It lies before me, the accursed place that all men fear. The overarching canopy blocks out the light of the sun and moon. Thin rays pierce through it for brief moments when the clouds break way. However, the forest retains cloud cover as if it has them on a leash. For you see, this forest does not want to be seen. It wants to be hidden from the light of the world and from the eyes of those who wander.

If a man has the desire to find his true destiny, he will, at one point, wander into the forest at great peril. This forest, you see, is filled with demons, monsters, and other fantastical creatures. It is devoid of any light, save that which the man brings with him. Those who wander into the dark forest without light are bound to be consumed by it. Do not trust the lightless men who return.

I stand at the border, peering into the ever-growing labyrinth. It is at this moment that I must trust in my light and journey into darkness. The light of the outside world quickly fades to as I step in, torch in hand, flame alight. The trail is narrow, the bush is thick. I pull out my sword, the sharpened steel glistens in the firelight. I hack the vines that block my path and continue into the depths. Whatever shall I find?

In the blackness beyond the reaches of my torchlight, I see scores of floating eyes, watching, waiting, hoping that my light burns out. For once it does, they will come at me like water upon rock, slowly etching away my very soul. For a moment, I feel I had made a mistake — that I had stepped into the forest, unready and in folly. The doubt quickly faded as I realized that it was the forest whispering to me. The thoughts were not my own.

Cutting through more of the bush, I made my way deeper into the trees. With every step, the forest grew thicker, the thorns grew sharper, and the eyes that watched me multiplied. I dared not venture from the path, to uncover what creatures observed me so intently. Whatever they were, they would not take me this night. I had a quest to fulfill, one that I had started when I was a young boy, and only now, as an adult, was I truly beginning the journey.

As I moved further into the depths, the eyes that crowded the distance began to encroach. Whatever vile creatures crept in the shadows were coming for me now. They moved not with swiftness, but in a terrifying languid way. Their silence lifted, and howls began to echo through the trees — howls of hunger.

I arrived at a wall of vines and thorns. They were so tightly intertwined that it appeared solid. The path ended at the wall. I frivolously attempted to cut my way through, but the vines grew back as soon as I reared for another slice. What magic possessed these plants? It was a dark magic, no doubt. One that was there to corrupt me and my light — the light!

I took the torch in hand and lit the wall ablaze. Foul screams erupted from the wall, like thousands of dying wenches. The high-pitched squeals continued as the wall turned to ash, and the growing light of the flame scared away those watchful eyes. My light had outshone the darkness at this test. The weapons of men could not cut down the wall to the inner forest, only my light could do so. For those who failed to grow their light bright enough, I fear for their demise.

Before me stood an empty glade and a break in the canopy. The ground was soft with green blades of grass lit by the moonlight. They were cold to the touch, yet filled me with calm. Looking up, I could see the stars flickering in the celestial sky. The outer planets rested in their nightly orbits, and the moon stood proud above the centre of the glade, watching over my progress.

A falling star, the angels of the night, shot across the cosmos, descending on the world below. It was falling straight into the glade. The light blinded me, and I recoiled as it impacted the earth before me. After a few moments, the light faded to a dim glow and in the crater of a star lay a beautiful maiden. I approached her carefully, fearing yet another test from the forest.

She was stunning on all accounts. Adorned in white robes, she stood unshaken from the heights from which she had fallen. Her hair did not obey the laws of nature of this world, the blonde locks seemed to float as if she was underwater. The amber colour of her eyes drew me in. I had never seen a real angel before and was mesmerized by what I beheld.

“You enter the forest. Risking all. Why?” asked the angel.

“I am ready to uncover my destiny. I have grown my light, lived in virtue and truth, and stayed away from the corruption of this world. I had a feeling that I must venture here, to defeat any remaining demons.”

“When you look upon me, what do you see?”

“I see an angel, one who is filled with perfection, graceful yet bewitching,” I responded.

“Yes, graceful and bewitching. You have passed the test. Not all understand that the angel can just as well be a demon. You are wise, unlike others who venture into this place. You may continue.”

The fallen star lifted from the glade, her flowing white robes began to glow as she shot back into the night sky. I was now alone again, and the eyes of the watchers returned. They peered from the edge of the glade but dared not enter.

I stepped beyond the crater and made my way to the centre of the glade. Here, I found a stone well filled with dark water. I was parched from my journey thus far, yet felt I should not drink from the well. Instead, I peered over the edge, and I saw myself in the reflection as a vile demon. Horns grew from my forehead, and my eyes were filled with blackness. Veins were visible across my face with pulses of inky blood running through them.

