Kael
(taking a deep breath, his eyes drifting into the distance)
Kael sank into silence for a moment. The battle and tension were over, but the feeling of emptiness within him still lingered. Aleria's fading silhouette remained like a sorrow echoing inside his ribcage. The sword had vanished like an echo. Now, only a question and an uncertainty remained.
Kael
(inwardly, with a resolute whisper)
"The past… is it all that damned past? If I keep searching for it… will I be lost forever?"
At that moment, his eyes deepened further. Another echo emerged in his mind. This was a different voice, a call from afar. The gates of Adastra were winking at him, but the darkness within still held him captive like a shadow.
Unknown Voice
(with a resonant tone, each word like a verdict)
"Adastra… Your entry is confirmed. Prepare for your new journey."
Kael turned toward the direction of the voice and quickened his steps. From that moment on, everything felt a step closer to him. Yet, with every step, he felt he was leaving a piece of himself behind. Was he truly ready?
Kael
(inwardly, like a prayer, echoing)
"If this journey will lead me to find you… no matter what, I'll keep going. But… is the end of the past just a beginning?"
Unknown Voice
(with a cold but clear voice)
"Your past awaits you in every step of your future. But remember… in Adastra, everything is just an echo."
Kael paused for a moment. As the words danced in his mind, his resolve began to settle in again. Reality was shifting once more. Now, the step he would take to uncover his past would also shape his future.
And at that moment, Kael's eyes gleamed with a new understanding. He took another step.
Kael
(inwardly, now with stronger resolve)
"This journey doesn't belong to Adastra. This journey… is my path."
Quickening his steps, he allowed the silhouettes, voices, and everything fading behind him to remain there. Yet, that feeling of emptiness grew more distinct with each step. His eyes were surrounded by darkness, but a light emerged beyond it. No matter how dark it was, he felt there was hope, a path.
Unknown Voice
(with a cold but deep echo)
"You've taken your first step into Adastra. But remember, every journey demands a price."
Kael stopped abruptly when he heard that voice. What did it mean? A price… What price? The questions echoing in his head were stirring a growing unease within him. But there was no turning back. He had to continue this journey. The end of everything promised him only a new beginning.
Kael
(resolutely, with a tense but clear voice)
"My price isn't my past. I'm ready to face it now."
He took a step forward. The ground was different from the cracked arena of before; here, everything was more uncertain, more abstract. But there was something… Adastra's gates, not yet opened to him, felt like a tunnel calling into the depths.
He squinted and noticed silhouettes belonging to Adastra appearing before him. They were beings from different dimensions, different realities. Each one was an echo, a memory, a forgotten past.
Kael
(taking a deep breath, stepping forward)
"This time, there's no missing piece. I'll explore Adastra, because my path, my truth, begins here."
The cracks of the arena began to envelop him like the gates of Adastra. Another search, another trial awaited Kael. This time, it wouldn't just be a physical struggle—it felt like a battle delving into the depths of his soul.
Reality shook once more, and Kael was prepared for the challenges ahead. At the threshold of Adastra's gates, another voice echoed. This voice, like a vibration, made him feel all the emotions, the fine line between darkness and light.
Unknown Voice
(with a hint of threat in its tone, yet also a lesson)
"Adastra… awaits you. But here, only the right choices will keep you alive."
Kael felt the meaning beneath each word. Adastra wasn't just a place—it was a choice. He needed to learn more about how deeply a decision could resonate.
Kael
(just a thought, but with a resolute whisper)
"This choice isn't just mine. It will shape my entire world."
Then, Kael stepped into Adastra. His future was now uncertain, but one thing was clear. He wouldn't hear the echoes of the past again. Now, he would face the truth of the future.
Kael
(taking a deep breath, focused forward)
"Echoes… They're all traces."
As he passed through Adastra's gates, the echoes within Kael grew louder. Like an underground river flowing through his mind, they guided him while also placing obstacles in his path. After each step, Kael felt an inner weight. It wasn't just physical. It was also a burden from the depths of his soul, carried by the past.
As he passed through vast, domed halls, every wall, every statue felt as though it were watching him. Time didn't flow here as it normally did. Moments blended together, and the boundaries between consciousness and reality faded.
