The Path of Echoes

Jin-Won stepped forward, feeling a strange warmth settle within him. The silver light ahead pulsed rhythmically, as if calling to them. Hori, still catching his breath, looked around at the others.

"That was insane," he muttered. "I actually thought we were done for."

Lyria wiped the sweat from her brow. "We overcame our shadows, but I doubt this is the end of the challenges."

Yun-Su knelt beside the remnants of the shadowy forms, his expression unreadable. "They weren't just enemies. They were pieces of us—pieces we had to accept to move forward."

Jin-Won nodded. He had felt it too, that rush of emotions, the overwhelming flood of memories both painful and empowering. He had embraced his darkness, and in doing so, he had grown stronger.

The Guardian's voice echoed once more, calm and ancient.

"You stand before the Path of Echoes, where truths forgotten return. Beyond this gate lies a past hidden from your eyes."

The silver light ahead solidified into an arched doorway, its surface rippling like water. Hori frowned. "So... another test?"

Lyria placed a hand against the shimmering entrance. "No. This time, it's different. It feels... like a memory."

Without hesitation, Jin-Won stepped through.

A World Between Time

The moment he crossed, the world around him shifted. Gone were the ruins and shadows—instead, he found himself standing in a grand city of marble towers and golden spires. The air shimmered with an ethereal glow, and people moved through the streets, their laughter and voices creating a harmony unlike anything he had ever known.

A city untouched by war. A time before ruin.

"Where... are we?" Hori whispered as he appeared beside Jin-Won, followed by the others.

Yun-Su's face darkened. "No… When are we?"

Lyria gasped as realization struck. "This… this is the world before the Fall."

Jin-Won's heart pounded. If this was truly the past, then somewhere within this city lay the answers they had been seeking. But before he could take another step, a figure in silver armor turned towards them—his eyes locking onto Jin-Won's with an expression of shock.

"You… How are you here?" the knight demanded.

Jin-Won's breath caught in his throat.

Because he recognized the man.

It was himself.

To be continued…