Emiren walked without stopping. The path twisted more, and the trees around him changed, growing larger, their bark taking on new colors. He didn’t feel tired, even though he couldn’t understand how much time had passed. The sense of being in another world, outside of time, became increasingly evident to him.
But the deeper he went into this place, the more questions arose, with no answers in sight. He realized that before him lay not just a path, but an entire reality where he was not only part of nature but also one who shaped it. Every step he took was now a choice, and this caused both fear and awe.
Suddenly, amid the trees, in the dense shadow, another figure appeared. It was indistinct at first, like a mirage, but with every step it became more defined.
The Legend of the Shadow
As the figure drew closer, Emiren saw a face that carried a mix of calm and sorrow. It was a woman, but her features were less material, more like a phantom. She wore no usual clothing, just flowing robes that seemed to absorb the surrounding light.
“You’ve come far, Creator,” she said, her voice calm, but carrying a chill, “far more than your dream or your choice could have predicted.”
“Who are you?” Emiren asked, feeling his heart race. “And why are you here?”
“I am Lena, the Guardian of the Shadow,” she replied. “Those who shape time must meet with those who don’t allow it to be infinite. I watch over this garden, ensuring it does not become an endless void without purpose.”
“Shadow?” he repeated. “How is that possible? How is it connected to my choice?”
Lena smiled softly, but her smile was not one of joy. She gestured to the trees around them.
“Shadow is not just darkness. It is the other side of what you see. The choice you favor becomes the light, but this bright path has its dark side. You want to change the future, but I am here to ensure that you don’t lose what you have already gained. Shadow is part of every branch. If you remove it, the branch becomes unnatural and breaks.”
Approaching Balance
Emiren paused. He realized he had never thought of time as something that had both a light and a dark side. And now this dark side was his trial. His desire to change the future, to make things right, had never seemed to carry such a cost.
“What do you want from me?” he asked, feeling a new wave of unease.
Lena looked at him, and in her eyes reflected not just darkness but also a soft light that pulsed deep within the garden.
“I want you to understand: every choice you make has balance. If you wish to change one thing, you change another. Shadow will never disappear. It will be your companion until you learn to live with it.”
She extended her hand, and from the darkness appeared another object—a small branch, resembling the one he had held before. But this one was black, with light at its core, shimmering in various shades.
“Take this branch,” said Lena. “It is your choice, your shadow. Only when you learn to reconcile with what you cannot change, will your actions be true.”
The Path to Understanding
Emiren took the branch in his hands, feeling it grow heavier, yet it gave him an extraordinary sense of power. It was part of him, part of his choice. He understood that now, he stood on the edge of a great understanding.
“Now you are ready,” said Lena, her figure beginning to fade. “Your shadow and your light will be together until you find the path to true harmony.”
Emiren looked at the branch and took a deep breath. He didn’t know what lay ahead, but he felt that now he was prepared. His choice had been made, and this path was the only one he could walk forward on.
And although the shadow remained with him, he knew that this was his trial. Only through understanding it could he truly change time.