Chapter 27: The Mirror Revenant

The silence after the shattering mirrors was unbearable. Not because it was quiet—it wasn't. The room still hummed with that strange, low resonance that made my tiny body twitch and Mira's breaths hitch. It was unbearable because it felt like the calm before something worse, something none of them were ready for.

The shards of broken glass didn't scatter like they should have. Instead, they hovered midair, suspended by some invisible force, each fragment catching the crimson light and refracting it into sharp, shifting patterns across the room. The figure stood motionless, its head tilted slightly as it regarded us.

Mira's hold on me was so tight I could feel her nails digging into her palms through the trembling. Her chest heaved against my back as she gasped for air, her tears hot against my hair.

Lucien's grip on his sword shifted, his knuckles whitening as he adjusted his stance. He didn't speak, but his whole body was a live wire, tensed and ready to strike at the first sign of movement. His eyes locked onto the figure like he could burn a hole through it with his glare alone.

Charlotte, still bracing herself against her sword, finally found her voice, though it came out hoarse. "What is it waiting for?"

The figure answered, though not to her. Its gaze didn't leave me, and when it spoke, its voice was soft, almost tender, but laced with something cold and hollow.

"The vessel trembles beneath its burden," it said. "And the anchor fractures under the weight."

Mira flinched, her body twisting slightly as if to shield me further. "Stop talking about him like that," she hissed, her voice raw. "He's not your vessel. He's my son."

The figure turned its head toward her, the movement slow, deliberate. Its crimson eyes burned brighter, and the air seemed to thicken around us, pressing down on every breath.

"And yet," it said softly, "he is both."

---

It moved without warning, and the stillness shattered along with the tension.

The shards of glass that had been floating midair surged forward like daggers, converging on Lucien with a speed that made even him falter for half a second. He raised his sword, deflecting the first wave with a sweeping motion that sent sparks flying. The shards that missed embedded themselves in the walls, sinking in like they belonged there.

"Charlotte, move!" Lucien barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Charlotte didn't need to be told twice. She stumbled forward, her grip on her sword tightening as she circled to the side, trying to flank the figure. But it was fast—faster than anything they'd faced before.

It turned its head toward her as she lunged, and the blade of fractured light appeared in its hand as if it had always been there. It moved in a blur, deflecting her strike with a sharp, ringing clash. The force of the parry sent Charlotte staggering back, her injured arm hanging uselessly at her side as she gasped for breath.

Lucien stepped in, his sword arcing downward in a powerful strike aimed at the figure's exposed side. The Revenant twisted unnaturally, its body bending at angles that shouldn't have been possible. Its blade met his with another deafening clash, the impact sending a shockwave rippling through the room.

---

Mira backed away slowly, her steps shaky as her gaze darted between the fight and the figure. Her arms curled tighter around me, her whispers trembling. "It's okay, baby. I've got you. I've got you. Just stay with me."

The figure noticed her movement. Its head snapped toward us, and for a moment, it seemed to forget about Lucien and Charlotte entirely.

"Mira, run!" Lucien roared, his voice filled with something close to panic.

The Revenant lunged, its blade slicing through the air with a sharp, high-pitched whine. Mira screamed, twisting her body to shield me as the blade came down—but it didn't connect.

Lucien was there, his sword intercepting the strike just in time. The force of the blow drove him back a step, his boots skidding against the ground as his muscles strained to hold his ground. His teeth clenched, and for a moment, I thought he might actually falter.

"You can't keep risking yourself like this!" he snarled, his voice aimed at Mira even as he shoved the Revenant back with a powerful swing.

"What do you expect me to do?" Mira shouted, her voice breaking. "Just stand there and watch while you fail to protect him?"

Lucien didn't answer. He couldn't—not while the Revenant was still advancing, its attacks coming faster and more precise with every swing.

---

Charlotte rejoined the fight, though her movements were slower now, each step weighted with exhaustion. She aimed for the Revenant's legs, her blade slicing low in an attempt to unbalance it. The Revenant pivoted, its body twisting unnaturally again as it avoided her strike.

Lucien used the distraction to his advantage, his sword flashing as he aimed a powerful blow at the Revenant's exposed back. The blade connected, carving through the flickering light of its form and sending a spray of shattered fragments into the air.

The Revenant staggered, but it didn't fall. Instead, it straightened slowly, its head tilting as it turned to face Lucien. The blade of light in its hand flickered, growing sharper, more defined.

"You adapt quickly," it said, its voice calm, almost amused. "But it is not enough."

It surged forward again, its movements blurring into a streak of light. Lucien barely managed to block the first strike, his sword ringing out in protest as it met the Revenant's blade. Charlotte moved to flank it again, but the Revenant twisted, its blade catching hers mid-swing and sending her stumbling back.

---

Mira's back hit the wall, and her body shook as she clutched me tightly. Her breath came in sharp gasps, her tears falling faster as she whispered, "Please, just let this end…"

The crack on my arm pulsed again, brighter this time, and I felt her flinch as the heat radiated outward. My tiny body trembled in her arms, the whispers from the Trail growing louder in my ears, though I couldn't understand them.

And then, it happened again—a pulse of energy, faint but enough to ripple through the room.

The Revenant froze for a split second, its head snapping toward me. Lucien didn't waste the opening. His sword arced downward with all the strength he could muster, cleaving through the Revenant's torso.

The blade of light in its hand shattered, the fragments scattering like fireflies before fading into nothingness. The Revenant staggered, its form flickering violently as cracks of light spread across its body.

It turned toward me one last time, its burning gaze locking onto mine.

"The vessel… fractures further," it said softly.

And then, it shattered into shards of light.

---

The room fell silent except for the sound of their ragged breathing. Lucien lowered his sword slowly, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths. His grip on the weapon trembled, but he didn't let go.

Charlotte leaned heavily on her blade, her injured arm cradled against her chest as she gasped for air. She looked worse than before, her face pale, her movements sluggish.

Mira collapsed to her knees, her body shaking as she held me close. Her lips pressed to my forehead, her tears soaking into my hair as she whispered, "It's okay. It's over. I've got you, baby. I've got you…"

But it wasn't over.

The system flickered faintly in my vision, its text sharp and cold:

[The anchor fractures further. The vessel awaits the final blade.]

I didn't understand the words, but I felt the weight of them, the heaviness settling over my tiny body like a blanket I couldn't throw off. My chest ached, the crack on my arm spreading faintly toward it, and I let out a weak, trembling cry.

Lucien turned toward us, his expression grim. His eyes lingered on me for a moment before he spoke, his voice low and rough.

"We need to keep moving."

Mira looked up at him, her face streaked with tears, her voice trembling with exhaustion and fear. "How much more can he take?"

Lucien didn't answer. He adjusted his grip on his sword, his gaze hardening as he turned toward the passage ahead.

"As much as it takes," he said quietly.