The aftermath of the figure's attack left the village in an eerie silence. The mist had receded, but the oppressive atmosphere lingered like a heavy fog in Ezra's mind. His body ached from the force of the dark energy that had slammed into him, and the world around him seemed to spin as his thoughts collided.
Meliodas was the first to push himself up, his broken blade gripped tightly in his hand, his stance unwavering. "That was no ordinary being," he muttered, wiping blood from his lip. "We've been dealing with forces beyond what we could've anticipated."
Escanor, though still shaken, stood tall, his golden light flickering briefly as he regained his composure. "The power it wielded... I've felt something similar before. But this... this wasn't just a physical attack. It was something far deeper."
Ezra could feel it too. The force of the figure's power hadn't just affected his body—it had dug into his soul, the energy burrowing deep within him like a seed of dread. Something had shifted, and he wasn't sure whether it was his strength or his very essence that had been altered.
The Watcher had been right. This wasn't about winning anymore. They were up against a force that manipulated fate itself. And the price of their interference was becoming all too clear.
Ezra's mind flickered to the countdown. The hours were slipping away faster than he could grasp, and each passing moment brought him closer to whatever this larger, unseen game was leading him toward.
[Countdown to the Main Story: 135,340 Hours]
"This isn't just about us," Ezra said, his voice firm, though a tinge of uncertainty lay just beneath the surface. "We've stumbled into something far bigger than we thought. We've been walking in the shadow of a force that has been guiding us all along."
Merlin, who had been standing at the edge of the group, staring into the distance, now turned to face them. Her eyes were narrowed, calculating. "I've known for a while that we weren't just dealing with demons, or some outside enemy. The system—our powers—are tied to something far older, far more dangerous. But the Watcher's involvement... that's something I didn't expect."
Escanor's frown deepened. "So, we've been pawns?"
"Not exactly," Merlin replied, her gaze flickering to Ezra. "We've been part of something larger than ourselves. The Watcher, the system... they've been guiding our actions, pushing us toward something. It's like a game of fate, and the rules have been set in stone for longer than we know."
Ezra turned toward her, his jaw tight. "And what does that mean for us?"
Merlin's expression darkened. "It means that whatever we're doing, we're walking a path laid out for us. We might be making our own choices, but we're still on the track the Watcher and whatever entity controls this system have planned. It's not our battle to win—it's theirs."
Ezra couldn't shake the feeling that they were all just chess pieces on a board too large to understand. He'd felt the pull of destiny his whole life, but now, it felt suffocating, like he was bound to a force that was both his ally and his enemy.
Meliodas let out a quiet sigh. "We need to press on. We've seen the cost of stepping away. The Watcher won't stop. And if we do nothing, we risk more lives, more villages. We have no choice but to follow through."
Ezra clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. "Then we move forward. But we do it on our terms. We fight back against this game."
The group set their course toward the heart of the disturbance—the source of the power that had summoned the figure. But as they moved through the village ruins, a growing sense of dread gnawed at the edges of Ezra's thoughts. He could feel it now—the dark energy that hung over them, whispering of the price they would have to pay.
The closer they got to the source, the more tangible the tension became. The air thickened with an unnatural presence, something ancient and malevolent that pressed down on them like a weight. Every step felt like it was leading them further into the unknown, further into the heart of this twisted fate.
Night fell again, but the sky above them was different—dark, unnatural clouds swirling in a pattern that resembled an eye. A watchful, knowing eye that seemed to be tracking their every move.
Ezra's heart raced. "What is that?"
Merlin's face was pale, and her eyes were fixed on the sky with growing concern. "That's not natural. It's like the Watcher is opening its eye—its gaze. It's watching everything."
Meliodas's voice was calm, but the weight of his words was undeniable. "And it won't stop until it gets what it wants."
Escanor stepped forward, his usual confidence now tempered by the growing unease. "We've walked into the heart of it, haven't we? This place... it's the core. The center of all this power."
Ezra nodded, feeling a cold shiver crawl down his spine. "This is it. The place where everything converges."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, a deep rumble that shook the earth. The sky above flickered with flashes of lightning, and the winds howled like banshees. In the distance, they saw it—a massive figure rising from the shadows. It was not just the Watcher, but something far larger, more primal. It was the embodiment of the force they had been facing all along.
A massive creature, its form shifting between shadows and light, its very presence radiating power. Its eyes glowed with a malicious, all-knowing intensity.
And it spoke, its voice not just heard but felt, vibrating through the ground and into their bones.
"You cannot escape. Your fate is already sealed."
Ezra's grip on his sword tightened. "We'll see about that."
But even as he spoke, he felt the weight of the words sink in. This wasn't just a battle for survival. It was a battle for their very will—against an entity that had already decided their fate.
And the clock was ticking. Time was running out faster than they could fight. But for Ezra, one thing was clear—this battle was only beginning.
[Countdown to the Main Story: 135,300 Hours]