The forest stretched endlessly before Adam, the towering trees swaying gently as though whispering secrets he wasn't privy to. The fading sun cast long, jagged shadows across the ground, its golden light swallowed bit by bit by the approaching night. Adam tightened his grip on the strap of his satchel, his pace quickening along the uneven path. He had no idea what lay ahead, only that he was being drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
Since the encounter at the ruins, his world had spiraled into chaos. The shard he had touched was no mere artifact—it had unlocked something ancient within him, something that refused to let him rest. His nights were plagued by dreams so vivid they left him gasping for air. His days were filled with the dissonant whisper of a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once.
And now, that same voice had led him here.
"Keep moving," Adam muttered to himself, his breath visible in the cooling evening air. He glanced behind him, half-expecting to see glowing eyes in the shadows. The forest was quiet—too quiet. Even the distant hum of crickets seemed to have vanished, leaving only the sound of his boots crunching against the dirt.
After hours of walking, he saw it.
The Gate.
It loomed ahead, a massive structure seemingly carved from the darkness itself. Its surface shimmered like black glass, etched with glowing symbols that pulsed faintly, casting an eerie light across the clearing. It stood out like a tear in reality, unnatural and foreboding.
Adam stopped a few feet away, his breath catching in his throat. The air felt heavy, charged with an unseen energy that made his skin prickle. He wanted to run, to put as much distance between himself and this monstrosity as possible. But his feet wouldn't obey. Instead, he found himself stepping closer.
The symbols on the gate flared brighter as he approached, their intricate patterns shifting like living things. A low hum filled the air, growing louder with each step he took. When he was close enough to touch it, the hum stopped abruptly, replaced by a voice.
"Memory is the key. Enter, if you dare."
Adam's heart pounded in his chest. The voice was deep, resonant, and cold, as though it came from the very fabric of the gate. His hands trembled as he reached out, his fingers brushing against the glowing symbols. The moment he made contact, a shock surged through him, and the world fell away.
---
Inside the Gate
When Adam opened his eyes, he found himself in a void. There was no ground, no sky—just endless darkness, broken only by countless pinpricks of light. They floated in the air like fireflies, each one flickering softly as though holding a secret.
He reached out to touch one, and the moment his fingers grazed its surface, he was overwhelmed by a flood of images. He saw himself in another life—a warrior clad in silver armor, standing atop a crumbling tower. Around him, a great battle raged, shadowy creatures clashing with men and women wielding glowing blades.
The vision faded as quickly as it had come, leaving Adam breathless. He stumbled backward, clutching his chest. "What... what was that?" he gasped.
"They are fragments of what once was."
The voice startled him, and he turned to see a woman standing nearby. She was unlike anyone he'd ever seen, her hair silver as moonlight, her eyes glowing softly like embers. She wore a flowing robe that seemed to shimmer with its own light, and her expression was unreadable.
"Who are you?" Adam asked, his voice hoarse.
"I am the Keeper of Memories," she replied. "And you are here to reclaim what was lost."
Adam shook his head, taking a step back. "I didn't lose anything. I don't even know why I'm here."
"You do," the Keeper said softly. She raised a hand, and one of the floating lights drifted toward her. "You were not always the man you believe yourself to be. Before you were Adam, you were something... more. A Protector, one of the few tasked with guarding the seals that keep the darkness at bay."
Adam stared at her, disbelief etched across his face. "You've got the wrong person. I'm no warrior. I'm just a guy trying to get by."
The Keeper smiled faintly, though there was no warmth in it. "You've felt it, haven't you? The pull. The sense that there is more to your life than what you've known. The whispers, the visions—they are your past calling to you."
She stepped closer, her glowing eyes boring into his. "The seals are weakening, Adam. The darkness is stirring once more, and only you can stop it."
Adam felt his knees weaken under the weight of her words. He wanted to deny it, to call her a liar, but the truth was already clawing its way to the surface. He had felt it. The whispers, the dreams—they were too vivid, too real to be dismissed.
"What happens if I refuse?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"The darkness will consume everything," the Keeper said simply. "It will not stop. Not until every light is extinguished, every life snuffed out. You are the last of the Protectors, Adam. Without you, there is no hope."
Adam clenched his fists, his mind racing. The weight of her words pressed down on him, suffocating and undeniable. "What do I have to do?"
The Keeper extended her hand toward him. "Follow the light. It will guide you to what you need most."
---
The Return to Reality
When Adam stepped out of the Gate, the forest was shrouded in darkness. The air felt colder, the night heavier. The glowing symbols on his hand pulsed faintly, as though alive. He looked down at the mark, a single thought echoing in his mind.
There was no turning back now. The shadows were rising, and whether he liked it or not, he was the only one who could stand against them.