The night after his aunt's revelation stretched endlessly.
Akihiro lay awake, staring at the polished wall of his chamber. Yueqin's words rang in his ears: "On your eighteenth birthday, the mirror will claim you. Balance is your only path."
Seventeen.
One month until June fifth.
One month until his fate became permanent.
He thought of Cai Lin, chained in the dungeon below, her faint smile when he had promised to take care of her. He thought of Ayame, her eyes filled with tears when she begged him not to fight. And behind it all, his mother's voice whispered steady and calm in his mind:
"Balance, Akihiro. The curse and gift of our blood."
By dawn, he had made his choice.
When Yueqin came to his chamber, he met her eyes and said, "I'll return to the real world. Until I'm eighteen. Then… I'll come back here."
Her shoulders softened with a sigh. "So be it. But remember—balance. Do not forget what binds you."
The Return
The Raiden Clan's ceremonial mirror stood in a silent hall, veined with crackling threads of lightning. Ayame took his hand as Yueqin placed her palm against the glass.
The surface rippled, and the three of them stepped through.
The shift was jarring. The heavy, oppressive energy of the Mirror World gave way to the familiar weight of reality. When Akihiro blinked and looked around, he was standing once again in his own room.
He rushed to his desk, eyes darting to the calendar.
June fourth. Only one day had passed.
His chest tightened. So that's how it is… time bends in the mirror.
Cai Lin's Escape
Far away, deep in the Raiden dungeon, silver eyes snapped open.
Cai Lin stirred, her aura faint but flickering. The glass chains that bound her trembled as cracks spidered through them. With a sharp pulse of power, they shattered like brittle ice.
She rose unsteadily, her breath ragged, but her eyes burned with resolve.
"You promised, Akihiro. I will not wait for them to decide your fate. I will find you."
Her form melted into shadow, vanishing into the wild lands of the Mirror World.
A Day in the Real World
Yueqin insisted on keeping the day calm. She, Ayame, and Akihiro walked through the city, the streets noisy with life. They ate simple food from a stall, watched children play in the park, and sat by the river as the sun lowered.
For the first time in years, Akihiro felt almost… normal.
But when he caught his reflection in the water, he saw the faint shimmer of glass rippling across his image. His mother's voice whispered from within:
"Do not forget… both worlds are yours now. You must walk them equally."
The Academy Plan
That evening, Yueqin spoke to him quietly. "When we return to the Mirror World, you will join the academy. With Ayame. There, you'll learn control. And you'll be protected."
Akihiro blinked, curious despite himself. "The academy?"
She nodded. "Where the clans train their youth. Where strength decides your standing. It will not be easy—but it is your best path."
He looked down at his hands, then clenched them. "Then I'll do it."
That night, as he lay in bed, his mother's voice echoed one last time:
"Balance, Akihiro. But remember… fate doesn't wait for your choice."
And in the Mirror World, far away, Cai Lin stood upon a cliff, her hair whipping in the storm. She gazed into the distance, her whisper carried by the wind:
"Akihiro… I'll find you."