Chapter 96: Echoes of the Past

As the group advanced through the Land of the End, the air seemed to grow heavier, as if the environment itself wanted to stop their steps. The silence was unsettling, broken only by the sound of the wind whistling among the ruins and the distant echo of thunder in the red sky.

Rodrigo stayed close to Afonso, attentive to his words and the road they were traveling. The old guardian seemed to know every stone, every shadow of that place. His steps were sure, and his gaze, although tired, reflected an unshakable determination.

"How long have you been here?" Rodrigo asked, breaking the silence.

Afonso sighed, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Time... It's hard to measure time in this place. Days and nights merge. But I can say that I've been here long enough to forget what the world outside was like."

Sebastião, who was walking right behind, frowned. "You were a guardian, you say? How did you end up here?"

The old guardian paused for a moment, as if pondering the answer. "I was sent to protect the secrets of this world. But what they didn't tell me is that this place sucks the life out of those who inhabit it. Many have come before me, and all have succumbed. I survived because I learned the mysteries of the Land of the End, but each day is a fight against madness and despair."

Olavo, who was observing the ruins around him, noticed something peculiar. "These symbols on the stones... They are different from the ones we saw before. They seem more complex, more... recent."

Afonso nodded. "These ruins were built by the last inhabitants of this place, those who tried to control the power that resides here. They failed, and the price was the destruction of their civilization."

Rodrigo looked at the inscriptions, feeling a shiver run down his spine. "And this power... is what is guiding us?"

Afonso looked directly at Rodrigo, his gaze piercing. "Yes. And you are being tested. The force that brought you here wants to see how far you are willing to go. It wants to see if you deserve the answers you seek." The group continued to walk in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The journey was becoming more dangerous, and the feeling that something was watching them grew with each step. Suddenly, the sound of a whisper reached Rodrigo's ears. He stopped, looking around, but there was no one there other than his companions. The whisper seemed to come from within his own mind, echoing like a forgotten memory. "Rodrigo..." the whisper called, soft but insistent. He looked at Afonso, but the old guardian continued to walk, seemingly oblivious to the sound. Rodrigo shook his head, trying to shake off the discomfort, but the whisper persisted, like a voice from the past that he could not ignore. "I am here... waiting..." Rodrigo took a deep breath, trying to maintain his concentration. He knew that this place was testing not only his body, but his mind as well. The only way to move forward was to resist the echoes of the past that were beginning to emerge from the depths of his memory.

With one last look at the ruins, Rodrigo quickened his pace, determined to face whatever awaited him in the darkness ahead.