The emerald light wrapped Prava, Allara, and Rafael in a cocoon of shimmer and sound. The shadowed man stepped closer, his red-tinged eyes fixed on Prava.
"You were chosen before your time," he said, voice both accusatory and mournful. "Bound to this forest, bound to her—your past life and present life intertwined."
Images flashed before her eyes: the woman in the stream—her own mirror in another life—standing amidst fires, tending wounded villagers, whispering secrets of power and destiny. The thread of fate glimmered between them, invisible but undeniable.
Prava's chest ached. "I… I remember you," she whispered, voice cracking. "I've lived this before… haven't I?"
Holam nodded. "The forest remembers all. You are the link. You must reconcile both selves, accept what was, to protect what will come."
The shadowed man's form softened, light replacing darkness. His eyes glimmered like dawn breaking. "Face your fear, Prava. Only by accepting your own shadow will the path open."
Taking a steadying breath, Prava extended her hands, letting the emerald light flow through her. Her memories collided with present reality—the sorrow, the hope, the promises. She felt the woman from the stream, not as a stranger, but as a part of herself.
Rafael's hand found hers, grounding her. Allara stood firm, eyes unwavering. The cavern hummed with power, responding to her acceptance. Roots pulsed brighter, streams of silver weaving intricate patterns that pointed toward a glowing portal ahead.
The shadows dissolved. The forest held its breath. Prava exhaled, a sense of clarity washing through her. She understood the truth: her destiny was tied to the forest, the past, and the woman she had once been.
"This… this is the path," she said softly, determination glowing in her eyes. "I will honor both lives, and move forward."
Holam inclined his head, the emerald light flaring one last time, then settling into a calm brilliance.
"Then go, seeker. The heart of the forest welcomes you."
Together, the three stepped forward, toward the portal, toward a future intertwined with echoes of the past.