ECHOES OF TIME

Chapter 11: The Door to Darkness

The air around them was thick with tension, each second feeling like an eternity. Ava’s breath caught in her throat as she and Karl slipped through the heavy, ancient door, its frame groaning under the weight of time. Behind them, the ominous footsteps still echoed, growing louder, closer, relentless.

Inside, the air changed. It was colder, the musty smell of forgotten places clinging to every surface. The door slammed shut behind them with a deafening thud, sealing them in complete darkness.

For a moment, Ava’s heart raced, panic surging through her veins. She reached out instinctively, her fingers brushing against Karl’s arm. His presence, as intimidating as it was, brought her a strange sense of relief. At least she wasn’t alone in whatever this was.

Karl’s voice broke the silence, calm and steady. “Stay close to me.”

Ava nodded, though he probably couldn’t see it in the pitch black. She felt a soft tug on her arm as Karl led her forward, his steps cautious but confident. He seemed to know where they were going—or at least, he acted like it.

As they moved deeper into the unknown, Ava's eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. Faint lines and shapes began to emerge around them, the outlines of a large stone chamber. The walls were adorned with strange symbols, glowing faintly with a blue hue, casting eerie shadows across the room.

“What is this place?” Ava whispered, her voice barely audible.

Karl didn’t answer immediately. His eyes were fixed on the symbols, his brow furrowed as if recalling a distant memory. “A place I haven’t been to in years,” he finally said, his tone low and reflective.

Ava looked around, her curiosity piqued despite the danger that had chased them here. The symbols on the walls seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite place where she had seen them before. “These markings… they look ancient.”

“They are,” Karl said, his voice sharper now. “This room—this whole place—was built by people long forgotten. A sanctuary for those who knew the truth.”

Ava’s pulse quickened. “The truth? What truth?”

Karl turned to her, his eyes narrowing. “The truth about time, about power, about things that should have been left buried.” He stepped closer to one of the walls, running his fingers over the symbols. “This is no ordinary place, Ava. It holds secrets far more dangerous than anything you’ve seen.”

Before Ava could respond, a low rumble reverberated through the room. The ground beneath them trembled, and the walls seemed to pulse with energy. Ava’s heart pounded in her chest as she glanced at Karl, whose expression had hardened.

“They’ve found us,” he muttered under his breath.

“Who?” Ava asked, her voice rising in panic.

Karl didn’t answer. Instead, he moved swiftly toward the center of the room, where a large, circular stone sat embedded in the floor. He knelt down and placed his hand on it, muttering something under his breath.

“What are you doing?” Ava asked, watching him closely.

“Trying to buy us time,” he said, his voice strained as the stone began to glow brighter, the symbols around the room pulsing in response.

Ava stepped back, her mind racing. Whatever was outside that door was closing in fast, and Karl seemed to be their only hope. She watched as the stone’s glow intensified, filling the room with a blinding light.

Suddenly, the door they had entered through shook violently, as if something massive was trying to break it down. The sound of the footsteps was no longer distant—it was here.

“Whatever you're doing, do it faster!” Ava yelled, her fear finally breaking through.

Karl didn’t respond. His focus was entirely on the stone, sweat beading on his forehead as the light around them reached its peak. Just as the door began to crack under the pressure, Karl let out a low growl, and the entire room seemed to shift.

A flash of light exploded from the stone, and Ava felt herself being pulled into it, her surroundings dissolving in a blur of white and blue.

---

Ava blinked, her vision slowly returning. The overwhelming brightness faded, and she found herself standing in a new place. The air was warmer, the oppressive cold of the previous chamber gone. Her heart still raced, but as she looked around, the unfamiliar surroundings brought a fresh wave of confusion.

They were in a forest.

Tall, twisted trees stretched into the sky, their branches weaving together like a canopy overhead. The ground beneath her feet was soft, covered in moss and strange, glowing plants. The atmosphere was oddly serene, a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped.

Ava turned to Karl, who was standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable as he surveyed their new surroundings. “Where are we?” she asked, her voice shaky.

Karl didn’t answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the trees, his eyes scanning the forest as if searching for something—or someone. “This is a place between,” he said finally. “A place where time moves differently.”

Ava frowned. “A place between what?”

“Between moments, between worlds,” Karl replied cryptically. He stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he spotted something in the distance.

Ava followed his gaze and froze.

At the edge of the clearing, partially hidden behind the twisted branches, was a massive figure. It moved slowly, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. Ava’s breath caught in her throat as she realized what it was.

A dragon.

Its scales shimmered in the faint light filtering through the trees, and its massive wings folded tightly against its body. The creature let out a low, rumbling growl, its eyes fixed on Karl.

Ava's knees nearly gave out beneath her. She had heard of dragons—myths, stories passed down through time—but to see one in person was something entirely different. The sheer power radiating from the creature was overwhelming.

Karl stepped forward, his expression calm but focused. The dragon’s eyes followed him, and for a moment, there was a strange understanding between them.

Ava’s voice was barely a whisper. “Is that… your dragon?”

Karl nodded, but his eyes never left the creature. “It’s been waiting.”

“For what?” Ava asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.

Karl’s gaze shifted to her, his eyes burning with intensity. “For me to make a choice."