The forest, which had once seemed open and understandable, now appeared even more mysterious and unpredictable. The steps of Melania and her companions grew heavier, and once again, the mist began to envelop the earth, as though trying to conceal what was about to happen. They walked, each lost in their own thoughts, but the feeling of an unusual proximity to the unknown hung in the air. It felt as if the forest had become part of their inner fears and doubts.
Linara walked beside them, glancing at the compass, which had once again begun leading them in a new direction. From time to time, she squeezed it, as though trying to understand what was happening. But the compass didn’t answer her questions—it only pointed them toward new paths that seemed to have no end.
— We’re close, — she finally spoke, almost to herself, but her words sounded like a premonition.
Endar walked beside her, his eyes glowing with dark light, each of his movements filled with caution. He sensed that every step they took brought them closer to something much greater than just a new phase of their journey. It wasn’t just a trial—it was something that already stirred within their souls, waiting for its time.
— What if we’ve chosen the wrong path? — Linara quietly asked, pausing for a moment to look at Melania. — What if everything we’re doing is only making things worse?
Melania turned to her, her gaze calm, but deep in her eyes, one could see an invisible pain. She understood why Linara was so worried, but the answer was uncertain.
— We can’t turn back, — she replied with a heavy breath. — Now that we’ve made this choice, we must move forward. We can’t afford to doubt.
But even her words couldn’t fully reassure them. And then it happened.
A dark shimmer fell from above—heavy, deafening. At first, it wasn’t clear where it had come from, but soon Melania saw it: a figure, emerging from the mist, indistinct yet terrifying. There was something cold emanating from her, something that could freeze the entire forest and their very souls.
It was her—the Dark Herald.
— You thought you had escaped me? — her voice, as it had before, sounded like a whisper, but now it carried no warmth. — You are merely playing the game I set for you.
Melania froze in place. Everything clicked into place—what she had feared, something she had barely comprehended. The Dark Herald was not just an outsider on their journey. She was part of their path, part of what had led to this moment.
— You… — Melania began, her voice strained with fear. — You… brought us here?
— I didn’t bring you, — the Herald laughed, and her laughter echoed through the depths of the forest, making everything around them tremble. — But I know everything that is happening. I am part of this world, but also beyond it. Your choices leave no traces—they create reality.
Endar stepped forward, and his voice was filled with defiance.
— We’ve made our choice. And now we won’t let anyone change it.
The Dark Herald shrugged.
— You think it’s that simple? Everything you wish to change will change you. Remember, Eternity does not tolerate betrayal. It’s only here and now that you can understand what’s truly happening. And I will watch you, even when you think you’ve freed yourselves.
Melania didn’t respond. Her heart was racing, and her mind searched for an escape. She knew she couldn’t leave things as they were, but the path she had chosen was dangerous. One wrong step, and everything she had worked so hard for could be destroyed.
The Dark Herald silently approached them, as if taking away all hope of salvation, and slowly, like a shadow, disappeared into the darkness. Melania and her companions stood in the mist, which had immediately thickened again. They felt how everything around them was changing, but each step forward seemed even harder. Did they have more time for doubt?
Now their only way forward was to move ahead, even if it meant facing their greatest fears.
They had reached the edge, where every choice could lead to catastrophe. But could they stop?