The Mirror

He read the titles aloud in a hushed voice, as if afraid to speak it openly. He held the paper carefully, his eyes drowning in bewilderment. It was a single word, yet it carried a strange weight in his heart:

"The Clown."

He muttered, uncertainly, his tone tinged with suspicion:

"The Clown? What kind of title is that?"

As he stared at the paper, words appeared out of nowhere. William's eyes widened as the paper seemed to speak by itself.

"Is this… magic? It was blank just moments ago."

He began to read the newly formed sentence:

"Try to become something else, to reach your goal.

Become anyone or anything you want…

Not everything you desire comes without a price."

The moment he finished reading, the paper ignited with a silent flame and turned to ash in his hand.

He slowly sat down in the chair, heart pounding, thoughts tangled like a web inside his skull. He looked toward the faint moon outside the window, then toward the black sword lying on the table.

The sword pulsed with a dark aura, as if it were a living being dreaming of slaughter.

He picked it up, muttering sarcastically:

"Hmm… What if I just cut my head off now? Would that end it all?"

But his voice was hollow, as though his words found no echo, not even within his own mind.

He suddenly let go of the sword and buried his head in his hands. Then came a sharp, sudden headache—like someone was pounding drums inside his skull.

And then…

Memories.

Images. Sounds. Faces.

"William Gideon… a sorcerer of the Ninth Sequence.

He masters dark magic.

He can shape anything from shadow."

His body trembled. He gasped and murmured:

"I… I'm a sorcerer of the Ninth Sequence?"

He stood, stunned, staring at his hands as though they didn't belong to him.

"But… how do people learn magic here? Is it like the stories? Or… something else?"

He searched the new memories, but nothing was clear.

"No choice but to attend the classes… Understanding this world must come from within."

He tried to steady himself—to adapt, to resist the dark thought whispering escape.

"Suicide isn't a solution. It's just another way of running away. But I'm no longer someone who runs."

He rose and walked toward the window. The view was majestic: a vast green courtyard, students moving like organized ants, Victorian buildings enclosing the area, and distant mountains crowned with ancient castles.

To the right stood the Academy—grand, imposing, designed in a Gothic style, as if it were a living entity watching over everyone within.

He whispered:

"From what I saw in the memories… this year is 980 Junzi."

He froze. His gaze hardened.

"Junzi? Does that mean before Christ? After? Are we in an entirely different world?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them, as if declaring:

"I need to find information in the library… I'll probably find answers there."

But just as he reached for the doorknob, he stopped abruptly, as if something had pulled him back. He froze, then muttered:

"Damn… I forgot I was supposed to meet Sophia in the garden. She's probably furious now… that's just how girls are."

He sighed, frustrated, and changed course:

"I'll postpone the library visit… Better see her first."

But the moment his hand touched the doorknob, a loud sound echoed from the public garden. He rushed to the window and flung it open.

A crowd of students gathered… around a body.

William's eyes widened, and his heart clenched in his chest. Shock. Fear. Dread.

"What… how did it end up there?" he whispered to himself, remembering what that strange man had said: "The garden…"

"Did he mean this?"

There was no time to hesitate. This was his first real chance to understand what was happening. To connect the threads.

He flung the door open and stepped into a long corridor lined with opposing rooms. The place resembled a silent mausoleum, filled with spirits in the form of ghostly knights guarding the doors.

This was the "Admirde" wing.

"Good thing I remember the palace map…"

He dashed through the hallway until he reached a spiral staircase that moved subtly, like a living creature. He descended swiftly until he arrived at a small lobby with only one door.

He opened it slowly, and before him lay a massive courtyard in a state of alarm. Golden pillars adorned the space, its ceiling ever-shifting, and on its walls a dragon was painted—its form pulsating with life, writhing as if observing every passerby.

Many doors, countless unknown directions… but his eyes locked onto the one leading to the garden.

"There it is…"

William rushed toward it and flung it open.

Students were gathered. Whispering. Accusing. The body lay at the center, as if delivering a hidden message.

Before he could approach, a familiar voice called out:

"William! Over here!"

He turned. Sophia.

She stood off to the side, her face pale, her voice trembling:

"It's the fourth murder… done the exact same way. And the killer is the same… the Clown."

The name hit him like a cold slap.

"The Clown… so it wasn't just a random title on the paper. It's a name. A killer's name." William muttered darkly.

He tried to appear calm in front of Sophia, forcing a slight smile:

"Don't worry, Sophia. This criminal won't last much longer."

But his ears were tuned to the whispers around him…

"The fourth murder in three months…"

"Where are the guards? Where are the high sorcerers? Can't they catch him?"

"No blood at all… it's like the victim vanished from within."

"He must have a terrifying knowledge of anatomy… or a kind of magic we don't understand yet."

William gently patted Sophia's shoulder, but inside, his mind was working like a complex machine.

"Four victims, same method… almost the same location… no variation. The Clown doesn't kill randomly—he follows a precise pattern."

And then came the most crucial piece of information… the whisper that shattered the silence.

"Did you notice all the victims were students who had reached the Eighth or Seventh Sequence?"

"Could it be he targets those with high insight? Those getting close to the truth?"

"Maybe… or he just hates that group for some hidden reason."

A faint smile appeared on William's face—barely noticeable.

"We're getting closer to something…" he thought.

"It seems progress in the sequence is linked to insight. And this killer… doesn't want anyone to ascend."

But he whispered:

"Just one question remains… How do we increase insight? The library will be my next destination."

Sophia noticed his distraction and asked, worried:

"You seem deep in thought, William… Is something bothering you?"

He smiled nervously, scratching the back of his head:

"Nothing really. Just random thoughts. And that damned killer… no one's managed to stop him yet."

