Chapter 238: Fractured Timelines

The Archive stretched endlessly, corridors twisting and folding like the branches of an ancient tree. Lysara moved swiftly, her hands weaving complex sigils that shimmered with ethereal light, mending tears in the fabric of reality itself. Beside her, Corven's keen eyes pierced the shadows, searching for the faintest disturbances.

"We're approaching the Nexus of Echoes," Corven said, voice low. "This is where the Archivist's manipulations are strongest. If we don't act quickly, the whole timeline could unravel."

Lysara nodded, tightening her grip on her staff. "Stay alert. The fractures might manifest as memories or illusions—things that feel real but aren't."

Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed through the hall, reverberating through the layers of time. Shadows twisted, coalescing into figures from forgotten eras—warriors, scholars, and children—each trapped in looping moments of despair.

"Trapped souls," Lysara breathed. "The Archivist fed on their suffering."

Corven drew his blade, its edge glowing faintly with temporal energy. "We have to free them, or they'll tear this place apart."

Together, they stepped into the heart of the Nexus, ready to confront the lingering echoes and restore the fragile balance of time itself.