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@rose-colored-fancy

I had a really interesting idea for a next challenge. It’s similar to this one, except instead of facing their fears, they learn what would have happened if they never face their fears and complete their arc. If they make all the wrong choices and become the worst version of themselves, where would they be in ten/twenty/thirty/however many years?

Good idea! It’s funny, but Enydd’s fear matches what you said about them being the worst version of themselves. (Enydd: Funny?! Excuse me? I know what funny is, and it is not that!)

Note: My story centers on the aspect that God is the truth.

ENYDD

“The room just ahead is a room of mirrors, though be careful. The mirrors have a way of revealing your soul. To escape the room, you must face yourself, and conquer your fears,” the man said to Abirami.

Revealing my soul? Sounded lovely. Yet, despite the ominous feeling surrounding the door, I felt myself drawn to it. Perhaps because of the curiosity of what my fears would be and what was truly in my soul. Besides, there didn’t seem to be any other way out of the room.

I followed Abirami and Ku to the door and went in after them.

I saw myself.

Dozens of me circling around me.

What on Thrae? Was this my soul?

Then, they all vanished.

I was on a dirt road in the middle of, well, nowhere, as far as I could tell. Trees loomed over the path, blocking out the sun except for the few slivers of light that had the courage to peek through the thick branches. There was a dark figure ahead of me. They moved as one with the woods, blending with the shadows.

“Hello!” I called out.

The figure stopped but did not turn around.

There was something familiar about them though I didn’t know what. I hurried up to them.

“My name’s Enydd Skovga…Excuse me?!” I fell back as the figure looked at me.

“Hello,” the person said softly.

I gibbered a few unintelligible before finally being able to blurt out the obvious. “You’re me!”

The person, me, smiled condescendingly. “I am you yet not you. I am who you would have been and still could be. I am a part of you though you have suppressed and ignored me for the past seven years.”

“This-this…What is going on?”

“You chose to walk into the room of mirrors. You tell me what is going on.”

“So, you’re my greatest fear.”

Not-Me laughed. It was a hollow noise, and I winced to hear it. “You mean that you are your greatest fear. Remember, I’m you.”

I snorted, my initial surprised fading. “Sorry, but no. You’re not me. I mean, look at you!”

“What makes me so different from you?” Not-Me asked. It wasn’t a question. It was a challenge.

“You’re so dark! And your laugh was…not a laugh!”

“Oh yes. I am so convinced now. Those were wonderful reasons.”

Annoyance flared in me.

Not-me smiled triumphantly. “Here’s a similarity for you. I get annoyed easily. You do too. One point for me, zero for you.”

The trees’ shadows lengthened. This was not just a challenge. It was war.

I breathed deeply. Lord, help me. Please. “Here’s a difference for you. The way you talk. You’re ridiculously condescending and arrogant.”

“And you aren’t?”

“Since you’re me, you should know that.”

“But what about your thoughts? They can be quite puffed up at times.”

“Well, that’s true. But I’m not proud of thinking them. I know they are wrong and repent of them. You don’t. I should know.”

“Ah, so you admit you know who I am since, afterall, I’m in you.”

I growled. “So what? You may be in me, but you are still not me.”

“I can be,” Not-me replied simply. “I was once.”

“No, you weren’t!” I shot back defensively.

I shouldn’t have said that.

“Liar,” Not-me trilled. “I was you. You remember those years quite well.”

“Yes,” I muttered. “And they were the worst years of my life! I was a selfish, distrustful, arrogant, blind little girl! I’ve grown since then. Changed!”

“Have you? How many times have you acted selfishly this past month?”

I didn’t answer, but my silence was an answer enough.

Not-me sneered. She was winning this battle. “Do you honestly trust those village people that you preach to? You’ve already admitted your pride. So that leaves blindness.”

I tried to gather my defenses. “I am not blind! I know the truth!”

“You know it, but do you believe it?”

“Yes! Would I travel the country for no other reason than to be mocked?”

“Not to be mocked, but for attention. To be known.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it? The attention may be negative, but it’s still attention. Fits right in to the pride category.”

“Liar.”

“Prove it. Prove that you truly believe in the truth.”

I hesitated. Prove it? How on Thrae was I supposed to prove it? Oh Lord, help me! Help me defeat these lies. Please! I shut my eyes then spoke. “I can talk for years, listing reason after reason. Yet, you’ll always find some reason not to believe me. I can’t convince you, but I’ll tell you this. I accepted the truth into my life. He is the center of my life, and I my main goal is to follow him. To obey him. To share him to the world. Ever since I made that decision, I changed. I mess up loads of times, but now I recognize those things for what they are and repent. You know that. You’re me. We may be similar, but there’s a huge difference between me and you. You are blind to the truth and refuse to accept that. I see the truth and accept it. The truth is what makes you not me. Got that?”

Not-me didn’t answer, but her silence was an answer enough for me.

I sat up. What on Thrae was I doing on the ground? Wait, it was a dream? I glanced around me. Abirami was also awake though the others were still asleep.

I laughed softly. “I just debated myself and won.”

 

Whew! I am exhausted! Good night, all! *stumbles off to bed*