Chapter 12: The Shattered Reflection
The mirror room was a funhouse of horrors, its air cold and heavy with the sour stench of old fear, the violet glow of the mirrors casting eerie shadows across the stone floor. Oliver's breath fogged, hazel eyes darting between reflections of a weak, helpless self—a college kid lost in a world not his own, his face pale and eyes hollow. The compass in his pocket hummed, its needle frantic, tying to the gem, the Rave'N's parchment, and the Serpent's mystery.
"That's not me. Not anymore." His fingers tightened around his tie, grounding him as nausea surged, the mirrors' twisted images assaulting his mind like a psychic storm. The metallic tang was sharp, a thread linking to the library's mildew and the gargoyle's ozone, a constant reminder of Eldric's reach.
[SYSTEM: Warning—Psychic Projection Detected. This is a Trap. Do Not Engage. Mental Fortitude at 45%.]
The System's jab spiked his pulse, but he shook his head, focusing. "I'm not falling for it." Wednesday stood beside him, her black dress blending with the shadows, knife glinting as she studied the mirrors with forensic precision. Her hand was too still, knuckles white around the hilt—a subtle tell of tension.
"She's not fazed. Or hiding it better." The room's chill deepened, the mirrors' hum vibrating in his bones, a chorus of Eldric's malice.
One mirror caught Wednesday's reflection, twisting her into a grotesque parody—eyes bloodshot, smile predatory, echoing her brother Pugsley's darkest traits, a monster reveling in chaos. A shadow crossed her face, a crack in her stoic mask, her hand trembling as she gripped a rock from the floor, its edges rough against her palm.
"She's scared. Afraid of becoming a monster." She smashed the mirror, glass shattering with a piercing crash, her breath ragged, a gasp escaping as shards scattered. "Monsters don't reflect," she said, voice low but unsteady, eyes meeting Oliver's with rare vulnerability. "This one's a crude imitation."
"She's human. And she trusts me enough to show it." His chest tightened, empathy and urgency mixing, the compass's hum a lifeline. He nodded, voice soft. "We break them together."
The air grew colder, the violet glow flickering, Eldric's mocking whisper echoing in his mind, promising pain. "He's laughing. Not for long." Oliver's resolve hardened, his magic raw but steady, ready to shatter Eldric's network.
They worked in sync, a macabre ballet of destruction, draping a dusty cloak over mirrors to avoid their reflections, the fabric heavy with cobwebs and the scent of decay. Oliver muttered a Repello spell, its force pushing Wednesday past a mirror showing her mother's death, her gasp sharp, her braid trembling slightly. The tension was a physical weight, glass shattering jarringly, each crash amplifying the psychic hum, the room's air growing colder with each mirror destroyed.
"We're running out of time. Eldric knows we're here." Oliver's hands shook, sweat beading on his forehead, his magic a steady pulse despite the fear clawing at his chest. A mirror showed Enid, her face twisted in agony, her pastel sweater stained with blood, and Oliver's breath hitched, his resolve faltering for a moment before he shoved the cloak over it, his voice a growl. "Not real. Not her."
Wednesday's knife slashed through another mirror, her movements precise but her eyes haunted, the violet glow reflecting in her pupils like a warning. The room's hum grew deafening, Eldric's voice whispering louder, a taunt that curled around Oliver's spine. "You can't win, Host. You're mine."
"We'll break you with your own toys." The compass hummed, a call to action, tying to the gem and the Serpent's mystery.
As the final mirror shattered, a cold psychic wave surged, a painful jolt blurring Oliver's vision, sending him staggering against the wall, the stone cold against his back. A flash hit: Bianca's face, twisted in a mirror, green eyes pleading, her silver hair matted with fear.
[SYSTEM: Alert—Psychic Network Disrupted. Eldric's Minion Deployed. Location: Nevermore Grounds.]
The message was urgent, Bianca's image a new puzzle piece, her involvement a mystery tying to the Rave'N's parchment. A high-pitched whine scraped their nerves, the air reeking of ozone and burnt hair as a shadowy figure coalesced outside, its form unstable, a writhing mass of psychic energy.
"It's coming. Not human." Wednesday's eyes narrowed, knife ready, her posture rigid but steady. Oliver clutched the compass, its hum a lifeline, his boots crunching on glass as they backed toward the door. The room's air cleared, but the whine grew louder, the figure's form solidifying, its eyes violet and unyielding.
The narrative bridge loomed: they were hunted, their fears laid bare, racing to escape Eldric's minion through Nevermore's grounds, the metallic tang lingering, a thread linking to the gem, the compass, and the Serpent's mystery.
"The mirrors are down, but Eldric's still playing. Bianca's in this, somehow—another piece of the puzzle. Wednesday's scared, but she's fighting, and I'm with her. Enid's safe, but for how long? The System's my secret, pushing me, but I'm pushing back. The lair's next, and I'm not failing."
"Oliver's breaking, and I can't reach him. That room, those mirrors—I saw my fear, my darkness. I'm not a monster, but I could be. Oliver sees me, really sees me, and I see him. He's not just a tool; he's a fighter. I'll stand with him, for him. For us."
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