When I left the Nirvana Hall behind, I felt the weight on my shoulders lighten, but it was not a complete victory. The cube I left behind was not something easily forgotten; it was a promise deferred. I knew that power was not taken in haste. I had learned from the past that every step has its time, and every decision its place.
I made my way toward the "Traveling Stones." These ancient crystal gates were marvels from a bygone era, hidden in the world's corners like buried treasures. My shadows guided me with ease, moving as if they knew the way better than I did. When I arrived, I stood before a towering gate that shimmered as if reflecting images of infinite worlds.
I raised my hand and traced a complex symbol in the air, whispering the name of my destination: "Elaria." I felt the gate respond to me, a warm energy filling the space before the fabric of reality split open. I stepped through, leaving behind the world of Nirvana—and with it, the chaos I had sown.
The air in Elaria was different. Rough, heavy, yet pulsating with life. The sky above me looked like a painting of fire and shadows, deep purple clouds stretching over endless deserts. The sands glittered as if dusted with stardust, and the creatures moving across the surface were anything but ordinary—a fusion of magic and nature, twisted in ways beyond comprehension.
I began my journey toward the nearest village. The distance was not great, yet every step was a reminder of how strange this world was. Villages here were little more than small clusters of huts, built from stone and wood, surrounded by dry fields struggling to survive.
Upon my arrival, I made my way to the village's only tavern. It was crowded despite its small size, and the voices inside buzzed with conversations about everything: the harvest, the beasts, and finally... the death of Seraphim.
I sat in a dark corner, where I could listen unnoticed.
"I heard that Seraphim's killer was a mysterious man. They say he doesn't belong to Nirvana."
"Impossible. No one kills Seraphim. At least, not a human."
"What if he's from the Shadow Realms? I heard that the shadows follow him like an army."
I listened in silence, a faint smile playing on my lips. Their fear was evident, but it was not enough. Seraphim had been a symbol to them, a part of their world, and now he was just a memory. Soon, they would follow the same path—whether they realized it or not.
After a while, I left the tavern. The air outside was charged with something indescribable, as if the very land was anticipating something monumental. I stood at the edge of the village, gazing at the vast desert ahead. Here, in Elaria, I would find what I sought: Alenius.
Alenius... my next adversary, and perhaps my greatest challenge.
He was different from me in every way. He lived a life of simplicity and loyalty, far removed from the relentless pursuit of ambition. His village was the center of his world, and his people were all that mattered to him. He did not yet know that what he carried within him was not just power, but the half of a soul that had once been torn from me.
While he had spent his time serving his people, I had been reclaiming my strength, building my empire of shadows. He would never understand what it meant to have something that was once a part of you stolen away.
When darkness fell, I summoned my shadows. They emerged around me as if forming from nothingness—shifting figures, silent yet carrying an undeniable aura of dread. I looked at them with steady eyes and commanded:
"Find Alenius. Watch him. Do not move until I give the order. I want to know everything about him."
The shadows bowed before vanishing into the air, leaving behind an eerie silence.
I gazed at the horizon again. The sky over Elaria was filled with stars, yet they seemed distant, as if watching from another world.
"Alenius... you may be different, but we will meet soon. And when we do, nothing will remain the same."
I turned back toward the road. The battle had not yet begun, but I knew that the ending would be written exactly as I intended.