The Well of Reflections looked different than during their first visit. The pool of liquid light now pulsated unevenly, its surface rippling as if from wind, though the air in the hall remained still. The colors floating in the depths changed more rapidly, creating an almost painful kaleidoscope of images.
Daren stood at the edge of the Well, his face looking haggard, as if he hadn't slept for several days. Next to him was the Archivist, whose golden radiance seemed dimmed, as if veiled by a haze of anxiety. They were talking quietly about something but fell silent when they noticed Liara and Tella approaching.
"What happened?" asked Liara, sensing the anxiety that hung like a thick cloud in the air.
Daren looked at her with an expression she hadn't seen in him before—a mixture of fatigue, concern, and something resembling guilt.
"We've discovered disturbing information," he said. "Concerning one of your shards."
The Archivist made a gesture with his hand, and the surface of the Well of Reflections calmed, focusing on a single image—a world that seemed... wrong. Liara couldn't exactly determine what caused this feeling. Perhaps the strange angular outlines of the landscape, resembling geometric figures that were difficult to imagine in three dimensions. Or the unstable sky, shimmering in all shades of gray and purple, like an oil film on water. Or, perhaps, the inhabitants of this place—beings whose forms seemed to constantly fluctuate between different states, never settling into a final form.
"Kraven," the Archivist pronounced. "A world located on the border between stable realities. A place where the laws of physics become... flexible."
"What's wrong with this world?" asked Liara, though she already suspected the answer.
"One of your shards is there," replied Daren. "And it appears to have become the center of a distortion that is spreading throughout the world."
Liara peered into the image of Kraven, trying to feel a connection with the shard Daren was talking about. At first, she felt only a vague unease, like ripples on the surface of consciousness. But gradually, using techniques Tella had taught her, she managed to focus deeper. And there, at the center of this strange world, she felt it—a part of herself, but distorted, transformed in some way she didn't understand.
"I can feel it," she said quietly. "But it's... not like the other shards. It's as if it's... screaming."
Tella moved closer, her silver form flickering in rhythm with the pulsation of the Well.
"This shard is in a state of stress," she said. "It has adapted to the conditions of Kraven, but this adaptation has changed it on a fundamental level."
"Adapted?" Daren repeated, and in his voice Liara heard a note of skepticism. "You call this adaptation? It's transforming an entire world, distorting the very fabric of reality around itself!"
"Precisely," Tella calmly replied. "In extreme conditions, shards can exhibit... unusual abilities for self-preservation. This one seems to have found a way to manipulate space and time to protect itself."
The Archivist nodded, his ancient face expressing deep concern.
"The problem is that these manipulations are starting to spread beyond Kraven. We've recorded temporal anomalies in neighboring worlds. If the process continues, the distortion could reach even stable realities."
Liara looked at the image of Kraven in the Well, feeling a strange mixture of anxiety and compassion for the shard that found itself in such conditions.
"What can we do?" she asked.
"The Council of Keepers of Balance met while you were in the Garden of Fragments," said the Archivist. "We decided that an expedition to Kraven is necessary. The shard needs to be either stabilized on-site or... extracted."
Daren and Tella exchanged quick glances, in which Liara detected tension.
"Extraction is the only reliable way to stop the distortion," said Daren, crossing his arms over his chest. "This shard is too unstable to leave there."
"Extraction could cause irreparable harm to both the shard and the world of Kraven itself," objected Tella. "Their connection, though distorted, has become symbiotic. A sudden rupture could cause a catastrophe."
Liara looked from one to the other, sensing how their disagreement intensified. This was more than just a tactical discussion—it was a clash of fundamental philosophies. Daren, who believed in the reunification of shards, saw in this situation further proof of the danger of their separation. Tella, an advocate of the Third Path, sought a solution that would respect the uniqueness of each shard and its connections.
"What are the risks of both approaches?" asked Liara, trying to think pragmatically.
The Archivist made a gesture, and the image in the Well changed, showing a map of worlds connected by thin threads. At the center was Kraven, from which radiated pulsating waves, distorting the nearest threads.
"If we leave everything as is, the distortion will continue to spread," he said. "Within a month, possibly sooner, it will reach a critical level where we can no longer control it. Entire worlds could be deformed or even destroyed."
He paused, then continued:
"If we try to stabilize the shard in place, as Tella suggests, we risk accelerating the distortion process if something goes wrong. But if successful, we preserve both the shard and Kraven in a stable, albeit altered, state."
