The molten glow that lit their path grew fainter with every step Arjun and Meera took. The silence of the temple was unnerving, broken only by the soft padding of their footsteps on the smooth stone floor. The Eternal Flame's light, though distant, continued to pulse, a steady rhythm that seemed to sync with their hearts.
"Do you feel that?" Meera asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Arjun nodded, gripping the hilt of his blade. "It's like… something's watching us again."
The corridor ahead opened into another vast chamber, its walls shimmering as if coated with liquid light. Unlike the earlier halls, this one bore no carvings, no symbols. Instead, the room was filled with mirrors—hundreds of them, of all shapes and sizes, arranged in a labyrinthine pattern.
"What is this place?" Meera murmured, stepping cautiously into the room.
Arjun hesitated, scanning the mirrors. Each reflected them clearly, but something about the images felt… wrong. In one, Meera's face looked older, weathered by years of hardship. In another, Arjun's reflection bore a scar across his chest he didn't recognize. Some mirrors showed them together, others apart, and a few reflected empty spaces where they stood.
"This has to be another trial," Arjun said. "But what are we supposed to do?"
As if in answer, the mirrors began to shimmer. The air grew heavy, and a voice echoed around them, deep and resonant.
"The Trial of Echoes begins. In these mirrors lies the truth you hide, the fears you bury, and the choices you regret. To move forward, you must face them all."
Meera's hand flew to her blade. "Face them? How? What does that mean?"
Before Arjun could respond, the room shifted. The mirrors no longer reflected reality but began to glow with scenes—memories, dreams, and nightmares brought to life.
---
Meera's Reflection
In the mirror closest to her, Meera saw herself standing in a dense forest, her face streaked with tears. At her feet lay the lifeless body of a young boy, his eyes open but empty.
"No…" Meera whispered, her hands trembling.
The reflection moved. The Meera in the mirror knelt by the boy, her face contorted in anguish. "You failed him," the image said, her voice sharp and accusing. "You promised to protect him, but you let him die."
Meera stepped back, shaking her head. "That's not true. I tried—"
"You didn't try hard enough," the reflection snapped. "You cared more about your own survival than his."
Arjun turned toward her. "Meera, what's wrong?"
She didn't answer, her eyes fixed on the mirror. The boy's face was familiar now, his name bubbling to the surface of her mind. Ravi. The child she had sworn to protect during her village's darkest days. She had done everything she could, but it hadn't been enough.
"Meera, it's not real," Arjun said firmly, grabbing her shoulder. "Whatever you're seeing, it's a lie."
She tore her gaze away, her breaths shallow. "It feels real."
---
Arjun's Reflection
Arjun turned to his own mirror. His reflection wasn't alone. Standing beside him was a man he recognized instantly—his father. But the reflection of his father looked different, his expression cold and unyielding.
"You abandoned your family," the reflection said, his voice a perfect imitation of his father's. "You left us to chase this foolish dream. Did you even stop to think about what it cost us?"
Arjun's jaw tightened. "That's not fair. I had to leave. I had to find answers."
"Answers? Or an escape?" the reflection pressed. "You chose your own path over your family's needs. And now you think you can bear the weight of the Eternal Flame? How can someone who ran from his own responsibilities carry the burdens of the world?"
Arjun clenched his fists. "I didn't run. I—"
The reflection interrupted him, stepping closer as if crossing the barrier of the mirror. "You did. And deep down, you know it."
---
The room grew darker as more reflections came to life, their voices overlapping in a chaotic cacophony. Arjun and Meera were surrounded now, their fears and regrets laid bare for them to see.
"Arjun!" Meera called, her voice rising over the noise. "How do we stop this?"
Arjun scanned the mirrors, his mind racing. Each reflection was a weapon, a strike against their resolve. But the flame's trials weren't meant to destroy—they were meant to test.
He closed his eyes, steadying his breath. "We face it. That's the only way. We don't run, and we don't fight it. We accept it."
Meera hesitated, her heart pounding. But she trusted Arjun. She always had. "Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "Okay."
They turned toward their mirrors, the voices growing louder, more piercing. But instead of flinching or turning away, they stepped closer, meeting the gazes of their reflections head-on.
---
The reflections began to change. The accusing voices softened, the harsh images blurring into something gentler. Meera's reflection reached out a hand, her eyes filled with compassion instead of anger.
"You did what you could," the reflection said softly. "You can't carry the weight of the past forever."
Arjun's reflection spoke too, his father's voice now calm. "You chose your path, and it brought you here. That doesn't make you weak. It makes you strong."
The light in the room grew brighter, the mirrors dissolving into golden mist. The hum of the temple returned, steady and reassuring.
"You have faced the echoes of your soul," the voice of the temple intoned. "You may continue."
---
As the room settled, Arjun and Meera stood in silence, their hearts still heavy but their spirits steadier.
"Are you okay?" Arjun asked, turning to Meera.
She nodded, though her eyes were damp. "I think so. That was… harder than I expected."
"Me too," Arjun admitted. "But we made it. That's what matters."
The path ahead lit up once more, the Eternal Flame's pulse guiding them forward. Together, they stepped into the unknown, their bond stronger than ever as the next trial awaited.