chapter 23: tangled threads of truth
the afternoon sun cast long shadows over the village as ren wandered near the edge of the woods. his mind was restless, a storm of conflicting thoughts raging beneath his skin. the fragments of memories teased him like a cruel game — just out of reach, tangled in shadows he couldn't unravel.
"you think too much," maya's voice broke through the haze as she appeared beside him without a sound. "sometimes the answers come when you stop chasing them."
ren shot her a sideways glance, the pride in his eyes flaring. "easy for you to say. you remember who you are."
"not everything," she admitted softly. "but enough to know who i want to be."
he frowned, "and what about me? who do i want to be? right now, i just want to be powerful. i want control. but what if that's just another cage?"
maya studied him quietly. "maybe power isn't about control. maybe it's about knowing when to let go."
ren's jaw clenched. "letting go feels like weakness."
"sometimes, letting go takes more strength than holding on," maya said, her gaze steady.
he shook his head, frustration bubbling. "i don't want to be weak. not again."
"no one's asking you to be weak," maya said gently. "but strength isn't just about fighting. it's about understanding — yourself and others."
ren looked away, the weight of her words pressing against his pride. "i don't know if i can."
"you don't have to know yet," maya smiled faintly. "that's what makes this journey worth taking."
the wind rustled through the trees, carrying whispers of a past still hidden — and a future waiting to be forged.
ren took a deep breath, feeling the tangled threads inside him begin to loosen — just a little.