You have a choice. You always have. You always will. Take all the time you need to make it. But once you've made your choice, you cannot go back on what you may have done. You might make people happy. You might hurt people. Maybe even a little bit of both. But there is always a choice.
Will you let those ashes burn within you? Begin anew, and let the old flames of your past die? Will you burn, brighter and brighter, until you shine in the eyes of even those who are shrouded in darkness? Will you bring light, and sacrifice what you hold dear in exchange for the happiness of those you love?
Or will you embrace the darkness, like so many others before you have? You may throw your world into an age of despair, but there will always be another to shine in your eyes, to dazzle you with their brilliance, and maybe even bring a spark of hope to your cold and dead heart, however small it may be. You will face demons. Monsters. You will die. You will die over and over again. But you will always have the world by your side. Even a complete stranger will come to your aid and defend your frail body with their own. And perhaps one day, you may do the same for them.
We will always have a choice. The choice to either burn, or refuse to do so. It will always be there, weighing upon us, wishing for us to make that ever-deep decision. Until the day we finally choose. And I will choose now, as you will, one day. And I choose…
To let my soul shine. To burn the brightest of all. To let those old flames settle to ashes, so that new ones may arise and light the path for the rest of my ever-shortening life. They shall be my shining guides, my beacons, my hope.
So pick up your blade. Acquire the experience you need. Fight to the very last breath and keep on fighting. Make mistakes and die. Rise again, stronger and better than before. Every time you come back, you are only growing faster, stronger, more aggressive. Don't let up. Finish this journey. And make your choice.