Mirror Mirror

Trance

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Asta, Luck, and Noelle soar through the skies on their brooms, scanning the kingdom left and right for any signs of the impostor. They remain vigilant as they press onward in their search.

As they fly, they spot Gordon and Charmy standing dazed in a clearing. Intrigued, the trio descends closer to investigate.

"Hey, what's going on here?"

Gordon and Charmy don't respond, their focus entirely absorbed by the mirrors entrancing them. Asta senses something amiss and decides to take action. He unsheathes his anti-magic sword and touches the mirrors, causing them to vanish.

Gordon and Charmy snap out of their trance, their gazes clearing. They are relieved to see Asta and the others.

"What just happened? I felt... lost."

"hm?? Where am I..? Why am I hungry?"

"Friend Charmy arent you always hungry?"

Asta raises an eyebrow, "what the heck happened to you guys?"

Gordon scratches the back of his head trying to remember what happened, mumbling his answer .

Asta nodded in understanding, "So you found the impostor of our friend Gauche and his mirror magic put you in a trance and he escaped?"

"I still have no idea how you understand him!" Noelle said exasperated, "Gauche's mirrors have never done that before." She said thoughtfully, " Something's definitely off."

Noelle notices a few papers and books lying on a nearby stump. 

"Oh yeah! Gauche was reading that before he escaped!" Charmy added

Noelle picks up the book and begins examining its contents, expecting to find information about dark magic or the cursed mirror. However, what she discovers is unexpected.

"A banishing sigil... It's meant to banish entities, demons, or even angels."

She points out notes taped onto the page, containing theories and ideas. Looks like he's been studying...

"This sigil banishes entities, but I'm unsure if it works on concentrated magic. However, since the mirror is infused with forbidden magic, it theoretically aligns with demon nature."

Another note catches their attention, a detailed sketch of a woman with long hair and a gentle smile.

Noelle's mind races, connecting the dots. She wonders if the impostor planned to banish the entity. Could the man with blue eyes from her vision and the one who wrote them the letter be the same person? And why did she see Marie in her visions?

Turning to the next page, Noelle's breathing hitches. The banishing spell requires blood.

Suddenly, a flash of light beams above them, catching their attention. Gordon recalls what he read in the book. He mumbles rather quickly in distress.

"What was that Gordon? The guiding lights that unlock the secret chamber?"

Luck grimaces as he realizes something, "Grey, Vanessa, and Finral... they must have lost the last one!"

Before they can discuss further, Noelle's eyes turn white, and she enters a vision.

Asta shakes Noelle, trying to bring her back to reality.

"Noelle! Snap out of it!"

Noelle regains her focus, her eyes returning to normal.

"I... I understand everything now. Marie and Gauche... I saw them... they were entering a chamber with snow."

Asta finishes Noelle's statement, realization dawns on him.

"The forbidden zone! It's the only place near the Clover Kingdom with snow all the time!"

"What! But its too far away! Will we even make it?"

"We don't have a choice! We have to go now!"

"I'll go back to the dungeon and check on the others!"

The blonde fighter creates lightning boots on his legs and speeds off, leaving the other mages behind. The remaining mages take to the skies, flying towards the forbidden zone, their mission clear in their minds.

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Vanessa & Finral stand before the imposter posing as Grey. The imposter's blank stare unnerves them, and they realize something is amiss.

Vanessa: (skeptical) Grey, this isn't like you. What's going on?

Imposter (Grey): (unresponsive) ...

Confusion fills the air as they realize that Grey's magic attribute isn't mirrors.

Finral: (concerned) Grey, snap out of it! We need to talk!

Vanessa, determined to test the imposter's abilities, uses her string magic to throw a rock at Grey. But Grey swiftly summons a mirror, chanting a spell.

"Mirror Magic: Real Illusion!"

The mirror reflects Vanessa's rock-throwing action, and simultaneously, a rock of the same force flies out of the mirror, colliding with Vanessa's rock and causing them both to explode.

Finral: (shocked) What the... Grey's magic isn't mirrors!

Vanessa: (gritting her teeth) Something must have happened when she touched that mirror!

Finral and Vanessa nod at each other's direction, with their thoughts aligning to one idea. Vanessa whips the ground with her strings, propelling rocks into the air. Finral uses his spatial magic to catch the rocks mid-flight and redirect them towards Grey.

Grey responds by creating a two-way mirror in front of her, displaying a reflection of Vanessa and Finral mirroring their actions. The rocks from both sides cancel each other out, causing them to implode, leaving no traces.

Vanessa: (frustrated) We need to find a way to break through!

However, Grey surprises them with another incantation.

Grey: (chanting) Mirror Magic: Reflected Retribution!

Vanessa and Finral watch in disbelief as they see their reflections moving in reverse, replaying their previous actions but faster. The reflection reveals their attacks being launched through the portals, aiming the rocks back at the real Vanessa and Finral.

Vanessa: (panicking) Finral, we can't let those attacks hit us!

Finral: (determined) Hang on, Vanessa!

Finral activates his spatial magic, teleporting both himself and Vanessa out of the dungeon just in time.

The two mages teleport a bit far off from the dungeon. They watch from a safe distance as a blinding blast of light erupts from the dungeon, startling birds and scattering nearby animals in all directions.

Grey, now riding her broom, emerges from the dungeon, clutching a mirror, and swiftly disappears into the distance.

Vanessa: (breathing heavily) Grey... she's become so powerful.

Finral: (grimly) Are you okay Vannesa?

Vanessa nods as she reaches for the scry mirror, only to find it completely destroyed, with only a few fragmented pieces remaining. The metal crumbles in her hands, leaving her stunned and powerless.

Vanessa: (whispering) No... the scry mirror... it's gone.