Through Light and Shadow

Chapter 12

Destiny.

It slammed into me like a strike of lightning—rage igniting, consuming the warmth in an instant. "Stop!" The shout burst from me, raw and sharp. My hands clenched, nails biting into my palms. "Just—stop. I can't—"

The word was a trigger—bomb detonated.

Every mention of it was another weight, another expectation piled on shoulders already crumbling under the strain. Destiny, destiny, destiny. Like my life wasn't mine anymore. Like everyone else knew what I was supposed to be except me.

Child.

The voice brushed against my skin like a calming breeze, ancient yet tender. It filled the hollow spaces inside me, sinking into the cracks where fear festered. My breath hitched.

No need to fear, it murmured, the sound weaving around me like a lullaby from another time. No need to worry. Everything unfolds as it must, for the greater good.

My throat tightened, chest burning with frustration and helplessness. "Greater good?" I whispered. "What good comes from throwing me into this? I never asked for it!"

The tree's leaves rustled, not with reprimand but with understanding—as if it felt the ache in my voice. You, my child, the voice softened further, are not here by chance. You are a fragment of this world itself. You belong. Though distance kept you apart for a time, the thread of your being was always woven into this land.

Belong. The word hit something deep, cracking the wall I had built around myself.

It is never too late, the tree continued, warmth spreading through every word, and you are not lost. You are designed with purpose. The calling would not have come if your heart was not ready, even if your mind lingers in doubt.

Tears pricked at my eyes. Ready? I didn't feel ready—if anything, I felt like I was unraveling. But the voice didn't judge or rush me. It was patient, as if time itself bent to give me space to breathe.

"I... don't know if I can do this," I choked out. "What if I mess it up?"

Fear is not failure, the tree replied gently. Doubt is not defeat. To question is to care—and that, child, is where strength begins. You carry more within you than you know. Trust that when you falter, the path will hold you steady.

A sob slipped free, shoulders sagging as the tightness in my chest eased, even if just a little.

You would not be here if you were not meant to be, the voice added, like a hand resting reassuringly on my shoulder. You are not alone in this journey, nor will you walk it blind. Answers will find you when the time is right. For now... breathe. Let the weight fall, if only for a moment.

I closed my eyes, drawing in a shaky breath. The world didn't stop spinning. The confusion didn't vanish. But something inside me shifted—a fragile calm settling beneath the turmoil.

"I just..." My voice broke. "I wish I knew why me."

Some truths must be lived to be understood, the tree answered softly. Your heart's questions will guide you. Let them—but do not let them drown you. There is time, child. You need not carry everything at once.

A long silence stretched between us, filled only with the gentle rustling of leaves and the faint glow of floating lights around the tree. For the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself breathe. Not for answers, not for solutions—just breathe.