"And if we extract the shard, as Daren suggests?" asked Liara.
"The world of Kraven will suffer serious damage," replied the Archivist. "Possibly irreversible. But the distortion will stop, and other worlds will be safe. The shard itself..." he fell silent, as if choosing his words, "...will be traumatized. Possibly changed forever. But it could be integrated with you or, at least, placed in a safe location for recovery."
Liara felt the weight of the choice. Sacrifice an entire world for the safety of others? Or risk many worlds to save one? And what would be better for the shard itself—to be extracted, even at the cost of trauma, or to remain in symbiosis with a distorted world?
"I need to see Kraven with my own eyes," she said. "Feel the shard directly before making a decision."
Daren looked concerned.
"Kraven is a dangerous place, Liara. The very nature of reality there is unstable. This isn't just another strange world, like Veyrin or Necropolis. It's a place where perception itself can become a weapon against you."
"Nevertheless, Liara is right," said Tella. "A decision of this magnitude cannot be made remotely, based only on observations from the Well of Reflections. We need a direct assessment of the situation."
"We?" Daren questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"I will go with Liara," Tella said firmly. "My experience interacting with distorted realities may prove useful."
"Then I'm going too," declared Daren, and his tone left no room for objection.
The Archivist observed their exchange with an expression that might be called thoughtful, if it didn't seem too human for a being of his nature.
"The Council anticipated such a decision," he said. "And although we would prefer a more... conservative approach, we cannot deny Liara's right to decide the fate of her shard."
He paused, looking at all three of them.
"But you must understand the risks. Kraven is not just a dangerous place. It's a world that actively responds to the presence of consciousness, especially ones as powerful as yours. Your own fears, doubts, conflicts can materialize there in physical form."
Liara pondered his words. A world that responds to visitors' consciousness... This added a new level of complexity to their mission. They would have to fight not only external dangers but also their own inner demons.
"When can we leave?" she asked.
"Preparation will be required," replied the Archivist. "Creating a stable portal to Kraven is a complex task due to the instability of the place itself. Additionally, you'll need protective equipment and training in certain mental self-defense techniques."
"How long will it take?"
"Three days," said the Archivist. "Less if you work intensively. But haste in such matters can be fatal."
Liara nodded, understanding the need for thorough preparation. But inside her grew a sense of urgency, fueled by echoes of suffering she felt from the shard in Kraven.
"Then let's begin immediately," she said.
The next two days passed in intensive preparation. Liara, Daren, and Tella worked with various mentors from among the Keepers of Balance, learning techniques that could help them survive in the distorted reality of Kraven.
Liara trained with Tella, deepening her skills in managing shard energy. They worked on techniques that could help her stabilize the distorted shard—not absorbing it completely, but establishing a connection that could mitigate its destructive influence on the surrounding reality.
Daren spent time with the Archivist, studying maps of Kraven—insofar as such a concept as a "map" could apply to a place where geographical coordinates could change depending on the observer's state of consciousness. He also prepared equipment—strange instruments, including a compass that, instead of cardinal directions, showed the level of reality distortion around them, and a crystalline device that was supposed to help them navigate to the shard at the center of Kraven.
By the evening of the second day of preparation, all three gathered in one of the small halls of the Primordial Garden—a cozy space with soft light emanating, it seemed, from nowhere and everywhere simultaneously. They brought with them records, maps, notes about Kraven, hoping to develop a coordinated plan of action before departure.
The atmosphere was tense. Despite days of working together, Daren and Tella still held opposing views on what should be done with the shard. Their disagreements were no longer expressed openly but felt in the air, like static electricity before a storm.
Liara laid out a projection map created for them by the Archivist—a three-dimensional hologram of Kraven, showing concentric circles of distortion radiating from the center, where the shard was presumably located.
"The Archivist said the portal will open here," she pointed to a spot on the outer circle of distortions. "This is the most stable place we can reach without risk of immediate deformation."
Daren nodded, studying the map.
"From the portal to the center is about a day's journey if the landscape remains stable. But given the nature of Kraven..."
"...we should be prepared for space to change around us," Tella finished for him. "The path may turn out to be longer or shorter than expected. And not necessarily linear."
"What do we know about the creatures living there?" asked Liara.
"Not much," replied Tella. "Kraven was a relatively ordinary world until the distortions began. Its inhabitants, as far as we can tell, were humanoid. But now..."
