[ENG] Last Reader Standing

Chapitre 18: The Key to the Forgotten Time

The shimmering alleys of the Celestial City faded as Calla, Sora, et Miranda ventured into the Library of Ancient Ages, an imposing sanctuary where the footsteps of history echoed on veined marble tiles. It was a place where knowledge and time intertwined, creating an almost tangible silence for those who dared cross its threshold.

The infinite shelves rose like giants, their contents radiating timeless wisdom, each tome and manuscript sealed with oaths and spells. As their hands brushed the dusty bindings, the echoes of Jun's sacrifice weighed heavily in their hearts, a nearly physical presence that guided their choices and fueled their determination.

Miranda, with her deep understanding of shadows and light, interpreted the riddles and prophecies hidden among the forgotten texts. The lines of her body became vectors of meditative attention as she wove ancient knowledge into a tapestry of renewed revelations. Her fingers glided precisely over the ancient parchments, as if each movement was destined to uncover a hidden truth. Her barely audible murmur translated incantations and mysterious formulas, bringing to the surface secrets forgotten for centuries.

Sora, whose nature imposed silence on the whispers of bibliophile ghosts, saw beyond the covers the very essence of courage and honor contained within these ancient stories. With intuition beyond understanding, he detected the tremors of hidden truths that only a Wolf King could recognize. His piercing gaze cut through the shadows of the shelves, deciphering the complex symbols and ancient runes engraved on the book spines. Each movement of his hand over the bindings seemed a silent prayer, an homage to the spirits of past authors.

Calla, now shadowed by the loss of their guide, led by necessity, traversed the sacred space with crystallized intent. Every salient detail in the manuscripts triggered in her glimpses of Jun's designs, maps they still had to navigate. She felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, a force pushing her to continue despite the pain of loss. Her eyes, shining with fierce determination, scanned each page with almost mechanical precision, seeking clues and answers.

« We must find the key to understanding these texts, Miranda, » murmured Calla, her words tinged with restrained urgency. « Jun counted on us to uncover what the Order of Güldenstern has hidden. »

« I know, Calla, » Miranda replied, her eyes fixed on a complex passage. « Every word here is a step toward the truth. We must be patient and attentive. »

As dawn ushered in on the horizon, a particular slab inlaid in the ceiling and covered with harmonious celestial symbols began to vibrate with dormant power. It wasn't merely an ornament, but the key to an astrological map the Order of Güldenstern had tried to erase from the annals of existence.

« Look up there, » exclaimed Sora, pointing to the slab. « I sense a strange energy emanating from that symbol. »

In a collective surge, they joined hands over the luminous orb integrated into the center of the map, releasing the day's glow against the stone. Under their unified touch, the ancient work transformed, projecting a hologram that revealed planets and stars, parallel worlds, and intertwined dimensions, as well as the path of the stars dictating the destinies of realms.

The celestial fields traced a new constellation—a stellar configuration predestining an era of unification or dislocation. The vision of the future anchored in their reality, flooding the library with light that drew a living ink map to the hidden tomb of the first Immortal. The outlines of the planets emerged with almost frightening clarity, each star pulsing with vibrant energy seemingly ready to burst.

As the projection faded, a pulsing urgency replaced the grief. Calla felt the call of their next trial, a summons to a place where a force capable of countering the Order's power lay dormant. It was a race against time to decipher the cosmic map before it vanished forever.

« Beyond the stars, the path opens, » murmured Miranda, her words punctuating the end of the chapter with a floating promise. With the manifested Key of Forgotten Time, they prepared for the most perilous and primordial journey of their lives, a pilgrimage to the heart of eternity itself.

« We must hurry, » said Calla, clutching the Key of Time to her heart. « Every second counts. Jun left us this mission, and we cannot fail. »

Sora nodded, his eyes glowing with renewed determination. « Then let's go. Time is our enemy as much as our ally. Let's find this force before the Order of Güldenstern gets ahead of us. »

With these words, they set out, their steps echoing in the Library of Ancient Ages. The Key of Forgotten Time in hand, they were ready to face the trials ahead, their courage fueled by the memory of Jun and the promise of a balanced future.

They exited the library with newfound resolve, ready to navigate the complex paths the stars had drawn for them. Their hearts beating in unison, they knew that each decision, each move brought them closer to the truth and the possibility of saving the worlds they cherished.