The Witch Lyra and Her Path to Light

In the farthest part of the forest, where the trees were tall and their branches intertwined as if trying to hide all secrets, lived a witch named Lyra. Her house was built from old stones, and the villagers called it the "house of the wind" because strange gusts always swirled around it, even on quiet nights. Lyra was not the scary witch often portrayed in stories. She was a middle-aged woman with long gray hair and deeply set eyes that sometimes seemed older than her face. But in her gaze lay a power, and this power was not something that could be touched by hands.

Lyra was born in a village, but she had long since left it. From a young age, she felt a power that could not be understood in ordinary terms. Ancient magical forces flowed through her blood, passed down through generations, and she realized early on that her path would not be like that of ordinary people. Unlike other children, she did not play with toys or run through the fields. Instead, she sat with her grandmother, listening to stories and incantations that taught her how to turn forest herbs and roots into healing remedies. And although her peers feared her power, she never tried to use it for harm.

As Lyra grew older, she ventured deeper into the forest, where she learned even more. In the heart of the forest, she found a place where she could live in peace, away from people who feared her power. Lyra never sought fame or recognition. She did not believe in violence and never used her magic to harm others. Her goal was something else: she sought harmony within herself and in everything around her.

Lyra's magic was strange. She could not turn someone into a frog or fly, as other witches were said to do. Her power lay in the ability to feel the energy of nature. She could heal wounds with herbs, summon rain when the earth thirsted for water, and kindle a fire when the night’s cold became unbearable. But her magic was not meant to scare people. She used it to heal and help those who came to her.

The villagers from the nearby town began to notice Lyra when, one day, a terrible illness spread, and their children began to lose strength, and no healer could help. In search of salvation, they decided to approach the witch. The elders warned them: "Do not go to Lyra! She is dark and dangerous!" But desperate, the villagers decided to try. Lyra accepted them without asking questions and healed the children. From that moment, rumors of her help began to spread.

Lyra had always shied away from intervening in the lives of others, but she could not remain indifferent when she saw suffering. She helped, but she never asked for thanks. Behind her lingered a long shadow, and although she helped, people still feared her power. They understood that power was not always good, but Lyra never used it with malicious intent. Her power was part of her inner world, and she used it to bring harmony to the world.

However, as time went on, Lyra began to feel that her magic no longer brought her joy. At some point, she realized that she had given too much and received too little in return. People began to forget her kindness and took her magic for granted. They came only when they needed her help and left, forgetting her face. This made Lyra reflect on her path.

One day in the forest, she met a strange traveler. It was a young man who had gotten lost and didn’t know how to find his way back to the village. He said he had heard of Lyra and had come for help, but there was no fear on his face. "You’re not an evil witch, are you?" he asked. Lyra, surprised by his question, answered, "No, I am not evil. But I cannot help you unless you ask." The traveler smiled and said, "I am not afraid of your magic. I am only afraid that you are afraid of yourself."

These words made Lyra reflect. She had always feared that her power could be used for harm, so she tried to avoid it. But now she realized that her power was not evil but a gift. Lyra finally understood that she needed to use her power with love and patience, not fear her own nature.

From that day on, Lyra returned to the village and became more open. She continued to help people, but now her magic was filled with love and peace. She used her power to heal, restore, protect, and give advice. The people stopped fearing her, because they understood that the power she carried was part of her heart.

Morale: Power is not just the ability to influence the world, but also the ability to know when to use it for good. Sometimes, to learn to live with magic, one must first learn to live with oneself.