But she knew. Her eyes hid a quiet certainty.

"I've known William for years… but he's always hiding something. Something deep. And mystery clings to him and his family like a curse."

Suddenly…

A majestic procession entered the garden courtyard.

Guards clad in black armor and dark helmets, their red swords reflecting the sun like bloody flashes. Behind them walked a man with long white hair, a full beard, and glowing red eyes. Despite his age, he stood with powerful grace. He wore a formal uniform worthy of royal presence.

William whispered:

"Those are the knights known as the 'Saints.' Their Sequence ranges from Seventh to Sixth."

"And he… is Saint Edgar. One of the greatest sorcerers of the Second Sequence."

"To all students: Return to your rooms immediately. There will be no classes today due to the incident. A curfew will be in effect within the academy for three days until we uncover what's happening."

The words echoed from Saint Edgar's commanding voice as he addressed the students.

A murmur spread among them, whispers of tension and unease. But the one most affected by this lockdown was William.

"Damn it… Just what I needed. This curfew will prevent me from accessing the academy."

"But… perhaps I can take advantage of the situation and quickly head to the library. At the very least, I hope to find some useful information."

"Hey, Sophia, I'm going to my room now… You should too," William said, glancing at her.

"That's right… We don't know when this killer might strike again," Sophia replied, her tone calm but betraying an inner worry.

William entered the academy building. The courtyard was still crowded, the atmosphere stifling.

"I think the path to the library is through the door at the corner of the staircase," he muttered, quickening his pace toward the door.

He stood before it; the door bore animated images resembling a living creature, pulsating slowly. He opened it cautiously and stepped into a lounge-like room, with sofas lined up near a glass window overlooking the ocean waters.

He took in the room's beauty, then his eyes fell upon a door above which was inscribed in magical script:

"Library"

He rushed toward it and opened it swiftly. He was astonished by the sight before him… Gothic-style shelves holding thousands of books, some floating gently in the air as if breathing. Statues on the ceiling silently spoke of the books, and staircases led to unknown places.

"What a scene… Truly enchanting. But… how will I find a book that explains how to use magic and increase my level?"

He scanned the area until his eyes landed on a shelf labeled:

"Foundation"

"Looks like this shelf contains important information," William said, glancing around to ensure no one was watching.

He approached the shelf and began flipping through books quickly until he stopped at one titled:

"Sequence"

"Perhaps this is the book I need," he said softly, touching the book with his fingers.

He opened the pages slowly and began reading in a low voice:

"Sequence in magic: If you wish to change your level from ninth to eighth or seventh, you must increase your insight."

"Insight? Strange… What does that have to do with raising one's magical sequence?" he pondered, then continued reading:

"Insight is the enhancement of your knowledge in magical matters, a change in the architecture of magic, and a deepening into cosmic entities of higher magical phases."

"One can increase their insight through deep exploration of a magical concept or through practice and confrontations."

He placed his index finger and thumb on his chin and whispered:

"Seems increasing insight isn't easy at all. But it's essential to delve deeper. As I recall, I'm at the ninth sequence… How many sequences are there? I should keep reading."

"The sequence consists of number nine, which is 'Awakening,' progressing to the greatest sequence: 'Lord,' which is the deepest and most powerful sequence."

William's eyes widened in astonishment and focus as he read the hierarchical system:

"Lord sequence? Seems it's the highest… Has anyone ever reached it?"

He continued:

"Strangely, sequences from eighth to second bear encrypted names, as if they're hidden secrets… Truly odd."

He kept flipping through the pages until he reached a chapter on how to use magic:

"Using magic varies by type. For instance, users of black magic clench their fists tightly, then open them… transforming their right hand into darkness that can be shaped and manipulated at will."

William's eyes widened in amazement:

"Just a simple movement…?"

He smiled faintly and immediately tried the motion. He clenched his right hand tightly, then opened it… transforming it into dense darkness.

He looked at his palm as it emitted black sparks. He slowly pulled back his sleeve to see the extent of the darkness… and as he did, he saw a reflection of someone standing, holding a sword with both hands.

In heavy silence, a sharp voice came from behind him:

"What are you doing here, boy?"

William turned slowly. There stood a man wearing glasses, eyes closed, with long black hair and a pointed hat.

"Sorry, sir… I was just examining some matters I need for my studies," William said, his tone flustered.

"Didn't you hear Saint Edgar's warning about the curfew?" the man said, his tone more severe.

"No… I wasn't aware of what happened," William replied honestly.

"A complete curfew has been declared in the academy for three days to catch the killer. Leave now to your chamber before you're punished for your actions," the mysterious man scolded him harshly.

William placed the book back in its place and bowed in apology:

"Sorry, sir…"

He left the library, heading toward his room, his thoughts in turmoil:

"I believe this person is Mr. Dorian Lilith… the guardian of this massive library. Strangely, no one knows his sequence… Anyway, the important thing is that I obtained crucial information, which, oddly, didn't appear in my memory before."

He reached his room and threw himself onto the bed, utterly exhausted from the thinking and strange events.

"My God… I feel completely drained. Stranger still, I'm sleeping now on a bed where a corpse was found not long ago… But fatigue overwhelms me," he said in a weary tone.

He closed his eyes very slowly… then suddenly opened them to find himself before a mirror, darkness surrounding him from all sides.

He gazed at his face… red and yellow colors covered it. Under his right eye was a star, and under the left, a bubble.

He slowly raised his hand and touched his face before hearing a heavy voice coming from behind him:

"Welcome… to the one who came from the wretched time, to the darkest time."

"How are you… magician William Gideon? Or… the silent clown."