A Trail of Smoke and Smugglers (Santi/PopexReader)

Liberation

[A/N: Hello my beautiful readers! Here is the final chapter of ATOSAS! This chapter will be very different than anything else you've read by me, but I feel as if it needed to be said. It is short, but I mean every word within. I love you all and hope you enjoy! -K 🖤]
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As with this story, there has been an overarching theme of forgiveness, healing, and learning to embrace the true identity of one's self, proven with (Y/N)'s evolution from Angel, to Hades, then back to her true self.

She was lost, confused, hurt, and she had forgotten how to trust those closest to her.

It is also crucial to remember that although this story is confined to bountiful words and thirty chapters, the possibilities of self-healing and maturity do not only belong to these fictional characters and situations, but to everyone, including you, my dear.

Yes, you.

Just like Angel, you are worthy of the love you desire, and you deserve to fully embrace the person you know yourself to be, despite what the past might have done to corrupt your unique and beautiful soul.

What happened to you wasn't your fault.

You are not the one to blame.

Now, the time has come for your own healing process to begin.

You deserve everything you desire, so don't allow anyone the opportunity to dictate what your future entails. It is impossible to change the beginning, but you can start altering your own story at this very moment to change the ending.

Santiago was a savior in (Y/N)'s eyes, but her true salvation came from herself. She found the long-lost ability to release her agonizing hold on the past, to finally reach for the future she had always dreamed for.

It was because of her that she found redemption and acceptance within herself.

(Y/N) was her own liberator. As much as we dream for a love like the one in this book, don't forget how much you first have to love yourself before you can love anyone else.

And my dear, I know how impossible it is to forgive those who have severely wronged you. I understand that pain. It's taken me nearly three years to do so.

You are not alone.

But you must remember that you also have to forgive yourself, and to not be so rough and impatient with yourself.

Healing is not instantaneous, but a process that expects over a period of time. Give yourself time to properly heal, and complete restoration will follow.

You are more than enough.

You are worthy.

You are irreplaceable.

You are loved.

There will never be another person like yourself, so give yourself a moment to rejuvenate and breathe. You're doing great, and I'm very proud of you.

You've got this.

The character of Angel was symbolic for all of you, myself included. Brokenness, betrayal, and heartache are prevalent themes I'm positive everyone has experienced and struggled with.

But I wanted to prove to you all that those words and experiences don't have to define you.

There's an entire new vocabulary waiting for you, including: happy, blissful, free, victorious, content, satisfied, jubilant, and many, many more.

There's a reason that the past stays behind us. When we walk forward, we aren't supposed to turn around and glance backwards at what we've already ventured through.

Keep your eyes on the sun, and keep moving your feet, my loves. You're almost over the mountain and your ocean to freedom awaits.

Your healing and redemption is coming soon, my dear.

And your liberation is only dependent on one thing.

Yourself.
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I love you all.

-Kel 🖤