The Trials of the Soul

  Moonless Night — Clearing of the Ancient Trees

  The mist covered the ground like a living blanket. The roots were restless, and the ancient trunks formed a natural circle — there, time did not move in a straight line.

  Leli, wearing the light tunic of Autumn, walked barefoot toward the center of the clearing, where the Patriarch of Autumn awaited her, flanked by three elves with eyes painted in black sap.

  Sarya, standing at the edge of the mist, observed everything in silence. The spear strapped to her back. Her gaze firm — but attentive.

  — Today, you will leave behind what you no longer need — said the Patriarch. — And you will see, with your own eyes, what you still carry, even without realizing it.

  Leli swallowed.

  — I… don’t know if I have something that deep…

  — Everyone does — he replied. — But few dare to look.

  He touched the ground with his staff. The leaves around Leli floated into the air… and then fell, suspended, as if time had stopped.

  Everything turned white.

  Leli opened her eyes. She was no longer in the clearing.

  She was in the old hall of the Castle of the Sun of the Fernandes, back in childhood.

  She saw her siblings laughing in the distance… but she was too small to join them. She was sitting in a corner, holding a broken wooden hammer.

  Alone.

  Invisible.

  Until Lukas, still a child, approached.

  — Hey, little sister… you broke the little hammer I made again. The bad part is you still don’t talk, but you must understand me, right? Since you have elven blood… elves are very intelligent from an early age. I bet you understand me, you just don’t talk yet. Haha, that’s cool.

  — I remember this… — Leli whispered.

  — This is the first memory you buried deep down… you wanted to talk to him, but your voice wouldn’t come out — said a female voice.

  Leli turned.

  It was herself. Older. With tired eyes. With a body marked by scars that did not yet exist.

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  — You always tried to be the light in other people’s darkness… but you never asked if anyone saw you when you went out. Or at least, that’s what we thought.

  The memories shifted.

  Now she was in the middle of war. Alone. Seeing the old timeline. Lukas standing with gladii in both hands.

  — Hey, Leli… I’m here. Rest. I’ll kill these barbarians. You’re hurt, I can handle it alone.

  — Is that Lukas? What is this? What are those empty eyes? Why does he look like that… those scars… his body covered in blood?

  — He became like that because of this.

  The memory changed again.

  Now she saw the destroyed city. Sorriso in flames. Lukas and her crying at a distance, watching the burning city.

  And Lukas swearing revenge.

  Some names came out unintelligible.

  — Cursed disasters… I will kill them one by one. I swear I will kill them.

  — That was the day he lost his smile… and I lost the gentle brother I had. He became a monster who only thought about killing, without any remorse. Because of that, and for always being covered in blood, he earned the nickname Blood Demon.

  — But… I’m happy he can smile again now.

  — Hey… who are you? And besides… that’s not my brother.

  My brother is gentle. He looks like a kid who buys a keychain for one gold réis and walks around with it on his waist thinking he’s a lumpa.

  The brother who made several strategies that saved the South. My brother is not that thing you’re showing me.

  Leli stomped, angry.

  — We’re like that… always defending that crybaby, right?

  — “We”? Stop talking like that. There is no “we”.

  — Of course there is. Looking at you makes me nostalgic, remembering how I was before Sorriso fell.

  — Sorriso didn’t fall! It is fine, standing strong as always. Lukas predicted everything.

  — Haha… I know. And he did what I expected from him.

  — Little me… that was supposed to be our sword, the one of Spring… the rapier of Spring. But I suppose you’ll choose something different.

  — But enough talk. Time is running out.

  — This is the memory of the other life… the one that never happened here, but still exists inside him — whispered the older version of Leli. — You never lived this. But you feel this pain as if it were yours. Because, deep down… you saw him die. And even without knowing how, you carry the mourning of something you never lived.

  Stay strong. Don’t stop smiling. Live for me too. They will be watching both of us from now on.

  Leli fell to her knees.

  — What…?

  But she didn’t hide.

  The mist receded.

  She was back in the clearing.

  The leaves fell again.

  The Patriarch of Autumn bowed his head slightly.

  — You faced your own soul. And it did not lie.

  Sarya approached in silence. Her eyes slightly softer.

  — So?

  Leli breathed fast, but she was standing.

  — It hurt… but it was confusing… and strange. This agony… feelings that seem like someone else’s. I saw myself older… and talked to myself? She talked about Lukas… but everything is confused now. About what he carries…

  Sarya narrowed her eyes.

  — Then maybe… maybe you really are ready to carry a piece of what your brother feels.

  Later, near the tree where she slept, Leli removed the bandage from her arm. A symbol slowly appeared on her skin: a leaf of Autumn.

  The first sign that the forest accepted her.

  Sarya sat near her, in silence.

  Leli murmured:

  — Did you also go through this ritual?

  Sarya took a while to answer.

  — Three times. One for each pain that shaped me.

  Leli looked at her.

  — And does it hurt less… the third time?

  Sarya smiled faintly.

  — No. But you bleed with more dignity.

  The two laughed. For the first time, together. Without masks. Without titles.

  The bond was beginning to bloom.

  End of Chapter 2 ??