While walking through a corridor, Kael saw ancient inscriptions on the wall. They felt familiar yet utterly foreign. Each word, each symbol was a kind of reminder. These inscriptions held a timeline, a memory within them. But Kael's eyes, unfortunately, weren't yet ready to decipher them.
Kael
(murmuring)
"The echoes of the past whisper to me at every corner."
Suddenly, he heard a sound ahead. Kael paused. It wasn't a particularly familiar sound. Slowly, he took careful steps. The sound came from far away, but Kael could hear each note clearly. Something, or someone, was calling him.
Kael
(turning toward the sound, with curiosity)
"Is someone there?"
The sound stopped for a moment, then echoed again. But this time, only one word was heard.
Voice
(whispering)
"Kael…"
That name reverberated in Kael's mind like a scream. In that instant, his deepest fears surfaced. For a moment, he wanted to look back, but his body kept moving forward against his will.
Kael
(hesitantly)
"What do you want?"
As he walked forward, the sound echoed again, but this time it came from a closer place. Kael's heart began to pound. In the corridor he hurried through, everything was becoming clearer.
Voice
(slowly, in a muffled tone)
"Everything began with you, Kael. Everything will end with you."
Kael stopped in his tracks. That voice… those words were pulling him into the past. They were part of his past, his truth, his darkness. But there was something—though he didn't recognize the voice, the feeling was familiar.
Kael
(taking a deep breath, with resolve)
"If something's waiting for me here, I'm ready. I'm ready to face my past."
At that moment, at the end of the hall, a figure appeared. It slowly took shape like a dark silhouette. The figure wasn't entirely someone Kael knew, but there was a sense of familiarity within it. It was a shadow, an echo, but it also felt like a piece of Kael's past.
Kael
(tense, stepping forward)
"Who… who are you?"
The figure slowly raised its head and looked into Kael's eyes. Then, it spoke with a dark chuckle.
Figure
(with a cold voice)
"I'm a reflection of your past, Kael. You don't need to recognize me. But don't forget, something awaits you in this world. The truth always finds you."
Kael froze for a moment at those words. The word "truth" seemed to echo in his mind. Past and present had intertwined like a thin thread of time.
Kael
(resolutely)
"Truth… I'll find it."
And at that moment, the figure vanished swiftly. It left only an echo in Kael's mind, enveloping the surroundings in deep silence. But Kael didn't feel that silence as empty for even a moment. On the contrary, with deep resolve, he took his steps again.
What did Adastra promise him? Kael pushed that question aside and moved forward, trusting the strength within him. No matter what his past was, he was now ready to face it, to seek the truth within.
Kael
(listening to the sound of his footsteps echoing in the silence)
"Echoes don't stop… but I won't run from them anymore."
As he steadied his steps again, the corridors began to change. The interior of Adastra reacted like a living organism, shaping itself according to Kael's resolve. The ceiling rose, stone walls gave way to ancient metals, and lights slowly ignited. This was a harbinger of a trial. Kael felt it.
At the end of the expansive hall stretching forward, there was a platform made of interlocking circles. In its center hung a sphere, as if suspended in the void. The sphere's surface rippled like water; within it, brief images, sounds, and colors flickered and vanished in momentary flashes.
Kael
(stopping in front of the sphere)
"This isn't an echo. This… is a test."
The sphere trembled as if responding to Kael. The voice that came from it was neither human nor belonged to any definable entity. Each word was like the echo of an emotion.
Sphere
"Remember."
Kael instinctively stepped back. Something was being forcibly pulled from his mind. For a moment, his breath caught. His pupils dilated. And images… unfolded before his eyes.
First image: A rainy night. Kael as a small child. In his hand… something not even allowed to be seen in the vision, like a distortion in the air. Fragmented screams, the sound of fire consuming everything…
Second image: Kael kneeling in a vast room. Before him, a woman. She had no face. But she had a voice.
"Forget, or be destroyed," she was saying.
Third image: Kael looking into a mirror. But the reflection was someone else. The eyes weren't his. Blood on his hands. Behind him, an army. Everyone bowing to the ground. He ruled over them. But Kael's face was filled with horror.
