Antem moved slowly forward. The light around him, which once felt warm and protective, was now brighter, almost blinding. His newfound inner harmony created a sense of transparency, but alongside it lurked an incomprehensible emptiness.
It seemed as though the space was stretching, and each of his steps led into the unknown. The ground beneath his feet was smooth, like a mirror, reflecting himself. Antem did not look away, observing how his reflection had changed after the last encounter with the shadow.
Here, in this world, there was no past or future. Only the present.
— Why are you hesitating? — a familiar voice echoed.
Antem turned, but saw no one. The voice resonated not from outside, but from within.
— I am not hesitating, — he replied in thought.
— Do you know where you are going? — the voice sounded both gentle and insistent.
— To where the illusion ends, — Antem answered, continuing to move.
— But what will you find there? — the question pierced him to the bone.
Antem had no answer. He thought he understood what he was searching for, but now that certainty wavered.
A figure appeared ahead, bright as if woven from light. It stood still, as if waiting.
— Another ghost of the past? — Antem asked, stopping.
— I am not a ghost. I am what you can become, — replied the figure. Its voice was calm and almost emotionless, yet it carried a sense of strength.
— What does that mean? — Antem asked, squinting against the brightness.
— You have found a part of the truth, but it is only the beginning. A world without time demands a new order. And you must decide whether you will become its creator or merely a witness.
Antem gazed at the figure. Its outlines began to change, taking on clearer features. It was himself, but calmer, stronger, as if freed from all that was human.
— If I become the creator, who will I be for others? — he asked.
— Only what you wish to be. But every choice has a price.
The figure extended its hand. In its palm appeared a small object — perfectly round, resembling a crystal. Its surface shimmered in all colors, but at its center, Antem saw movement. It was an infinite spiral.
— What is this? — he asked.
— The heart of this world. It will yield to you alone, yet at the same time, you will yield to it.
Antem took a step forward but paused. He saw in the crystal not only power but also burden. The responsibility offered to him was too great.
— What will happen if I refuse? — he asked quietly.
The figure lowered its hand.
— Then this world will remain unfinished. But even in its incompleteness, there is beauty.
Antem took a breath, realizing that his choice would determine everything. He stepped closer, gazing at the crystal. Its glow became so bright that everything around him faded away.
— I will accept the responsibility, — he said, extending his hand.
When his fingers touched the crystal, everything erupted in light. The space filled with noise, as if the world itself was rebuilding. Antem felt every cell of his body fill with new energy.
When all fell silent, he stood in the same place, but the world around him had changed. It was no longer an infinite expanse, but a new, harmonious world. Antem knew that this was only the beginning.
His journey was just starting.