At first glance fear swept over me, a desire to flee this evil well. I soon realized that the well was me. This reflection was my own shadow. I must address it, I thought.

“So this is it, where the forest leads?”

“Yes, you know who I am, and I know who you are,” said the shadowy reflection.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

“I am you, and you are me,” a smirk stretched across his face.

“You have made it to this point, I am impressed. You now have a choice.”

“What is this choice? And is it a trick? I don’t trust you,” I admitted.

“Very wise. But I must still relay the choice to you. You may trust me or not.”

“Alright, give it.”

“First, I must congratulate you. You have passed all three tests within the forest. And now, for the choice. You may cast me away, destroy my grasp on your mind and live without darkness. Or you can join with me and together, we can use the balance to become powerful and achieve great victories.”

“This is the choice,” I asked.

“Yes, you must choose,” my shadow responded.

“Why only two choices? The tests were in threes. The trinity is three. Yet the choice is two? What is the third?”

Suddenly, the ground beneath me began to shake. The stars in the sky began to orbit so quickly that all turned to streaks of white. The eyes of the watchers fled once again, and the forest shrieked as if dying. The water in the well erupted skyward, raining down upon me like a thick syrup, throwing me to the ground. The sun rose in a matter of seconds, my eyes were slow to adjust. The night sky had become day.

I now saw the forest in a new light. The watchers that had filled many men with fear were fauns, deer, and squirrels. They were not the terrifying beasts of lore. The tales were wrong. The dark forest had become a forest of light. Sounds of running water could now be heard. Meadows were all about, with lambs resting with wolves. And the thickness of the brush fell away to an open and inviting paradise.

Wiping the viscous liquid from my face, I stood in awe of the transformation. The well was now emptied of my shadow, for he was nowhere to be seen or heard. Peering into the well revealed a golden key. To my right, a doorway was carved into a mighty tree. I realized what this all meant now. I had passed all of the tests. I wouldn’t have been unable if not for the preparation that my life had given me. Those who journey into darkness without the hardships of light would be unable to pass.

Taking the key in hand, I turned to the doorway and to a new realm.

It lies before me, the accursed place that all men fear. The overarching canopy blocks out the light of the sun and moon. Thin rays pierce through it for brief moments when the clouds break way. However, the forest retains cloud cover as if it has them on a leash. For you see, this forest does not want to be seen. It wants to be hidden from the light of the world and from the eyes of those who wander.

If a man has the desire to find his true destiny, he will, at one point, wander into the forest at great peril. This forest, you see, is filled with demons, monsters, and other fantastical creatures. It is devoid of any light, save that which the man brings with him. Those who wander into the dark forest without light are bound to be consumed by it. Do not trust the lightless men who return.

I stand at the border, peering into the ever-growing labyrinth. It is at this moment that I must trust in my light and journey into darkness. The light of the outside world quickly fades to as I step in, torch in hand, flame alight. The trail is narrow, the bush is thick. I pull out my sword, the sharpened steel glistens in the firelight. I hack the vines that block my path and continue into the depths. Whatever shall I find?

In the blackness beyond the reaches of my torchlight, I see scores of floating eyes, watching, waiting, hoping that my light burns out. For once it does, they will come at me like water upon rock, slowly etching away my very soul. For a moment, I feel I had made a mistake — that I had stepped into the forest, unready and in folly. The doubt quickly faded as I realized that it was the forest whispering to me. The thoughts were not my own.

Cutting through more of the bush, I made my way deeper into the trees. With every step, the forest grew thicker, the thorns grew sharper, and the eyes that watched me multiplied. I dared not venture from the path, to uncover what creatures observed me so intently. Whatever they were, they would not take me this night. I had a quest to fulfill, one that I had started when I was a young boy, and only now, as an adult, was I truly beginning the journey.

As I moved further into the depths, the eyes that crowded the distance began to encroach. Whatever vile creatures crept in the shadows were coming for me now. They moved not with swiftness, but in a terrifying languid way. Their silence lifted, and howls began to echo through the trees — howls of hunger.

I arrived at a wall of vines and thorns. They were so tightly intertwined that it appeared solid. The path ended at the wall. I frivolously attempted to cut my way through, but the vines grew back as soon as I reared for another slice. What magic possessed these plants? It was a dark magic, no doubt. One that was there to corrupt me and my light — the light!

