Melania stood at the edge of a collapsing abyss. Outwardly, the world appeared unchanged, but inside, time pulsed like a heart unsure whether to beat or stop. Flamen flashes cut through the air, marking the boundary between the past and the future. Everything in this place screamed of the choice she had to make, of its irreversibility.
“You hesitate, but time doesn’t wait,” a voice suddenly echoed, startling Melania so much she barely caught her breath.
The speaker was a young man with deep eyes, seemingly bottomless like eternity itself. His face looked familiar, yet her memories refused to reveal any details. He held a lamp in his hands, its light writhing as though it longed to escape but remained trapped within the crystalline sphere.
“I am a guide. Neither foe nor friend. Merely one who stands by in moments of decision.”
Melania sighed, feeling her body tense. Every encounter with new figures in this realm brought a new lesson or trial, but this young man felt different—neither threatening nor welcoming, but expectant.
“And you’ve come to tell me what to do?” she challenged.
“No. The choice is yours alone. But know this: your decision will open doors that can never be closed again.”
Melania’s gaze shifted to the lamp in his hands. The light it emitted was captivating yet unsettling at the same time.
“What is it?”
“The Fire of Decisions,” the young man replied, extending the lamp closer. “The one who holds it can uncover what is hidden. But be cautious. The light doesn’t just reveal truths; it also burns away what hides in shadows.”
Melania stepped forward, cautiously reaching toward the lamp. Her fingers had not yet touched the glass, but already she felt its warmth, a heat that pierced her, awakening visions of countless possibilities.
“How will I know I’m choosing the right path?” she asked, doubt creeping into her heart once again.
“There is no right or wrong. Only consequences,” the young man raised the lamp, and its light fell on Melania’s face, forcing her to close her eyes for a moment.
When she opened them, the world around her had changed. Before her was a scene from the past: two children sitting on a riverside, herself and… her brother, whom she had lost so many years ago. His laughter rang clear, and in his hands was a wooden toy she had given him before everything changed.
“The past is what you fear losing forever,” the young man’s voice echoed. “But time doesn’t tolerate fear. You must learn not only to see it but to let it go.”
“Why are you showing me this?” Melania’s voice broke as she watched the vision dissolve, leaving only the shadow of her brother’s image.
“Because you seek truth but fear destroying what you believe defines you.”
The light in the lamp shifted—it turned blood-red, and now a different vision unfolded before Melania. She stood amidst ruins, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of those she once called allies. Her own hands were stained with blood, and in her eyes burned a fire she did not recognize.
“This is the future you will create if you choose a path without restraint,” the young man continued. “Time is no toy, and every choice you make weaves a new thread that could become a snare.”
Melania lowered her gaze, struggling against a wave of despair. But then, she lifted her head, feeling something new stir within her—resolve.
“I know what I want,” she said, reaching out for the lamp. Her fingers brushed the glass, and the world exploded into light, washing away visions, doubts, and fears.
The young man nodded, his face filled with approval.
“You are ready now. But remember, every step forward burns the bridges behind you.”
Melania gripped the lamp tighter, feeling it become part of her. And as the world returned to her, she was no longer the same person she had been.