The barren wasteland seemed to stretch on endlessly, every step Jason took sinking into the cracked earth as if it were trying to pull him down. The air was heavy, pressing against his chest, and the faint yellow hue of the sky cast everything in a sickly light. Finn trailed close behind, the glow of his lantern flickering with each gust of wind.
Jason tightened his grip on the compass, its needle unwavering as it pointed toward a distant ridge. The fragment in his jacket pulsed faintly, a reminder of its presence and the warnings that had come with it. He still didn't understand its purpose, but he could feel its importance like a weight on his soul.
"What do you think that thing meant back there?" Jason asked, breaking the silence.
Finn shrugged. "Hard to say. Could've been a guardian, a lost soul, or just another piece of this place's twisted sense of humor." He flashed a grin, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Not exactly the most straightforward of companions, eh?"
Jason huffed, his eyes scanning the desolate landscape. "It talked about the truth destroying me. About the path not being mine to walk. What if—"
Finn cut him off, his tone uncharacteristically sharp. "What if it's all nonsense? Or worse, what if it's not? Doesn't matter, mate. You're here now, walking it. Doubt won't get you anywhere but dead."
Jason fell silent, Finn's words echoing in his mind. He hated to admit it, but the man was right. Doubt had plagued him since the beginning, but it had only ever slowed him down. If he was going to survive, he needed to push forward, no matter how uncertain the path.
The ridge drew closer, and Jason's pace quickened, a mix of determination and dread fueling his movements. As they climbed the incline, the wind grew fiercer, carrying with it faint whispers and cries that seemed to seep into his very bones.
When they reached the top, Jason froze.
Below them lay a sprawling field of shattered mirrors, each fragment catching the dim light of the sky and reflecting distorted images. Some showed Jason's own face, twisted in agony or frozen in fear. Others displayed scenes from his life, moments he had long since buried—failures, regrets, betrayals.
"Hell of a view," Finn muttered, his voice low.
Jason swallowed hard, his eyes darting from one shard to the next. "What is this place?"
Finn sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Reckon it's a checkpoint of sorts. These mirrors… they're not just glass. They show the bits of yourself you'd rather not see."
Jason took a cautious step forward, his reflection splintering and multiplying with every movement. "Why?"
"Because the truth isn't just about what's out there," Finn said, gesturing toward the horizon. "It's about what's in here." He tapped his chest. "And if you can't face that, you've got no business going any further."
Jason's chest tightened as he approached a particularly large fragment. It showed him standing alone, his face etched with guilt and sorrow. Around him lay the shadows of people he had failed—colleagues, friends, and one face that made his stomach churn.
It was her. The woman from the shadows earlier.
"You could've saved me," her voice echoed, though her lips didn't move.
Jason clenched his fists, the weight of her words threatening to crush him. "I didn't have a choice," he said quietly, repeating the excuse that had haunted him for years.
The reflection didn't respond, but her eyes seemed to bore into him, unrelenting.
Finn's voice broke the tension. "You're not the only one with skeletons, mate. But here's the thing—carrying them doesn't make you weak. Letting them stop you does."
Jason turned to Finn, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and resolve. "Easy for you to say. You don't know what it's like."
Finn held his gaze, his usual humor replaced by a rare seriousness. "Maybe not. But I do know this—whatever you're running from, it's got no power over you unless you let it. So stop running."
The words struck a chord deep within Jason, and he took a deep breath, steadying himself. He turned back to the mirror, meeting his own gaze.
"I'm not running anymore," he said, his voice firm.
The reflection shimmered, the image of the woman fading away. In its place was the compass, glowing brighter than ever, its needle pointing straight ahead.
Finn clapped him on the shoulder. "That's the spirit. Now let's get moving before this place decides to throw another existential crisis our way."
Jason nodded, the weight on his chest feeling just a little lighter. Together, they descended into the field of mirrors, their reflections watching as they pressed forward into the unknown.