One Picture And One Story Week #18

THE LEGEND OF THE CURSED MIRROR

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In a kingdom far away, there was a castle that sat high on a hill. It was said the castle was cursed by an evil witch and that anyone who looked into the mirror would be doomed to a fate worse than death.

Despite the warnings, a brave Knight by name Sir Arthur decided to visit the castle. As he approached the door, he could feel the air grow so cold. He raised his hand to knock but to his great surprise, the door swung open before he could touch it.
He stepped inside and saw the mirror, its surface shimmering.

As Sir Arthur gazed into the mirror, behold he saw a figure appear in its depths. It was a woman who was dressed in a flowing gown.
She smiled at him but there was something unsettling about her smile. It seemed to hide a dark secret.
"Welcome, Sir Arthur" she said, her voice like the rustling of leaves. "I've been waiting for you"
Sir Arthur felt a chill run down his spine.
He knew he should turn away from the mirror but he just couldn't look away.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The woman's smile widened.
"I am the keeper of the mirror, the keeper of its secret and there is a secret that I have been waiting to share with you."
She beckoned him to come closer and he took a hesitant step forward.
"What secret?" he asked.
"I can show you the path to eternal life." She whispered.
"I can give you the power to never age, the power to never die."

Sir Arthur's heart pounded in his chest.
"How?" he asked in a shaking voice.
Immediatel, the woman's smile turned cold.
"You must give me your soul." She replied

Sir Arthur hesitated. The prospect of eternal life was tempting but the thought of giving up his soul was terrifying. He knew that once he made such a bargain, there would be no going back.

However, even as he hesitated, he found himself walking towards the mirror, drawn to its mysterious depths. He gazed into the woman's eyes and saw darkness within them just like an endless pit.
"I cannot give you my soul." He said. "I must remain true to my principles."
The woman's face twisted into a snarl.
"Then you will face your fate." She hissed.
"You will grow old and die just like everyone else." She added.

Sir Arthur felt his heart sink. But he knew that he had made the right decision. He could not compromise his values for the promise of eternal life.
"Then I will face my fate." He said with a strength he didn't know he had.
"And I will do so with honor and dignity." He added.

With that, he turned and walked away from the mirror leaving the woman and her dark promises behind.

As he left the castle, the sun began to rise casting its warm light on the dew-covered grass.
As he breathed in the fresh air, Sir Arthur felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over him. He had faced the temptation of eternal life and emerged stronger than it. He knew that his journey was car from over, but he felt ready to face whatever challenges that was ahead. He knew that he would do so with the knowledge that he had remained true to himself.

The legend of the cursed mirror had been overcome and Sir Arthur's honor reminded intact.

As years passed, Sir Arthur lived out his life with integrity and purpose. He never regretted his decisions to turn away from the dark promise of eternal life. He knew that he had made the right choice and his life was richer for it.

When his time came, he laid down and closes his eyes.
And as he took his final breath, he felt a sense of peace and contentment. He had faced his fate with honor and dignity just as he had vowed.
In his final moment, he know that he had lived a life worth living.

THE END

I invite @patjewell, @josepha, @ridwant and @waterjoe to participate in this contest