Attempt to resist, still uncertain if he can fully surrender, but willing to try and understand his feelings on his own.

Elion took a step back, shaking his head as the weight of Vaelra’s words lingered in the air. His heart was still racing, his breath uneven. Despite the alluring pull of her promise, there was a deep fear—fear of losing himself completely.

“I can’t…” Elion said, his voice breaking the silence between them. “I can’t just give in. I don’t know if I’m ready to accept this part of myself. It feels like I’m losing everything I’ve known.”

Vaelra’s eyes softened, and she took a careful step toward him. Her expression was no longer stern or commanding, but compassionate, as though she understood the depth of his struggle. “You’re not losing yourself, Elion. You’re discovering who you truly are. Sometimes, what feels like losing control is the first step to gaining it.”

Her words settled like a weight in Elion’s chest. He wanted to believe her. He could see the wisdom in her eyes, hear the sincerity in her voice. But the fear was still there—fear of change, of stepping into the unknown, of letting go of everything he had been taught to value.

“I’ve always been taught to be strong,” Elion continued, his voice trembling with uncertainty. “To never show weakness, to never be ****. How can I give that up?”

Vaelra paused, considering his words. She then spoke softly, as if speaking to someone on the edge of a great revelation. “Strength isn’t just about hiding what makes you ****. True strength is in the courage to face those parts of yourself that scare you the most.”

Elion felt the tension in his chest tighten, but something in her words resonated with him. He had been hiding, pretending to be something he wasn’t. Perhaps that was the real weakness—not accepting the parts of him that were in conflict, that he was too afraid to confront.

Still, the decision to submit—to let go of his resistance—felt like a leap into the unknown. What if he was making a mistake? What if embracing this side of himself would lead him down a path he couldn’t escape from?

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing mind. “I’m not ready to fully give in, Vaelra. But… I’ll try. I’ll try to understand it better. I need to take this slowly.”

Vaelra’s gaze softened even further, a small, understanding smile tugging at her lips. “That’s all I ask, Elion. No one expects you to surrender everything at once. Take your time. But know that when you’re ready, I’ll be here to guide you.”

With that, she turned and walked back to her desk, leaving Elion to stand in the center of the room, his thoughts swirling. Despite his resistance, a small part of him felt a shift—a flicker of curiosity, of acceptance, even in the face of uncertainty. Maybe this journey wasn’t about fully giving in, but about finding balance—about accepting both his strength and his vulnerability.