After the honor came the pressure.
The buzz from the exhibition meant that Ember was now being pursued by major media outlets. The gazes of her peers were no longer just congratulatory; they were questioning and challenging. "Can this really be completed? Or will it just be a flash in the pan?" Investors also came knocking, with smiles that had strings attached.
Elara felt like she had been pushed onto high ground, with a crowd watching her back and a line of doubters with spears in front. She had to hold her position alone.
At times, she almost wondered if it was all worth it. Standing alone on the mountaintop, the wind cut to the bone. She understood that the Seven of Wands was not a collective celebration but a personal defensive battle.
So, she wrote down the vow that had appeared in her mind on a blank piece of paper: "I am not fighting for victory; I am fighting for the light itself." This sentence became her shield amidst the doubt and isolation.
【Echo from the Mirror】
When you are placed on the high ground and forced to withstand the elements, what do you lean on to support yourself?