"Now they're changed," Daren said grimly. "The distortions affected not only space and time but also living beings. They've become... indeterminate. Fluid. And possibly hostile to external interventions."
Liara gazed thoughtfully at the projection of Kraven, trying to imagine what it would be like to live in a world where reality itself was unstable, where familiar laws of physics became mere suggestions rather than rigid rules.
"What about the shard itself?" she asked. "What do we know about its current state?"
"Only that it has become the center of distortion," Tella answered. "But that doesn't necessarily mean it's the source of the problem in a negative sense. Perhaps it's trying to stabilize a world that was already on the verge of collapse."
"Or," objected Daren, "it destabilized the world itself, reacting to some threat or simply adapting to local conditions without considering the consequences."
Tella gave him a long look.
"You always assume the worst when it comes to shards acting independently," she said.
"And you're always ready to justify the chaos they create," Daren retorted.
Liara felt the tension between them increasing. This wasn't just a strategic discussion—it contained echoes of an older, deeper conflict.
"We all want the same thing—to help both the shard and the world of Kraven," she said, trying to soften the atmosphere. "Let's focus on how we can do that, rather than on our disagreements."
Daren and Tella exchanged another long look, then nodded simultaneously, acknowledging the wisdom of her words.
"You're right," said Daren. "Sorry, I... I'm just worried. Kraven is not a place where we can afford to be distracted by personal disagreements."
"I should apologize too," said Tella. "We're all striving for the same goal, even if we see different paths to it."
Liara felt relief, but couldn't shake the feeling that beneath the surface of the temporary truce lay something more—a conflict that couldn't be resolved with simple apologies.
They continued discussing the details of the mission, each contributing their experience and knowledge. Daren offered tactical solutions based on his centuries of travel between worlds. Tella shared her understanding of the nature of time and space distortions. Liara, drawing on her new skills in interacting with shards, tried to anticipate how she might establish contact with the distorted part of herself in Kraven.
But as they worked, Liara couldn't help noticing the strange behavior of both her companions. Sometimes, when Daren thought no one was looking at him, his gaze became distant, almost melancholic. He looked at Liara as if seeing someone else—perhaps the original Liara he knew five centuries ago. And Tella... Tella sometimes froze mid-sentence, as if distracted by some internal struggle that no one else could see.
When they finished planning and decided to rest before the final day of preparation, Liara felt she needed time for reflection, time alone with herself before the upcoming trial. She said goodbye to Daren and Tella and headed to her quarters, but on the way, she was distracted by a strange impulse—a feeling that she should go in a different direction.
Following this intuitive call, she found herself in a part of the Primordial Garden she hadn't seen before—a quiet gallery with high arched openings, revealing a view of the endless starry sky. It was strange to see stars here, in a place that, as she understood, existed outside normal space-time coordinates. Perhaps it was merely a projection, created for visitors' comfort. Or, perhaps, these were not stars in the usual sense, but something else—beacons of other realities, visible from this unique vantage point.
She walked along the gallery, enjoying the silence and the beauty of the view, when she heard voices coming from around the corner. One belonged to the Archivist, the other... to Daren. They spoke quietly, but in the acoustics of the gallery, their words carried clearly.
"...haven't told her," the Archivist was saying. "You're hiding an important part of the story."
"She's not ready to hear it," replied Daren, and in his voice Liara heard tension. "What happened in Veyrin five centuries ago... it's too complicated to explain."
"Nevertheless, she has the right to know. Especially now, when you're heading to Kraven, where your own fears and secrets can become weapons against you."
Liara froze, not wanting to eavesdrop, but unable to force herself to leave. What were they talking about? What happened in Veyrin five centuries ago that Daren hadn't told her?
"I was trying to protect her," Daren's voice became almost pleading. "After everything that happened... after I..."
"After you became the cause of the Separation of the shard?" the Archivist gently finished for him. "Daren, you've carried this burden of guilt for five centuries. Isn't it time to share it?"
Liara felt a chill run down her spine. Daren... the cause of the Separation of the shard? What did that mean?
"I will tell her," said Daren after a long pause. "But in my own way and in my own time. Not now, when we face such a dangerous mission. It would only distract her, make her doubt me, my motives. And in Kraven, such doubts can be deadly."
"Perhaps you're right," said the Archivist. "But remember that Kraven has a way of bringing hidden truths to the surface. If you don't tell her yourself, the world may do it for you. And then the revelation will be more painful and dangerous."
