Chapter 36: The Struggle of Secrets
As days passed, the appearance of peace surrounded us, but deep inside, I felt that the darkness we had defeated was only a part of something greater, something we might not be able to face easily.
It wasn't just a dark entity; there was something else behind this conflict, something that controlled the strings from behind the scenes. Perhaps the last battle wasn't the real one, but just a prelude to a more complex struggle.
One day, I was walking with Lilia in the forest near the castle. The sky was gray, and the wind blew in a strange calm. We felt that we were in a place tinged with sadness, as if the earth itself carried the memory of an ancient battle that hadn't been erased.
"Lilia, what do you know about the darkness we fought?" I asked, leaning against a massive tree trunk.
"I've learned about this darkness from the ancient books I've read. There are many legends about ancient beings who were imprisoned in a place far from sight... but I think there is something else we haven't discovered yet," Lilia said softly, as if pondering every word.
Her gaze was directed toward the distant horizon, as if watching something I couldn't see. She added:
"There is an ancient secret in this world. It might be connected to the power you possess, Iyad."
"Me?" I said, not fully understanding what she meant. "But I'm just a university student, I don't think I deserve the power I have."
"You are more than just a university student. You are the chosen hero, but your power isn't a mere coincidence. There are ancient forces that sense you. They follow you."
I tried to understand what she meant, but the words escaped me. However, there was a strange feeling in my heart, as if I was beginning to realize something, something mysterious that I couldn't pinpoint yet.
Suddenly, something unexpected happened. Another dark specter appeared before us, bigger than anything we had seen before. Its eyes glowed with a bloody red hue, and its face was so distorted that no features could be distinguished.
"You're late, hero of possibilities," said the deep voice coming from the specter.
"Who are you?" I asked, unable to hide my concern.
"I am one who has remained in the shadows throughout the ages. The darkness was just part of my grand plan. I've been waiting for your arrival, Iyad," said the specter.
"Waiting for me?" I whispered, a feeling of helplessness overwhelming me. "Why?"
"Because you are the only one who can open the gate of time, the gate that will change the fate of this world forever," the specter said, its tone foretelling great danger.
Chapter 37: The Gate of Time
As the words filled the air, Lilia stood silent, her eyes fixed on the specter. It was clear that this being knew more about what was happening than anyone else. There were missing answers, and many questions with no solutions.
"The gate of time?" I asked, my mind a blur between fear and the desire to understand the truth. "What do you mean?"
"You carry the power to reorder time and space. But that power can be a double-edged sword. If you don't use it carefully, the world you know could be wiped out forever," the specter said, pointing to the shadows that swirled around it.
I felt the weight of the words, as if each one was being driven straight into me, seeping into my very being. I looked at Lilia, who hadn't said anything but was watching me cautiously. I knew she sensed the danger, but it seemed she understood more than I did.
"How can I stop this?" I asked, casting a look toward the specter.
The specter laughed softly, then replied:
"You alone can do it, but you will pay a heavy price. Even if the result is saving this world."
At that moment, I felt a strange sensation inside me, the feeling that this battle would be the last one I ever fought. This time, it wasn't just a battle against an external darkness, but a battle against time itself.
"You cannot escape this fate," the specter said as it slowly disappeared into the shadows.
Chapter 38: The Crucial Choice
Days passed, but those words haunted me relentlessly. I felt the pressure building up, as if I were preparing for a battle that would only end by destroying everything.
One day, I decided to head to an ancient temple in the eastern part of the kingdom, where it was said that there was ancient knowledge that could help me understand my power. Lilia was by my side, looking more concerned than usual.
"Are you sure you want to go there?" she asked in a cautious tone.
"I have no choice, Lilia. If I want to understand the truth about my power, I have to go there," I answered firmly.
We entered the temple, and the air inside was suffocating. The ancient columns were covered in moss, and the floor was damp with time. There was an aura of mystery in the place, as if time itself had stopped here.
We made our way to a large hall deep inside the temple, where there was an ancient stone covered in magical seals. It seemed that this stone contained ancient knowledge that couldn't be easily unlocked.
"This is where the story began," Lilia said, her eyes fixed on the stone.
"What does that mean?" I asked, wondering about the significance of the stone.
"The Stone of Time... the place where our destinies meet," she answered, her eyes glowing in the dark.
It was time to understand the true power I possessed, and there was no turning back.
Chapter 39: The Stone of Time
I stood before the Stone of Time, the place immersed in darkness except for the faint glow of the magical seals surrounding it. Lilia hadn't spoken much since we entered the temple, and the caution in her eyes was clear. She knew this moment could be the turning point.
"Iyad, remember what I told you," Lilia whispered. "Not everything in this world should be understood. Some secrets must remain hidden."
I knew what she meant. Deep inside, I felt uneasy. But I couldn't back down now. I had to face this truth, no matter the consequences.
I approached the stone cautiously, extending my hand toward the magical seals that lit up progressively with each step I took. The feeling was strange, as if I was about to open a door to another world. Something huge and unknown was hiding behind this stone, something that could change the fate of this world.
When I reached the stone, I felt a strange warmth emanating from it. I could almost hear whispers coming from deep within the place, like ancient voices telling me something important. Without thinking, I placed my hand on the stone.
"Use your skill, Iyad," Lilia said in a sharp tone.
With those words, I felt a tremendous power flow through my body, as if time itself was swirling around me. The effect of the stone pulled me into another world, a dark place filled with magical energy.
Chapter 40: A Journey Through Time
As the lights faded around me, I found myself in a completely different place. I felt as though I couldn't breathe, as if I were drowning in waves of magical energy that shook my very being. My vision blurred, and I couldn't make sense of what was happening around me.
Then a blurry image appeared before me, a picture of a great city burning with flames. I couldn't distinguish all the details, but I felt something unnatural happening in this place. There was someone standing at the heart of the city, wearing a black robe, and their eyes glowed with a deep red hue.
"Who is this?" I whispered to myself, as if speaking to the air.
Then I felt something else... as though I heard a faint sound in the background, something like a moan. The sound came from someone else, someone whose voice I recognized in my depths. It sounded like Lilia, but she was speaking in an ancient language I couldn't understand.
Suddenly, everything stopped, and a completely dark face appeared before me, as though I were facing a specter coming from the depths of darkness. Its eyes were full of hatred, and it spoke in an incomprehensible language.
"You are late... this place has become mine now."
I tried to resist, but the energy surrounding me was too great for me to withstand. It felt as though time itself was vanishing around me.