Witchling Academy Semester Eight - Avery Song Page 0,4

of that in the process of being lost in my own expectations. I was blinded by that, and the fear of starting from square one. Of losing it all. Now my dream is further away than it originally was. I didn't realize that my dream hasn't moved away from me. It's in the same spot. The same height and distance that it was when I started with bursts of stamina. What changed was my resilience, my determination to start again and achieve that same distance. I made it seem longer. Dragged it on like I had double the distance to achieve, and in the end, all of that made me an utter fool. I’ve lost sight of what I was so obsessed with and focused on the boiling emotions piling up within me because of how much I wanted everything to just go right."

I finally allowed my tense shoulders to sink as the weight I'd been carrying on them began to fade away and leave me in a state of relief.

"Does that mean you still fear the darkness?"

I took my time to answer as I stared at his back before closing my eyes to allow myself to truly be surrounded by the hollow world.

"No," I whispered. "The darkness is merely an element. It's no different from light, fire, water, or any other magic. It's the most misunderstood element in all areas of magic, and it’s only defined as evil because it forces us to face what we don't want to deal with."

It was the honest truth, and I could finally say it. "Darkness forces us to seek out all the ugliness we bury inside ourselves. To confront the demons that we run away from every chance we get while wallowing in those emotions we all hate to deal with: the anger, the sadness, the moments of defeat. Everyone loves to be happy, in love, and ecstatic for everything that's supposed to come our way, but no one likes to shed tears, be frustrated or angry, or acknowledge that not everything is obtainable."

I allowed myself to smile, feeling the hints of pride that finally peeked out of the flood of anger, sadness, and disappointment that I'd allowed to consume me for weeks on end. The threads of anxiety were being cut while the sheets of fear were being torn out of the book that held all my dreams.

With this revelation, I was finally allowing myself to be free. Allowing myself to seek the answers I've always dreamed of retrieving.

"I'm not afraid anymore, and if there comes a time when I am, I know I'll have the support and knowledge within myself to get through it. I'll experience all these emotions and more, and in return, I'll be able to see the twinkling light that seeks my refuge. I'll see the starry sky and eventually watch the sunrise that will reward me with a sight of victory."

Opening my eyes slowly, they widened to double their size as I took in the miraculous sky full of stars, while the first set of rays of sunlight cut through the navy-blue surface.

I was speechless as the streams of light grew and spread, the sunrise beginning to roll in like time was on fast forward and I was witnessing something pre-recorded. As much as I wanted to think it was an illusion, I had no doubt in my mind that this was real. This was that spectacular light moment that I'd craved, and here I was, experiencing it.

"You've achieved your victory, Kaito."

The man turned around to face me, and when his eyes met mine, I almost lost all feeling in my legs. He smiled at my reaction as I corrected my stance, my body trembling as flowing tears streamed down my wet cheeks.

The orange glow of the sun washed over him, just as the breeze suddenly passed us - carrying a perfect amount of warmth compared to the frigid chill from before.

His purple eyes sparkled with tiny bits of stars, reminding me of the milky way or a galaxy, while bits of silver and white surrounded his irises. He had pale skin, an oval-shaped face, and slightly flushed cheeks. The tranquility he carried in his expression was beyond words.

With one glance, you knew this man carried wisdom beyond words, but that's not what shook me to my core. His smile showed his perfectly white teeth as he slowly nodded his head as though he could see my resolve.

"It's always shocking to see your future self, isn't