The voices began to recede, apparently Daren and the Archivist were leaving the gallery. Liara pressed herself against the wall, feeling her heart beating somewhere in her throat. What, in the name of all worlds, was Daren hiding from her? What role did he play in her Separation, and why did he think this knowledge would make her doubt him?
She slowly slid down the wall, sitting on the cool floor of the gallery, and stared at the starry sky through the arched openings. Her thoughts jumbled, forming a whirlpool of questions without answers. Everything she knew about her past, about her relationship with Daren, was suddenly called into question. And this, as the Archivist said, before a mission to a world where their own fears and secrets could become weapons against them.
How could she trust Daren now, knowing he was hiding something so important? And how could she not trust him, after everything he had done for her since her awakening in the Guardians' temple?
Liara didn't know how long she spent in the gallery, pondering what she had heard. But when she finally rose to her feet, a decision had been made. She would not confront Daren now, would not demand explanations before a dangerous mission. But she would watch, would look for signs, clues about what really happened between them in the past. And above all, she would be prepared for Kraven to reveal the truth in the most unexpected and painful way.
With these thoughts, she returned to her quarters, where an uneasy sleep awaited her, filled with strange visions of places she had never seen and events she didn't remember—perhaps echoes of memories from other shards, reaching her through the expanding connections between them.
On the morning of the final day of preparation, Liara awoke with a sense of inevitability. Whatever happened in Kraven, whatever was revealed there—about the distorted shard, about Daren's past, about Tella's secrets—it would only be the beginning of a new chapter in her journey to understanding her true nature.
Tella was meditating in the Resonance Hall when Liara found her. The silver figure of the guardian hovered a few centimeters above one of the crystalline platforms, surrounded by thin streams of light that moved around her like planets around a star. Her eyes were closed, and her form seemed less defined than usual—more of a blurred silvery silhouette than a clearly outlined figure.
Liara momentarily considered whether she should leave and return later, so as not to interrupt Tella's meditation. But before she made a decision, the guardian's silver eyes opened, and the streams of light surrounding her slowly dissipated.
"Liara," said Tella, her voice sounding deeper and resonating more strongly than usual, as if she were speaking from a great distance. "I'm sorry, I was... elsewhere."
She descended to the platform, and her form gradually gained its usual clarity, though there was still something detached, almost otherworldly about her.
"I didn't mean to interrupt," said Liara.
"It's all right," Tella made an inviting gesture. "I was just finishing. Will you sit with me?"
Liara climbed onto the adjacent platform, which gently adjusted to her weight, taking the form of a comfortable seat.
"What were you meditating on?" she asked, curious what could be the object of meditation for a being of Tella's nature.
"Time," replied Tella with a slight smile. "Its flow, its patterns, its possibilities. Chronos was the keeper of time, and part of his perception still lives in me."
She paused, looking somewhere through the walls of the Resonance Hall, as if seeing something inaccessible to normal vision.
"Sometimes I can... not exactly see the future, but sense its possible directions. Especially when they're connected to significant changes in the flow of time."
"And what do you see for Kraven?" asked Liara. "For our mission?"
Tella shook her head, her silver face momentarily reflecting something akin to concern.
"Uncertainty. Too many possible paths, too many variables. The distortions in Kraven make foresight almost impossible."
She looked at Liara with a more direct, penetrating gaze.
"But I sense you didn't come to me to ask about my meditation or about Kraven. What's troubling you, Liara?"
Liara felt a strange mixture of comfort and discomfort from Tella's directness. On one hand, it made the conversation easier—no need to beat around the bush. On the other, she suddenly realized she wasn't quite sure where to begin, how to formulate what was bothering her.
"I accidentally overheard a conversation," she finally said. "Between Daren and the Archivist. They were talking about how Daren... somehow had a role in my Separation. That something happened in Veyrin five centuries ago, something he's been hiding from me."
She carefully observed Tella's reaction, expecting surprise or embarrassment. But instead, the guardian simply nodded, as if confirming something she already knew.
"I suspected he hadn't told you the whole story," she said. "It's... understandable. Daren has carried the burden of guilt for five centuries. Such things aren't easy to admit."
"So you know what happened?" asked Liara, feeling a strange mixture of hope and fear growing inside her. Hope for answers, fear of what those answers might mean.
Tella looked at her for a long moment, as if assessing whether Liara was ready to hear the truth. Finally, she slowly nodded.
