''IDENTICAL'' CHAPTER THREE: MIRROR MAZE

The scent of decay thickens the air, wrapping around me like a second skin… I press forward, my boots clicking against the floor..except it's not really a floor. It's smooth, glass-like, reflecting a warped version of me beneath my feet. How weird.

A mirror maze.

My stomach twists. Spirits love tricks like this. Warping reality, breaking the mind before breaking the body. I exhale slowly, dagger firm in my grip.

I'm not afraid. I've dealt with worse anyway,

Yet, as I move, the reflections don't match my steps.

I stop. They keep walking.

My pulse spikes, but I don't flinch. The mirrors hum softly, whispering, voices overlapping, breathing against my ears like unseen mouths. I've been through things like these a thousand times before.

Then, one of the reflections stops and smiles.

I don't.

The wrongness of it claws at my gut. My grip tightens around the dagger, my knuckles paling.

"Lost, Nova?"

The voice slithers out from every direction, but I see it. Her. My own reflection tilting her head, eyes gleaming with something sickly amused.

My heartbeat thunders in my ears. I don't respond. I turn..

And another me is right there.

She's grinning. Too wide. The skin of her face stretches unnaturally, lips splitting at the edges.

"You kill spirits," she purrs. "But have you ever wondered what it feels like… to be one?"

The mirrors shatter.

The sound is everywhere, inside my skull, sharp and endless. My breath is knocked from my lungs as a cold hand grips my wrist..

And yanks me through.

I hit the ground hard. Glass slices my palm, but I barely register it because something is wrong. The air is thinner, my body lighter. I stumble.. But I got up.

And see myself.

Standing on the other side of the broken mirror. Looking in.

She grins.

"Now, let's switch places, shall we?"

She lunged.

The twisted version of me lunged..!

And then she exploded.

Not into blood. Not into glass. Into something black and empty, curling in on itself with an ear-piercing shriek..? before vanishing into nothing.

I stagger backward, my breath caught in my throat, my ears ringing. My pulse is still hammering in my chest, my body trembling from the adrenaline..

But then I see her.

Leila.

Or at least, something that looks like Leila.

She stands in the wreckage of the shattered mirror, head tilted slightly, her expression unreadable. The dim glow of the maze flickers, casting jagged shadows over her face, making her look even more unfamiliar.

Her eyes..God, her eyes..they aren't right. They're too dark, too deep, like twin voids sucking in the light.

I swallow hard.

"Leila...?"

She doesn't answer at first. Just stares at me, the way a predator stares at something it hasn't decided whether or not to kill.

The silence stretches too long. I hate it.

"You-" 

My voice comes out unsteady. I clear my throat, tightening my grip on my dagger. "You saved me."

A slow, eerie smile curves her lips. 

"Did I?"

Something is deeply, deeply wrong.

The air around her pulses, distorting for just a second, like heat waves off burning pavement. A flicker of something else..something inhuman..coils beneath her skin before settling again.

That wasn't Leila.

Not really.

Not right now.

I take a step back. My body is screaming at me to run. But I don't.

Because if this isn't Leila…

Then where is she?

The air was thick with the scent of something burned, something unnatural. My pulse hadn't settled yet, my body still high-strung from the sheer panic of nearly dying at my own hands...But now..now all I could do was stare.

Leila.

She was standing there, dark-eyed and unreadable, the shattered remains of the mirror maze glistening like fallen stars around her heels. There was something strange about the way she held herself, like she wasn't quite real, like if I blinked too hard, she'd disappear.

But she had saved me.

The realization made my chest ache in a way I didn't understand.

"Thank you,"

 I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper.

Leila tilted her head slightly, watching me, and I swear there was something almost...fond in her gaze. Not the sharp, cool indifference she usually carried, but something softer. Something that made the space between us feel far too small…

She took a slow step forward, glass crunching beneath her.

"You should be more careful, Nova,"

 she murmured, and God, why did her voice sound like that? Low, almost teasing, but carrying an edge of something deeper. Something dangerous.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.

 "I-I didn't expect a spirit that could make a mirror maze."

Leila hummed, taking another step forward. My breath caught.

"You're always rushing into things,"

she mused, reaching up lazily..and before I could even register what was happening, she touched my face.

Her fingers barely skimmed my jaw, the touch so light I almost thought I imagined it. But I didn't. I felt her.

Warm. Steady.

My entire body locked up.

"You'll get yourself killed one day,"

she said, almost...affectionately?

"Not if you're around to save me,"

I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Her lips twitched, and for a second..just a second…her grip tightened, it was some inhuman strength.. her thumb pressing against my cheek as if she wanted to memorize me.

"Mm,"

 she hummed, noncommittal. But there was something dark and amused in her gaze, something almost satisfied.

