The morning came softly. Mist rolled over the hills like a slow wave, and the sky turned pale gold.Kael, Lira, and Seren walked for hours without speaking. The memory of the heartbeat house still clung to their minds.
Finally, the path opened into a wide field surrounded by old stones.The wind here was strange — it whispered in many voices, some near, some far. It sounded almost like people arguing and laughing and crying all at once.
Seren stopped first. "What is this place?"
Lira looked around, shivering slightly. "It feels… alive."
Kael gazed forward. At the center of the field stood a stone archway glowing faintly with silver light.Beneath it, the ground split into three different roads, each shining in a different hue — gold, blue, and crimson.
The air pulsed. A whisper filled Kael's mind.
"Welcome, wanderer of echoes. Here you must meet yourself."
The world trembled slightly.From the golden road came a figure — calm, kind-eyed, wearing soft robes. His expression was peaceful.From the blue road came another — quiet, eyes full of sorrow, carrying nothing but a broken blade.From the crimson road came the third — fierce, angry, his armor scarred and burning faintly with red light.
They all looked like Kael.But they felt completely different.
Lira gasped. "Kael… there are three of you!"
Seren gripped his staff tightly. "No. Those aren't him. They're pieces of him."
The golden Kael smiled first. "I am the one who stayed silent. I chose peace, even when the world begged for war."
The blue Kael bowed his head. "I am the one who ran. I turned away from pain because I feared breaking."
The crimson Kael raised his sword. "And I am the one who fought. I burned every bridge to keep the light alive."
All three spoke together:
"You must choose which of us will lead your soul forward."
Kael stood still, his heart beating faster.Lira looked worried. "Kael, what happens if you choose wrong?"
He didn't answer. He didn't know.
The golden Kael stepped closer. "You have suffered enough. Let go of struggle. Seek peace. The world will heal without your fire."
The crimson Kael laughed harshly. "Peace? You tried that before, and the world drowned in its own weakness. Power is mercy, if it protects what you love."
The blue Kael whispered, "Both of you are wrong. Sometimes survival means retreat. A quiet life is still a life."
Kael's head spun. Their words filled the air, heavy and warm. Each version of himself felt true — yet incomplete.
He closed his eyes. Which of them am I?
He saw memories — the city burning, Lira's tears, the promise he made under a falling star.He remembered laughter, failure, the soft voice of his future self.
And then a thought formed in his mind:
"I am not one choice. I am the space between them."
He opened his eyes.The three versions stood before him, waiting.
Kael took a deep breath and stepped forward.He spoke for the first time since losing his voice — not with magic, not with light, but with sound."I will not choose between you," he said. His voice trembled but did not break.
The golden Kael frowned. "Then you choose nothing."
Kael shook his head. "No. I choose balance. You are all part of me. Silence teaches me calm. Fear reminds me to be gentle. Anger gives me strength."
The crimson Kael growled. "You can't carry all of us. You'll destroy yourself."
Kael smiled faintly. "Then I'll learn to hold the fire without letting it burn me."
For a moment, everything went quiet. Even the wind paused.Then, the three reflections began to glow.
Their light merged — gold, blue, and crimson swirling together, forming a brilliant white light that surrounded Kael.
He felt warmth spread through his chest — not painful, not heavy, but peaceful.
Lira shielded her eyes. "Kael!"
The light faded slowly. When it cleared, Kael stood alone again.But something in him had changed. His eyes now carried a faint shimmer — calm and fierce at once.
Seren approached him carefully. "What happened?"
Kael smiled gently. "I listened."
Lira tilted her head. "Listened to what?"
He looked toward the horizon. "To all the voices inside me — and realized they weren't enemies."
The archway pulsed once more.A single line of glowing words appeared above it:
"To find the truth, one must first forgive every version of themselves."
Kael read it silently, then whispered, "Then maybe forgiveness is the beginning of strength."
Lira smiled faintly. "That's beautiful."
Seren chuckled. "You're starting to sound like an old monk."
Kael grinned. "Maybe wisdom just comes from surviving your own mistakes."
They continued their journey, the mist clearing ahead.The roads behind them faded into the air, leaving only a faint echo — like three heartbeats becoming one.
As they walked, Kael looked up at the stars.They were no longer silent.Each one seemed to whisper something small but certain — like a promise:
"The road doesn't end where you heal. It begins there."
And Kael smiled, knowing his journey was only just starting again.