Dawn was slowly breaking behind the eastern mountains, casting hues of pink and gold over the rolling plains the group was traversing. After the dark horrors of the City of Fear, the sight of the open horizon and the growing light brought a sense of relief to the weary companions.
Alyana led the way, occasionally reaching up to touch the five crystals now hanging from her necklace. Each glowed with a different color, like tiny stars plucked from another sky. Behind her, Icarus walked with measured steps, still recovering from the ordeal of the City of Fear. His pale face turned back every few minutes, as though fearing a pursuer only he could sense.
"Will you finally tell us what you saw in the Tower of Prochard?" Nayari asked softly as she drew closer to him, her violet eyes studying his features with restrained curiosity.
Icarus sighed, then spoke in a low voice, "I saw... the end of everything. I saw the City of Eclipse rise, the Eight unite, and the Eternal Tower pierce the sky. And the White Shadow... I saw its true face."
"And why did that frighten you so much?" Marissa asked, breaking her silence as she walked beside them, her golden eyes sharp like a hawk's, scanning the distant horizon.
"Because I..." Icarus trailed off, his lips trembling slightly. "Because I saw who the White Shadow truly is. And I saw all of our roles in the end. Some of us... some of us will betray."
A heavy silence fell over the group. Selene, who was walking with Limon at the front, turned to them with a worried look, the Crystal of Love on her chest pulsing with a soft pink glow, as if sensing the rising tension among them.
"None of us will betray, Icarus," Alyana said firmly, stopping to face the group. "We are here because we chose to be. The Bearers of the Crystals, the Guardians of Memory. What you saw may only be a possibility, one of many paths. But we are the ones who forge our own path."
[Your words are beautiful, Alyana. But fear grows in the hearts of those who lack complete understanding.]
The deep voice, both familiar and strange, echoed only in Alyana's mind. Cairn-the-Shadow, now distant, but always present in pivotal moments. He had chosen to remain in Idolith, guarding the First City while she sought to gather the seven Crystal Bearers.
"We'll stop in the village ahead," Limon said, pointing to a small cluster of wooden houses appearing on the horizon. "The Village of the Sheaves. Isolated from the Keepers' territories and relatively safe. We can resupply before continuing toward the Hermit's Pass."
"The Hermit's Pass?" asked Saria, the youngest among them and the newest member of the group, rescued from the Temple of Pain. "Are we crossing the Deep Echo?"
Limon nodded. "It's the only way to the Sixth City. It can't be reached from anywhere else."
"I've heard of the Deep Echo," Selene said, her brows furrowing with concern. "They say you hear echoes of your forgotten memories... and memories that haven't happened yet."
Saril shrugged indifferently. "After the Temple of Pain, I doubt there's anything left to scare me."
"Don't underestimate the power of memories," Alyana said quietly. "Pain comes and goes, but memories... memories last forever, even the ones we forget."
The conversation ceased as they approached the edge of the village. The Village of the Sheaves was simple and beautiful—houses scattered among golden wheat fields, children playing in the central square, and elders sitting under a massive tree in the heart of the village, chatting and smoking old pipes.
As the group drew near, a sudden silence fell. The children stopped playing, and the villagers stared at the strangers with a mix of curiosity and wariness. It was no surprise—seven strangers in unusual attire, armed and carrying crystals glowing with unnatural colors.
An old man rose from under the tree and approached them. He was tall and slender, his face lined like an ancient page, but his blue eyes were clear, holding the wisdom of many years.
"Welcome to the Village of the Sheaves," he said in a strong voice that belied his age. "I am the village guardian and elder. We welcome strangers, so long as they come in peace."
Limon stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "We come in peace, wise elder. We are travelers on a mission... one that reaches far beyond your beautiful village."
The old man smiled. "The Bearers of the Crystals, I presume? The five crystals on your neck speak for you, young lady."
He looked directly at Alyana, who was startled by his knowledge. "Yes... how did you know?"
"In this village, we remember what others have forgotten. The old tales, the lost legends. Fifty years ago, a woman passed through here carrying the first three crystals. Thirty years ago, a man with four. Ten years ago, a child with five. And now, you carry five once again."
"What happened to the others?" Nayari asked, her voice trembling.
"They never returned," the old man said simply. "But the world carried on, didn't it? That means, in some way, they succeeded."
The elder turned and gestured with his hand. "Come, rest in our village tonight. Tomorrow, my granddaughter Lyra will guide you to the start of the Hermit's Pass. She knows the way better than anyone."
"Why are you helping us?" Icarus asked cautiously. "We're strangers."
The old man smiled again, a deep smile filled with both sorrow and hope. "Because you carry the memory, my boy. And in a world built on forgetting, those who carry the memory are the only hope."
Moments later, the village gates opened to them. The villagers, initially reserved, quickly became surprisingly hospitable. A simple yet delicious meal was prepared for them, and the village guesthouse was cleared for their rest.
That evening, while her companions rested, Alyana stepped outside to breathe in the fresh air. The night was clear, and the stars glittered in the sky like tiny crystals.
"You're wondering about the Sixth City."
Alyana turned quickly to find a young girl standing behind her. She appeared to be about seventeen, with long blonde hair and deep gray eyes that held a wisdom far beyond her years.
