Morning light broke through the trees, soft and calm.
Ethan stood quietly, staring at the cracked Fate Mark on his chest. It no longer felt like a curse—or a gift. It felt like a reminder.
A reminder that every step forward mattered.
Lyria joined him. "We can't keep running," she said gently.
Ethan nodded. "And we can't fight blindly."
The survivors from the broken world gathered around. Their leader spoke first.
"There is a place beyond the eastern mountains," he said. "A neutral ground where worlds meet. If answers exist, they'll be there."
Ethan felt the Fate Mark pulse—not in warning, but in agreement.
"Then that's where we go," he said.
The journey would be dangerous. Everyone knew that. But staying still was worse.
As they prepared to leave, villagers approached Ethan. Some thanked him. Others looked afraid.
Ethan bowed his head to all of them.
"I won't abandon this world," he promised.
As they walked toward the rising sun, the sky shifted slightly—just enough to remind them they were being watched.
The path ahead was unclear.
But for the first time, Ethan chose it willingly