Mirror Of The Forgotten

Frozen Spiral Zone – Mirror Depth

A thick white mist had blanketed everything. It felt as though the world itself had stopped breathing. Aren stood alone — atop the frost, yet the ground beneath him felt weightless, surreal.

Tomo's usual blue blink had dimmed, flickering slowly like a fading signal.

Tomo (faint voice):

"Bro… we've entered an illusion layer. The Spiral Zone's memory gate is fully active."

Aren looked ahead — a towering mirror, entirely forged from ancient frost. But its reflection wasn't stable. It kept shifting… like memories trying to breathe.

Aren (under his breath):

"This… is that my past?"

Inside the mirror appeared a younger Aren — a small boy, curled up in a dark lab corner. Eyes red. Tears fresh.

Young Aren (shivering):

"You came back? You said… you wouldn't leave me."

Aren's heart sank. His breath trembled.

Aren:

"I… I'm sorry. I thought… if I became stronger, I could fix everything."

Young Aren (coldly):

"Stronger? You ran away. When dad left us… you said nothing. You just stood there."

Cracks appeared across the mirror's surface. The vision distorted — replaced by another memory.

A girl — Aika — crying silently in an empty corridor. Her eyes filled with pain… as a haunting voice whispered:

> "You were never meant to be loved, Aika. You're just someone else's broken memory."

Aren's eyes widened.

Tomo (alarmed):

"Bro… the zone isn't just yours anymore. It's pulling in the deepest memories… from everyone tied to your fate."

Aren (clenching his fists):

"So Spiral's plan is to drown us… in our own past?"

Suddenly, a distorted voice echoed — cold and inhuman. Spiral's presence loomed like fog around them.

Spiral (whispering):

"Memories are curses. The more you hold onto them… the more you break."

Aren (shouting back):

"Then I should've broken long ago! But I'm still here — because I stopped running from myself!"

He stepped forward, gripping his rod tightly. With every step, the reflection grew darker, heavier… more painful. But Aren didn't stop.

Young Aren (softly):

"You forgot me…"

Aren (firmly):

"No. I am you. You're my most precious fragment. And I'm taking you back."

With a cry, Aren raised his rod and shattered the mirror. Glass and frost exploded around him, sending shockwaves through the frozen illusion.

---

Zone Collapse – Return to Reality

The illusion shattered. Aren dropped to one knee, gasping. Tomo floated nearby. Aika stood beside him, dazed.

The Spiral seal faded — inactive.

Aika (touching her head):

"I… I saw something. But I don't know if it was mine."

Aren (quietly):

"We all try to forget… but sometimes, the memories we hold onto become the reason we fight."

---

Final Narration:

"To face time… you must first face the version of you that time tried to erase."

> To be continued…