Melania walked on, not stopping, although the darkness still coiled around her with every movement, and each step resonated in her heart. She could feel time itself tearing apart around her, like a stream cutting through a stone, where each moment was measured not by hours or days, but by fates, by choices that led to worlds that seemed impossible. She knew she had become a part of something greater, and this path would not only change her but also affect all the realities that now connected her.
Ahead of her, there appeared not a simple road. It was covered in black dust, seeming like the remnants of unfinished journeys. The path led upward, to a high hill from which everything could be seen— the invisible boundaries of the world, the lines that separated them, and the unpredictable dangers lurking around every corner. On each line between the world and the unknown, there were so many answers she could not solve. But she kept walking.
And then, at the very top of the hill, a breathtaking view unfolded before her. In the distance, she saw a world where the sky seemed like a canvas of colors, intersecting with golden rivers, and mountains rose to the very horizon. However, even this beauty was deceptive. She knew that behind this external idyll, something much darker awaited.
At the slope of the hill, she saw a figure standing, gazing into the distance. It was a man, his face seemed familiar but distant, like a shadow. In his hands, there was a parchment that gleamed with golden light with every step he took.
“You have come, as you were meant to,” he said, not turning his gaze to her. His voice was calm but carried an undefined threat that couldn’t be ignored. “But you still do not understand that the choice you made means more than just a change of reality.”
Melania stopped before him, feeling her heart retreat from her chest as though an emptiness had formed inside her.
“I am ready,” she said, though she was not entirely sure it was true. Her voice sounded resolute, even if she herself wasn’t completely confident.
“You think you can change everything,” the man continued, his voice dropping low, almost to a whisper. “But do you know that when a choice breaks the laws of time, time itself will try to correct everything? You decided to change the world, but changes turn into shadows, and they come with a price.”
Melania felt her chest tighten at his words. He was right—her choice had not simply been a change, it was a turning point in the very essence of reality. But she was ready for it.
“I am not afraid of the price,” she answered firmly, looking him in the eye.
The man slowly turned to her, and in his gaze there was a completely different power. This was not mere magic; this was the essence of all possible worlds, the laws that lay between choice and consequence.
“You are not afraid? That’s good, but remember, choice does not always bring the answer you expect. You want to change fate, but not everyone has the right to change time. And not everyone can live with the consequences of such changes.”
Melania asked herself if she was truly ready for this, if she was ready to become part of this new world. She had made her choice, and it was not just her path. It was the path that anyone who sought to change the world had to walk.
“What must I do?” she asked, trying to find confidence in her words.
The man raised the parchment and unfurled it before her. On it were words written in a language that seemed unreadable, but the very symbols shimmered as if alive with magic. He lifted his gaze and said:
“This parchment is the map of your choices, your fate, and your struggle. You will not be alone, but remember, your path is a labyrinth, and every choice opens new doors, new ways. And every new choice will be significant. You must be ready to face the consequences.”
With these words, he disappeared, leaving Melania alone with the parchment in her hands. She stood there, unsure of what lay ahead. And all she held now was a testament to the fact that the changes she had set in motion had only just begun.
And this new path was now her trial.