"I know the version of the story that survives in the archives of the Keepers of Balance, and what I've been able to learn through the connection with the shard of Chronos. But that's not the same as knowing the whole truth. Each participant in those events has their own perspective, their own interpretation."
She paused, then continued in a softer tone:
"Are you sure you want to hear this now, Liara? A day before departing to Kraven, where your emotional states will directly affect your safety?"
Liara pondered this question. Tella was raising the same argument Daren had used in his conversation with the Archivist. Was it prudent to enter such a dangerous situation burdened with new knowledge that could shake her trust in one of her companions?
On the other hand, as the Archivist had pointed out to Daren, Kraven itself could bring these hidden truths to the surface, and then the revelation might be even more painful and dangerous. Wouldn't it be better to be prepared, to know what to expect?
"I think I need to know," she finally said. "If Kraven is truly capable of bringing hidden truths to the surface, I'd prefer to meet them prepared, rather than being caught off guard."
Tella nodded, acknowledging the logic of her decision.
"Very well," she said. "But before I begin, remember: what I'm about to tell you is not absolute truth. It's one perspective on events that happened very long ago and were confusing even to those directly involved."
She made a gesture with her hand, and a projection appeared in the air between them—a three-dimensional image of Veyrin's red sky and a temple atop a mountain, which Liara recognized from her previous visits to this world.
"Five centuries ago, Veyrin was a very different place," Tella began. "A thriving world with an advanced magical tradition. The temple on Echo Mountain was a center for studying the boundaries between realities, a place where the most gifted mages and scientists tried to understand the nature of the multiverse."
The projection changed, showing the interior of the temple, filled with strange devices and glowing crystals. Among them moved figures in robes, their faces indistinguishable, but Liara could feel their enthusiasm, their passion for knowledge.
"Among these researchers was a young mage, exceptionally talented in manipulating energy at the boundaries of worlds," Tella continued. "His name was Daren Vultar. He was... ambitious. Hungry for knowledge that might allow free travel between worlds, opening new horizons for exploration and discovery."
In the projection, one of the figures became more distinct, and Liara recognized a young Daren—without the gray in his hair, with a smoother face, but with the same eyes burning with inner fire.
"In his research, Daren stumbled upon traces of an ancient entity that seemed able to move freely between worlds without the aid of portals or other artificial means. This entity interested him from a purely scientific perspective... at first."
Tella paused, and the projection changed again. Now it showed a tall tower inside the temple, at the top of which was a huge crystalline structure resembling a lens or focusing device.
"As Daren learned more about this entity, he began... obsessively striving to establish contact with it. He believed this could be the key to revolutionary inter-world travel technology. His colleagues cautioned him—they saw signs that this entity was not just powerful, but possibly one of the Ancients, whose intervention in multiverse affairs could have unpredictable consequences."
"Aeon," Liara said quietly, beginning to understand where this story was leading.
"Yes," nodded Tella. "Although at that time, Daren didn't yet know this name. He only knew that he had discovered something extraordinary, something that could change the understanding of reality."
The projection showed Daren working alone in the high tower, surrounded by glowing symbols and diagrams, with an expression of almost religious intensity on his face.
"He created a ritual aimed at establishing contact with this entity. A complex, dangerous ritual using energy fields at the boundary of worlds. His colleagues refused to participate, considering the venture too risky. But Daren was confident in his calculations, in his understanding..."
Tella fell silent, and in her silver eyes Liara saw something resembling compassion—not for her, but for Daren, for that young, ambitious mage whose thirst for knowledge had led him further than he could have anticipated.
"What happened?" Liara asked quietly, though part of her already guessed.
"The ritual worked," replied Tella. "But not as Daren expected. Instead of simple contact, there was... a fusion. For a brief time, Aeon, or more precisely, one of his most concentrated shards, manifested in the temple in a form capable of interacting with the physical world."
The projection changed, showing a sudden flash of golden light in the center of the tower, which then formed into a tall figure, shining like a miniature sun. The figure didn't look entirely human—more humanoid, but with features that constantly changed, as if they were too complex to fix in one form.
"This shard... took a form and a name. It called itself Liara."
Liara felt a strange dizziness at these words, as if part of the reality beneath her feet had suddenly disappeared. She was not just a bearer of Aeon's shard—she, or a version of her, was that very shard that Daren had summoned five centuries ago.
"What happened next?" she asked, her voice sounding strangely detached in her own ears.
