The clocktower's ancient gears echoed through the silent chamber as Mira, Rhéa, and Lior gathered around the black glass shard. The room was dim, shadows flickering on the walls as the fading daylight gave way to twilight. Outside, Ravin's streets lay calm but trembling beneath the weight of what was to come.
Lior stared at the shard, its surface swirling like a storm trapped beneath glass. The strange warmth from its core pulsed against his palm when he reached out — as if it recognized him, and whispered secrets he was only beginning to understand.
---
"We've never seen the shard glow like this before," Mira said, her voice low and filled with both wonder and caution. "It's reacting to you, Lior."
Rhéa nodded, stepping closer. "It's as if the shard contains part of the dream itself — or maybe even part of Elara."
Lior's gaze sharpened. "Could it help us fight the Bleeding One?"
Mira hesitated. "Possibly. But it's dangerous. The shard holds immense power — power that can heal or destroy, depending on who wields it. We don't fully understand its origins."
---
Suddenly, the chamber door creaked open, and a figure slipped inside — tall, cloaked in deep blue, with eyes that gleamed like polished onyx.
"I see the shard calls to you," the newcomer said, voice smooth and calm.
Lior tensed, stepping forward. "Who are you?"
The stranger lowered the hood, revealing sharp features framed by silver-streaked black hair. "I am Kaelen. A Keeper of the Dreamgate."
Mira's eyes widened. "A Keeper? No one has come from the Dreamgate in centuries."
Kaelen nodded. "The Bleeding One's corruption has weakened the boundaries between worlds. If it is not stopped, all will be lost."
---
Lior glanced at Mira and Rhéa, then back to Kaelen. "How do you know about the shard?"
Kaelen smiled faintly. "The shard is a fragment of the Dreamgate itself — a key and a weapon. It was lost long ago, scattered into the waking world. It chose you, Lior, because your soul is tied to Elara's dream."
Lior's heart pounded. "So… what do I do?"
Kaelen stepped forward, placing a hand on the shard. "You must awaken its true power. But it will not be easy. The shard will test your memories, your fears, your very identity. Only by embracing your whole self can you unlock the strength to face the Bleeding One."
---
As Kaelen spoke, the shard flared with light, engulfing the room in a radiant glow.
Visions flooded Lior's mind — flashes of past lives, forgotten dreams, moments of joy and sorrow tangled together like threads in a tapestry. Faces of strangers and friends blended into one.
Lior gasped, overwhelmed.
"Hold on to who you are," Kaelen urged. "Do not let the dream consume you."
---
When the light faded, Lior opened his eyes, breathless but determined.
"I understand now," he said. "I'm not just fighting for Ravin — or even for Elara. I'm fighting for every world born from a dream."
Mira smiled, hope blossoming. "Then we stand with you."
Rhéa nodded. "Together."
---
Outside, the first stars appeared in the night sky — cold, distant witnesses to the battle that would decide the fate of all worlds.
Lior looked up, feeling the shard's warmth pulse steady in his hand.
"This ends soon," he whispered.