Eight years later.
The once playful twins had grown into remarkable sixteen-year-olds. As they grew so did their beauty, charm and intelligence, capturing the attention of everyone around them, their bond remained as strong as ever.
Though they look alike, their personalities were quiet different, one was bold and kindhearted (yin Shu) while the other was calm and thoughtful (Mo Yao). Yet together they were unstoppable. Unbeknownst to them, something deep within was beginning to stir. A hidden power was quietly awakening ready to change their lives forever.
***
Yin Shu and Mo Yao were taking their bath at the bath house, ready to have breakfast with their mother Queen jingfei.
"yin Shu,... What did you think mother want to talk to us about?" Mo Yao asked brushing her long black hair.
"uhh ... I don't know maybe she wants to retire as Queen and let us take over " yin Shu replied with a bright smile. Mo yao's expression become cold.
"Retire?"
"yes " yin shū replied not bothered about no yáo's change of expression.
Mo Yao sighed.
"let go.. we don't want to keep mother waiting " Mo Yao stood up.
***
As Mo Yao and Yin Shu entered the dinning hall, they saw varieties of food on the dinning table placed by the maids, Peking duck, dongpo pork, crab row tofu, stir fried lotus, steamed buns, hand pulled noodles, mooncake, shark fin soup..... Yin shū was already drooling as she counted the varieties of food on the table.
"hmm what a feast" yin shū beamed.
Unlike yin shū who loves to eat a lot, mo yaò wasn't fond of food, she eats little quantity while Yin shū eat bigger quantity, sometimes Mo Yao always wonder how her sister's body is still fit instead of gaining weight.
"Good morning Queen mother " both of them greeted at the same time bowing to jingfei.
"come on seat down" jingfei was in a good mood today and had the maids prepare all kind of delicious food.
"so...mother what did you call us here for?" Mo Yao asked not touching the food in front of her.
Jingfei cleared her throat as she dropped her chopsticks. Mo yao started to eat, her gaze still on jingfei.
"im thinking of holding a banquet for your sixteenth birthday " Jingfei said.
"but our birthday has passed why hold a banquet" Mo Yao asked as she drank her soup, while Yin shū's focus was on the food she is eating.
"i just want it to be celebrated of course, all the kings and Queens of the 7 Kingdoms will be there" jingfei replied picking a piece of pork.
"hmm"
"you two are young adults now. Isn't it time for you both to find a suitor?" Queen jingfei asked.
"pftt" Mo Yao spat out the soup she was drinking as soon as she heard what her mother said.
"mo Yao are you alright " yin shū asked worried as one of the maid gave Mo Yao a napkin.
"im ...fine"
That last sentence was supposed to be a joke but it doesn't sound like one.
A suitor?.
Mo Yao knew where her mother was going with her words, no wonder she was planning to hold a banquet for the both of them.
Mo Yao cleared her throat.
"mother isn't it to soon to find a suitor?" Mo Yao asked, she has suddenly lost her appetite as soon as her mother said those words.
"No it isn't " jingfei continued to eat not bothered by Mo yao's cold gaze.
Yin shū immediately stopped eating.
"mother we are to young to be finding partners please give us time" yin shū said.
"you are not ... that young I mean, look at me I'm growing old already and I will soon leave the throne. And in order for you to ascend the throne one of you must find a partner " jingfei explained.
" I'm not interested " Mo Yao stood up.
"what do you ...."
"Have a goodday mother ... I'll be taking my leave " Mo Yao said as she bowed and left.
"same as me " yin shū got up to leave.
Jingfei sighed.
"did I push it to far?" she asked herself.
***
"mo Yao wait for me" yin shū ran after Mo Yao.
"don't be angry at mother.. maybe she was just..."
"im not angry" mo yao replied.
"oh that's a relief " just then yin shū suddenly stopped and looked to her side.
"mo yao" yin Shu called
"hmm?"
"what's that?" Yin Shu asked as she pointed to a strange door.
Mo Yao looked at what yin shu was pointing at and froze.
"let's go back, that place is forbidden" Mo Yao replied.
Yin shū's gaze was still on that door.
"i... Want to see.." yin Shu said.
The palace's mirror room was meant for reflection — not the kind that show faces but the kind that revealed truth unseen.
It was a forbidden place for anyone under mastery in spiritual arts. Even Mo Yao hesitated at its entrance, her usual, sharp confidence dulled.
"Are you sure about this?" Mo Yao asked,folding her arms.
"I just want to....see " yin Shu replied softly.
" Haven't you ever felt like ..... Something inside is waiting ?"
Her sister sighed. " Yes, but waiting doesn't mean we need to wake it "
As they entered their eyes widened at the scene.
The room itself was breathtaking — Octagonal, each wall made of polished moonstone, that reflect, not just your body but your essence.
The floor was a pond, still and glassy, perfectly mirroring the ceiling — an illusion where you couldn't tell which way was up.
At the center stood the lunar prism, a suspended crystal pulsing faintly with light.
As yin Shu stepped forward, her own reflection shimmered — not matching her exactly.
Her reflection .... moved before she did. It raised a hand. Smiled. Tilted it's head. It's eyes glowed silver.
".... That's not...me.." she whispered.
Suddenly, the prism pulsed — light scattered like rain — and the room flooded with silver glow. Threads of light lifted from the pond beneath her feet, curling like gentle vines, wrapping around her wrists and shoulders.
She gasped — not in fear, but in wonder.
The light wasn't attacking. It was answering.
Mò Yáo drew back, instinctively letting shadows gather around her fingertips, ready to pull her sister free if something went wrong.
But it didn't.
Yín Shū raised her hand toward the prism — and the light condensed into a floating sigil, hovering above her palm. A crescent cradling a lotus.
"It... listens," she breathed. "It's always been here... waiting for me to notice."
Suddenly—CRACK.
The farthest mirror fractured — a single line cutting through its perfect surface.
And from that fracture... a shadow blinked. Just once. Gone in the next heartbeat.
But not unnoticed.
Mò Yáo grabbed Yín Shū's wrist.
"We're leaving. Now."
Behind them, as the mirrors returned to stillness, the faintest whisper echoed in a voice neither girl recognized.
"The moon stirs. The gate breathes. Soon..."
As the heavy doors closed behind them, he neither noticed that the fractured mirror stayed broken... watching.