johnjosephjr

In a world where reality blurs between magic and modernity, one broken mirror awakens a forgotten destiny.

Liam Gray is just an ordinary young man — lonely, directionless, stuck in a mundane life where success feels like a distant dream. But everything changes when a mysterious mirror in his room cracks open… not to shatter, but to reveal another world.

From that mirror steps Aeris Virelle, a fierce and secretive warrior from a magical realm on the brink of collapse. She seeks the fragments of an ancient spellbook — the Liminal Codex — a key that can restore balance… or destroy everything.

As Liam is unwillingly dragged into her quest, he learns that he isn’t just a bystander. He is bound by blood, power, and fate to the shattered past of both worlds. Haunted by visions and hunted by corrupted forces, Liam joins a band of unlikely allies:

Kael, a blunt but noble wind-based warrior with a soft spot for dumb jokes,

Nyra, a spirited summoner whose tiny summons love stealing food and causing chaos — but whose powers are growing every day.

Together, they must traverse deadly landscapes, fight cursed guardians, uncover ancient truths, and learn to trust one another. But Aeris is hiding a truth of her own — reporting to a heroine who may not be what she seems. And lurking behind every turn is a dark force, manipulating hearts and histories alike: the shadowy being that destroyed Elira’s people and tore open the world long ago.

As realms collide and fragments fall into place, Liam must decide: is he a hero destined to save both worlds… or a sacrifice meant to seal them?

The Mirrorbound

By the time they left the Valewood, something in the air felt heavier—more tense, like a distant storm pressing against the sky. The whispers were gone, but their echoes lingered in the back of Liam's mind.

The shard pulsed with warmth against his chest, the memory of Serene's vision burning in his thoughts.

"A city in ruin," he whispered as they set up camp that night. "It looked like Earth… but not."

"Could've been a parallel echo," Nyra suggested, crouching near the fire. "Or a fragment of what could be."

Kael sat sharpening his blade again. "You really think the next clue's back in the human world?"

Liam nodded. "That's what she showed me. Serene. She said I'd find her when I was ready. And I think that shard… it's the key."

Aeris, seated nearby with arms wrapped around her knees, had been uncharacteristically silent.

"You've been to Earth, haven't you?" Liam finally asked.

The fire crackled. Nyra looked up in surprise. Even Kael's hands stilled.

Aeris hesitated. "Yes. A long time ago."

Liam leaned forward. "But… how? You're from the magical realm, aren't you?"

"No," she admitted softly. "I was born in the human world. I crossed over… when I was a child."

The revelation hit like a ripple in still water.

Kael frowned. "So you've known more than you let on."

"I had to," Aeris said quietly. "I was sent here—to find the spellbook before it fell into the wrong hands. Before Nytherion found it."

Nyra stood. "Wait—how do you know Nytherion?"

Aeris looked into the fire. "Because my family served him… once."

The flames shifted suddenly, burning blue for a heartbeat.

Kael stood, blade drawn halfway. "We trusted you—"

"I'm not with him," Aeris said, standing as well. "I ran. I betrayed him. Everything I've done since then… has been to stop what he's become."

A silence settled. Uneasy. But honest.

Liam stepped between them. "We all have shadows in our past. What matters is what we do next."

Nyra took a slow breath. "So… the shard leads back. But how do we even get to Earth from here?"

"That's the problem," Aeris replied. "The portals have been collapsing. The Mirrorbound is the last stable link between realms. And it's guarded."

Aeris looked up at the stars, voice barely a whisper.

"By something that remembers all who passed through… and demands a toll."

Liam sat alone with the shard in his hand. The flame inside flickered to life again—showing another image.

A massive gateway. Ancient. Carved with runes and bleeding gold light. In front of it stood a figure cloaked in shadow.

Their back turned… but familiar.

Liam blinked, and the vision vanished.

"You will need more than courage," a voice echoed faintly.

"You'll need to choose what you leave behind."

The next morning, as the group broke camp, Aeris looked toward the eastern cliffs—where the last known location of the Mirrorbound portal lay.

"If we go back," she said, "we may not be able to return."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "And if we don't?"

Liam closed his fist around the shard.

They began walking—toward the Mirrorbound Gate.

And behind them, high above in the sky, the clouds began to spiral unnaturally… darkness threading through daylight.

Chapter 35: Between Realms