Chapter 30 The First Choice

Chapter 30 The First Choice
Luna POV

The first barrier had been made by sacrificing herself by Elena herself to her grandmother. It was she who had now become the protector of the intermediate between life and non-life. She had been waiting all this time drunk on someone setting her free.

Watching I have been, the old one answered. She was gazing upon me with those old eyes. I have been observing all that you did. Every choice you made. Whenever you would have been merciful, not avenging. Whenever you might have done what was to be constructed, rather than to be demolished. And I had known that you were the one who could make a new kind of barrier. One that did not have to be totally sacrificed. One that could be shared."

"Why didn't you contact me?" I asked. Why have you told me what I had to do?

As there are paths that need to be walked alone, said the grandmother of Elena. Because had I told you, you would have made the choice for the wrong reasons. But you have made it now for the right reasons. And now do you see I can get you to do a thing I always wanted to do.

"What?" I asked.

Get out of the way, old man, said the old one. She smiled as though she had just got out of a time prison. You will have the duty of the barrier entirely entrusted to you. And then I'm going to rest. I will live in earnest, not guard like an artificial being, as I have never before in ten thousand years done so.

But the barrier will require somebody, I said. Someone will be required to sustain the void,--

No, no, the antique one said. This is what I knew thousands of years ago. The obstacle does not require a watchdog. The barrier needs believers. It requires individuals on both sides that only make a choice to keep it. Who chooses to honor it. Who bequeath to think that they can cooperate.

She was right. I could feel it. So long as there was a belief in the barrier among people. They could do so as long as they wanted to support it. They respected what it was as long as it upheld its name. The barrier would remain strong. It is not by sacrifice, but by community.

"So what do I do?" I asked.

"Live," the ancient one said. "Come back to the world. Be part of the community. Work together with Sera to make sure the barrier remains robust. But also live. Fall in love. Make mistakes. Build things. Dream. Everything I never had to do.

I looked at Ethan. He smiled at me with such hopefulness that it broke my heart. I gazed at Elena and at my mother and at Kieran and everyone that I was fond of. I gazed upon the hindrance and knew it was beautiful. It was strong. It consisted of thousands of people who preferred to honor the sacrifice and create something better.

I took off the ring. Elena's grandmother's ring. And I put it on the finger of Elena.

"Will you help?" I asked Elena. And will you assist in keeping up the belief in the barrier?

Elena nodded. And she was weeping yet smiling. "I will," she said. I will use the rest of my life to educate people on this. About what happened. About what we overcame."

I moved out of the wall. And I realized something. I wasn't trapped. I was never trapped. I was always free. And the barrier had always been making my freedom powerful.

Ethan grabbed my hand. "Welcome back," he said.

"Thank you," I said. "Thank you for waiting. Believe me, thanks, you see I will come back.

We went through the barrier again. Back to the world. Back to Pine Ridge. Back to life.

But Sera stayed. She decided to remain in the middle-ground. She decided to be the new protector of the wall with her grandmother. She had found her purpose. She had found her peace.

Once again looking back I walked towards Pine Ridge. I could see them. Babysitters of that diverse point of what is and what is not. And I could be aware of their love coming my way. Reaching toward everyone. Maintaining the barrier, not as a result of fear, but hope.

And had a recognition, then, at the time. This was the manner in which peace was effective. Not due to lack of conflict, but by love. Not without a hesitation of fear, but with the element of choice. No, not by the non-existence of sacrifice, but by the reverence of that sacrifice that followed every person that came in after.

Ten years ago I had eloped out of a wedding due to fear. I had been running without having an idea of where I was running to. But now I understand. And I had been making down at this. To a life in which I would make a choice. Achieving a world in which human beings and werewolves would co-construct. To love which was not imposed by fate or magic or power but determined by choice on a daily basis.

Ethan was holding my hand. My mother was passing next to me. Kieran and Elena were further ahead of us, and they were restoring what they had lost. And behind us, beyond the barrier about which we could not see, but which we could feel, was the mistress of Sera and Elena. Keeping the world safe. Keeping the peace alive.

I felt it as we were walking, toward the future, toward Pine Ridge. One more presence. Another man attempted to approach me over there. I knew her at a glance. It is she who had eloped out of her own wedding. The girl I used to be. The girl who was so afraid.

I walked around and stared at her. At the child I had been. And I smiled.

"It's going to be okay," I told her. It is all going to be alright.

The girl smiled back. And then she was gone. Melted into the individual I had turned out to be. At last the eloped bride returned home.