The Village Of Arandel And The Girl Who Restored Balance

In the heart of a quiet forest stood the village of Arandel—a place wrapped in unnatural silence, as if the trees themselves were afraid to whisper. At the center of it all loomed the **Obsidian Tree**, a towering, twisted thing with bark black as midnight and veins that pulsed a deep, eerie red when the moon was full. The villagers said the tree fed on balance—light and dark, life and death—and no one dared disturb it.

But Erya was different.

### **The Girl Born in Shadows**

Erya came into the world on **Eclipse Night**, the day the moon swallowed the sun. Her mother died bringing her into the world. Her father lost his mind soon after. The villagers feared her, calling her *"half of something—never whole."*

As she grew, strange things happened around her. Crops thrived where she walked but withered elsewhere. Animals followed her, only to flee when she looked at them too long. At night, shadowy voices whispered in her dreams, speaking of **balance lost**, of light growing too strong.

The villagers avoided her, but the Obsidian Tree… it *called* to her.

### **The Night Everything Changed**

One moonless night, Erya felt an irresistible pull toward the tree. Barefoot and trembling, she entered the clearing. The air was thick, the tree’s red veins pulsing faster. Beneath its roots, a crack in the earth glowed—a hungry, dark light.

Then the shadows moved.

Twisting into human-like shapes, they spoke in a chorus of whispers: *"You are the imbalance."*

Erya shook. *"I didn’t choose this."*

*"No. But you must restore it."*

Suddenly, visions flooded her mind—memories not her own. Centuries ago, Arandel had been a place of **perfect balance**. The Obsidian Tree was not a curse, but a **guardian**, keeping light and dark in harmony. But over time, the villagers grew afraid of the dark. They burned ancient books, silenced the wise, and worshipped only the light.

And so, the darkness festered. The balance broke. Sickness spread. Madness took hold.

*"You are the vessel,"* the shadows said. *"Born in darkness, touched by light. Restore what was broken."*

### **The Choice That Saved Arandel**

The tree split open, revealing a glowing orb—half blinding white, half endless black.

*"You must take both."*

Erya reached out. The moment her fingers touched the orb, **agony ripped through her**. Her veins burned—half gold, half black. She screamed as visions overwhelmed her:

- A world of only **light**—blinding, burning, destroying.

- A world of only **darkness**—cold, empty, lifeless.

She finally understood: **Balance was not peace. It was tension—two forces held in check.**

With a gasp, she pulled the orb free.

### **The Dawn of a New Arandel**

Erya turned toward the village, the sky above her split—half day, half night. The villagers stumbled out of their homes, staring in shock.

She raised her hand.

A wave of **shadow** swept over the land—but instead of destruction, it **healed**. The sick rose from their beds. The mad grew calm. Then came **light**, soft and warm, not harsh like before.

Exhausted, Erya collapsed.

When she awoke, the village was **transformed**. The Obsidian Tree now bore silver leaves. The sky shimmered in an eternal twilight—neither day nor night, but **both**.

The elders approached, trembling. *"What are you?"*

Erya stood, her eyes glowing with dusk and dawn. *"I am the dark balance. I am the middle path."*

### **A Village Reborn**

From that day on, Arandel changed.

- Children learned that **truth** lay not in extremes, but in harmony.

- Villagers no longer feared the dark or worshipped only the light.

- The Obsidian Tree stood as a reminder—**balance was the only way to survive.**

And deep beneath its roots, the orb still spun.

**Waiting.**

### **The Lesson of Erya’s Story**

Erya’s tale teaches us that **life is not about choosing light over dark or good over evil—but about finding the balance between them.** Too much of one thing leads to ruin. True strength lies in walking the **middle path**.

So the next time you face a choice, ask yourself: **Are you leaning too far into the light? Or hiding too deep in the dark?**

Because like Erya, we must learn to embrace **both**.

And maybe, just maybe, the world will find its balance again.