The Last Echo Of Eternity

behind them. The building was crumbling, its ancient stones groaning under the weight of

ok violently. The energy from the crystal seemed to reverberate through the very foundati

houted, his grip tight

ed, as though it were alive, feeding off the destruction around them. His heart thudded in his chest, and for a brief mom

him, followed by the unmistak

mber, amplified by the force of his power. "You will see

Kaelen standing at the center of the room, his hands raised high as though channeling the full force of the cryst

th urgency. "We can't fight him like this, Toby. We ne

to listen to Philip's logic. But as the room continued to tremble, and Kaelen's power surged, Toby

is being screamed to stand and fight. He forced himsel

unks of debris tumbling from above, and the flickering lights cast eerie shadows across the stone floors. Toby's heart pounded in his chest, but it wasn

e walls, sending a wave of force that knocked them off their feet. The air in the stairwell grew

ion. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze as he scrambled

rged, his voice more

ee through the crumbling hallways. Every step felt like it coul

g. "You think you can run from me? From fate? You are as much a part of

t was calling to him. Even now, he could feel its energy tugg

him. It was never meant to be a weapon. Or was it? Toby's mind was a whi

the exit up ahead-the open door leading to the outside world. The sight

before them in a flash of energy, blocking their path. His eyes glowed bright, t

said again, his voice cold a

is body screamed at him to move, to run, but he couldn't. He couldn't leave Kaelen like th

n in his voice. "What happened to

mething almost human in his eyes. But it was gone in an instan

. "I've seen the truth. This city... it is nothing more than a pri

understand their meaning. The crystal was the key. But to what? And why h

emotion. "We don't have to do this. We can f

late for that, Toby. The crystal has chosen its path,

ingers, filling the room with blinding light. Toby barely had time to r

very sense. The explosion of power was so intense, it felt like it was tearing through his very soul, unraveling him piece by

nce so profound it was almost suffocating replaced the chaos. He blinked, tryin

as though he had been pulled through some unknown force. He tried to shake the dizziness, b

name slipping from his li

was no

air damp and cold. The ground beneath him felt like dirt, not the smooth stone floors of the archives. Pan

e wa

. His thoughts were a haze, fragmented pieces of the explosion and Kaelen's words

oice broke through

ob

s throat. The voice was

ce of the sound. His legs felt like lead, and his he

d the direction of the voice and found Philip lying on the ground, his body bruis

ouching down beside him, his hand

ied, his voice hoarse. "B

round cracked and barren, stretching out as far as the eye could see. The sky above them was an eerie shade of gray, swirling

somewhere outside the city. Somewhere far from the destruc

wer in his bones. It was as if the energy of the explosion had sent them somewhe

hadn't seen Kaelen after the blast, and he feared the w

mself up to a sitting position. "But we can

The air felt heavy, the land lifeless. It was as though they had entered some othe

Toby said, looking around helplessly. "We

it wasn't a distant rumble-it was a violent shake, the earth cracking open in multiple place

em with terrifying speed. The air seemed to warp around the figure, bending

th caught i

rd escaping him before he

ered. His appearance was... different. His once-human features were now sharpened, distorted, his ey

et in front of them, hi

er, "you cannot run from what's coming. The crystal has

ding before him wasn't just a man anymore. He was something far worse-something that had been completely consumed by the c

Toby said, his voice shaking with a

ng smile. "You already have, Toby

pen, a vast chasm forming between them and Kaelen

rom the edge of the growing abyss. "This isn't the Kaelen you knew.

t-literally. This place, this dimension, was collapsing under the weight of the crystal

lling him despite the fear gnawing at his insid

a chance. The battle they were facing was no longer just about saving a city. It was

d with a sickening certainty that whatever Kae