Echo of paradise: The legend of love and exile - Виктория Юрьевна Лутова

prayed for the strength to understand how to love her without losing himself. He prayed to find the courage to let her go, if that was what was required.

One day, as Adam sat at the base of a tree, he heard a whisper. It was neither God's voice nor the voice of darkness. It was his own voice, speaking from the depths of his soul:

"Adam, you have always followed Eve. You have always tried to protect her. But you have never asked yourself who you are. You are not merely her shadow. You are not merely a man. You are a part of God, just as she is. Find your strength, and then you will be able to stand beside her without losing yourself."

Adam closed his eyes, feeling tears trickle down his cheeks. He knew it was true. He knew his love for Eve had been not only a strength but also a weakness. But now, he was ready to change that.

Chapter Seventeen – Crossroads

Many days had passed before the man and the woman crossed paths again.

Eve was walking through the forest when she sensed a familiar presence. Her heart tightened, but she didn’t stop.

She knew this moment was bound to come.

Adam was standing by the river when he saw her. His heart quickened, but he didn’t run to her. He knew he had to give her space – it had to be her choice to come.

Eve stopped on the other side of the river.

The two stood facing each other, and between them lay more than just water.

There was a void – one they had both created.

“Eve,” Adam said, his voice quiet yet steady, “I searched for you. But now I understand—you needed to walk your own path. I can’t make you come back. I just want you to know: I still love you, and I always will.”

Tears welled in Eve’s eyes. She wanted to tell him that she loved him too, but the words caught in her throat. She knew she couldn’t return to what once was. She knew she had changed.

“Adam,” she said at last, “I love you. But I’m no longer the woman I used to be. I can’t go back. I have to keep moving forward.”

Adam nodded, feeling his heart break—but also a strange peace settling within him. He understood he couldn’t hold on to her. He realized that love isn’t only about staying together—it’s also about setting the other free.

Chapter Eighteen – Unity in Separation

Eve continued on her path, but thoughts of Adam never left her. She knew he still loved her, and that knowledge gave her strength. Though their paths had diverged, their hearts remained bound to one another.

Adam stayed by the river, his eyes following her fading silhouette. Within him, pain and hope intertwined. He believed their story wasn’t over. He held onto the hope that one day, they would meet again.

Somewhere far beyond, in the stillness of eternity, God watched them with both love and sorrow. He understood the hardships of their journey, but also knew: only through pain would they truly find themselves.

Only through separation could they come to know the meaning of true love.

PART FIVE

THE PATH TO LIGHT

Chapter Nineteen – The City of Shadows

Eve walked through the desert until the silhouette of a mysterious city rose on the horizon. The city was built of black stone, its towers reaching toward the sky as if trying to touch the stars. A strange force pulled her toward it, like a magnet. Here, she felt, the answers awaited.

As she entered the city, the streets were deserted, yet she felt eyes on her. Shadows slid along the walls like living things, whispering words she couldn’t quite understand.

At the city’s heart stood a massive temple. Its doors stood open, and Eve stepped inside. In the silence, she saw a figure seated on a throne. It was the same stranger she had met before, though now he seemed transformed. His eyes were dark as the abyss, and his smile was cold as ice.

“You’ve come,” he said, his voice echoing through the chamber.

Eve stood before him. “Who are you?” she asked. “Why do you keep following me?”

The stranger rose and stepped closer. “I am your reflection, Eve. I am who you might become. You came here seeking answers, and I will give them to you. But first, you must prove you are ready.”

Eve clenched her fists. “What do you want me to do?”

“You must choose,” he said. “You must decide who you want to be: light or shadow. You cannot be both.”

Eve froze. This was the choice she had feared most.

She knew that if she chose light, she would lose the power that darkness had given her.

But if she chose darkness – she would lose her connection to God.

Chapter Twenty – Finding Strength

Adam stood by the river, but his heart was being pulled elsewhere. He realized he couldn’t simply wait for Eve to return. He needed to find his own path – to become worthy of her love.

He journeyed through forests and over mountains, until one evening he came upon an old man seated by a fire. The man wore simple clothes, yet his eyes shimmered with a wisdom that seemed eternal.

“You look lost, my son,” the old man said as Adam approached.

“I’m searching for Eve,” Adam replied. “She left, and I don’t know how to bring her back.”

The old man nodded. “You seek her, but first, you must find yourself. You cannot be her strength if you don’t stand on solid ground.”

Adam sat beside the fire. “But how can I find myself? I’ve always been by her side. She is a part of me.