He turned to the street, his eyes searching for the church that had once been nothing but ruins. But what he saw made his heart leap in his chest. The church was filled with worshipers! People were exiting in peace, as if they had just finished a communal prayer.

  He stood in shock, then slowly approached the church, trying to understand what was happening. He entered and found everything as it had been. The church, fully furnished, and the monk who had always looked at him with a reproachful gaze, as if waiting for him to say, "Why were you late for prayer?"

  He lifted his gaze to the ceiling, only to discover that there was no trace of the destruction he had seen before. Suddenly, he remembered the dark cellar he had disappeared into. He ran outside, rushing into the street, questioning: "What is happening to me? Has time changed? Have the events outrun me?"

  In utter confusion, he stood frozen, then searched with his eyes for a place to rest. He sat on a small rock, placing his hands on his head, trying to gather his thoughts. Faint whispers and soft laughs echoed in his ears, coming and going, as if shaking every part of his being.

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  He looked at the coastline, where the sun was slowly setting, and the birds were returning to their nests, flying across the horizon.

  Then, suddenly, he felt something unnatural. He turned to find "Seraphin" approaching him once again.

  His heart began to pound violently, his blood boiling in his veins. The heat of anger rose within him, and without thinking, he began running swiftly toward Seraphin. He remembered the sword still hanging by his side, gripping it tightly, sparks flying from his eyes.

  With a voice charged with fury, he said:

  “Finally, I’ll meet you!”

  He raised the sword into the air, intending to strike him hard, determined to sever his head.

  But the surprise was greater than he had expected. Before the sword could reach its target, Seraphin suddenly vanished, as if the earth had swallowed him.

  The force of the strike threw him off balance, and he fell to the ground, stunned, terrified by what he had just witnessed.

  He quickly jumped to his feet, his eyes scanning in every direction, but there was no trace of Seraphin.

  What is happening?! Is this the creature he’s been chasing from the beginning? Was it all just an illusion?

  He grabbed his sword violently, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and confusion.

  He walked toward the sea, adorned by the beauty of the setting sun, yet inside, he carried an unbearable weight.

  He sat on the shore, letting his hands sink into the sand as tears fell from his eyes—burning, like a child who had lost his sense of safety.