I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move.

The moment stretched, tangled between us, something unspoken hanging thick in the air.

Then..just as suddenly as she had touched me..she pulled away, the warmth of her fingertips disappearing like it was never there.

I nearly shivered.

Leila glanced over her shoulder at the remnants of the shattered spirit, her expression flickering to something unreadable. 

"That thing would've hurt you," 

she said simply.

 "I couldn't let that happen."

My heart did something strange in my chest.

I wanted to say something. Anything. But the words tangled in my throat, lost in the way she had looked at me, in the way she had touched me like she meant it.

Leila turned back to me, her gaze unreadable.

"Let's get out of here, Nova."

I exhaled shakily, nodding.

But as I followed her through the wreckage of the maze, I couldn't help but feel like I had just danced too close to something dangerous.

And the worst part?

I wanted to do it again.

Leila…

Or at least..that's what she looked like.

She stood there in this shattered glass, the spirit's remains fading into nothingness behind her. Her dark eyes gleamed under the eerie, fractured light, her lips tilted in the faintest of smiles.

I swallowed hard, something curling deep in my gut. This isn't her.

But God, she looked like her.

I exhaled, trying to steady my breath, but the air in the mirror maze felt suffocating. Glass shards crunched beneath my boots as I took a cautious step back, my gaze flickering between the broken reflections surrounding me.

Leila..or what looked like Leila..stood before me, still and calm, as if she hadn't just ripped through the spirit like it was nothing. Her dark eyes glowed under the dim, distorted light, her lips barely curved into a faint, knowing smile..

Something felt off.

I turned my head slightly, just enough to glance at the nearest mirror. My own reflection stared back at me, pale and wide-eyed. The jagged edges of broken glass fractured the image, making my face look distorted and unreal..

And then I saw it.

There was no reflection of her…

A cold wave of dread crawled up my spine. My grip on my weapon tightened.

I turned back to face her, but she hadn't moved. She was still looking at me, tilting her head slightly, almost as if she were waiting for something.

"Nova,"

 she murmured, voice smooth, eerily gentle. 

"You're trembling."

I forced myself to breathe, steadying my stance. 

"You killed the spirit."

A slow blink. 

"Wasn't that the mission?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I studied her, the way she held herself..too relaxed, too composed. Leila should've been catching her breath, scowling, rolling her eyes at me for hesitating. But this girl… she was watching me carefully, like she was observing a caged animal.

I glanced at the broken mirror again. Still nothing.

I swallowed hard.

 "You're not her."

She smiled. The kind of smile that sent ice through my veins.

"I never said I was."

The silence between us continued, thick and suffocating. My pulse pounded in my ears as I held my ground, every muscle in my body screaming at me to move..to run, to fight, to do something!

But I didn't.

Instead, I watched as she took a slow step toward me, her boots barely making a sound against the glass-covered floor. 

"You're scared of me,"

 Her voice was almost affectionate, like she was stating something obvious, something natural. 

"You don't have to be."

I gritted my teeth, my grip tightening around my weapon. 

"Don't play with me."

She didn't say anything right away. Instead, she tilted her head, studying me with something unreadable in her dark eyes. Then, slowly, she reached out toward my face.

I jerked back instinctively, my heart hammering.

Her hand froze midair before she let it fall back to her side, an amused hum leaving her lips. 

"Interesting."

I hated how calm she was. How in control. How utterly unbothered by the fact that I knew she wasn't supposed to exist.

"Nova,"

she said my name again, softer this time. 

"You've always been so perceptive and loyal to me. It's one of the things I like about you."

A chill crawled up my spine. The things I like about you..like she'd been watching me. For a long time.

I tried not to let my expression crack. 

"You've been pretending to be Leila, haven't you?"

I frowned, following her gaze. The shattered reflections of myself stared back, fractured and fragmented. But when I turned back to look at her..

She was gone.

I stood there, staring at the empty space where she had been. My pulse was still racing, my breath unsteady, but my mind..my mind was screaming.

This wasn't something I could report.

This wasn't something I should report.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The organization had rules..strict, absolute insane type of rules. If they found out about this, about her, they wouldn't hesitate to seriously kick me out. I've been working here ever since I was a child.

And yet…

I turned back to the mirrors, scanning the broken reflections. My own fractured image stared back at me, but hers..Leila's..was still missing.

She wasn't supposed to exist.

And yet, she did.

I let out a slow, shaky breath.

No one could know. Not yet.

Not until I understood what the hell was really going on…

And it seemed like I only understood a bit of the full story. Something isn't right. No, nothing's right here.

But she saved me,

The spirit couldn't even touch me.

It couldn't lay a finger on me..

All because of..

Her..

And I will never forget that. Never ever.

