Chapter 2: Through the Rift

Liam had never been through a portal before, but he could now confidently say that it was exactly how getting punched in the soul might feel.

The moment he stepped through the cracked mirror with Aeris, his senses exploded. Colors bled into each other, upside-down forests twisted like spirals, and time felt like it tripped over its own shoelaces. Then, snap — it stopped.

They landed hard, rolling across a damp, mossy floor beneath a violet sky. Liam groaned and spat out dirt. "Okay. I rate that zero stars."

Aeris stood immediately, brushing off her armor. "We're lucky we weren't followed."

Liam slowly sat up. "Right. Followed. By nightmare blobs with glowing eyes. Where are we?"

Aeris didn't answer right away. She looked out at the endless stretch of floating landmasses, glowing rivers in the sky, and massive trees with lantern-like fruits hanging from their branches.

"You're in Virelia," she said at last. "The Realm of Origin."

"…Yeah, that doesn't help."

Aeris turned to him. "This world existed long before your kind ever looked at fire and thought, 'Let's poke it.' It was once a sanctuary of balance, watched over by ancient protectors. Now it's fractured. Broken."

Liam stood up shakily, eyes wide. "And you came through the mirror… to find something?"

"To find someone," she corrected.

He blinked. "Me?"

"I said someone. Didn't say you."

He squinted. "Thanks."

She ignored his sarcasm and started walking, boots crunching against the moss-covered ground. "We need to get to the outpost before sunset. The creatures that attacked us? They're only scouts. Their masters will send more."

Liam followed, still rubbing his head. "Okay but… real question: why me? Why did the mirror react like that? Am I cursed? A chosen one? Did I sit on some ancient throne in a past life?"

Aeris slowed. "We don't know yet. But I'm beginning to suspect… you're not just random."

"That's terrifyingly vague."

A smirk tugged at her lips. Just a little.

As they walked through the glowing woods, Liam's eyes wandered. The plants breathed. Literally. One flower yawned at him. Another sneezed glitter into the air.

"This place is like if Studio Ghibli had a bad fever dream," he muttered.

They arrived at a high cliffside with a view of floating ruins in the distance. Below them, a trail led to a small settlement — strange yet familiar architecture, with wooden huts and crystal towers.

"That's the outpost," Aeris said. "We'll be safe there for the night."

As they started down the trail, Liam caught sight of a flicker behind a tree.

"Uh… we have company."

A small figure peeked out — a girl with short pink hair, wide golden eyes, and a massive floating frog hovering over her head. The frog waved.

Aeris sighed. "Oh no."

The girl ran up with a beaming smile. "Aeris! You didn't say you were visiting! Is this your boyfriend?"

"What?!" Liam and Aeris yelled in unison.

"I'm Nyra!" the girl said, ignoring them. "Summoner-in-training, part-time tea-brewer, and full-time chaos gremlin!"

Liam blinked. "You have a floating frog."

"Oh, that's Mog. He only eats evil spirits now! I trained him. Wanna pet him?"

"No. Absolutely not."

Nyra grabbed his hand and slapped it onto Mog's slimy head anyway. The frog croaked cheerfully and burped a bubble.

Aeris massaged her temples. "Nyra… why are you here?"

Nyra blinked innocently. "Oh, you know. Practicing. Summoning frogs. Accidentally opening minor voids. Usual stuff."

"She's… with us?" Liam asked.

"I suppose she is now," Aeris muttered.

With Nyra bouncing alongside them and Mog hopping ahead, they reached the outpost. Guards in light armor nodded at Aeris. A few whispered behind their hands.

"She's back."

"And she brought a surface-walker…"

Inside, a small gathering area with a firepit glowed warmly. Liam sat by the fire, finally taking a moment to breathe.

"So… how long do I have before I die or get turned into a squirrel or something?"

Aeris sat beside him, finally letting her shoulders relax. "We'll figure this out. Tomorrow, we talk to the sages. Maybe they'll know why the mirror responded to you."

Liam leaned back and stared up at the stars — unfamiliar, yet oddly comforting.

"…Hey," he said after a long pause. "Thanks. For, y'know. Not letting me get eaten."

Aeris didn't look at him. "Don't thank me yet."

Nyra popped her head in from the doorway. "Want tea? I made it using mushrooms that may or may not cause mild hallucinations!"

Liam blinked. "Honestly? After today? Bring it on."