Melania walked through the dark forests that bordered the path to the ancient temple where the Master awaited her. Each of her steps echoed in the woods, as if the trees themselves were watching her warily. The wind, swirling among the branches, brought with it mysterious whispers, like a quiet voice of the ancestors passing on their warnings through the generations.
The light still could not break through the impenetrable veil of clouds, and an unsettling silence ruled the air. Only the sounds of her steps and the soft rustling of leaves disturbed the harmony. The feeling that the entire forest was alive filled her heart with anxiety. She felt that she was walking toward something great, something that would change not just her life but the very nature of existence.
Lost in her thoughts, Melania momentarily lost focus and did not notice when she approached an old stone bridge. Beneath her feet, the dry moss crunched, and around her, it seemed everything was shrouded in fog, which obscured her ability to see the path ahead. But it was at this moment, from the misty depths, that something entirely unexpected reached her.
Suddenly, a figure leaped from the darkness. Tall and dark, like the night itself, the creature moved quickly toward her. Melania had no time to react — a powerful barrier appeared before her, as though a wall had formed, and in the blink of an eye, the figure vanished just as swiftly as it had appeared. The silence that followed was unnatural. She felt trapped in a snare, but her instincts told her this was no mere accident.
Realizing that her path had been blocked by an unknown entity, Melania decided to press on. She once again felt that same sensation: something was watching her. Something that did not belong to this world. And though her mind resisted believing in the supernatural, her heart told her otherwise: she was in the heart of ancient forces that still lived in these lands.
Finally, after several hours of travel, the familiar figure appeared before her. The Master stood at the gates of the ancient temple, his face, marked by wrinkles of wisdom, watching her as though he had known she would arrive at this moment.
“Melania,” he said in a quiet, but deep voice, “you’ve already stepped onto the path that leads to change, to destruction and restoration simultaneously. But remember, every choice has its price. The time you wish to change will not forgive carelessness.”
Melania lifted her head, and in her eyes, there was determination. She knew that her decision would change everything. But the question was different — would she be ready to pay for this choice?
The Master nodded, as though reading her thoughts. He extended his hand and slowly opened the old wooden doors of the temple. They led into a dark corridor, where there was barely any light, only faint flickers from the flames that lit the stone walls.
“All the answers are here,” the Master said. “But remember: there are truths that are hard to accept, and even harder to endure. Time never gives a second chance, Melania. You must be ready for what you can change.”
She followed him, without a doubt in her decision. Whatever awaited her ahead, she was prepared to face any hardship in order to change her fate, and perhaps the fate of the entire world. She had to understand one crucial principle: in a world where time is nothing but an echo, the most important thing is the choice you make.