Fractured Realities

The moment the floor disappeared, Evelyn felt herself plummeting into an abyss of swirling shadows. The air around her was cold, laced with an unnatural energy that sent shivers down her spine. She reached for Lucien, her fingers brushing his just before they were both swallowed by the void.

Darkness consumed everything.

Then—

A sudden burst of light. A jarring impact.

Evelyn gasped, blinking rapidly as her surroundings shifted into focus. She was lying on a marble floor, her heart pounding against her ribs. The ballroom was gone, replaced by a vast hall lined with towering mirrors. Each reflection showed something different—echoes of time, moments trapped in glass.

Lucien groaned beside her, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "Evelyn, are you alright?"

She nodded, though her head was spinning. "Where are we?"

A slow clap echoed through the chamber.

Dorian stood a few feet away, his presence commanding, his smirk ever-present. "Welcome to the Crossroads of Time. A place where past, present, and future converge."

Elias and the others appeared nearby, each recovering from the fall. Alistair pulled Isadora to her feet, his protective instincts kicking in immediately.

Lucien rose to his full height, his fists clenching at his sides. "Enough of these games, Dorian. If you truly know what's going on, then tell us. Why are we here?"

Dorian tilted his head, studying Lucien with an amused glint in his eyes. "You ask as though the answer hasn't already been unfolding before you. The threads of fate have woven you into this story for a reason. The choices you make from here on will determine more than just your own fate."

Evelyn's pulse quickened. "You mean… we can change what happens?"

Dorian's smile faltered for just a second—just long enough for doubt to creep into Evelyn's mind. "Change is a tricky thing, my dear. Every action has a consequence, and the echoes of time are not so easily rewritten. But," he stepped forward, his voice dropping into something softer, more dangerous, "you will have to decide what is worth risking. Because the past… and the future… are no longer as they should be."

Elias exchanged a glance with Alistair. "Are you saying something—someone—has already altered time?"

Dorian exhaled, as though the weight of centuries pressed upon him. "Exactly. And now, you must decide whether to restore the balance… or let it fracture beyond repair."

A cold wind swept through the chamber, causing the mirrors to shimmer. Evelyn turned to face her own reflection—only to see a version of herself that was not quite right. The figure in the mirror reached toward her, eyes filled with urgency.

A whisper floated through the air. Save us… before it's too late.

Evelyn's breath hitched. The choice before them was no longer just about the past.

It was about saving time itself.