I took the torch in hand and lit the wall ablaze. Foul screams erupted from the wall, like thousands of dying wenches. The high-pitched squeals continued as the wall turned to ash, and the growing light of the flame scared away those watchful eyes. My light had outshone the darkness at this test. The weapons of men could not cut down the wall to the inner forest, only my light could do so. For those who failed to grow their light bright enough, I fear for their demise.

Before me stood an empty glade and a break in the canopy. The ground was soft with green blades of grass lit by the moonlight. They were cold to the touch, yet filled me with calm. Looking up, I could see the stars flickering in the celestial sky. The outer planets rested in their nightly orbits, and the moon stood proud above the centre of the glade, watching over my progress.

A falling star, the angels of the night, shot across the cosmos, descending on the world below. It was falling straight into the glade. The light blinded me, and I recoiled as it impacted the earth before me. After a few moments, the light faded to a dim glow and in the crater of a star lay a beautiful maiden. I approached her carefully, fearing yet another test from the forest.

She was stunning on all accounts. Adorned in white robes, she stood unshaken from the heights from which she had fallen. Her hair did not obey the laws of nature of this world, the blonde locks seemed to float as if she was underwater. The amber colour of her eyes drew me in. I had never seen a real angel before and was mesmerized by what I beheld.

“You enter the forest. Risking all. Why?” asked the angel.

“I am ready to uncover my destiny. I have grown my light, lived in virtue and truth, and stayed away from the corruption of this world. I had a feeling that I must venture here, to defeat any remaining demons.”

“When you look upon me, what do you see?”

“I see an angel, one who is filled with perfection, graceful yet bewitching,” I responded.

“Yes, graceful and bewitching. You have passed the test. Not all understand that the angel can just as well be a demon. You are wise, unlike others who venture into this place. You may continue.”

The fallen star lifted from the glade, her flowing white robes began to glow as she shot back into the night sky. I was now alone again, and the eyes of the watchers returned. They peered from the edge of the glade but dared not enter.

I stepped beyond the crater and made my way to the centre of the glade. Here, I found a stone well filled with dark water. I was parched from my journey thus far, yet felt I should not drink from the well. Instead, I peered over the edge, and I saw myself in the reflection as a vile demon. Horns grew from my forehead, and my eyes were filled with blackness. Veins were visible across my face with pulses of inky blood running through them.

At first glance fear swept over me, a desire to flee this evil well. I soon realized that the well was me. This reflection was my own shadow. I must address it, I thought.

“So this is it, where the forest leads?”

“Yes, you know who I am, and I know who you are,” said the shadowy reflection.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

“I am you, and you are me,” a smirk stretched across his face.

“You have made it to this point, I am impressed. You now have a choice.”

“What is this choice? And is it a trick? I don’t trust you,” I admitted.

“Very wise. But I must still relay the choice to you. You may trust me or not.”

“Alright, give it.”

“First, I must congratulate you. You have passed all three tests within the forest. And now, for the choice. You may cast me away, destroy my grasp on your mind and live without darkness. Or you can join with me and together, we can use the balance to become powerful and achieve great victories.”

“This is the choice,” I asked.

“Yes, you must choose,” my shadow responded.

“Why only two choices? The tests were in threes. The trinity is three. Yet the choice is two? What is the third?”

Suddenly, the ground beneath me began to shake. The stars in the sky began to orbit so quickly that all turned to streaks of white. The eyes of the watchers fled once again, and the forest shrieked as if dying. The water in the well erupted skyward, raining down upon me like a thick syrup, throwing me to the ground. The sun rose in a matter of seconds, my eyes were slow to adjust. The night sky had become day.

I now saw the forest in a new light. The watchers that had filled many men with fear were fauns, deer, and squirrels. They were not the terrifying beasts of lore. The tales were wrong. The dark forest had become a forest of light. Sounds of running water could now be heard. Meadows were all about, with lambs resting with wolves. And the thickness of the brush fell away to an open and inviting paradise.

Wiping the viscous liquid from my face, I stood in awe of the transformation. The well was now emptied of my shadow, for he was nowhere to be seen or heard. Peering into the well revealed a golden key. To my right, a doorway was carved into a mighty tree. I realized what this all meant now. I had passed all of the tests. I wouldn’t have been unable if not for the preparation that my life had given me. Those who journey into darkness without the hardships of light would be unable to pass.

Taking the key in hand, I turned to the doorway and to a new realm.