As Zed stared at the uncanny figure on the other side of the gate, a shiver of shock coursed through him, making his body rigid, his face a mask of disbelief. The bell, still clutched in his hand, seemed to hum quietly, matching the erratic thrumming of his heartbeat.
His twin on the other side, an exact replica, mirrored his state of surprise. The familiar lines of his face were echoed in the other, yet their expressions were starkly different. The figure's eyes, so similar to his own, flickered with a different sort of shock, a nuanced expression that cast doubt over the mirror.
Before Zed could process this bizarre spectacle, the doppelganger moved. With a fluid motion, the figure on the other side tucked the bell away, sliding it out of sight.
The realization struck Zed like a thunderbolt.
