The world around me slowed down as I stared into my own obsidian black eyes. My reflection gazed back at me, with a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar to me. An excerpt from my own novel popped up in my mind.
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Deep within the seventh Roaming Tower was its 89th hidden room. This chamber was unlike any other in the tower, for it was home to the mysterious and terrifying creatures known as the mirror mermaids. These monsters swam through the virtual world of reflections, manipulating light and bending its rays to suit their own twisted purposes.
Each reflection of oneself could hold the potential to give birth to a mirror mermaid. They were a species that was prone to extinction, only to reappear whenever an unsuspecting intruder wandered into their mirror maze.
The mermaids were not content to simply lurk in the shadows, however. They were active and aggressive, always seeking new prey to lure into their clutches.
See...
If you lingered too long before your own reflection, you may see it move.
If you turned your back on them, they would smile over your shoulder.
Close your eyes and they would emerge, their presence palpable even when you could not see them.
And if you lost consciousness, know that you would walk amongst them, trapped in their virtual world forever.
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That was what I meant when a special monster resided within these mirrored walls. And such a monster was going to be a key to many of my tentative plans.
Thus, I swiftly stuck to one of my reflections and closed my eyes. My state of moving meditation quickly assimilated my mind, calming it in motionless tranquillity.
I made myself vulnerable. A prime target for a kidnapping.
Not a second later did I feel a gentle touch. Hands that were a perfect replication of mine had latched onto me. There were at least six of them. One for each limb, and the last two for my waist and neck.
I supplied not even a drop of resistance.
Blooop—!
With the sound and likeness of a rock being thrown into a still lake, I was pulled into my own reflection.
And then,
A figure that perfectly resembled me took my place, grinning from ear to ear with teeth as sharp as a shark's. Galad and the other two were going to be in for a treat.
In the meantime, I had to deal with my self-imposed predicament.
Krrrrrrr—
The raspy growls of a newborn monster rang in my eardrums. I took a very deep breath while keeping my eyes tightly shut. I was quite terrified of the being whose breaths I could feel on my skin.
But I couldn't keep my eyes shut forever.
Oh how I dreaded it.
...
When I opened my eyes, the worst assault on my senses was the taste.
"Urgh," I groaned as my stomach lurched, revolting like a mad rebel.
The next thing was the smell and the texture of the bastard's skin. Sight-Sent Senses was a detriment to my existence at this moment.
It was an inexplicable sensation, to oh-so-closely examine such a diabolical specimen with the limits of human senses. I was gazing at a mildly humanoid being, with tentacles for a head, and heads for hands.
Six bone-like arms extended from its torso in erratic distribution. There was no such thing as shoulders on this bastard. Instead, it had fish tails that one would expect from the stereotypical mermaid.
Thus, it had about three tails. Two smaller ones that almost looked like wings, and a long one replacing its legs, bearing the scales of a snake instead of that of a fish.
A gigantic mouth with teeth created from broken glass was gasping for air, extending from where its neck should be, all the way down to its crotch.
The two heads it had was groaning with an unsettling "Krrrrrrr" that was very much akin to the sound of a dying dog and its laboured breaths.
It tasted like a mix of soy sauce, ice cream, rubber, and salted butter. The aftertaste was horrid, clouding my nostrils with a scent akin to year-old rotten fish and hydrochloric acid.
This gods-forsaken mirror mermaid was standing just inches away from me.
Even Aventine refused to come out.
'I just had to design a monster based on people's inner selves, no?' I smacked my lips in disgust.
[ Mirror Mermaids are the reflections of your rotten insides. ]
The trick to beating them however was simple. No matter what rank they were, and no matter how strong you were, it didn't matter. You didn't even have to fight.
Thus,
I cleared my mind and smiled. I made it pure and undefiled by the evils of the world. Then, I stepped forward with arms outstretched and filled with benevolent grace.
I gave the horrid monster a hug.
The heads stopped their groaning, and its pulsating shivering skin froze in shock. Its tentacle head slowly crept around my hair, combing it in the worst way possible.
But I kept up the act.
I could not mess up now, or else, at this proximity, I would surely meet a fate I did not want.
[ Embrace the ugliness within yourself and others. Accept them. ]
Thus, I tightened my hug, honestly conveying my feelings of love and appreciation. Inwardly, however, my entire being convulsed. This sheer amount of stress on my senses could genuinely drive me mad.
But I wanted to live.
I wanted immortality.
I did not let my mind waver.
Eventually, I felt the mirror mermaid's breathing slow down. It was growing calm and welcoming of my presence. It was soothed by the hug it never expected to have.
Slowly but surely, I brought my hand up its back, caressing it softly like a mother patting her baby. I made sure my actions were as caring as humanly possible.
I even timed my breaths, all to ensure it did not suspect a thing.
And when the time was right, and the mirror mermaid fell asleep in my embrace, I made my move.
My pleasant smile grew crazed. I couldn't help it. The utter disgust I had was beyond imagination.
Ssuk—!
Like a hot knife through butter, my entire right hand pierced through wriggling muscle and slime-like flesh.
"Your essence will be mine," I muttered.