Ortinus stopped suddenly, raising his palm to touch an embossed carving of hexagonal jewels. They bore a terrifying resemblance to the jewel on the chest of the "Man of the Stars," but here they were surrounded by intricate astronomical symbols.
Ortinus (In a whisper): "Look at these drawings... they don't depict jewels for decoration. These are maps of energy distribution. The white jewel in the center, and the black ones at the edges... exactly like a scale."
Nirar (Approaching with curiosity): "This is incredible... look, Ortinus, these aren't just engravings. They are visual puzzles. If you look at them from a certain angle, you see a path; if you change your position, you see a maze. The ancients didn't want just any passerby to understand their philosophy."
Picos (Attempting to touch an engraved jewel that protruded slightly): "Do you think if I press this, a trapdoor will open beneath us? Or maybe it'll rain gold? In old folks' tales, there's always gold behind the puzzles."
Nikos (Quickly grabbing Picos's hand): "Don't touch a thing, Picos! This place reeks of ancient power. One wrong touch might awaken a defense system we don't have the energy to face right now."
Darius (Pointing to a distant mural): "Look at that drawing; it's very strange. There's fire, water, and tree leaves."
As they moved forward, the corridor began to grow brighter, yet the brightness had no apparent source. There were luminous orbs floating in the air, orbiting each other in a strange harmony. Whenever one of the comrades drew near, they emitted a soft musical note.
Romulius: "I feel something strange... the atmospheric pressure here is different. My body aches are starting to fade, as if this place is repairing our cells just by us walking through it."
Meron: "Romulius, look at your shadow... it's not following you! It's moving in the opposite direction!"
Everyone stopped in terror. Each of them had two shadows: one following them, and the other heading toward the intense light at the end of the corridor. The scene was cinematic and majestic, as the shadows seemed to be pulling their bodies toward the unknown.
Ortinus: "The shadows precede us to the truth. Do not be afraid; this place is testing our readiness to leave the past behind. The light we see... it isn't just the end of the corridor."
The light at the end of the passage grew wider and more intense until it became difficult for them to see each other's features. There were no more walls, no engraved jewels, no puzzles—only an overwhelming flood of pure light.
Picos (Covering his eyes with his hand): "Guys! Where did you go? I see nothing but whiteness! Have my features been erased?"
Nirar: "I'm here, Picos! But I can't feel my feet touching the ground... we're floating!"
Nikos: "Hold onto each other! Darius, where is your hand? Don't drift away!"
Darius: "I'm holding onto you, Father... but the light... it's swallowing our voices too!"
Meron: "I feel a strange energy entering my body."
Ortinus (In a voice echoing as if coming from everywhere): "Don't close your eyes! Face the whiteness... the end is just a new beginning!"
In that moment, the seven comrades took one final step into the mass of glowing light. Gravity vanished completely, the sound of their breathing disappeared, and nothing remained but a vast, silent, and absolute white void—where the boundaries of time and space dissolved, and everything ended in an eternal whiteness that left behind no trace of dust or clay.