A Pact with the Unknown

  Renji and Selene sat in the dimly lit chamber, the weight of Asher’s words still pressing down on them. The flickering blue torches cast eerie shadows along the stone walls, making the entire sanctuary feel like a pce outside of time itself.

  "You’ve chosen to stay,"* Asher said, his violet eyes gleaming in the low light. "That means you must be prepared for what lies ahead."*

  Selene gnced at Renji, then back at Asher. "Then teach us."*

  Asher smirked, raising his hand.

  The air shifted.

  Suddenly, the room around them flickered—the torches dimming as a new energy pulsed through the space. It wasn’t magic in the conventional sense. It was something older. More primal.

  "Before I teach you how to fight against the forces of the Wheel, you must first understand why they exist."*

  Renji crossed his arms. "We already know the Wheel resets the world. That it’s some kind of cycle meant to erase everything."*

  Asher shook his head. "You misunderstand."*

  The ground beneath them rumbled.

  "The Wheel does not exist to erase everything. It exists to correct what should not be."*

  Selene’s eyes narrowed. "And what does that mean?"

  Asher gestured toward the wall, and the ancient map shifted. The ink rearranged itself, forming a series of interconnected circles—each one representing a past cycle.

  "Each time the world is thrown into chaos beyond repair—whether by war, corruption, or forces beyond mortal control—the Wheel turns."*

  He pointed at one particur cycle.

  "But this time…" his voice grew quieter, "it hesitated."*

  Renji exhaled sharply. "And that’s because of Selene?"

  "Not just her."* Asher’s gaze flickered to Renji. "You were never supposed to exist either."*

  Renji felt a chill crawl up his spine. "What?"

  Selene turned toward him, shock in her expression.

  "There are always anomalies,"* Asher continued. "People who are not bound by fate. Selene is one, and so are you. That is why the Wheel has not turned yet. It is waiting… watching. Trying to determine whether you are a mistake or a necessity."*

  Renji clenched his fists. "So we’re living on borrowed time?"

  "No."* Asher’s expression was unreadable. "You are living on stolen time."*

  ---

  The Trial of Echoes

  Asher stepped away from the map and turned toward the center of the chamber, where a rge stone archway stood. At first gnce, it looked abandoned—covered in cracks and dust.

  But as Asher lifted his hand, the cracks glowed with golden light.

  "If you wish to survive, you must undergo the Trial of Echoes."*

  Selene tensed. "What kind of trial?"

  "One that will test your existence."

  Renji scoffed. "Great. That sounds fun."

  Asher’s smirk returned. "Step through the archway. There, you will face what should have been forgotten."

  Selene looked at the glowing structure, then at Renji. "Are you ready for this?"

  Renji exhaled, cracking his neck. "Let’s find out."

  Together, they stepped forward—

  And the world shifted.

  ---

  A World of Forgotten Memories

  The moment they passed through the archway, everything changed.

  They were no longer in the sanctuary.

  Instead—

  They stood in the middle of a vast battlefield.

  The sky above them was a murky shade of crimson, filled with the echoes of a war long past. Ruined fortresses stretched out in the distance, and shattered weapons littered the ground like remnants of a lost history.

  "Where… are we?" Renji murmured.

  Selene took a cautious step forward, her boots crunching against the remains of broken armor. "This pce… it feels wrong."*

  A voice echoed through the space—faint but familiar.

  "You were never meant to be here."*

  Selene’s breath caught. "That voice…"

  She turned sharply—

  And froze.

  Standing a few feet away was a figure she had not seen in years.

  Her father.

  ---

  A Past That Shouldn’t Exist

  Selene’s mind reeled.

  Her father had died years ago. She had buried him with her own hands.

  And yet—

  Here he was.

  Dressed in the armor of a warrior, his sword gleaming at his side. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes…

  They burned with recognition.

  "Selene."

  Her breath hitched. "This… this isn’t real."*

  Renji pced a hand on her shoulder. "Selene… don’t get too close."*

  But she barely heard him.

  "Father…" Her voice wavered. "How are you here?"

  The man didn’t move.

  "This world is built from memories. It is not your father you see—it is an Echo."

  Asher’s voice rang in the distance, as if coming from the sky itself.

  "But beware. Echoes do not simply reflect the past. They test those who enter their domain."*

  Selene’s father drew his sword.

  "Prove your existence."*

  Selene’s heart pounded. "What—"

  Before she could finish, he attacked.

  ---

  The Duel with a Memory

  Selene barely had time to react as steel cshed against steel.

  Her father moved with the same precision she remembered—each strike carrying the weight of the warrior he had once been.

  But he was faster. Stronger.

  "Selene!"* Renji shouted, reaching for his own weapon.

  But before he could interfere, a barrier of golden light fred up between them.

  "This is her trial,"* Asher’s voice echoed. "She must face it alone."*

  Selene gritted her teeth, parrying another strike. "Damn it…"

  Her father’s expression remained unreadable. "You hesitate."*

  She clenched her jaw. "You’re not real."*

  He attacked again.

  Selene dodged, barely avoiding the bde.

  But as she turned to counterattack, she saw something that made her freeze.

  A second figure.

  A woman.

  Dressed in flowing silver robes, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders.

  Selene’s mother.

  "No…"

  The woman smiled softly. "My daughter. You have strayed too far."

  Selene’s grip on her sword wavered.

  Renji pounded against the barrier. "Selene! Don’t let it break you!"

  The figures stepped closer, their voices blending into a single, inescapable truth:

  "You were never meant to exist."*

  ---

  To Be Continued…