The massive black door closed behind Lyra and Alaric, leaving them in a long hallway lit by floating torches. The flames were unlike any they had seen before, radiating a dim white glow that felt both serene and chilling.
"Is this the destination Eryndor spoke of?" Alaric asked, his hand still resting on the hilt of his sword.
Lyra shook her head, her eyes tracing the strange carvings along the walls. The reliefs depicted mysterious creatures—not human, nor beast—creating radiant orbs of light before dissolving into a haze of mist.
"I don't know, but these images…" Lyra murmured, sensing a peculiar familiarity. "It's like they're telling a story."
They continued down the hallway, which gradually opened into a vast chamber. At the center of the room stood a colossal stone pedestal, upon which rested a luminous sphere—a miniature star. Its light streamed down to the floor, forming glowing rivers that flowed toward several doors at the edges of the room.
Lyra approached the sphere, feeling its immense energy radiating outward. She reached out and lightly touched its gleaming surface. Instantly, a voice echoed in her mind:
"You, bearer of both light and shadow, have arrived at the origin. Here, all begins, and all shall end. Choose your path."
The surrounding doors immediately swung open, each leading to a corridor steeped in either light or shadow.
"It seems we have to choose" Alaric remarked, his eyes fixed on the open paths.
"But choosing wrong could be a trap," Lyra cautioned.
"It is not" said another voice from the darkness. Emerging from one of the corridors was a woman draped in a silver cloak, her eyes gleaming like starlight.
"You do not need to choose the right or wrong path. You need to understand that every path is a part of the journey."
The woman stepped forward, the light around her dispelling the darkness in the room. "I am Astraea, guardian of this origin. You've come seeking answers, but the answers lie not only in where you will go, but also in how you perceive yourselves."
Lyra clenched her fists. "Then what must we do?"
Astraea smiled. "Walk through the paths and gather the light within yourselves. But remember, light never exists alone. To comprehend it, you must confront the deepest shadows within."
With that, Astraea disappeared, leaving Lyra and Alaric standing at the crossroads.
"We don't have any other choice" Alaric said firmly, his eyes resolute. "We'll keep moving forward."
Lyra nodded, the light of the sphere reflecting in her determined gaze. "We've faced more than just darkness. This light won't make us falter."
They stepped forward, each choosing a different path, ready to face new challenges—of both light and shadow.