"Daren was... enchanted," Tella continued. "Here was a being capable of freely traveling between worlds, a being with knowledge and perspective beyond human understanding. He began working with Liara, studying the boundaries between worlds, the nature of reality..."
The projection showed a series of images—Daren and the golden figure working together on strange devices, studying maps of worlds, conducting experiments with energy fields. With each image, the figure calling itself Liara became more humanoid, as if adapting to its environment, to its human companion.
"But over time, their relationship became... more complex," Tella paused, as if choosing her words. "Daren began to see Liara not just as an object of research or even a colleague. He began to see her as... a person with whom he could share his life, his dreams."
Liara felt her cheeks warming with sudden understanding. What Tella was describing... these were not just professional relationships. Daren had fallen in love with the version of her he had met five centuries ago.
"And she?" asked Liara, suddenly pierced by a strange jealousy toward her past version. "What did she feel?"
"That's more complicated," replied Tella. "The shard of Aeon that took the form of Liara was... not entirely human, despite its appearance. Its perception, its emotions were different. But it definitely formed a bond with Daren. A bond that was perhaps closest to what humans call love, though not identical to it."
The projection showed another series of images—Daren and Liara studying the stars from the top of the tower; walking together through the temple gardens; sitting side by side in silence, as if words were unnecessary between them.
"They worked together for over a year," Tella continued. "Their research led to breakthroughs in understanding the nature of inter-world transitions. But also to dangerous discoveries—such as the possibility of creating permanent portals between worlds, capable of passing not just individual travelers but entire armies, if someone wanted to use them for invasion."
The projection changed, showing a tense scene in a large hall of the temple. Daren and Liara stood before an assembly of elders, clearly in the midst of a heated dispute.
"The temple elders became concerned. They saw potential dangers in Daren and Liara's research. Some even began to suspect that the entity calling itself Liara had its own motives, its hidden agenda. Perhaps intervention in the affairs of worlds for its own purposes."
"And these suspicions... were they justified?" Liara asked cautiously.
Tella shrugged, a gesture that looked unexpectedly human for a being of her nature.
"Who can know for certain? The shard of Aeon might have had goals beyond the understanding of even those who worked with it directly. Or it may simply have been exploring the possibility of deeper interaction with the worlds under its protection. The boundaries between good intentions and dangerous intervention are not always clearly visible, especially when it comes to beings of such power."
The projection changed again, showing Daren and Liara in the tower. They stood before a huge construction resembling an arch or doorway, but filled with pulsating energy instead of ordinary space.
"Eventually, they decided to conduct an experiment meant to prove the safety of their methods and calm the elders' concerns. They created a device capable of opening a stable portal between Veyrin and a neighboring world, with controlled parameters that should have prevented any negative consequences."
Tella paused, and in her silver eyes Liara saw the reflection of ancient sorrow.
"But something went wrong," she said quietly. "Perhaps an error in calculations. Perhaps an unforeseen interaction between Veyrin's technology and the nature of Aeon's shard. Or, perhaps... sabotage by those who feared the results of their work."
The projection showed the moment of catastrophe—a sudden burst of energy from the portal, a growing wave of destructive force radiating from the center of the tower. Buildings, trees, even the earth itself began to crack, to disintegrate under the influence of this wave.
"Whatever the cause, the result was catastrophic. The portal didn't just go out of control—it began to tear the very fabric of reality around it. Veyrin began to collapse, and not just it—the effect cascaded to neighboring worlds."
In the projection, Daren and Liara stood at the epicenter of the catastrophe, surrounded by the chaos of destruction. They were shouting to each other, though no words could be heard. Then Liara took a step toward the portal, despite Daren's attempts to stop her.
"At the moment when catastrophe seemed inevitable, Liara made a decision. She used the nature of Aeon's shard to intervene directly in the process of destruction. She... entered the portal, became part of it, using her essence to stabilize the rift."
The projection showed how the golden figure of Liara seemed to dissolve, merging with the energy of the portal, spreading through the cracks in reality, sealing them with her light.
"It worked. Veyrin was saved from complete destruction, though it remained seriously damaged. Neighboring worlds survived too. But the price of this salvation was... fragmentation. The shard of Aeon, which called itself Liara, was divided into many smaller shards, scattered across the worlds affected by the catastrophe."
In the projection, the portal finally stabilized, but the golden light that had been Liara dispersed like millions of sparks from a bonfire, carried by the wind in all directions.
