Episode 41 — The New Dial
November 17, 1945 — 3:30 AM
> The Codex vibrated one last time, ready to launch them into the next time jump, a place where shadow and light would mingle even more closely, testing their will to its absolute limits.
The Codex vibrated violently in the center of the collapsed Buddhist sanctuary, projecting green glyphs into the air like a firework of energy. The Guardian, invisible but perceptible, waited for Clarisse and Léandre to cross the boundary of the final test.
Before they could think, the Codex vortex opened again, engulfing their figures. The world seemed to bend and twist around them, every breath, every step, every heartbeat mingling with a bright, menacing green light.
"Borax... guide us!" Leander shouted, as the void sucked them in.
In their minds, the monk's voice echoed:
"Stay calm. This time, the test will be even more complex. You must anticipate the shadow and your own reactions."
They emerged into a strange space: an unfamiliar city, yet familiar in its structure. Modern buildings mingled with ancient ruins. Broken towers and statues coexisted with avenues and vehicles. The Codex floated before them, pulsing and drawing a circle of light on the ground, showing them the direction to follow.
"Where are we now?" Clarisse asked.
"It doesn't matter... for the Guardian, every place is a trap," Leander replied. "He tests our reflexes, our will, our unity."
The Guardian conjured up its first obstacles: dark silhouettes looming from all sides, combining elements from different eras, from ancient warriors to modern soldiers, and even fantastical creatures emerging from the shadows. Each attack was synchronized with the vibration of the Codex.
"Concentration!" Borax whispered in their minds. "Shadows are useless against a united and determined mind."
Clarisse channeled the entity's energy into herself, projecting a protective green halo that deflected the attacks. Leander used the Codex to create temporary passages, distorting the space around them to protect them from the Guardian's traps.
The Guardian increased the pressure. The walls themselves seemed to move, streets appeared and disappeared, and visions of the past and future mingled, trying to disorient them. Clarisse felt the entity shudder: it wanted to act on instinct, but it had to remain under control.
"We must move forward," Leander said. "Even if the world bends and breaks, we must stay together."
In the center of a distorted square, a large clock without hands stood. The Codex indicated the entrance to a nearby building, almost intact, though suspended between several realities. The Guardian had never experienced such a complex passage. Every step in this distorted place was a struggle against gravity, against the perception of time, against their own instincts.
"This is where the Guardian wants our final decision," Clarisse murmured. "Total fusion with the entity or measured control?"
Leander nodded.
"We no longer have a choice. But we know how to fight… and Benjamin is always watching."
The Codex pulsed, ready to project again, but this time, it wasn't just a matter of surviving the ordeal. They had to choose their approach, understand the nature of the shadow, and anticipate the Guardian. The test that lay ahead was mental, physical and spiritual all at once.