SAMUEL'S POV:

The morning air was crisp, cutting through the towering glass walls of my office like a silent reminder that another day had begun. I sat behind my desk, staring at the reports laid out before me..incident reports, mission failures, spirit sightings. The usual. Did I forget to mention the stupid medical team and their dumb gossip?

Except for one.

I picked up the folder, my sharp eyes scanning the details. A spirit eliminated. Mission accomplished. But something was missing.

Nova's report was vague.

Too vague..

I leaned back in my chair, fingers tapping against the dark oak surface. Nova wasn't sloppy. She never left out details. But this time, she had. And I was actually disappointed.

I exhaled slowly.

My instincts were rarely wrong. Something was off.

Shutting the folder, I stood, adjusting the cuffs of my suit before glancing at the city skyline outside. The organization I built..my empire..wasn't just about exorcising spirits. It was about control.

And I refused to let things slip through the cracks.

"Get me Nova,"

 I ordered through the intercom.

If there was something she wasn't telling me, I'd make sure to find out

The door creaked open, and Nova stepped in, her usual confidence layered under something more guarded. She was composed, her stance firm, but I noticed the slight twitch in her fingers as she adjusted her coat.

"Sir,"

she greeted, standing before my desk.

I studied her for a moment. Loyal. Efficient. Smart. But she wasn't a liar. At least, not a good one.

"You left out details in your report,"

I said, my voice even, controlled.

 "Tell me why."

Her face barely shifted, but I caught the flicker in her eyes. 

"There was nothing significant to add."

Lies.

I stood up, walking around the desk, my presence looming over her.

"Nova," I said slowly, watching for a reaction. 

"I built this organization from the ground up. Every breath you take in this facility is because I allow it. And you're my student. One of my only students who haven't been killed.''

She stiffened.

"I know when someone is hiding something."

Her jaw clenched. 

"The spirit was handled. There was no need for extra details."

I tilted my head. 

"And yet, something in you tells me that's not the full truth."

She stayed silent.

I took a step closer. 

"Did Lia have something to do with this?"

Her reaction was quick..too quick. A flicker of something, barely a second. Fear? Guilt?

Interesting.

"I already told you everything,"

she said firmly.

I held her gaze, then let out a quiet chuckle.

"You're a terrible liar."

She didn't flinch, but I could tell she was debating her next words carefully.

"I trust Lia," she finally said. "And you should, too."

I hummed. 

"Trust is a dangerous thing, Nova. It makes people blind."

She said nothing.

I turned away, letting her believe she had won. Letting her think I'd drop it. But I wasn't done.

Not even close.

Something happened in that mission. And if it involved Lia…

Then I would find out.

No matter what it took.

I still remember that one day,

The day I could almost get rid of her.

The day I could save everyone.

From all this, which I knew would happen.

The candlelight flickered in the vast hall, casting disturbing shadows against the cold stone walls. I was facing the figure in front of me. 

Leila, my little sister.

Or rather...what wore her face..

She stood there, confidently on the marble floor, her outfit was just something Leila would usually wear. That eerie grin, stretched impossibly wide, never once left. Her head tilted slightly, observing me like I was some fascinating animal in a cage.

"You look tired, brother,"

 she cooed, her voice light, amused. 

"You've been at this for hours."

I didn't respond.

I couldn't respond.

Not when I was too busy thinking about what her next plan was.

With one swift movement, I lunged, my blade slicing clean through her neck. Her head fell, rolling a few feet before stopping with her face still twisted in that damned smile.

And yet..

"That was rude,"

Her voice purred behind me.

I whirled around. There she was, perfectly intact, standing just as before. Not a single wound on her body.

I didn't hesitate. My power surged..Dominion.

The very air obeyed me, my command absolute. The marble beneath us cracked and rose in jagged spikes, impaling her through the torso. Blood splattered, hot and thick, painting the walls in violent streaks. My cold eyes were just..staring..

Still..she laughed.

Her fingers twitched, curling around the spikes as she dragged herself forward, the sound of flesh tearing barely fazing her.

"That one almost hurt!"

 She said, her grin never faltering.

I ripped through her again. And again. And again.

Burned her alive.

Crushed her limbs.

Snapped her spine in two.

Drowned her in the shadows..

Tore her heart straight from her chest.

Nothing worked.

She always came back.

No sign of pain. No hesitation. Just that same, unnatural smile.

The realization sank in, slow and cold..

She wasn't bound by the laws of the living. Not by death. Not by pain.

And not even by Dominion.

I tightened my grip on my sword, ignoring the slickness of her blood coating my hands.

She giggled. 

"You're finally getting it, aren't you?"

I met her gaze, my face impassive. 

"You're nothing but a parasite."

She tilted her head, her grin stretching wider. 

