Page 18 of Favored By the Stars

"A journey through reflections," I murmured, recalling the guardians' words. "To test the strength of one's inner sight."

Steeling myself, I stepped through the obsidian doorway. The world twisted and warped around me, and suddenly I was face-to-face with... myself. But not as I was now. This was a version of me consumed by darkness, eyes glowing with malevolent power, hands dripping with blood and shadow.

The dark reflection sneered. "You can't escape what you truly are," it hissed. "Embrace the power. Let it consume you."

I recoiled, heart pounding. Was this my destiny? To become a monster, drunk on the very power I sought to control?

But before I could respond, the scene shifted again. The shadows that had been pouring off my hands becoming something more tangible as my form shifted. Now I saw myself standing tall and proud, wielding both moon and sun magic with effortless grace. This version radiated hope and strength, a beacon of light in a world of shadows.

"You have the power to change everything," this reflection said, voice gentle but firm. "But only if you have the courage to accept who you are."

As I struggled to make sense of what I was seeing, I realized the true nature of this trial. I realized the trial was about understanding the future's malleability. My choices, my actions, would shape the person I would become.

I closed my eyes, centering myself amidst the swirling shadows. While I still held on to my focus, I declared, "I am neither savior nor destroyer. My destiny is my own to forge." My voice was surprisingly steady, much steadier than I felt, that was for sure.

The shadows flickered and faded, leaving me standing in a vast, empty chamber. Mirrors lined the walls, each one showing a different version of myself. Some were familiar, others utterly foreign. But as I gazed at them, I realized they were all me, every possibility, every choice.

I approached the nearest mirror, studying the reflection within. This Senara wore the regalia of the Moon Court, her eyes alight with wisdom and sorrow. As our gazes met, I felt a rush of understanding, confirmation of my earlier realization. This was a path I could choose, but not one I was bound to.

Moving to the next mirror, I saw myself adorned in gleaming armor, the Sun Blade at my hip. This Senara stood tall, a leader of armies. Another possibility, another choice.

Mirror after mirror, I passed, each one offering a glimpse of a different future. Some filled me with hope, others with dread. But with each reflection, my resolve grew stronger. I would not be defined by any single image of myself.

As I reached the final mirror, I paused. The surface was clouded, indistinct. I could barely make out my form within it.

"Show yourself," I commanded, instinct making me reach out and place my hand against the cool glass.

The mist within the mirror swirled, coalescing into a shape. But before I could see what it revealed, a deafening crack split the air. The mirror shattered, shards flying everywhere.

I stumbled back, shielding my face from the spray of glass. As the small pieces rained down around me, I felt a sudden, searing pain across my palm. I looked down to see a thin line of blood welling up where a shard had sliced my skin.

The cut stung, but something about it felt...different. As I watched, the blood shimmered with an otherworldly light, a mixture of silver and gold that pulsed in time with my heartbeat.

The glowing blood moved of its own accord, flowing off my hand and into the air. It hung there for a moment, suspended like liquid starlight, before darting towards the shattered mirror.

As it touched the broken frame, the blood spread out, filling the space where the glass had been. It shimmered and solidified, forming a new surface that was neither glass nor metal, but something in between.

"What in the name of the Moon Goddess..." I whispered, transfixed by the sight.

I approached cautiously, drawn by an inexplicable pull. The mirror's new surface rippled like water, and as I gazed into it, I saw...everything. Every possible future. Every potential path. I saw them all layered atop one another in a dizzying kaleidoscope of possibility.

But there, at the center of it all, was a single, clear image. It was me, but not as I had ever seen myself before. This version of me stood at the convergence of moon and sun, shadow and light. Power radiated from her, from me, in waves, but it wasn't the corrupting force I had feared. It was balance, harmony, a perfect fusion of opposing forces.

As I stared into the mirror, transfixed by the vision of my potential future self, the image began to shift and blur. The edges of reality seemed to waver, and suddenly I felt a tugging sensation, as if some unseen force was trying to pull me into the mirror itself.

I tried to step back, but my feet wouldn't move. The pull grew stronger, and I felt myself being drawn inexorably forward. My heart raced as panic set in. Was this part of the trial, or had something gone terribly wrong?

Just as I was about to be pulled completely into the mirror, a familiar voice cut through the chaos.

"Senara!" Thorn's voice rang out, filled with urgency and concern. "Senara, where are you?" Kaelyn's voice followed shortly after his, calling my name with equal pleading.

I tried to call out to him, but no sound escaped my lips. The mirror's surface rippled like water as it drew me closer and closer. I could feel the cool touch of its strange substance against my skin as it enveloped me.

In that moment of desperation, I made a choice. Instead of fighting against the pull, I embraced it. If this was my path, I would face it head-on. I took a deep breath and allowed myself to be drawn fully into the mirror.

The world around me exploded into a cacophony of light and sound. Images flashed by faster than I could process them, glimpses of possible futures, paths not taken, lives I might have lived. Voices filled my ears, some familiar, some foreign, some were even of children I'd probably never know. It was overwhelming, disorienting, and yet somehow exhilarating.

And then, as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. I stood in a vast, empty space. No, not empty. Soft, silvery mist swirled around my feet, filling the space. In the distance, I could make out a figure approaching through the fog.

---