Emiren walked along the path that led him deeper into the garden’s darkness. The air grew colder, and the trees around him seemed to hide in the shadows stretching from the ground to the sky. Each step echoed loudly in the silence that enveloped him. It was so deep that even the wind, which had previously whispered through the branches, suddenly ceased.
He didn’t know how much time had passed since he left the light and the bright paths leading to familiar places. Now, this new path was not only dark but also filled with silence that swallowed every thought, every sound. It felt as if even his breath became part of this lifeless space.
“What am I searching for?” he asked himself. And there was no answer to that question. He wasn’t searching for answers; he was just walking. And that was enough.
Meeting the Shadows
Suddenly, in front of him, as if from nowhere, appeared a figure. It was low and almost invisible against the darkness, but it was clear that it was not just a shadow. It wasn’t fully alive, but it wasn’t entirely dead either. Emiren tried to stop, but the figure was already beside him.
“You are walking the right path, but just remember that here, in this garden, nothing is what it seems,” said a voice that didn’t belong to any human. It wasn’t language, it was something more—time speaking, vibrating through every cell of his body.
Emiren paused, not knowing whether to ask more questions or continue walking in silence. But his curiosity prevailed, and he couldn’t stop himself from asking:
— Who are you?
— I am the Ocean of Shadows, — the figure replied. — I live where there is no light. I am what remains after every choice, what you leave behind. But is it really left behind? Or does it still follow you?
Emiren felt his heart race. He didn’t understand the meaning of her answer, but the more he listened, the more those words penetrated his soul, becoming part of him.
— I leave nothing behind, — he said quietly.
— And you are right. But do you know that the choices you did not make, and the ones you have yet to make, are also part of your journey? They leave a mark in time. A mark that sometimes returns and finds you.
The Light That Shatters Darkness
Suddenly, in the middle of the darkness, a light flashed. At first, it was weak, but gradually it grew, until it became blinding. It was a strange light, unlike the usual sunlight. It didn’t just illuminate the surroundings; it was part of the darkness itself, as if it was meant to be this way.
Emiren closed his eyes, but the light seeped through his eyelids, filling all his thoughts and sensations. And when he opened his eyes again, there was another man standing before him. His figure was clear and bright, like the light that filled the entire garden.
— Do you feel how time is changing? — asked the new man, whose face was hidden under a hood.
— Yes, — Emiren replied, although he didn’t quite understand what was being said.
The man slowly raised his hand, and a flame appeared in his fingers. His gaze was calm and penetrating, like the sea that knows no storm.
— The time you leave behind can turn and become your enemy, — he said. — But it can also become your friend if you learn to listen to it.
Emiren felt these words slowly seep into his mind. He didn’t know if he was ready for this. Could he really change his past? Or could it change him?
The Crossroad of Choices
Suddenly, a fork in the path appeared before him. One path led to a world of light, radiating warmth and peace, while the other led to a dark valley, where even the trees seemed dead and the ground was cold and heavy. Far off in the mist, he saw a figure resembling Ardalys, standing at the top of one of these paths.
— These are your paths, — said the man, whose light had now become part of Emiren. — You can choose the way that leads to more light, but be careful. There may also be a temptation there that will consume you. Or you can choose the darkness, where there is still a chance to find your truth, but this path will be long and difficult.
Emiren looked at these paths. And suddenly, it became clear to him that every choice would no longer be just a road, but a fate.