"And yet,"

She whispered, stepping closer, 

"YOU STILL CANNOT GET RID OF ME."

For the first time in years, I felt something close to frustration.

She couldn't be killed. She couldn't be erased.

This wasn't a battle.

It was a curse.

I remember the day I first saw her.

A little girl, no older than ten, standing in the training hall with blood on her lip and defiance in her eyes. Her small hands were clenched into fists, trembling..not from fear, but from pure determination.

"Again,"

She demanded, wiping the blood away with the back of her hand.

I narrowed my eyes. 

"You've already been knocked down five times."

"I don't care."

 Her voice didn't waver.

Stubborn. Too stubborn.

I sighed and raised a hand, summoning a low-tier spirit from the void. Its wailing cries echoed through the chamber, its form flickering between shadow and mist.

Nova didn't flinch.

She charged without hesitation, swinging her blade through the spirit's form. But it was reckless. The creature twisted around the attack, its hollowed eyes locking onto her as it let out a distorted shriek.

She wasn't fast enough.

With a flick of my fingers, I stopped the spirit before it could land a hit. 

"Too slow,"

 I muttered.

Nova gritted her teeth and turned on her heels, calculating her next strike. Good. At least she wasn't completely blinded by her arrogance or something.

This time, she waited. Her stance shifted..more balanced, more aware. The spirit lunged again, and the moment it did, she drove her blade through its core. The creature let out a final, agonized wail before disintegrating into the air.

Silence followed.

I stepped forward, placing a firm hand on her head. She stiffened at the touch. 

"Better."

Her lips parted slightly, like she wanted to say something..but she just scoffed instead. 

"I already am strong."

My gaze softened, just a little. 

"Not yet."

I pulled my hand away. 

"But you will be."

Back then, I thought molding her into a weapon would make her unstoppable. That her stubbornness would serve as fuel, not a weakness. That was my job.

Now, years later, I wasn't sure if I had shaped her into a soldier..or something else entirely.

I exhaled slowly, leaning back in my chair, fingers interlocked as I stared at nothing in particular.

What did Nova and Lia have that was so important to each other?..

I've noticed it for a while now..the way Nova's gaze shifts when Lia is mentioned, the way she always seems to be searching for something when she thinks no one is watching. I'm not blind. I've seen the way Lia lingers near her, like some unseen force is pulling them together.

It doesn't make any sense.

Nova isn't the type to get attached. She's sharp, calculating..more of a blade than a person sometimes. And Lia? She shouldn't even exist. She's something in our minds, something unnatural. I've killed her over and over again, but she always comes back. Always with that eerie grin, that unsettling playfulness, like none of it matters. Like she enjoys it.

But then… why?

Why does Nova hesitate?

Why does she look at Lia like she's something more than just another spirit to be exorcised?

I tap my fingers against the wooden desk, my thoughts just growing more and more.

Whatever it is between them..it isn't normal. And if Nova is keeping secrets… I'll find out.

LEILAS POV:

There was a time when people doubted me.

A time when they looked at me and saw nothing but a powerless girl in a world where strength meant survival. No abilities. No divine gift. Just flesh and bone. Just a human..

And yet, here I am.

One of the top exorcists in the organization. The one they whisper about in hushed voices, half in awe, half in fear. The one who stands among the strongest..not because of brute power, but because I made myself untouchable.

I watched. I learned. I adapted.

Every battle, every mission, every spirit I exorcised, I took something from them. Not their powers, but their tactics, their weaknesses. I memorized every movement, every habit of my enemies, and then I made sure I could counter them. I didn't need abilities when I could predict their every move before they even made it.

They think I did it alone.

But they don't know about her.

My shadow, my other self, my secret. The thing that shouldn't exist, yet does. She taught me things no one else could. Whispered secrets in my ear, guided my hand, showed me what others couldn't see. She was always there, always watching, always making sure I got what I wanted.

And I did.

I climbed my way to the top, weaving through this world like a spider in its web. People think I'm just lucky. That I'm naturally skilled. They don't understand that intelligence, deception, and manipulation are more powerful than any supernatural ability.

It's funny, really.

They call me the best. One of the strongest.

But they have no idea.

I never needed power.

I had something better.

As far as I know, spirit hunters are very.. Selfless or selfish people. It depends on the person to be honest. Some of them never bother to put effort on what they themselves want, they only focus on what their loved ones or others desire. Not their own wishes or happiness, but they prefer to grant and give more attention to what other people need. However, some also prefer to focus on themselves way more than they focus on others. They only care about what they need, and what they want for themselves. They take a glance at what others desire, but never take a step to grant their wishes. 

But, there's also something called the balanced one. The one who focuses on what they want, but also focuses on the things other people do. And these people.. are very complicated. They don't know what they are doing. They have no idea.