Tarik moved forward, surrounded by darkness that seemed to breathe and live with a will of its own. Though his steps were steady, his thoughts spun chaotically. What did the voice’s words mean? Accept himself? What was that supposed to signify?
The darkness began to change. At first, it was solid, almost tangible, like a thick fog. But now, faint flickers of light appeared, flashing and vanishing like distant stars in an endless sky. Each flicker stirred a new wave of emotions within him—fear, hope, sorrow.
He stopped when he saw a shimmering light ahead, brighter than the rest. It seemed to call to him, promising answers he had sought for so long. Yet with that promise came a sense of unease. Something about the light felt wrong, as though it was testing his resolve.
“Am I ready?” he thought, feeling fear rise within him once more.
The light grew larger, transforming into a radiant portal that appeared to open a path into an unknown world. A faint whisper came from within, inaudible yet unmistakably real—it was the voice of truth.
“Do you still hesitate?” The voice from before echoed in his mind.
Tarik flinched but quickly regained his composure.
“I do not hesitate. I am ready,” he said aloud, though even he was uncertain of his own words.
“Ready?” The voice softened, almost gentle. “Then step forward and see what you fear to face.”
Tarik took a step toward the portal, and the world around him shifted. The suffocating darkness vanished, and he found himself standing in a vast field bathed in soft light. Everything was still and serene, yet within that tranquility lurked a hidden tension.
Before him stood a figure—a perfect replica of himself. It wore the same clothes, bore the same features, but its eyes held a different fire, something unnerving and raw.
“Who are you?” Tarik asked, his voice trembling.
“I am you,” the figure replied. Its voice was calm, yet each word rang in his mind like a tolling bell. “I am what you hide. I am what you fear.”
A shiver ran down Tarik’s spine.
“What do I fear?”
“You fear the truth. You fear that you are not as strong as you wish to appear. You fear your mistakes, your past. You fear that you may never find the answers you seek because you avoid them yourself.”
The figure stepped closer, and in its eyes, Tarik saw all the things he had long avoided within himself: weakness, doubt, the pain he carried through his life.
“But I’m here to change that,” Tarik said firmly, though his voice betrayed a slight tremor.
The figure smiled faintly.
“If you wish to change, you must first accept. Accept yourself as you are. Only then can you become what you are meant to be.”
Tarik was silent. He understood that this was the most difficult trial he had ever faced. But now he knew it was necessary.
He reached out toward the figure, and the world around him began to fade. The figure’s final words echoed in his ears before everything dissolved:
“Accept yourself, and you will find the way.”