[ENG] Last Reader Standing

Chapitre 16: Beyond the Mirage

The City of Mirrors vanished behind them, giving way to an increasingly strange landscape—a liminal dimension where the ground occasionally shifted beneath their feet like a sea stirred by an occult storm. Jun and his companions now walked the path of ephemera—fleeting points of light in the darkness, their only guide in the infinite expanse that lay ahead.

With the Master Book in hand, Jun felt its power resonate with the pulsing stars beneath their feet, a mystical echo of the Rose of the Winds gleaming above his heart. After the Labyrinth of Echoes, certainties had become as volatile as the mists surrounding the mirror they had traversed.

Calla scrutinized the void, her thoughts forming arabesques around her, fleetingly revealing fragments of disparate paths—each choice shaping a future yet to be carved. « We must remain vigilant, » she murmured, her sharp eyes analyzing every shadow.

Miranda, bearing the marks of their last battle, whispered an incantation as old as time. A macabre aura emanated from her silhouette, but her words were a balm for the soul, offering substance to the very air around them. « The spirits of the ancients guide us, » she whispered, her hands tracing circles in the air.

Faithful and silent, Sora followed them, cautious yet vigilant, listening to the whispers of oblivion that threatened to engulf their journey. His presence was an anchor, a promise of a possible return to less tumultuous skies. « Stay close, » he advised, his ears twitching at every suspicious sound.

Marcus and Lila had taken the lead, forming an unlikely alliance. The enigmatic warrior and the capricious child wove together the thread of a shared destiny, sweeping through the void in search of an exit, their harmonized voices creating a melody that repelled entropy. « The solution is often where you least expect it, » murmured Marcus.

« Then let's look for the unexpected, » replied Lila with a mischievous smile.

But it was before a fountain of pure light that their journey took an unexpected pause. The water, defying physical laws, flowed in ascending spirals, and at the heart of this vortex, a crystalline sphere was suspended—a potential key to new worlds or a premature end.

Jun understood that the sphere was a pivot around which destinies might turn. The Chronicles of the Immortal whispered between his fingers, the ink on its pages rearranging to form a path of arcane words. « To move forward, one of us must stay, » recited Jun, his eyes exchanging a heavy look with his companions.

« Who will dare to sacrifice themselves? Which of our bonds will withstand the test of the void, the nothingness that awaited, the solitude of the watcher of ages? »

The wind of the stars brought them the answer, a melody that resonated in their hearts—the legend had not yet found its herald. Their adventure was far from over, and the call of the depths still implored their courage, their spirit, and their voice.

Aeliana, sensing cosmic energies, uttered astrological formulas to amplify their chances of success. Her powers, amplified by the starlight, brought a new clarity to their minds. « The stars are aligned in our favor, » she said softly. « We can do this. »

The group, united by renewed determination, positioned themselves around the sphere. Jun, holding the Master Book, guided their movements as they executed the ritual with precision. The light around them pulsed in response, synchronizing with the beats of their hearts.

The whispers of oblivion tried to distract them, but Sora remained vigilant, protecting his friends from the void's harmful influence. Calla, her movements fluid and controlled, maintained the balance of dark and light energies. Miranda, her murmured incantations, wove a web of protection around them.

Finally, the sphere emitted an intense light, and the ground beneath their feet stabilized. The passage to a new dimension opened before them, promising even greater challenges but also crucial revelations for their quest.

« We did it, » declared Jun, a smile of relief lighting up his face. « Let's move on. »

The City of Mirrors disappeared behind them, giving way to an increasingly strange landscape. They now walked the path of ephemera—fleeting points of light in the darkness, their only guide in the infinite expanse that lay ahead.

« Be ready, » murmured Jun. « Every step brings us closer to our goal. »

Together, they embarked on this new path, their hearts united by determination and hope.