Lumis and Eili cautiously descended the narrow path leading into the mechanized world of sectors. The closer they got, the louder they heard the sound: the ticking interwoven with the creaking of gears and the ringing of invisible bells.
— This sound… It’s getting louder, — Lumis murmured, glancing around. His sense of reality once again wavered.
Eili held the key tightly in her hands, as though fearing it might disappear. Its golden glimmer seemed to be the only stable thing in this world.
— This is the heart of the system, — she said. — We are moving towards its source.
When they reached the lower level, a massive mechanism unfolded before them, stretching across the horizon. Each sector was not just a surface—it was a miniature world revolving around a central axis, like parts of a colossal clock.
— How did they create this? — Lumis whispered in disbelief.
— It’s not them, — Eili replied, stopping. — It’s us.
Lumis shivered.
— What do you mean?
Eili looked him in the eyes.
— We are part of this mechanism. Every action, every thought, every memory—this all fuels the system. We built this prison without even realizing it.
Her words left him speechless. But there was no time for pondering. In the distance, the central tower began to glow with a red light, as if sensing their presence.
— It noticed us, — Eili said.
— Then we must hurry, — Lumis replied, pulling her along.
They rushed toward the nearest sector, trying to find a way to the central tower. The sector resembled a forsaken city: houses floating in the air, roads splitting in chaotic directions, and countless clocks adorning the walls.
— Where to go? — Lumis asked, looking around.
Eili raised the key. It began to glow, guiding their path.
— It’s leading us, — she said, moving forward.
But just as they stepped onto the first bridge, silhouettes began to emerge from the corners of the buildings. These were creatures resembling the shadows they had seen before, but their movements were more aggressive. Their faces were clock faces, with hands whirling chaotically.
— They won’t let us through, — Lumis whispered, drawing his sword.
— We have to fight our way through, — Eili replied, tucking the key into her cloak and drawing her dagger.
The shadows rushed at them, their movements both chaotic and orderly, as if they were acting according to invisible rules.
— They aren’t alive, — Lumis said, swinging his sword. — They are parts of the system.
— And that’s why we can stop them, — Eili responded, plunging her blade into one of the beings. The shadow dissolved like sand, but was quickly replaced by others.
The battle raged on as they slowly pushed forward. With every step, the shadows grew more aggressive, as if the system itself were trying to protect itself.
— We’re almost there! — Eili shouted as the tower shone brightly again. Its light seemed to strip the masks off the shadows, revealing faces of people who looked strangely familiar.
— Is that… us? — Lumis gasped as he saw his own face among one of the shadows.
Eili stopped, gasping for breath, and looked at him.
— These are our fears, our doubts, everything we have hidden away, — she said, her voice trembling.
Lumis felt a surge of realization. The shadows were not just obstacles; they were manifestations of their own suppressed emotions, each reflecting their inner struggles.
— We can’t let them overwhelm us, — he urged, determination flooding through him.
— We have to face what we’ve repressed, — Eili asserted, tightening her grip on her dagger.
They continued to fight through the hordes of shadowy figures, channeling their fears into strength. With each blow they struck against the phantoms, they also struck against the fears within themselves, reclaiming pieces of their pasts.
As they finally neared the shimmering tower, they understood what awaited them would not just be a confrontation with the system, but also a deeper understanding of who they truly were.
Their journey was both a quest for freedom and a pursuit of self-acceptance—a paradox they were now ready to embrace.