The bridge behind them dissolved into the void, leaving Rynze and Seris standing on a platform of shimmering light. The towering figure loomed closer, its form shifting between solidity and shadow.
"You have faced the truths of the flame," the figure intoned, its voice resonating through the realm. "Now, you must decide: Will you restore the Veil, or let it fall?"
Rynze tightened his grip on the Nameless Flame, its warmth a steady presence in the surreal chaos. "If the Veil falls, what happens to the worlds?" he asked, his storm-grey eyes locked on the figure.
"They will merge," the figure said. "The boundaries will dissolve, and the natural order will be restored. But the cost will be great."
Seris stepped forward, her frozen-sky eyes blazing with determination. "And if we restore the Veil?" she asked.
"The worlds will remain separate," the figure said. "But the lie will persist. The flame will continue to test its bearers, and the cycle will repeat."
Rynze hesitated, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. The Nameless Flame flickered in his grasp, as if responding to his uncertainty.
"We can't let the worlds collide," Seris said, her voice firm. "Too many lives are at stake."
"But if we restore the Veil, we're perpetuating a lie," Rynze said, his voice tinged with doubt. "Is that any better?"
The figure's gaze seemed to pierce through them, its eyes burning with an inner light. "The choice is yours," it said. "But know this: Whatever path you choose, the flame will remain. It is eternal, and its truth cannot be denied."
The platform beneath them began to tremble, and the swirling vortex above them grew more intense. The Nameless Flame blazed brightly, its light cutting through the darkness.
Rynze and Seris exchanged a glance, their resolve unshaken. Together, they stepped forward, the flame burning brightly between them.
"We choose to restore the Veil," Rynze said, his voice steady. "But we'll find a way to break the cycle."
The figure tilted its head, as if considering their words. "Very well," it said. "The flame will guide you, but the path will not be easy."
The platform beneath them began to dissolve, and the world around them shifted. They found themselves standing in the heart of Elvain, the Nameless Flame blazing brightly in Rynze's grasp.
The distortions in the city began to fade, and the whispers grew silent. The Veil shimmered above them, its surface rippling like water.
"The Veil is restored," Seris said, her voice filled with relief. "But the flame... it's still testing us."
Rynze nodded, his storm-grey eyes narrowing. "We'll find a way to break the cycle," he said. "Together."
As they walked through the streets of Elvain, the Nameless Flame flickered faintly, its warmth a comforting presence. The city was still, its unnatural distortions replaced by a sense of calm.
But Rynze and Seris knew that their journey was far from over. The flame's truth was eternal, and its test would continue.