Lost girl

Threads of Memory

The darkness faded, and Ellara opened her eyes to a new world.

She stood at the edge of a vast lake, its surface smooth and reflective, as if made of glass. The sky above was a deep twilight, stars twinkling faintly overhead, though no sun or moon hung in the sky. The air was still, but not suffocating-just heavy with the feeling of anticipation, as if the entire world was holding its breath, waiting.

Her reflection in the water shimmered back at her, and for a moment, she wasn't sure if she was really looking at herself or someone else. The woman staring back was both familiar and strange. She had the same features-same eyes, same face-but something had changed. There was a strength there now, a quiet resolve she hadn't seen before.

*I am the Guardian.*

The words echoed in her mind, bringing with them a new sense of clarity. She hadn't fully understood what that meant when Erevan first told her, but now, after the trials, after confronting the darkness within herself, she was beginning to see the truth. She had been chosen, not just to fight the darkness, but to understand it. And to resist its pull, no matter the cost.

But the weight of her past still hung over her. The council, the voices of the people she had once served, their accusations of failure-they were not gone. She hadn't truly remembered everything yet. The missing pieces of her memory still felt out of reach, like puzzle pieces scattered just beyond her grasp.

*I need to remember more.*

A faint ripple disturbed the glassy surface of the lake, drawing her attention. The water began to shift, parting in the center as something emerged from its depths. At first, it was only a faint glow, soft and ethereal, but as it rose, Ellara saw it was a figure-tall and graceful, made of shimmering light. It had no clear form, no face, but its presence was calming, peaceful.

"Who are you?" Ellara asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

The figure tilted its head slightly, as though considering the question. Then, a voice-soft, melodic-filled the air, though the figure's lips never moved. "I am the keeper of the lake, the guardian of memories long forgotten."

Ellara's heart skipped a beat. "Memories? My memories?"

The figure nodded. "All that you have lost lies here, beneath the surface. But to reclaim them, you must be willing to face the truth."

Ellara stepped closer to the water's edge, her reflection rippling as she did. "What truth?"

The figure raised an arm, pointing toward the center of the lake. "Look, Guardian. The answers you seek are there."

The lake's surface began to shift again, the water churning as images started to form within it. At first, they were blurred and indistinct, like shadows moving through mist, but then, slowly, they began to sharpen, revealing scenes from her past.

Ellara saw herself standing in a grand hall, surrounded by others dressed in the same silver and gold armor she had seen in her visions. They were the Guardians-the ones she had once fought alongside. She recognized them now, though their faces were hazy in her mind. Together, they had trained, honed their magic, and prepared to face the darkness that threatened their world.

But something had gone wrong.

The scene shifted, and Ellara saw herself in battle, the sky above dark and churning with storm clouds. Shadows moved across the land, writhing and shifting like living nightmares. The darkness had taken form, pouring forth from the mountains like a plague, devouring everything in its path. Ellara's heart raced as she watched her past self fight, casting spells of light and wielding a blade that shimmered with raw magic. But no matter how many shadows she destroyed, more appeared.

And then, she saw it.

A massive figure, cloaked in black and surrounded by a swirling storm of dark energy. Its eyes burned with a malevolent fire, and its presence seemed to warp the very air around it. This was no ordinary foe. This was the heart of the darkness, the force that had been corrupting the land.

Ellara watched as her past self approached the figure, determination etched on her face. She was not alone-her fellow Guardians were beside her, their faces set in grim resolve. Together, they launched an assault, their magic blazing brightly against the encroaching darkness.

But the figure was too powerful.

One by one, her comrades fell, consumed by the shadows. Ellara's chest tightened as she saw herself struggle, her magic flickering as exhaustion set in. She had been fighting for hours-maybe days-without rest, but it wasn't enough. She wasn't strong enough.

And then, the figure turned its burning eyes on her.

Ellara's heart stopped as she watched her past self falter. The figure raised a hand, and a wave of dark energy crashed into her, sending her sprawling to the ground. The battle was lost. The darkness had won.

*That's why they sealed my memories,* she thought, the truth crashing over her like a tidal wave. *I failed. I couldn't stop it.*

The scene shifted again, and Ellara saw herself lying on the ground, her armor broken, her magic spent. The council appeared, their faces grim as they knelt beside her. They were speaking, but she couldn't hear the words. All she could feel was the crushing weight of her failure. The darkness had taken everything from her-her comrades, her world, her power.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, though no one could hear her. "I tried."

The council raised their hands, and a soft light enveloped her. Slowly, her eyes closed, and everything went black.

Ellara stepped back from the water's edge, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She had known, deep down, that she had failed once. But seeing it-*feeling* it-was something else entirely. The weight of it pressed down on her, and for a moment, she wasn't sure she could bear it.

The figure of light moved closer, its presence gentle but firm. "You were never meant to bear this burden alone," it said softly. "The darkness is vast, but so too is the light within you. You may have fallen, but you were never defeated."

Ellara wiped a tear from her cheek, her mind still reeling from what she had seen. "I don't understand. If I failed before, how can I stop it now? What's changed?"

The figure's light flickered, as though it were considering her question. "The darkness has always been a part of you, Ellara, just as it is a part of all living things. But it does not define you. The power to resist it lies not in denying it, but in embracing both light and shadow within yourself."

Ellara frowned, her mind struggling to grasp the figure's words. "Embrace the shadow?"

The figure nodded. "You are the Guardian, chosen to protect this world. But you are also human, with all the strengths and weaknesses that come with it. To fight the darkness, you must first accept the parts of yourself that you fear."

Ellara's thoughts spun in a thousand directions. She had spent so long fearing the darkness within her, believing it to be a stain, a flaw. But what if the figure was right? What if her strength came not from rejecting that part of herself, but from accepting it?

Her reflection in the lake shimmered once more, and this time, it wasn't the frightened girl who had woken up lost and alone. It wasn't even the Guardian from her memories. It was someone new-someone who had faced her fears and survived.

"I understand," Ellara whispered, the realization settling in her chest like a quiet flame. "I'm not the same person I was before. But that doesn't mean I can't fight."

The figure of light seemed to smile, though its form remained formless. "The final trial awaits, Guardian. The darkness is stirring, and soon it will rise. But you are not alone in this fight."

Ellara took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders, but also a renewed sense of purpose. She turned away from the lake, the figure of light fading behind her, and began the long walk back toward the path that would lead her to her final battle.

The time to stop the darkness was drawing near.

And this time, she would not fail.