The valley’s magic enveloped Aria, wrapping around her like a blanket of mist. The air grew dense, and for a moment, she felt weightless, as if floating through time and space. Her heart raced, her breath shallow as she tried to ground herself, but the world around her had already begun to shift. The vibrant valley with its enchanted flora faded into the background, replaced by a familiar, warm light.
The scent of fresh bread and the sound of laughter filled the air. Aria blinked, disoriented, her mind trying to catch up with her surroundings. When her vision cleared, she found herself standing in the middle of a cozy cottage, the sunlight streaming through large windows and casting a golden hue on the room. The cottage felt like a memory—distant but comforting. It was simple, peaceful, the kind of place she had always dreamed of when she was younger.
And then she saw him. Mario stood at the kitchen counter, a warm smile on his face as he turned to face her. His eyes, filled with a tenderness that sent a wave of emotion through her, locked onto hers. He looked just as he had before all of this began—before the journey, before the compass, before magic had upended her life. He was the anchor to the life she had once thought she wanted. A life free from danger, free from the weight of responsibility.
“Hey, beautiful,” Mario said, his voice like a soothing balm. He wiped his hands on a towel and approached her, his presence so real, so familiar, that Aria felt her heart ache. “I was wondering when you’d get here.”
Aria’s breath hitched, her mind swirling with confusion. “Mario? What is this?”
He chuckled softly, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear. His touch was warm, comforting, everything she had missed. “It’s us, Aria. Don’t you remember? This is where we were supposed to be.”
She stared at him, her thoughts racing. This couldn’t be real—could it? The last thing she remembered was standing in the valley with Liam, the vines attacking them, the flora testing their strength. But now… now she was here, in this cottage, with Mario, and everything felt so perfect. Too perfect.
Aria took a step back, her eyes scanning the room. “This isn’t real. This… this is some kind of illusion.”
Mario’s smile faltered slightly, though his eyes remained gentle. “Why do you think that? Isn’t this what you always wanted? A quiet life, away from all the chaos and danger? You and me, together, living in peace. You don’t have to fight anymore. You don’t have to carry the burden of magic. You can be free.”
Her heart twisted at his words, the weight of what he was saying pressing down on her. It was what she had wanted once. Before her father’s death, before the compass, before the weight of destiny had fallen on her shoulders. She had dreamed of a life like this—simple, peaceful, with someone she loved by her side. And Mario… he had always been part of that dream.
But now? Now, everything was different.
“Mario,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I don’t think I’m that person anymore.”
He frowned, stepping closer to her, his hands reaching for hers. “Why not? You don’t have to be a hero, Aria. You don’t have to carry the weight of the world. We can have this—right here, right now. A life without magic, without danger. Just us.”
Aria’s chest tightened, her mind racing with doubt. She looked around the room again—the sunlight, the warmth, the feeling of safety and love. It was everything she had once wanted, everything she had once dreamed of. But deep inside, she knew this wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. This was the life she had left behind, the life she had thought was enough. But now, after everything she had been through, everything she had learned… could she really go back?
“I can’t,” Aria whispered, her voice barely audible. “I can’t just walk away from everything.”
Mario’s grip tightened on her hands, his eyes searching hers, pleading. “You don’t have to do this, Aria. You don’t have to put yourself in danger. You don’t have to carry this burden. Stay with me. We can be happy. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Aria felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. The temptation was overwhelming. She wanted so badly to believe him, to let go of the weight of responsibility and simply be. She wanted to stay in this peaceful illusion, where nothing could hurt her, where she could love and be loved without fear.
But the truth—the truth was that she was different now. The compass, the journey, the magic—it had all changed her. She wasn’t the same girl who had dreamed of a quiet life. She had found a strength within herself that she hadn’t known existed, a strength that had pushed her through every trial, every hardship. And that strength was tied to her magic, to the path she had chosen.
“I can’t stay here,” Aria said, her voice breaking with emotion. “This isn’t real, Mario. It’s not who I am anymore.”
Mario’s face fell, his expression filled with sorrow. “Why not? Why can’t this be real?”
Aria shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Because I’ve seen too much. I’ve fought too hard. I’ve discovered parts of myself I didn’t even know were there. And I can’t just give that up. I can’t walk away from the person I’m becoming.”
Mario took a step back, his eyes filled with pain. “You’d give up this? Us? For magic? For adventure?”
The question hit her like a punch to the gut. She had never imagined she would have to choose between the life she had once dreamed of and the life she was now building. But here she was, standing on the precipice of that choice, and it felt like her heart was being torn in two.
“I don’t want to give you up,” she whispered, her voice barely holding together. “But I can’t walk away from this path. It’s not just about the magic. It’s about who I’m becoming. Who I need to be.”
Mario’s face hardened, his sorrow giving way to frustration. “And who is that, Aria? A hero? Someone who fights battles and faces danger every day? Is that the life you want?”
Aria closed her eyes, her heart aching with the weight of the decision before her. She loved Mario—she always had. But the life she was living now, the path she was on, was so much bigger than the peaceful existence they had once dreamed of. She was part of something greater, something that called to her in a way she couldn’t ignore.
When she opened her eyes, her gaze was steady, though tears still glistened in her eyes. “I don’t know if I’m a hero. But I know that I can’t turn my back on this journey. Not now. Not when so much is at stake.”
Mario’s expression darkened, and the warmth of the cottage began to fade. The sunlight dimmed, and the room grew colder, as if the magic that had created the illusion was beginning to unravel.
“You don’t have to do this,” Mario said one last time, his voice filled with desperation. “You can stay with me. We can have the life we always wanted. Please, Aria. Don’t leave me.”
Her heart shattered at the sound of his voice, but deep down, she knew the choice she had to make.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, the words tearing at her soul. “But I have to go.”
In that moment, the illusion crumbled. The cottage, the warmth, Mario—all of it dissolved into nothing, leaving Aria standing once again in the heart of the valley, her chest heaving with the weight of what she had just experienced. The magical flora around her swayed gently, as if acknowledging the test she had just faced.
But the pain of the decision lingered, a hollow ache in her chest. Before she could fully process what had happened, the ground beneath her trembled, and the vines around her began to writhe once more. The valley wasn’t finished with her yet.