The forest behind them fell into shadow as Lyra, Kael, and Veyr continued east. The golden threads of the map pulsed faintly, not as a command, but as a gentle guidance. Each step forward felt heavier than the last, as though the forest itself were reluctant to let them leave.
"The fractures are getting bolder," Kael muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "Not just testing us, but chasing us."
Lyra glanced at him, eyebrow raised. "Or maybe we're chasing them."
Kael scowled but didn't argue. That was fair. He wasn't used to thinking about responsibility with nuance.
Veyr, as always, walked silently beside her, eyes scanning the dense undergrowth. His presence felt oddly soothing, a quiet anchor against the growing tension in the air. "This one isn't just a memory," he said softly. "It's a stream of echoes, carrying the weight of every choice made nearby. A river that carries fragments of them all. We need to be careful. One wrong step and it will drown us in them."
Lyra's stomach tightened. "A river?"
He nodded. "Metaphorical, but also literal, to some extent."
Soon, the terrain shifted. The trees thinned, replaced by a narrow valley. Mist curled along the ground, glowing faintly silver, and ahead, a shimmering ribbon of water cut through the land. But this river was no ordinary water. It moved like liquid glass, reflecting the sky in fragments that didn't match reality. Some sections showed sunsets, others rainstorms, and some glimpses of places Lyra didn't recognize.
Kael stopped short. "It looks… alive."
Lyra felt it immediately. The river pulsed under her feet, a subtle vibration traveling through her bones. Her fingers twitched involuntarily toward the map. The threads stretched toward the water, quivering as though nervous about her approach.
"Stay focused," Veyr warned. "The river isn't just a boundary. It's a test. It will show you possibilities you can't ignore and tempt you into doubt."
Kael muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, I hate tests.
They arrived at the river's shore, the liquid light spilling over dark, smooth rocks. The moment Lyra's toes touched the first stone, the river shifted. Faces appeared in the surface—Kael's, Veyr's, even hers. But each one was distorted, older, younger, happier, angrier. Different versions of themselves that could have been or might still be.
Lyra swallowed. "This is… too much."
"It wants a reaction," Veyr said quietly. "Anger, fear, regret. Don't give it that. Step carefully."
Kael grimaced. "So what, we just… ignore our reflections?"
Lyra glanced at him, lips twitching despite the unease. "I think we ignore them, not the river."
The stones beneath them shifted like puzzle pieces as they crossed. Each step was an uneven challenge. A reflection would reach out, whispering words from another life, tempting them to falter. Kael heard the echo of a Kael who had abandoned someone he loved. Lyra saw the image of herself, older, solitary, weighed down by fractures she hadn't fixed.
For a long moment, the world narrowed to footsteps, reflections, and the pulse of the river.
Lyra closed her eyes, focusing. "You're not real," she whispered to the images. "You're possibilities, not truths. I live here, not there."
The golden threads flared briefly, weaving into the river like bridges and stabilizing the stones just enough for them to keep moving.
Halfway across, the river surged. A wave of silver liquid rose, shimmering into humanoid shapes, each reflecting a memory, a fear, or a regret.
Kael swung his sword, though he knew the effort wouldn't slash through reflections. The shapes dissolved before he could touch them, leaving behind ripples that threatened to destabilize their footing.
"Keep your focus!" Lyra shouted. "One step at a time!"
They moved slowly, carefully, as the river's whispers intensified. Lyra felt a thread tug sharply at her mind, pulling her toward one reflection—the lonely version of herself, arms outstretched, asking for help she had never given. She faltered.
Kael's voice snapped through her panic. "Lyra! Focus! Don't let it pull you under!"
She blinked, and the reflection wavered, unable to hold her attention. She pressed forward, heart hammering, and the river reluctantly parted, allowing them to reach the far bank.
Breathless, Lyra looked back. The River of Echoes had settled again, still shimmering, still whispering, but for now, it had allowed them passage.
Kael slumped to a stone, exhaling. "That… was exhausting. I don't care how mystical it is."
Veyr, eyes on the water, said quietly, "This fracture isn't done with us. It will remember crossing it. And next time, it may not be so merciful."
Lyra nodded, gripping the map. "Then we prepare. Step by step, we'll face whatever comes."
A sudden rustle in the trees made all three freeze. A figure emerged from the mist, tall and slender, clothed in silver threads that flickered like starlight. A bow rested across their shoulders, eyes glowing faintly in the mist.
"Travelers," the figure said, voice like wind through leaves. "Few manage to cross the River of Echoes. Fewer still carry the weight that moves with you."
Lyra stepped forward, wary but unafraid. "Who are you?"
The figure smiled faintly, though it didn't reach the eyes. "A watcher, a guide if you are willing. But the river will test you again, and next time, it may demand more than courage."
Kael muttered, "Of course it will."
Lyra's pulse quickened. The map pulsed along with the river, golden threads reaching outward, whispering of challenges yet to come.
She glanced at Kael, then Veyr. "We move carefully," she said, determination sharpening her tone.
Veyr's mask caught the faint silver of the mist. "And we choose wisely," he replied.
Together, they advanced, leaving the River of Echoes behind while carrying its lessons and warnings with them..
Lyra felt the weight of her own resolve settle firmly in her chest—steady, unwavering, ready for whatever awaited beyond the mist.
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