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  The mountain path stretched ahead, a winding trail vanishing into the mist. Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of my thoughts pressing down as much as the altitude. Drakos walked beside me, his presence a silent comfort in the vastness of the world. I finally stopped sobbing, accepting my new identity.

  "Drakos... this whole thing about dying—it makes my skin crawl," I confessed, my voice barely more than a whisper. The admission hung in the air, vulnerable and raw, much like the wounds I carried within.

  Memories of my mother’s tear-streaked face flashed before me. She had wanted me to stay at Master’s practice house, to remain safe within its familiar walls and not wander around with you.

  You see, you couldn’t truly protect me… I mean, before all this… I had been stubborn, driven by a need to prove myself and escape the shadows of my past. However, perhaps I was just being obstinate instead…

  "Maybe Mom was right. I should’ve stayed at the practice house, just a kitchen hand, like she wanted. I shouldn’t have—" My voice faltered as I swallowed hard, the taste of regret bitter on my tongue. My fingers brushed against Drakos's fur, seeking solace in its softness. "I shouldn’t have argued with her. Grandma was against it too, you know? She called Master’s teachings... satanic."

  Drakos tilted his head, his amber eyes reflecting a depth of understanding that words couldn't convey. "And yet, your mom still sent you. She believed in something for you, little one—something beyond what you can see now.

  You do know she had her reasons, don’t you? She fought for this, for you, even when it meant going against what others thought was best. Don’t let the past misfortunes—the fear, the pain—take root in you now. Her sacrifices weren’t meant to weigh you down. They were meant to lift you."

  His words pierced through the fog of my doubts, illuminating truths I had been too blind to see. Could it be that my mother had seen potential in me, a destiny intertwined with the very path I now tread?

  I looked away, the wind biting at my face, mirroring the turmoil within. “My love for my family seemed to be worthless… it only brought me pain.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Let's talk about something else," I said quickly, my voice trembling as I grinned at his young novice figure. "The wind element. Master's been trying so hard to teach it to me... maybe this is the best time to focus on it. What do you think, novice Drakos?"

  Drakos leaned closer, his words a warm breath against my ear, a comforting anchor amidst the storm of my emotions. The wind whipped at our faces, but his voice, a low rumble against my skin, held me steady.

  "Are you sure? I know the whole dying thing gets to you—it gets to everyone. But running from it won't help. It's... part of what we're here to understand. Especially you." He paused, his gaze flickering with hesitation. "I know it's hard, and I don't mean to bring up your dad's death, but..."

  The mention of my father was like a dagger to the heart. His absence had left a void, a chasm of unanswered questions and unresolved grief. I had buried those feelings deep, hoping that by ignoring them, they would cease to haunt me.

  The near-death experience brought it all back, the memory whispering on the wind, a secret hidden for so long. Drakos, at my side, spoke of his past practices, of our practice, and the past felt inescapable.

  I took a deep breath, feeling the chilling air fill my lungs, and closed my eyes. Master had often spoken of the wind element, along with earth, water, and fire, as more than just a physical force. It was a manifestation of freedom—of letting go, of embracing the unknown.

  “Yes, now to link it to what happened today. There was a great movement of consciousness—of those who have passed and of our own.”

  Without me finishing my thought, Drakos answered, “Sure, one could learn to harness them—the chakra lights and the consciousness line linking us to our true universe and nature. But to truly understand them? To let them guide me instead of fearing where they might lead?”

  "I want to understand," I said finally, opening my eyes to meet Drakos’s steady gaze. "Not just in theory—the wind element and the others—but in a practical way. More than that, I want to understand everything—my fears, my past, my purpose. I want to face it all."

  Drakos nodded, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. "That’s the spirit, little one. Embracing them means embracing change, uncertainty, and even the shadows of our past. It’s not an easy path, but it’s the only way to truly soar."

  As we continued our ascent, the path growing steeper and the air thinner, I felt a shift within me. The weight of my doubts began to lighten, replaced by a burgeoning resolve.

  For the first time, the wind scraping against the sky-carved mountains didn’t feel like an adversary. It felt like an ally—urging me forward, whispering promises of discovery and growth. And as I took the next step, I realized that in embracing the wind’s movement, in surrendering to the rapid and unexpected flow of consciousness that had come upon me, I was also embracing myself.

  “So, no one could see our true forms now…”

  Without finishing my sentence, something struck me—out of nowhere, a memory, a face among the skies. My triplet sister, ?ri’-E?r?y.

  Goosebumps crawled across my body. My breath caught in my throat, as if something had clenched around it.