"And Daren?" asked Liara, looking at the projection with a strange sense of detachment, as if watching someone else's story, though she knew it was, in some sense, her own story.
"Daren survived," replied Tella. "But was... broken. Not physically, but spiritually. He witnessed not only the destruction of a world he loved but also the disappearance of a being that had become dearer to him than anything else. And he knew, or believed, that all this happened because of his ambitions, his pride, his confidence in his abilities."
The projection showed Daren, standing alone amid the ruins of the tower. He looked aged by decades, his face distorted by grief and guilt.
"From that day, he dedicated his life to finding the scattered shards of Liara. Initially, perhaps, out of a sense of guilt and responsibility. Later—out of desperate hope that if he collected enough shards, Liara could return, be reborn in the form he knew and loved."
Tella made a gesture, and the projection dissolved, leaving the Resonance Hall in its usual, soft light.
"Thus," she concluded, "Daren was indeed involved in your Separation. Not out of malice, but from a tragic combination of ambition, love, and unforeseen consequences. He has spent five centuries trying to correct what he considers his greatest mistake."
Liara sat silently, trying to process everything she had learned. The story Tella had told explained so much—Daren's devotion, his unwavering determination to help her restore wholeness, his sometimes almost painful concern. It also explained the strange look she occasionally noticed in his eyes—the look of a man seeing a ghost of a loved one in a stranger's face.
"And you?" she finally asked, raising her eyes to Tella. "How do you fit into this story? You said the Archivist mentioned a connection between Aeon and Chronos before the Great Separation. Does this mean we also had a... history? Before we became who we are now?"
Tella looked at her for a long moment, and in her silver eyes Liara saw the reflection of emotions too complex for simple definitions.
"Yes," she finally answered. "Aeon and Chronos were... close. Not in the way mortal beings understand closeness, but on a more fundamental level. They were complementary aspects of reality—balance and time, structure and flow, stability and change."
She paused, then added in a quieter voice:
"But there's something else I should tell you, Liara. Something that directly relates to our mission in Kraven. I... am not just carrying a shard of Chronos. I am myself a part of Chronos. Not a vessel for a shard, but the shard itself, having taken form."
This revelation caught Liara off guard more than the story about Daren and her past version. She had thought of Tella as a Keeper of Balance who carried a shard of Chronos within her, just as she herself carried a shard of Aeon. But if Tella herself was a shard...
"You're... like that version of me in Veyrin," she said slowly. "A shard of an Ancient, having taken a form capable of interacting with the physical world."
"Yes," nodded Tella. "Though the process was different. I wasn't summoned by a ritual, as you were in Veyrin. I... awakened. Gradually gained self-awareness, identity, form. It took centuries. And then more centuries to understand who I was before awakening."
She lowered her eyes, looking at her silver hands, which she slowly clenched and unclenched, as if testing their reality.
"The Keepers of Balance found me, helped me understand my nature. And I joined them, sharing their goal of maintaining balance between the various forces of the multiverse."
Liara looked at Tella, trying to see her in a new light. Not as a being carrying a shard, but as the shard itself, having become self-aware. And suddenly much became clear—Tella's deep understanding of the nature of time, her ability to see potential directions of the future, her instinctive resonance with Liara.
"And you hid this because...?"
"Not hid, just... didn't emphasize," replied Tella. "Among the Keepers of Balance, there are other shards that have become self-aware. Merian, for example, whom you met in the Garden of Fragments. It's simply... what we are. We don't define ourselves solely through our connection to the Ancients. We are individuals with our own histories, choices, relationships."
She paused, then added in a softer tone:
"But before we depart for Kraven, I wanted you to know. To understand that I'm not just a guide or mentor. I'm... part of the same cosmic dance as you. A shard seeking its own path in the multiplicity of reality."
Liara felt conflicting emotions battling within her. Shock from the revelations about Daren and her past version in Veyrin. Surprise that Tella turned out to be not a shard bearer, but the shard itself. Confusion from the awareness of the ancient connection between Aeon and Chronos, echoes of which she felt in her attraction to Tella. And beneath it all—a strange sense of bitterness that both beings closest to her had hidden such important parts of the truth from her.
But through this storm of emotions broke through something else—understanding. Understanding of Daren's pain and guilt, his five-century mission of atonement. Understanding of Tella's complex identity, her journey from awakening to self-awareness. And, perhaps, a deeper understanding of herself—not just as a random vessel for a shard of cosmic power, but as part of a continuous story, stretching across eons of time and multiple worlds.