"Lyra?" Alyana asked.
The girl nodded. "I'm the elder's granddaughter, yes. And I'll be guiding you tomorrow. But I think you want to know more about your destination, don't you?"
"Have you ever been to the Sixth City?"
Lyra shook her head. "I've never entered it. But I know its name. We call it 'Iranil'—the City of Sorrow. It is guarded by a solitary man who refused to forget, clinging to the memory of those he lost."
"The others who passed through here..." Alyana began.
"All failed to convince the Guardian of Sorrow," Lyra said quietly. "The Sixth Crystal hasn't left the City of Sorrow since the First Age of Forgetting."
"And why do you think we'll succeed?"
Lyra smiled a mysterious smile. "Because you are the first Bearers of the Crystals to carry 'the Heart.'"
"The Heart?"
"Selene. The Bearer of the Crystal of Love. The others carried the Crystals of Strength, Knowledge, Fear, Pain, and Dreams... but none carried the Crystal of Love. And the Guardian of Sorrow understands only one language—the deep loss that comes only from a great love." Alyana fell silent, contemplating the girl's words. In the distance, the peaks of the mountains surrounding the village loomed like giant shadows against the star-studded sky. Beyond those mountains, the Sixth City awaited, along with its guardian who refused to relinquish the memory of a loved one.
"Rest now," Lyra said, placing a hand on Alyana's shoulder with a strange tenderness. "Tomorrow marks the hardest part of your journey. Not because of the dangers, but because the Sixth City will test your hearts, not your strength."
When Alyana returned to the guesthouse, she found her companions in various states of rest. Limon was sharpening his sword in a quiet corner, Icarus was lost in a restless sleep, Nayari was gazing intently at her crystal, Sariel was dressing an old wound on his arm, and Selene sat alone near the window, her eyes closed in deep contemplation.
Alyana approached Selene and sat beside her.
"We'll need you tomorrow more than ever," Alyana whispered.
Selene slowly opened her eyes. "I know. The Crystal of Sorrow is a mirrored echo of the Crystal of Love. I can feel it calling to my crystal ever since we neared these mountains."
"Will you be able to face the Guardian of Sorrow?"
A faint smile crossed Selene's face. "Love and sorrow are two sides of the same coin, Alyana. You cannot understand the depth of love without grasping the possibility of the sorrow it may bring."
The next morning, the group gathered at the edge of the village, ready to set out. The village elder blessed their journey and provided them with supplies to last several days. Lyra, wearing a simple gray cloak, stood ready to accompany them.
"The path to the Hermit's Pass takes half a day," Lyra said, pointing to the ascending slope to the east. "I'll guide you to its entrance, then return. Only the bearers of the crystals can cross the Deep Echo."
"Are there any dangers along the way?" Limon asked, his eyes scanning the surroundings with practiced vigilance.
"Not the kind you expect," Lyra replied cryptically. "The only enemy on the path of peace is what you carry within yourself."
The seven companions, accompanied by Lyra, began their ascent toward the mountains. The path was clear at first, winding through flat, green meadows, but it gradually rose, twisting between massive rocks and sparse trees that defied the harshness of the highlands.
"Did all the others… die in the Sixth City?" Nayari asked Lyra as they walked side by side.
"No one knows for certain," Lyra replied. "My grandfather says they succeeded somehow, because the world continued. Perhaps they abandoned the quest for the Sixth Crystal and settled for what they had. Or maybe…" She paused briefly, "Maybe they became part of the city itself."
"What do you mean?"
"The City of Sorrow feeds on grief. Everyone who enters leaves a part of their heart there. Some… some leave their whole heart."
A heavy silence followed these words, and the group continued their ascent in quiet, each lost in thought. As the hours passed, the air grew colder, the sky clearer, and the surrounding view more breathtaking.
By midday, they reached a flat area at a high altitude, offering a panoramic view of the green valley they had left behind. On the other side, a deep fissure in the mountain, like a gaping wound, stretched into the heart of the rock.
"This is the Hermit's Pass," Lyra said, pointing to the rocky chasm. "The Deep Echo. It's said that a hermit lived here for hundreds of years, meditating on the echo of lost memories. When he died, he left his spirit in these rocks to guard the entrance to the City of Sorrow."
Lyra stopped at the entrance of the pass, looking at the group seriously. "This is as far as I can go. From here, you're on your own."
Alyana stepped forward and took the girl's hand. "Thank you, for everything — for you, your grandfather, and your wonderful village."
Lyra gave a faint, enigmatic smile. "The final battle will not be what you imagine. The White Shadow is not your true enemy. And the Eighth City is not what you think it is. Remember this when you stand before the gates of the City of Eclipse."
Before Alyana could ask more questions, Lyra turned and began descending the mountain, leaving the group standing at the mouth of the dark pass.
"Is everything in this world spoken in riddles?" Sariel muttered irritably.
"Only the important things," Marisa replied, stepping toward the pass. "Let's go. The Sixth Crystal awaits."
One by one, the seven companions entered the Hermit's Pass, leaving behind the warm rays of sunlight and advancing into the darkness that led to the City of Sorrow, where its guardian had been waiting for ages, clinging to an undying memory.