The day Mara took Ana into the heart of the forest, the sun was hidden beneath thick clouds, casting a dull, silver light on the world. The air felt heavy, like a storm was about to break. Ana followed in silence, her steps hesitant as she tried to match Mara's pace.
"You've done well so far," Mara said, her voice low but approving. "But there is one more lesson you must learn before we can move forward. And this one, you will face alone."
Ana's heart skipped. Alone? She had spent the last few days beside Mara, learning the basics of magic, but now it seemed the witch was preparing to test her in a way she hadn't expected.
"Alone?" Ana echoed, her voice wavering. "What do I have to do?"
Mara stopped and turned to face her, her green eyes sharp. "There is a place deep within the forest where the trees remember more than they should. They reflect what is hidden inside of you, Ana — what you fear most. That is where you must go."
Ana frowned. "What do you mean, 'reflect'?"
Mara's lips twitched. "The Mirror Tree shows you your truest self. But it is not a reflection you may want to see." She paused, letting the silence stretch between them. "It is a test of your courage. A test of your will."
Ana swallowed hard, her throat dry. "And... if I fail?"
Mara's gaze softened just a fraction, but her voice remained steady. "There is no such thing as failure here. Only the choice to see and to accept. Go now. I will be waiting at the edge."
Without another word, Mara turned and disappeared into the trees, leaving Ana standing alone in the quiet, damp forest. The weight of her words pressed down on Ana like a physical thing. She had been brought here to learn, but now it felt as though something far darker was about to unfold.
The deeper Ana ventured into the forest, the more oppressive the air became. The trees grew taller, their branches twisting in strange, unnatural shapes. The forest seemed to close in around her, the sounds of birds and insects falling silent, as though the very woods were holding their breath.
Minutes stretched into hours as Ana walked, her footsteps soft against the moss-covered ground. The shadows thickened, and she began to feel an unsettling chill creeping up her spine. The forest was alive, but it felt... different now. Less welcoming. More hungry.
Finally, she saw it.
At the center of a small clearing stood a tree like none other she had ever seen. Its bark was black as night, and its twisted branches arched overhead, forming an almost perfect circle. The roots of the tree spread out across the ground like fingers, curling and grasping at the earth.
Ana stepped closer, her heart pounding. As she neared the tree, she saw that its trunk was smooth, almost glass-like. The surface rippled, reflecting the world around it — but not as it was. The reflection that stared back at her was warped, distorted, as though the tree itself was showing her a version of herself she did not recognize.
She took a hesitant step forward, and the reflection shifted. For a brief moment, Ana saw herself as a child — small and scared, lost in a forest much like this one. Her eyes were wide, filled with fear. She could hear her younger self crying out, calling for someone, anyone, to help her.
Then, the image changed. Ana saw herself as a woman, standing tall and proud, but alone. The people around her looked distant, their faces blurred as if she had been cut off from them, leaving only a void of cold emptiness between them and her.
Her reflection flickered again. This time, Ana saw a version of herself she didn't want to face — a version of herself consumed by darkness, her eyes hollow and cold, her face twisted in anger.
"You think you are ready?" The voice came from nowhere, yet it felt as though it came from within her own mind. The reflection spoke, its lips moving in time with her own. "You think you can control what lies in you? The fear, the rage, the hunger?"
Ana recoiled, but the reflection stepped forward, mirroring her movements with a mocking smile. "You are no different from me. No different from the darkness that runs through this forest."
"Stop," Ana whispered, her breath shaky. "I'm not like you. I'm not like that."
The reflection's smile widened. "You are. You always have been. This is what you will become. This is your truth."
Ana backed away, her heart hammering in her chest. But with each step, the reflection followed, its mocking gaze never leaving her. The shadows in the clearing seemed to grow longer, reaching out toward her as though they were alive.
"No!" Ana cried out, but her voice sounded distant, swallowed by the darkness. "I won't become you!"
The reflection laughed — a hollow, echoing sound that made her insides twist. The voice returned, its tone a mocking whisper. "You can't escape what you are. You can't escape yourself."
Ana's chest tightened, and for a moment, she felt the weight of it all — the fear, the doubt, the pressure to be something she wasn't. She wanted to run. To turn and flee back to the cottage where it was safe. But something inside her snapped.
"I won't let you control me," Ana said, her voice gaining strength. "I'm stronger than this. I am not afraid of what I am."
The reflection froze, its mocking smile faltering. For a long moment, Ana stared at herself — truly saw herself. The anger, the fear, the darkness. But it was only a part of her, not all of her. She could feel the truth settling within her like a seed taking root.
With a deep breath, Ana turned her back on the Mirror Tree and walked away. The reflection faded behind her, its voice silenced.
When Ana returned to the edge of the clearing, she found Mara standing in the shadows, waiting. The witch said nothing, but the faintest trace of approval flickered in her eyes.
"You faced yourself," Mara said quietly. "That is the first step."
Ana nodded, though her heart still raced. She wasn't sure if she had truly conquered her fear, or if it was only the beginning of something far more complicated. But for the first time, she felt a sense of clarity.
The forest had shown her the darkness within. But now, she knew she could walk through it.