Subject Zero: Mirrors (Book 2)

Chapter 35: This is the Second Time, it's Over

Friday, May 24, 1985
10:30p.m.
Cabin, Bluebell Forest

Third Person's POV
After seeing the distorted, shadow-like figures crawling out of the forest like zombies, Joker gently grabbed Mizuki's arms and led her back into the cabin.

"Wait, Magic-Man, I wish to help!" Mizuki said as she was walking back inside. "I can fight!"

As Tui demolished a few Shades with beams of light from her hands, Joker closed the door once Mizuki was in the cabin. Alio and Naomi just looked at each other.

"What the fuck do we fight shadows with??" Alio looked around, not knowing what to do.

Naomi shrugged her shoulders, also feeling clueless. "I dunno."

In the cabin, Mizuki walked up to Klaus, Norman, and Anne as they looked out the window.

Rei was sitting on the couch. "What's out there?"

Anne says, "Remember those shadow things we saw last year, before Jesper teleported us to Norman's basement?"

"Yeah?"

     "Those shadow things are back-"

Norman felt confused. "I don't get it. Why are they coming now? We saw them one time last year, and now that Zero, Jesper, Liam, La, and Alexandria aren't here, they've come back."

Mizuki says, "These Shades have no traces of King Joplin on them, but I would not be surprised to learn that he pulled a few strings to convince other Shades to do this. He is not very fond of Liam." She sighs and looks out the window.

Klaus looked at her. "How come?"

"Queen Ares informed him of Liam's presence during the assassination of our last Queen, Aisling. Joplin loved her so, and he believes Magic-Man was the being who killed her, although he was in confinement when the execution took place. However, it explains why Joplin is not fond of him and I, so much so that he managed to remove Magic-Man's vocal cords."

Anne and Rei's eyes widened, and Klaus and Norman looked at Mizuki with their eyebrows raised.

The kids watched as Tui made Shades disappear with her light, and even manipulated the floodlights and redirected them. Joker used his strings to drag some Shades into the light on the porch, demolishing them.

They saw Naomi and Alio walk back into the cabin.

"They don't seem like they need help, so-" Alio blinked as he walked up to the window.

Naomi went around the cabin, switching on all the lights so no Shade could get in, knowing they'd perish if they touched light.

Looking outside, Mizuki sees a Shade approaching Joker while he's busy perishing any Shade that would try to reach the cabin. All of the lights suddenly flicker once, and when the light is back on, Anne checks to see if everyone's okay, but doesn't see Mizuki.

Anne blinked. "Um, guys, where's-" She looks back outside, seeing Mizuki standing between Joker and the Shade sneaking up on him while forming its arm to a sharp point.