The shards of light coalesced into a path before Lalin, like stepping stones floating in the void. Each step she took sent ripples through the glowing symbols, revealing fragments of moments she had long buried.
The figure's voice followed her, calm but resonant:
"Every choice you made… every moment you thought forgotten… is encoded here. And now, the past and present demand reconciliation."
Lalin paused. One of the stones shimmered more brightly than the rest. She stepped on it, and the world shifted violently — a memory bleeding into reality. She was back in that garden, years ago, feeling his hand brush hers. The sun was setting, casting everything in amber, but the warmth was tainted by the betrayal that was to come.
Tears streamed down her face as she whispered his name. "I… I remember now."
"Good," the figure said. "But remembering is only the first step. You must confront it. Accept it. Or it will consume you."
The air thickened, and suddenly, Lalin felt her own mind splitting — visions of the past, simulations of what could have been, and the invisible threads of other lives intertwining with hers. She realized with a shock: this wasn't just memory… it was a map, a blueprint of possibility.
"Your heart will guide you," the figure said, "but be careful. Some paths lead to truth… and some to despair. Choose wisely, for every step alters the future — not just yours, but theirs as well."
And with that, Lalin took the next step. The stones beneath her feet glowed brighter, pulsing with her heartbeat. She felt a presence beside her — faint, yet undeniable. The one she thought she had lost.
The journey had begun.