Golden odyssey

The ancient ruins stretched before them, bathed in a pale light. The Arch of Fate, immense and unfathomable, loomed over the landscape like a living entity, sculpted from a material that seemed to pulse with ancestral energy. The silence was heavy, only broken by the breath of the wind gliding between the cracked stones.

Eryndal paused for a moment. Something in the air made him feel that the ground beneath his feet was not just stone and dust, but a passage to something far greater.

— "We're here… but why do I feel like all of this is just the beginning?"

No answer came immediately. Behind him, Elion examined the reliefs carved into the arch, his fingers tracing the marks of a forgotten language. Each symbol seemed to tell a story, perhaps a warning.

— "This isn't just a door. It's a barrier. A seal."

The words echoed like a distant reverberation. A light mist suddenly rose around them, muffling the sounds and distorting the light.

— "Someone's coming."

Shadows danced between the ruins. One step, then another. The hooded man reappeared, but this time, he was not alone. Behind him, figures draped in the same darkness gradually materialized, forming a perfect circle around the group.

Eryndal clenched his fists. He knew that fleeing was no longer an option.

— "You had to choose, Eryndal, and you did so by coming here. The Arch of Fate is not just a portal to the future, it's a judgment. And only those who accept it can pass through."

— "I've had enough of your riddles. If you have something to say, say it clearly."

A cold laugh rose into the frozen air.

— "Then look."

The hooded man raised his hand, and the Arch of Fate responded. A blinding light poured from the carvings, enveloping the entire space. The world around them wavered, disintegrated, then reformed into a different scene.

Eryndal staggered. The darkness had transformed into an endless plain of bluish light. His companions had vanished. He was alone.

A voice rose, soft yet imposing.

— "Eryndal. At last."

A feminine figure stood before him. Her gaze was of liquid gold, shining like the sun on a calm sea. Her presence was neither threatening nor reassuring. She was simply... inevitable.

— "Who are you?"

— "I am the one who watches. The one who has observed since the beginning. You've reached the threshold of Fate, and now it's time for you to see what awaits you."

— "I'm not afraid of the truth."

— "No, but you fear not having a choice."

The woman raised her hands, and suddenly, visions exploded in Eryndal's mind. He saw kingdoms consumed by flames, faces he knew twisted in pain, an immense shadow devouring the sky. Then, at the heart of this chaos, a glow: himself, standing, wearing a crown of shattered shards, his gaze filled with power and solitude.

— "No…"

— "This is just one of the possible endings, Eryndal. The Arch of Fate does not show what is written, it shows what could be."

Breathing heavily, he stepped back.

— "And if I refuse?"

— "Then you will remain blind."

The space around him trembled. The light fractured, the world cracked, and suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

The cold wind of the ruins struck him sharply. He was back. His companions were there, the hooded figures as well.

— "What happened?"

The hooded man smiled.

— "The Awakening has begun."

The Arch of Fate shone brighter than ever. And deep within, Eryndal knew he would never be the same again.