The Last Bargain

Chapter XXII: Through The Mirror Gate

The air around Zento was thick with tension as the scene before him flickered like a candle flame in the wind. His younger self—the boy with eyes wide and uncertain, his grip on the wooden training sword shaky—stood motionless in the dimly lit hall. The mocking voice, deep and cold, echoed again through the shadows, amplifying the weight of failure that hung in the air.

"You couldn't save him then," the voice whispered. "How will you save your friend now?"

Zento gritted his teeth, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. He could feel the pain of that day, the sting of every mistake he had made, the crushing disappointment in his father's eyes as he watched him fail, time and time again. But he pushed it down, forcing himself to focus on the present. This was a test, a trick of the Mirror Gate meant to break him.

"I'm not that boy anymore," Zento reminded himself, gripping his sword tightly. He stepped forward, closer to the figure of his younger self, who now looked at him with a mixture of fear and accusation.

The boy's lips moved, but the words came out in Zento's own voice. "You couldn't protect anyone... and you think you can protect your friend? You're still that scared child, afraid of letting everyone down."

Zento felt a surge of anger rise within him, but he quickly quelled it. Anger would only fuel the illusion. Instead, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm. "I have failed before," he admitted quietly, "but those failures made me who I am. They taught me to stand up, to keep fighting. I won't be defeated by the shadows of my past."

The boy's eyes narrowed, and the room seemed to darken, the shadows stretching longer, deeper. "Then prove it," the boy taunted. "Prove you're more than your failures."

Zento nodded, determination flaring in his chest. "I will," he said firmly. "By saving my friend. By doing what I couldn't do before."

The young boy's form began to dissolve, like smoke in the wind. The training hall around Zento shivered, then shattered like glass, and suddenly, he was back before the Mirror Gate. The dark surface of the gate rippled, as if responding to his resolve.

He turned and saw Shin, just a few steps away, standing in the midst of the swirling mist, his face pale and strained.

"Shin!" Zento called out, stepping closer.

Shin blinked, as if coming out of a trance. His mother's image faded from his sight, and he looked up, meeting Zento's gaze. "I'm here," he said, his voice steady but edged with emotion. "I... I saw her. My mother. She... she wanted to know why I left."

Zento nodded, understanding the pain in Shin's voice. "It's the Mirror Gate," he replied. "It's showing us our fears, our regrets. Trying to make us doubt ourselves."

Shin took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly. "I won't let it," he said fiercely. "I won't let it break me. I made my choices for a reason... I have to believe that."

Zento smiled slightly. "And I have to believe that we're strong enough to get through this... together."

Shin nodded, a hint of determination returning to his eyes. "Right. So... what do we do now?"

Zento looked back at the Mirror Gate, its surface still rippling, reflecting the dim light of the moon above. "We go through," he said. "We face whatever comes next, and we find Raito. No matter what."

Shin clenched his jaw. "Alright," he agreed. "Let's do this."

They stepped closer to the Mirror Gate, their reflections growing clearer, more distinct. Zento could see the tension in his own face, the tightness in his jaw, the determination in his eyes. He felt a flicker of doubt, but he pushed it aside. There was no room for doubt here, not now.