"Thank you for telling me," she finally said. "About all of this. I... need time to process everything. But I'm glad I learned the truth before we head to Kraven."
Tella nodded, understanding shining in her silver eyes.
"Of course. And if you have questions, or if you just want to talk... I'm here."
She rose from the platform, her movements flowing like a dance.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'll return to my preparations. Tomorrow we'll need all our strength and clarity of mind."
Liara nodded and stood as well, feeling a strange lightness despite the weight of new knowledge. As if part of a burden she hadn't even realized she was carrying had been lifted from her shoulders. The burden of ignorance, of not understanding her place in the complex puzzle of reality.
As she left the Resonance Hall, her thoughts were already turning to the upcoming mission, to the distorted shard in Kraven, to the dangers that awaited them there. But now she viewed these challenges through the prism of new understanding—understanding not only of her own nature but also of the nature of those who walked this path with her. And in this understanding, despite all the complexities, she found strange comfort.
The morning of the departure day came too quickly. Liara awoke with a sense of strange determination—not carefree confidence, but calm readiness to face what lay ahead, however difficult it might prove to be.
She met with Daren and Tella at the Gates of Transition—a huge arched structure deep within the Primordial Garden, which, as the Archivist explained, served as one of the few direct paths from the Garden to other worlds. Usually, the Keepers of Balance preferred more subtle, less noticeable methods of travel, but for Kraven, a more structured, stable portal was required to withstand the distortions that could warp less formal pathways.
Daren was silent, his face tense, eyes seemingly turned inward, to some personal thoughts or memories. He nodded briefly to Liara but did not meet her gaze, as if afraid of what she might see there.
Tella, in contrast, seemed unusually calm and collected. Her silver form was maximally structured, almost resembling armor—clearly a protective configuration designed for dangerous situations.
They were equipped according to the Archivist's recommendations. Each carried a small backpack with supplies, though the Archivist had warned that in the distorted reality of Kraven, ordinary food and water might lose their properties or acquire new, unpredictable ones. Daren also carried a set of strange instruments, including a compass that, instead of cardinal directions, showed the level of reality distortion around them, and a crystalline device that was supposed to help them navigate to the shard at the center of Kraven.
The Archivist waited for them at the Gates, his golden figure glowing brighter than usual, as if he were concentrating his energy for the upcoming task.
"Are you ready?" he asked, looking at all three.
"Yes," replied Liara, and was surprised by the firmness of her voice. Daren and Tella simply nodded.
"Good," the Archivist approached a control panel next to the Gates—a complex construction of crystals and glowing symbols. "The portal will open at the most stable point in the outer ring of distortions. From there, you'll have to move to the center, where the shard is located. But remember: in Kraven, distance and direction are not always... constant. Trust your feelings more than your instruments."
He began manipulating the symbols on the panel, and the arch of the Gates filled with light—first a soft white glow, then shimmering, like an oil film on water, with glimpses of all colors of the spectrum.
"Communication with you will be limited," continued the Archivist. "The Well of Reflections will allow us to see you, but not communicate directly. If you need urgent evacuation, activate the emergency beacon," he pointed to a small crystal on Daren's wrist. "But be aware that even with the beacon, extraction from Kraven might be... complicated."
"We understand the risks," said Daren, speaking for the first time that morning. His voice sounded hoarse, as if he had been silent for a long time.
The Archivist nodded, then turned to Liara.
"What you will see in Kraven may be... disorienting. Especially for you, as a bearer of Aeon's shard. The distortions there are not just physical—they can affect perception, memory, even identity. Hold onto your central 'self,' onto what makes you you, regardless of what parts of the past or possible future you might see."
Liara felt a chill of anxiety at these words, but nodded, accepting the warning.
"I'll be careful."
The Archivist looked at all three once more, then made a final gesture on the panel. The light in the arch of the Gates stabilized, forming something resembling a mirror surface, but fluid, pulsating, as if alive.
"May your path be clear in the mists of distortion," the Archivist solemnly pronounced. "And may you find what you seek, even if it is not what you expect."
With these words, he stepped back, leaving the path to the portal open.
Liara took a deep breath, exchanged glances with Daren and Tella, and together they stepped into the shimmering surface of the portal, towards the distorted world of Kraven and the shard waiting for them there—a shard that might provide answers, but also might bring new, even more complex questions.