Kael
(closing his eyes tightly, stepping toward the sphere)
"These… aren't mine. They could exist without me."
Sphere
"But they're all possible with you."
Suddenly, the sphere split open. A passage made of light appeared. Beyond it were vague figures, blurred structures, old sounds. Kael's mind felt pulled toward everything, but at one point, he gathered all his strength. Despite his trembling knees, he stood tall. He took another step into the passage.
Kael
(in a low voice, but unwavering)
"I don't want to be an echo. I'll be my own voice."
When he entered the passage, the world sank into silence in an instant. There were no corridors, no sphere, no Adastra. Only endless whiteness. But Kael wasn't alone. Someone whose voice he didn't recognize appeared behind him. It was a woman's voice. Calm, deep, and carrying a familiar sense of peace.
Unknown Woman
"A good start. But merely escaping echoes isn't enough. You must shape your own truth."
Kael
(turning his head back, trying to see the woman's face)
"You… who are you?"
Unknown Woman
"I… am a piece you haven't yet remembered. And I've been waiting for you for a very long time, Kael."
Kael's eyes widened. The woman's silhouette began to sharpen with time. Silver hair, pale blue eyes… And in the center of her forehead, a small symbol pulsed: a sign resembling infinity, spinning and glowing.
And at that moment, a sentence fell into Kael's mind. It didn't come from the sphere or the woman—it was simply the echo of a truth:
"Every truth begins with the death of an echo."
Kael's vision darkened. And he moved to the next scene. This time, nothing would be the same as before.
Kael
(slowly opening his eyes, trying to adjust to the light)
"…Is it over?"
The whiteness had receded. A strange silence took its place. But this silence wasn't oppressive—it was peaceful. Beneath Kael was a hard, smooth floor. When he lifted his head, he could see the area around him clearly for the first time.
He found himself in the center of a circular stone platform. Ancient symbols were carved along its edges; some felt familiar, but he couldn't recall them. Just ahead, a large, domed structure rose. Its silver roof and the faint blue lights radiating around it whispered that this was no ordinary place.
This was Adastra's acceptance platform. And Kael had officially been admitted.
From behind a nearby pillar, someone in formal attire emerged. They wore a long navy robe, and around their neck hung a badge with the same symbol: the infinity sign.
Official
(approaching Kael)
"Newcomer… Kael, isn't it? The passage seems to have worn you out a bit. But you've done well. Congratulations."
Kael tried to pull himself together. He straightened his posture, but his eyes were still scanning the surroundings.
Kael
"This place… is this Adastra?"
Official
"Yes. One of the seven main crossroads over reality. A beginning for those like you. And also a testing ground."
The official guided Kael down from the platform. Wide stone steps awaited them on the path leading inside.
Official
"You're the last of the group arriving today. The others have already registered and settled in. There's a place reserved for you. You're not late, but you've drawn attention. For now, we'll place you in the 'Classless' dormitory."
Kael
(frowning, pausing)
"Classless?"
Official
"Here, everything is determined by ability. Your identity, your past, your lineage… they mean nothing until you cross the passage. Based on your performance in the initial trials, you'll receive a new identity. And your class will be assigned. Until then… yes, you're classless."
Their journey led them to a wide courtyard. Every corner of the courtyard held structures of different architectures. Some seemed buried underground, while others floated in the air. But the simplest and most weathered building stood at the farthest corner of the courtyard. Built of old stones, single-storied, it bore the marks of being peeled by the wind.
Official
(pointing with their hand)
"There. That's your home for now. The Classless dormitory."
Kael approached the building. The door was open. A faint scent of candles wafted from inside. When he stepped in, he saw a dim corridor and similar rooms. Simple. Cold. But peaceful. At least… it was solitary.
He entered one of the rooms. It consisted of a narrow bed, a small table, and an old mirror fixed to the wall. Kael looked into the mirror. Fatigue was in his eyes, but beneath it, a spark gleamed.
Kael
(in a low voice)
"I've taken my step. There's no turning back now."
He sat on the bed slowly. Everything he'd experienced in the past few days weighed on his shoulders like a burden. But this room… This place… It was the beginning of everything.
And for the first time, amidst the unknown, Kael felt "at home."