The light of the Great Tree gradually dimmed as Emiren ventured deeper into the Garden. His steps grew cautious, deliberate, for each path led to an unknown fate. The trees around him transformed—their leaves became translucent, like crafted glass, and their trunks shimmered with gold and silver hues. The air carried a faint whisper, like countless voices speaking at once.
Ahead, a wide circular clearing unfolded, with seven tall mirrors standing in its center. Each mirror was a different size, its frame adorned with intricate patterns resembling twisting branches. The mirror surfaces were still yet alive, pulsing faintly with a quiet light.
At the clearing’s edge stood a figure cloaked in the color of the night. Though the face was veiled in shadow, the voice that echoed was unmistakable.
“You have reached the mirrors, Emiren,” said Ardalys. “Here, you will not see who you are, but who you could become.”
Emiren stepped forward, his heartbeat echoing in his ears.
“What must I do?” he asked, his gaze fixed on the enigmatic mirrors.
“You will glimpse the reflections of your possibilities,” Ardalys replied. “Each mirror reveals a branch of your future. But remember: these are not destinies. They are only choices.”
The First Mirror: The Path of Solitude
Emiren approached the first mirror. Its surface began to shift, revealing a vivid scene. He saw himself, older, his hair streaked with silver and his face lined with age. He stood alone amidst the ruins of a great city, gripping a sword that radiated a faint blue light. Around him lay the shattered remnants of trees, their broken forms leaking a dark, viscous liquid.
“This is a future where you choose the path of battle,” Ardalys explained. “You become a warrior, a defender of the Garden. But your service comes at the cost of isolation.”
A chill ran through Emiren’s core, his hands unconsciously tightening into fists.
“Is loneliness my fate?” he asked quietly.
“No,” Ardalys answered. “It is the price of devotion. Your sacrifice preserves the Garden and the flow of time.”
The Second Mirror: The Path of Betrayal
Emiren turned to the second mirror. This time, the image was dazzling yet unsettling. He saw himself draped in gold, seated upon a grand throne as subjects knelt before him. The air seemed thick with reverence and power. Yet behind him, shadows moved—faces contorted in anger and fear, their silent accusations undeniable.
“This is a future where you ascend as a ruler,” Ardalys said, his voice edged with gravity. “But the throne demands a price. Your ambitions lead to betrayal, and others suffer for your rise.”
Emiren looked away, his chest heavy with the weight of what he had seen.
The Third Mirror: The Path of Creation
The third mirror revealed a vision unlike the others. Emiren stood in a vibrant, flourishing garden, reminiscent of the Eternal Garden but subtly different. The trees glowed with their own inner light, and golden stars rained gently from the sky. Around him, others worked, their hands weaving new branches of time, crafting destinies with care and precision.
“This is the path of the creator,” Ardalys said. “Here, you shape new worlds, nurturing the growth of time. But this path demands endless patience and unwavering dedication.”
Mirrors of Trials
The remaining mirrors offered glimpses of other fates. In the fourth, Emiren became a teacher, guiding new creators through the mysteries of the Garden. The fifth showed him as a wanderer, tirelessly seeking truths hidden across countless branches of time. The sixth reflected a simpler life—he walked away from the Garden, returned to his mortal world, and lived as though his gift had never existed.
But the seventh mirror was empty.
“Why does this one show nothing?” Emiren asked, puzzled.
“That is the mirror of freedom,” Ardalys explained. “It reflects no image because your path remains unwritten. It is yours to define.”
The Final Choice
Emiren stood in the clearing, surrounded by the silent mirrors. Each one beckoned to him, offering a unique future, a distinct purpose. Yet he understood that no choice would come without sacrifice.
“Remember,” Ardalys said softly. “You need not decide today. But every step you take is already shaping your destiny.”
Emiren felt something shift within him—a quiet certainty that no mirror alone could dictate his fate. He turned back to the seventh mirror and laid his hand upon its surface. For a moment, everything around him stilled, and then the clearing dissolved into a cascade of light.
When Emiren opened his eyes, he stood before a new path winding into the depths of the Garden. Though the way ahead was uncertain, he felt a quiet resolve within.
“I will choose my path when the time is right,” he whispered and took his first step forward, leaving the mirrors behind.