The path that began at the nexus led them to a dark chasm that abruptly split the forest. Mist rose from below, enveloping everything around. The humming that had seemed to cease after the destruction of the nexus began to build again, transforming into a dull throb reminiscent of the distant echo of a clock.
— This place… it shouldn’t exist, — Eili whispered, peering into the thick fog that filled the chasm.
Lumis leaned over the edge, his gaze lingering on the dimly shining fragments in the mist.
— Something is hidden here, — he said.
— I see reflections of mechanisms.
Eili nodded.
— These are remnants of another nexus. But this time it’s torn apart, as if someone or something has already tried to destroy it.
Lumis tried to find a way down when suddenly the fragment in his hands glowed again, this time more intensely. The metal began to tremble, as if indicating a direction.
— It’s reacting, — Lumis said, intently watching the glow. — But to what?
— Not just reacting, — Eili interrupted him. — It’s leading us to the source.
They carefully began to descend, gripping the outcroppings and the roots of trees that jutted out from the rocky cliffs. The air grew thicker, each breath filled with a metallic taste.
At the bottom of the chasm, they found a massive circular platform resembling a broken clock face. Its hands were frozen in chaotic positions, rust covering their edges, yet the mechanism still pulsed with a faint light.
— This is the heart of the forest, — Eili whispered. — But it’s broken.
Lumis moved closer to the mechanism, gently placing the fragment on its surface. As soon as the metal touched the clock face, the space around them shifted. Shadows of time—blurred images of people, events, and devastation—began to swirl around them.
— What is this? — Lumis asked, shielding his eyes from the brilliant flashes.
— Echoes of time, — Eili replied. — These are the memories of the system. It’s trying to frighten us… or warn us.
One of the shadows emerged from the others—a tall figure in a dark cloak, its face concealed by a hood. Its hand pointed toward the clock face.
— They are returning, — the shadow whispered in a voice that seemed to belong to eternity itself.
From these words, it became clear: though the nexuses were crumbling, something much greater stood behind it all. Lumis and Eili realized their journey was only just beginning.