SHADOWBOUND HEARTS

Chapter Three

As Selene came out from the trial, the darkness of the forest started to recede. The weight that had oppressed her due to her fears was gone. Another challenge lay ahead. Her journey had just begun, and she knew trials awaited her at every step forward. In her return, the forest breathed again with her; the ancient trees whispered secrets decodable only by the moonlight.

With this, a feeling of apprehension overcame Selene. The clearing was now bathed in moonlight and the calm was unsettling. The air was still, the only sound being that of leaves rustling far away. She looked all around for some sign of the Sentinel or what her next challenge might be. All around her, the book of shadows was still with her, its dark cover an ominous reminder of the trials yet to come.

The silence was broken by the Sentinel's voice, authoritative yet faraway, piercing the stillness with a single tone. "Selene, your journey is not over yet. The next test will be one of self-confrontation and will test not only the resolution but the very core of your being."

Selene's heart plummeted. The first test had already been too much for her; the idea of something worse was terrifying. She breathed deeply, trying to calm herself. The Sentinel went on, speaking with a voice that seemed to fill the whole clearing with its echo.

"Understand, before you proceed, the nature of your own reflection. The next trial shall make you face that which in yourself you buried and denied."

A foreboding feeling washed over Selene. She had always struggled with her self-worth, and rejection by her pack had run pretty deep. Facing her reflection meant to meet once more her insecurities and doubts. It was a daunting task. But she knew she had to overcome this trial like all the others if she was going to prove herself.

He motioned to a stone arch that materialized in the center of the clearing, its face etched with complicated carvings. "Step through this archway, and you will find yourself within a place where your reflection is tested."

Selene nodded, her resolve tightening. She went to the archway; its stones were cold to her touch. As she passed through, a mist swept around her, whirling about her as if to sweep her into some other world. Everything around her began to blur and she felt herself being whirled into some gigantic, hollow space bathed in light of soft, nebulous color.

In the centre of this weird world was a huge, ornate mirror that had delicate carvings at its frame. The surface of the mirror was misty, and Selene could barely make out her reflection. Her heart thudded away in the cage of her chest as she approached cautiously.

As she peered into the mirror, the mist started to clear to detail her reflection sharply. What came in its place was certainly not what she had expected to see. Distorted, dark, and like a shadow of herself, it laughed at her, jeered. Its eyes were so cold and emotionless, and its expression—one of disdain.

"Do you see what you have become?" the reflection asked, its voice a chilling echo of Selene's own. "Do you see the failure and weakness you have tried so hard to hide?"

Selene's breath caught at the throat as the words from the reflection hit into her very core insecurities. It was as if a wave of despair had washed over her. The self-hate and doubt mauling her for so long seemed to find their vivid form staring back at her from the looking glass.

"You were never meant to succeed," the reflection continued. "You are nothing but a failure, cast aside and rejected. Your efforts will be in vain, and you'll never be enough."

Selene's hands were shaking as she reached out to the mirror, and her heart went with so much weight brought upon by the reflection's words. So much time was lost trying to prove one's self, yet here she was—subject to this shredding judgment. The mirror seemed to magnify her fears, and hopelessness overwhelmed her.

But then, a spark of determination seemed to light up in her. She remembered the words Eamon had told her about facing her own darkness and the strength he had found during the first trial. She took a deep breath, and that brought her to stand up and face whatever reflection was in front of her.

"No," Selene said, quite firm in her words but steady in the core, amidst all that turmoil. "I will not be governed by my fears, insecurities, or you."

As she spoke, the image of the reflection began to blur out as the mist started to swirl around her chaotically. There came a soft, encouraging voice, replacing the taunting one. The expression in the reflection softened, and the mirror started to clear up once more.

"You have shown strength in the face of your own darkness," spoke the reflection now, tinged with a note of approval. "You are strong enough to overcome your doubts, as well as to forge your way."

The steam around the mirror began to clear, and the twisted features of his reflection dissipated. The mirror resumed its normal form, and Selene was looking back at herself, her face free of all the shadows that half-hidden doubts cast upon it.

Selene stepped back from the mirror with relief. The blank space around her began to fade, and the familiar surroundings of the clearing replaced them. The archway was gone, and before her eyes stood the Sentinel.

"You have crossed the second trial," the Guardian spoke, this time with a respect in their voice. "You had the power to look upon yourself and face your doubts that have been haunting you. This is a tremendous step in your journey forward."

With her head still nodding furiously, Selene felt very much rejuvenated and now with a newly found purpose to move on. She had gotten the worst of her fears in life over with and was now out the other side. The test had been hard but turned out to show her the inner strength and stamina she possessed.

The Sentinel continued, "Remember, the trials will continue testing you in manifold aspects. Every obstacle put before you is the opportunity for growth and to prove your worth in facing your fears and embracing the journey ahead."

Selene thanked the Sentinel before she took a deep breath for the next challenge. She was very certain that her ordeal was far from over, but at the same time, she appeared more confident and determined than she had been before. The way before her would be a long one, but she was up for anything that awaited her.

As Selene weaved her way back to the clearing, she felt that her determination ran over in her mind. The tests had faced her in ways that would be far-fetched for her to believe, but they had also shown her the possible strength in herself. She was determined to go on her path, do what was next, and prove she was worthy enough to stay on her place in the world.