I've been hiding from my true self for a year now, casting aside old opinions, interests and ideals in a futile attempt to escape from an aspect of my past that is so deeply engraved in my being that I cannot pull away.

I've been fighting and running from myself, never realising that the further away I ran, the weaker I became. Running from oneself, afraid of losing myself in my alter-ego. Yet I often wonder which is which?

My interest in writing has been dwindling steadily over a year till it reached the point where I can't even pull together a decent sentence because my heart just wasn't in it anymore.

I never realised that there was a difference between myself, my old-self and my other-self. Three people tugging away at one another, each trying to be me. Trying to be free.

I realised only yesterday that I have been fighting the wrong side of myself...and now...I'm back.

I have not viewed the world through Akataras' eyes in a long while, but now, now I'm back. Inspired, alive and ablaze with a flare that I had long since lost.

I'm free from my loneliness, yet still alone, for I am who I am, and I finally realised that. Who I was and who I am are different people, yet there was a part of my past that I cast away, and lacking that aspect of myself made me miserable.

I was afraid, afraid of what I thought was madness, but a part that I now realise I need, so what if others think me mad? It's who I am.

Besides, sanity is overrated, it's boring, it's miserable and depressing, leading to constant conflicts within myself.

The Darkest Shadow is gone, and Akataras is back.