Lumis awoke, feeling the warmth of the morning light on his skin. The silvery grass around him now shimmered with golden hues, and the air was filled with freshness. He turned his head, and his gaze fell on Eili. She was sitting a bit apart, looking towards the towers, which seemed even more magical against the backdrop of dawn.
Her face was calm, but there was a hint of inner struggle in her expression. Lumis approached her and carefully sat down beside her.
— What are you thinking about? — he asked.
— About how everything will change, — she replied, not turning her head. — And how we will be ready for it.
A note of sadness in her voice made his heart clench.
— I’m ready, — he said after a pause. — Whatever happens, I want to continue. With you.
Eili sighed softly, and her eyes finally met his.
— Not all changes bring what we desire. Sometimes they take away more than they give.
— What are you afraid of losing?
She fell silent, but her hand slowly reached for his. Their fingers intertwined, and he felt her cold palm begin to warm.
— I don’t want to lose myself, — she said quietly.
Lumis didn’t know what to reply. In this world filled with mysteries and enigmas, he felt just as vulnerable. But in her words, he saw his own fear—a fear of the unknown.
— We will find a way, — he said, squeezing her hand.
Eili smiled, but shadows flickered in her eyes.
Suddenly, everything around them began to change. The air thickened, and the grass lost its luster. Shadows appeared on the horizon—long, formless shapes that resembled flickering ghosts.
— They have come, — Eili whispered, rising abruptly.
— Who? — Lumis asked, feeling his heart start to race.
— Those who do not want us to learn the truth, — she replied, pulling a strange crystal from beneath her cloak.
The shadows drew closer, their movements reminiscent of waves approaching the shore. They had no faces, but it felt as if each one was watching Lumis and Eili closely.
— Stay close, — she said, turning to him.
— What are these beings?
— They are the guardians, — Eili replied, squeezing the crystal in her hand. — They are created to stop those who attempt to change this world.
— But how can we overcome them?
Eili looked at him with determination.
— You don’t always have to fight. Sometimes it is enough to know what you are seeking.
She raised the crystal, and it ignited with a brilliant light. The shadows paused, as if they were blinded, but a low hum began to rise around them.
— Now! — Eili shouted, grabbing his hand.
They darted forward, pushing through the thick darkness that embraced them like a living being. Lumis felt his legs barely holding him, but he did not let go of Eili. Her strength and confidence were all that supported him in that moment.
As the light from the crystal became unbearably bright, everything vanished. The shadows dissolved, and they found themselves in a new place—before yet another tower, even larger and more astonishing than the previous ones.
Eili fell to her knees, breathing heavily.
— This is just the beginning, — she said, looking at Lumis.
He sat down beside her, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
— Then we are ready, — he said, though fatigue echoed in his voice.
Eili looked at him as if searching for answers.
— I hope so, — she whispered.