eyes. The tower around him still stood, but its structure was different. Once elegant and opaque, it now appeared more realistic, albeit distorted, like something struck by a powerful blow. All the reflections and metaphysical elements that swirled around him had vanished, leaving only concrete and metal.
He approached the remains of the pendulum, which no longer moved. The absence of time felt like a void, yet simultaneously like a new beginning. Something had shifted in the very air.
— This is not the end, — he whispered to himself. — It’s just another stage.
A mysterious figure emerged before him. It was neither a doppelgänger nor his past or fears. This figure seemed real and yet not entirely human.
— You did everything right, — she said. It was a woman, but her eyes emanated coldness, and her voice sounded like an echo.
Antem looked at her in surprise.
— Who are you?
— I am one of those who also knows the truth. You must understand: this world is going to change now. What you have done is just the beginning.
— I don’t understand. What happens next?
— You are altering the illusion of time, but the system continues to exist. Even without the pendulum, without the mechanism that holds it, it will seek new ways to control people. It will adapt.
Antem remained silent. His heart raced faster than normal. He felt the weight of responsibility for what he had done, along with fear of the unknown.
A New Task
— What am I supposed to do now? — he asked.
The woman smiled, but her smile was cold.
— You must seek a way to free the world once and for all. But you will have to face even greater trials. The system will not yield without a fight.
She vanished as quickly as she had appeared. Antem stood still, looking around. He felt that the world lacked something. This was not merely a new beginning; it was a rebirth that demanded deeper changes. Slowly, he began to walk in the direction indicated by the woman.
Choice and the Shadow of the Past
On his path, the doppelgänger appeared again. This time he was not aggressive or threatening. His demeanor was calm, even peaceful.
— You’ve destroyed everything, — said the doppelgänger. — But now you must understand: these changes will not bring peace. They will only open new opportunities for conflict.
Antem stopped, taking a deep breath. His doubts stirred once more.
— Perhaps I’m not ready for this. But what else can I do?
— You cannot stop the process. You’ve already made a choice, and now you must see it through to the end, — replied the doppelgänger.
He took a step back, and the image dissolved again, leaving Antem alone. He felt that there was no turning back. All that remained was to take action.
A New Path
Soon, Antem found himself in another part of the tower. It was empty, and nothing indicated the events that had recently transpired. Instead, the space felt neutral, filled with a silence that encouraged contemplation. Time seemed to take on some form again, but it was no longer the same as before.
Antem sensed that this world awaited new decisions. Whatever he chose, he would have to confront existence in a reality where time no longer held absolute power.
He stepped out onto a new platform within the tower, watching as the world around him began to change. With each step he took, reality itself shifted.
Gradually, the sensation of time faded, but other, new dimensions began to manifest.
Antem understood: the path was just beginning. But now he was ready.