Shadow wings

The Mirror maze

*TW: This chapter addresses topics that may be triggering for some people. If you have problems with mental health (suicide, self-harm, etc...) please seek help. If you find any part of the chapter triggering, feel free to skip it or continue reading at a time when you are mentally stable.*

Ferndall opened his eyes cautiously and looked around. He immediately spotted his own reflection, but just as he was about to approach it, he saw another person. It was himself. Confused, the prince turned around and saw his friends behind him, who were also looking around in confusion. All around them were thousands of mirrors."What in the name of the gods is this?" asked Marelin, shocked. "It's a mirror maze..." Gall replied, as he placed one hand on one of the reflective walls and slowly walked along it, then stopped. "It's going to be quite difficult to find our way around here. We must be careful not to lose each other." The group followed an opening between the mirrors and walked through the twisted corridors. The floor was made of cream-colored marble, and the corridors seemed to be constantly lit, even though there was no visible light source. The walls and ceiling were made of transparent panes and mirrors. The friends kept encountering dead ends, and it felt to them as if they were endlessly walking in circles. Everything around them looked the same, yet somehow different. In addition, a constant feeling of unease accompanied them.Ferndall couldn't tell how long they had been walking; time seemed to stretch on forever, yet he felt no exhaustion. It seemed to be the same for his friends. The oppressive atmosphere settled over them like a heavy fog, making it difficult for Ferndall to determine if it was just his imagination or if it was actually becoming harder to breathe.The longer they walked, the heavier the unsettling atmosphere hung over them. They spoke hardly a word, silently following the endlessly long corridors. Ferndall kept his gaze fixed on the marble floor, which echoed each step through the corridors, transforming into an almost continuous hum."I'm going crazy. I think I'm really going to lose my mind," Ray muttered, more to herself than to her companions.Ferndall glanced to his right into the mirror. But when he saw what should have been his reflection, his blood ran cold, and he came to an abrupt halt. What he saw in the mirror was indeed himself, but not as he stood there. His reflection appeared younger, covered in wounds and blood. Ferndall felt his hands begin to tremble. The image in the mirror wasn't just a distorted version of him; it was him from the past. He could clearly remember the day the mirror was showing him. It was a few years ago, during a time when there were many bandit attacks on the roads near Necropolis, targeting traveling merchants. Ferndall hadn't been part of the city guard for long back then, and he was forbidden from participating in the investigation. However, the young prince was eager to prove himself, especially to his mother, who always doubted him.Ferndall had since given up trying to earn his mother's approval. He knew he would never be good enough for her recognition.Suddenly, the reflection in the mirror reached out and grabbed Ferndall. Startled, he stumbled back, but at that very moment, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, and to his horror, it seemed the mirror image behind him had come to life as well. Panicking, the prince looked around, but his friends were nowhere to be seen. Instead, reflections of himself began to form all around him, each depicting moments of his darkest struggles. They stretched out their arms, reaching for him, speaking words he couldn't understand. Ferndall tried to break free, but it was in vain. As the reflections clawed at his clothes, memories he had long buried flooded his mind. Panic surged through Ferndall as the world around him spun wildly; he felt as though he was falling into a bottomless abyss. The hands of his mirror images wrapped around his neck, choking the air from his lungs. Gasping desperately, Ferndall kicked and fought, but the lack of oxygen made his vision blur and his strength fade. He could feel his consciousness slipping away, the power draining from his muscles as he struggled against the relentless grip of his own haunting past.But in that moment, he heard a voice call his name. It sounded muffled and distant, but he knew it was there. Ferndall focused on the voice, and in an instant, he was pulled back to reality. He was standing just as before, facing his manipulated reflection, but now it followed his movements again. The prince looked around in confusion, meeting the worried faces of his friends. "Are you okay, Ferndall? You were just staring into the mirror and stopped talking to us..." Ray asked, concerned."I... I don't know... The reflections, they're altered," Ferndall murmured, his voice trembling, still in shock from what had happened."We shouldn't look at our reflections. We should focus on the ground or on the person in front of us instead," Luna suggested. The others agreed, and they continued down the seemingly endless corridors. Ferndall kept his eyes on the floor, following the group. He noticed that his friends also had changed reflections. He couldn't help but wonder what Gall's reflection might reveal. The elf had positioned himself at the back of the group after Ferndall was attacked by the mirror images, making it impossible for Ferndall to catch a glimpse of his reflection without being noticed.Luckily for Ferndall, they soon left the long hallway and entered an area with many intersections. It was nearly impossible not to see the reflections unless you kept your gaze on the ground. Ferndall felt compelled to learn more about the elf. Though it felt wrong to invade Gall's privacy, he hoped the reflection might reveal something important.Ferndall discreetly lifted his gaze, catching a glimpse of the blond's reflection. Instantly, a wave of guilt washed over him, and he quickly lowered his eyes. He shouldn't have looked. Gall likely already felt uneasy at the thought of his new companions seeing him at his most vulnerable.Ferndall recalled the reflection he had seen just