On the other side, Ben found himself standing in a world unlike anything he’d ever imagined. The sky was the colour of molten gold, trees shimmered like silver strands, and floating islands drifted lazily in the distance. But that wasn’t the strangest thing. Every so often, in the corner of his vision, Ben caught glimpses of himself—running, hiding, shouting, or fighting—but only for a moment, before the images blinked out of existence.
As Ben wandered through this bizarre landscape, he learned quickly that this place thrived on adversity. With each step, the world seemed to test him. First, it was small—he tripped over roots that weren’t obvious until he looked back or stumbled into invisible walls. But the deeper he ventured, the more the challenges escalated.
One day, a storm of fire raged from the sky, and he had to outrun it. The next, he found himself surrounded by towering, faceless giants that spoke in riddles, forcing him to solve puzzles or face being crushed.
But the hardest part came at night. When the skies darkened, the Echo would manifest. It wasn’t another version of him anymore—it was a shadowy, distorted reflection of all his fears, insecurities, and failures. It taunted him, reminded him of every time he had given up or doubted himself. It whispered in his ear, tempting him to surrender and return to the safety of his old life.
For a while, Ben almost gave in. The Echo’s words gnawed at him, convincing him that he wasn’t strong enough, smart enough, or brave enough to win. But each time he was on the brink of quitting, something inside him sparked—a fierce determination that he never knew he had.
He started fighting back.
He outran the firestorms, solved the riddles of the giants, and found ways to outsmart the Echo’s tricks. With every victory, the Echo grew smaller, weaker, less convincing. The once all-powerful shadow began to fade, losing its grip on him.
Then came the final test.
Ben found himself at the edge of a massive chasm so wide that the other side was barely visible. The only way across was a thin, crumbling bridge, swaying precariously in the wind. And there, waiting for him in the middle of the bridge, was the Echo—larger and more terrifying than ever before. Its hollow eyes bore into him, filled with every fear he had ever known.
“You will fail,” it hissed. “You always do.”
Ben hesitated, staring down at the endless drop below. For a brief moment, the Echo’s words sank in. Maybe he wasn’t cut out for this. Maybe he should just turn back and retreat to his ordinary, safe life.
But then he remembered everything he had overcome—the firestorms, the giants, the riddles, and all the nights spent battling his darkest thoughts. He had already come too far.
Taking a deep breath, Ben stepped onto the bridge. With each step, the Echo hurled more insults, conjuring images of his past mistakes. But Ben kept moving. He ignored the noise, focusing only on the path ahead.
When he reached the Echo, he stopped. “You don’t control me,” Ben said quietly, and for the first time, the Echo flinched.
With one final surge of determination, Ben pushed past the Echo, sending it tumbling into the abyss below. The chasm closed up, the bridge solidified, and the strange world around him began to dissolve into a bright, warm light.
