Twin brothers Frei and Qionne are separated by a cursed mirror. The younger is forced to shoulder the burden of the throne, while the older must learn to have courage and return to his world. In their wake is an empire at the brink of war, and a dar...
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When Frei awoke, he was surrounded by darkness.
He scrambled up in panic, the light on his body flickering. His heart raced while bloodshot eyes searched for signs of a girl he knew he was traveling with. Taking a deep breath, Frei tried to calm himself as he closed his eyes and channeled magia from his body.
"Luminae," he said, voice slightly trembling.
The glow expanded, pushing back the shadows to reveal even more nothingness. The prince stood on what appeared to be ebonite glass, reflecting his own image. It was like he was standing on a mirror. The light on his body was warm, but the air surrounding him was stagnant and cold.
"Hello?"
His voice resonated through the darkness in a haunting loop. The sound grew distant as seconds ticked by.
"Anyone?"
It was merely a whisper, but the small exhale sounded loud and foreboding in Frei's own ears. He didn't recognize his own voice. It was too deep, and too raspy, and too grown-up.
As if sensing his own body's distress, his glow went out.
Frei ran in fear, the sound of his clacking shoes echoing through the vast expanse of... he didn't know how to describe it. He didn't know where was left or right, north or south, east or west. There were no thistles nor thorns, clouds nor beacons, fauna nor flora that could give him a clue where he was. It was just him, and his reflection, and the flickering light that radiated off his skin, and the endless echo of his broken cry as he continued running.
"Alice!" he screamed in panic. "Where are you?! Alice!"
No... no... no! Her name wasn't Alice!Think! Think! Don't forget again! No!
Frei raked his hair, dropping to his knees in defeat.
"No, no, no, no, no!" he repeated, this time with his trembling voice. "Don't forget... please... no more shadows, no more darkness... no more nothing, no, no, no..."
Frei pressed his palms against the glass, staring at his face. His cheeks looked more hollow, the dark circles beneath his eyes more prominent. The color of his eyes had turned closer to gray than blue. He looked like the undead. He swallowed, struggling to compose himself.
"Uhm, you're okay..." he mumbled. "You got this... remember your name. Remember where you were last."
He felt something shiny and metallic slip from the neckline of his shirt. It was a blue gem wrapped in silver vines, light pulsing at its center. Frei heard a faint sound from it, almost sounding like a heartbeat. He focused on the rhythm and the glow, his mind telling him that the object was important. He eyed the jewel as if it would reveal all the answers, cradling it in his hands, whispering to it as if in prayer.