seconds earlier: Gall appeared much younger, possibly only eighteen, with shoulder-length hair. He wore a robe that seemed to be part of a uniform, though Ferndall couldn't make out the small emblem on it. But that wasn't all. The uniform was tattered, as if hastily thrown on. His face and neck were marked with bruises and injuries, and Ferndall guessed the rest of his body, hidden beneath the clothes, was in a similar state. His expression was empty, like a shell of a body whose soul had long since departed. The elf's arms bore two deep cuts stretching across his forearms.Ferndall felt a heavy weight on his chest and a surge of concern. He had seen wounds like these before, on a corpse in Necropolis, where it was quickly discovered that the person had taken their own life. The reflection was so different from the elf Ferndall had come to know, and the prince could only hope that Gall was better now, that he had left his seemingly dark past behind.At that moment, Ferndall's thoughts stalled. He remembered having seen the elf's arms before, but there were no scars visible. Could the reflection be showing someone other than Gall? Ferndall quickly interrupted his own thoughts; the longer he dwelled on it, the guiltier he felt for having intruded on another's privacy.They followed one of the narrower corridors and continued on their way. After a while, Ferndall felt a strong dizziness coming over him. His vision blurred slightly, and he had to steady himself against the wall for a brief moment. Gall stepped carefully beside him and asked, "Are you okay?""I don't know, I suddenly feel dizzy...""Perhaps you're reacting to our surroundings again. We should be cautious," replied the blonde as he carefully helped Ferndall to regain his balance.They continued walking, and after a short time, they arrived in a somewhat larger room. Suddenly, Luna, who had been leading the way, stopped abruptly. Against the wall opposite them leaned a humanoid creature. It had short white hair and pale skin. It wore tight-fitting white leather armor, and instead of arms and legs, it had two large wings and oddly shaped legs resembling those of a bird of prey. It had a distinctive facial structure and a noticeably strong jaw. Through its slightly open mouth, sharp teeth could be seen. Although its eyes were open, they appeared almost lifeless. The only sign that it was alive was the steady rise and fall of its chest."Are you alright?" Marelin cautiously called out to the creature. Marry immediately jabbed her elbow into Marelin's side to silence her, but it was already too late; the figure lifted its head. It stared at the group but didn't move an inch. Slowly, it opened its mouth, and a string of unintelligible words escaped. The words sounded like a song in a foreign language.Gall stepped forward, moving closer to the other figure, and carefully examined her. "She is dead," he said after a brief moment. "What do you mean? She just spoke and moved," Luna replied suspiciously. "Her body remains functional, but it no longer harbors a soul," the blonde responded, straightening up. "This place is designed to drive intruders into madness. It seems her soul has departed from her broken body and ascended to the dead, leaving behind her still-operational shell." "That sounds terrible..." Marelin murmured. "Perhaps. However, it is likely a more merciful fate than remaining trapped in a shattered and deranged body," Gall replied."You're probably right..." Ray said. "We should really move on before we end up like them."Cautiously, they continued down a narrow corridor. Suddenly, Ferndall saw his friends collapse in front of him. But he had no time to react before everything went black.Ferndall slowly opened his eyes. Sunbeams filtered through sheer curtains, wrapping him in a pleasant warmth. Confused, he looked around. The prince found himself in his bedchamber in Necropolis. Startled, he sat up and got out of bed. At that moment, there was a knock at the door, and shortly after, a servant entered the room carrying a tray of fruit. When she saw Ferndall, she looked surprised."Your Highness, I didn't know you were already awake. I've brought your breakfast and was asked to remind you that you have sword training today." She placed the tray on a dresser, bowed slightly, and hurried out of the room before Ferndall could respond.Something was wrong. Ferndall was very sure of that. What had happened before felt like a dream, yet at the same time, the 'reality' he was now in didn't feel real. It seemed almost too perfect.Ferndall decided to leave the room and have a look around. The castle looked the same as always, but something was different, though Ferndall couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. As he walked through the halls, servants greeted him politely. When Ferndall entered the entrance hall, he almost ran into his mother. She looked at him in surprise and said in a friendly tone, "What are you doing here so early? Your training doesn't start for another hour." Ferndall had never heard his mother speak to him so kindly... or had he?A strange feeling washed over Ferndall, as if he was on the verge of losing something very important. His vision blurred for a moment, and Ferndall nearly lost his balance. When he regained his composure and opened his eyes, his mother had vanished. Confused, Ferndall continued walking. He decided to go to the training hall to look for his friends.After a short while, he finally arrived at the hall and was relieved to encounter Luna. "Luna, it's so good to see you!" he called out when he spotted her. The red-haired girl turned to him and smiled. "Good morning," she said, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Is everything alright? You look a bit pale." "I don't know. I haven't felt very well since I woke up. But maybe it's because of the strange dream I had..." the prince replied."What dream?" Ferndall hesitated, and the strange feeling returned, this time stronger. He had no answer to her question. He couldn't remember the dream anymore. Why had he been so confused when he woke up?Panic rose in Ferndall. He didn't know how, but he was certain that the dream he had forgotten was far more significant than a normal dream.