The night deepened, and the air in the Shadow Realm carried a metallic tang of blood, weaving through the broken walls and into their very hearts. Lin Ruoqing and Murdoch stood at the edge of the rift opened by the Heart Seal, feeling the raw distortion of time and space twisting around them.
"We can't hesitate any longer," Murdoch's voice was iron-clad, unwavering. "Lysander is trying to merge all timelines into one. Only by destroying the Dark Altar can we prevent catastrophe."
Ruoqing clenched her fists, emotions a chaotic storm inside her. Past selves and her present self tangled, uncertainty battling resolve.
"You promised you'd stay with me, no matter who I become," she looked up at Murdoch. "Are you willing to walk with me till the end?"
His gaze burned with fierce determination. "I will never leave you."
Meanwhile, in another fold of time, Lysander stood before the Dark Altar, his blood-threaded white robes flowing in the unseen wind. His hands traced the arcane sigils carved into the altar's cold surface. His eyes held the weight of secrets and a promise of ruin.
"At the end of time, there is no escape," he whispered, voice slicing the silence like a blade.
Beside him, the woman with stitched lips stepped forward, holding an ancient mirror etched with forgotten runes.
"All is ready, my lord," she intoned.
Lysander smiled, a chilling curve of lips. "Then let it begin."
Back in the crumbling chapel, Ruoqing and Murdoch descended into a hidden passage beneath the altar—said to be the nexus between worlds.
"Legend says this is the key point where two realities meet," Ruoqing murmured. "If the altar activates, the boundary between life and death will shatter."
"We must move fast," Murdoch urged.
Hand in hand, they ventured through the narrow corridor bathed in the eerie glow of ancient glyphs whispering untold truths.
Suddenly, a chill swept through the tunnel. At its end, a heavy door creaked open.
A familiar figure stood silhouetted in the dim light—the silver-thread bound girl from another timeline, a mirror image of Ruoqing herself.
"You… why are you here?" Ruoqing's voice trembled.
The girl met her gaze, sorrow deep in her eyes. "I was saved, but trapped here. You have to stop Lysander."
"We'll do it together." Their hands clasped tightly, strength surging between them.
At the Dark Altar, Lysander began the ritual, the air thickening as crimson light spread, time seeming to freeze.
"Come, the end of all time," he intoned.
Just as the ritual neared completion, Ruoqing, Murdoch, and the other Ruoqing burst in, striking at the altar's heart.
A brilliant explosion of light erupted, time itself shaking violently.
Lysander roared in rage. "You cannot stop me!"
"Love is stronger than your darkness," Ruoqing said, unwavering.
The light faded. The altar shattered. The boundary between worlds was restored.
After the ritual, the three Ruoqings embraced as the rift began to seal.
Murdoch looked at Ruoqing softly. "This is only the beginning. More challenges await."
Ruoqing smiled, determination blazing in her eyes. "No matter what the future holds, I'm willing to face it with you."