outro : unity

#StorytellersofAra

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In an empty room, stands a mirror. The silver edge gently glows, mimicking moonlight shining on a static lake. Tear walks towards it, their light step echoing against the void. They close their eyes, afraid of what is staring back. What if it’s a deformed version, reflecting all the insecurities they try to hide beneath a mask?

The unbearable wait comes to an end, and Tear opens their eyes, ready for the worst. Instead, they are greeted with their exact reflection, the only visible difference is how the eyes are a dark shade of brown, hinting at some green spots, the exact opposite of their empty black eyes. They gently touch their face and audibly gasp as the reflection remains still. Heart pounding, they reach for the mirror, and come in with a warm face, blood rushing to the cheeks and turning them pink. They want to say something, but the reflection speaks first:

“this love of mine has always been real. for all the times I weakened in front of life, you knew how to unleash the strength I forgot I still had. enough of all the hatred and anger we use to tarnish love and its petals. it blooms, even in the driest areas, under concrete and deprived of light.”

The voice sounds like many other voices combined, a familiarity to them, as if they were the calmer version of angry voices .

𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 ̶s̶̶o̶ ̶b̶̶a̶̶d̶

”I won’t let the world devour me. I’ve been in the darkest corners of reality, there’s every reason to be afraid. Yet, I will keep my true self whole. The self-loathing was a false protection my mind convinced me to put up.”

𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 ̷t̷̷e̷a̷̷r̷ 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

Tear doesn’t understand what’s happening. Their broken heart feels warm in their chest. For a long time, they had to endure their blood pumping organ to shatter, leaving dark pieces of itself everywhere.

𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙄’𝙙 ̶p̶̶r̶̶e̶̶t̶̶e̶̶n̶̶d̶ ̶t̶̶o̶ 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠

They thought no one cared. Left alone, a superhero with the curse of being outcasted, a dream no meant to see the light of day. A forbidden flower in a garden full of weeds and dead plants. What more are they but a nameless shadow in a sea of stars.

𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 ̷n̷̷o̷ 𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚

The reflection then steps out of the mirror, and unlike what they’d imagine, there’s a warmth to it, almost unbearable. It wraps its arms around Tear, leaving them speechless. Something moves inside their eyes, something salty and quiet. A drop rolls gently on their pale cheek. What is this? Who are they? This feels so…right?

𝙄 ̷d̷̷o̷̷n̷’̷t̷ 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚

They were broken for so long. Trapped in a maze of uncertainty, the walls closing in on them, the floors crumbling. No more of that. As the reflection lets go of Tear, they come to a realization. They’ve always been the end of the story. The never ending turmoil of humanity trapped inside a dying flower. Now, they see what’s really ahead. They are the past, the present and the future. Reflection isn’t just a reflection. It’s what was supposed to be them all along. Not a dream being torn apart. No tears of regret leaving a dark spot on pillows. But something bigger. Something they’ve been searching this whole time. Tear smiles in the dark. This outro has a new name. The antonym of itself.

𝙊𝙪𝙩𝙧𝙤 : 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮

written by Nox.

this is past the deadline so ignore this haha. Spent too many hours on this, lost track of time. Oh well enjoy reading at least :joy: