The Mirror Realm was a place of eternal twilight, where the sun never rose and the sky was forever painted in hues of deep indigo and silver. Two moons hung in the heavens—one crimson, like a bleeding wound, and the other pale white, casting an eerie glow over the landscape. The air was thick with mana, a palpable energy that seemed to hum with life, and the ground beneath Grey's feet was soft, almost spongy, as if the very earth was alive.
Grey sat cross-legged in the clearing, his golden eyes fixed on the rune etched into the side of his neck. The rune, shaped like a twisting flame, glowed faintly, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. He had been at this for hours, trying to activate the rune, but no matter how hard he concentrated, the power remained just out of reach. The faint hum of the rune was a constant reminder of its potential, but also its elusiveness.
Elsa, on the other hand, was lounging nearby, her crimson hair spilling over her shoulders like a cascade of fire. She had been unusually quiet for the first two days of their journey, her piercing eyes constantly watching Grey as if studying him. It had been a welcome reprieve from her usual antics, and Grey had almost begun to enjoy the silence.
Almost.
On the third day, her annoying personality had returned with a vengeance. She had started talking nonstop, her voice a constant stream of commentary, jokes, and teasing remarks. It was as if she had been saving up all her words during those two days of silence and was now unleashing them in one relentless barrage.
"You know," Elsa said, blowing a ring of smoke into the air, "if you keep frowning like that, your face might get stuck that way. And then what? You'll scare off all the monsters before we even get a chance to fight them."
Grey ignored her, his focus unwavering. He could feel the rune's power, a seething, untamed force just beneath the surface. But every time he tried to tap into it, the pain would flare up, sharp and unrelenting, forcing him to pull back.
Elsa sighed dramatically, flicking the ash from her cigarette. "see that's you problem you're no fun. Always so serious. You need to lighten up. Maybe have a smoke. It'll help you relax."
she said offering him a cigarette... at this point grey knew she was addicted and he didn't want to end up like her...
"I don't smoke," Grey said through gritted teeth, his patience wearing thin.
"Your loss," Elsa replied with a shrug, leaning back against a tree. "But seriously, you're overcomplicating this. The rune isn't some puzzle you can brute-force your way through. It's a part of you. You have to feel it."
Grey's jaw tightened. "I've been trying to feel it all day. It's not working."
Elsa rolled her eyes, standing up and stretching lazily. "That's because you're trying to learn it all in one day. You're not some prodigy, Grey. Well, maybe you are, but even prodigies need time to figure things out."
Grey didn't respond, his frustration mounting. He knew she was right, but the thought of waiting any longer grated on him. He had always been the type to push himself to the limit, to strive for perfection no matter the cost. And now, with this rune, he felt like he was on the cusp of something great—if only he could unlock its secrets.
Elsa walked over to him, her movements fluid and unhurried. She crouched down in front of him, her crimson eyes meeting his golden ones. "Look," she said, her tone softer now. "I get it. You want to master this thing as fast as possible. But rushing it isn't going to help. You'll just burn yourself out—literally."
Grey's gaze flicked to the rune, its faint glow a constant reminder of the power it held. "I don't have time to waste," he said quietly. "Every second I spend struggling is a second I'm not getting stronger."
Elsa leaned back against a tree, her crimson hair catching the moonlight as she lit another cigarette. She took a long drag, exhaling a plume of smoke that curled into the night air. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, flicked toward Grey, who was still catching his breath after his latest attempt to activate the rune.
"You know," she murmured, her voice carrying a teasing lilt, "you're lacking something very important."
Grey's head snapped up, his golden eyes narrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Elsa smiled, puffing out her chest with exaggerated pride. "Guidance. You lack guidance. And not just any guidance—you need the guidance of someone great, someone powerful, and someone beautiful."
"..."
Grey's eye twitched. "What does beauty have to do with anything?"
Elsa waved her cigarette dismissively, her smirk widening. "Everything, obviously. Beauty is power, Grey. It's a sign of greatness. And let's be honest, who better to guide you than someone as stunning as me?"
Grey sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Elsa, I'm serious. I need to learn how to control this rune. Can you help me or not?"
Elsa tilted her head, pretending not to hear him. She took another drag from her cigarette, blowing a smoke ring into the air. Grey's patience was wearing thin.
"Elsa," he said again, his voice firmer this time.
Still, she ignored him, her gaze fixed on the smoke ring as it dissipated. Grey clenched his fists, his frustration bubbling over.
"Won't it help you if I learn to control the rune?" he asked, his tone laced with exasperation. "You can use me to kill all the monsters and save your mana."
Elsa finally looked at him, her crimson eyes gleaming with amusement. "Save my mana? Hmph!!. I can fight monster all day and not even one percent of my mana will be depleted. You're clearly underestimating the great me... beside monster here are soo weak i don't even need to pull up a finger of mine"
Grey's eye twitched again. How could she be so self-centered? He took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper in check.
"If you're begging so much," Elsa said with a dramatic sigh, "then I suppose this sis will help you. But only because you begged so nicely."
Grey stared at her, his expression a mix of disbelief and irritation. "I wasn't begging."
Elsa waved her hand dismissively. "Details, details. Now, are you ready to learn, or are you going to keep wasting my time?"
Grey sighed, resigning himself to her antics. "I'm ready."
Elsa's smirk returned, her crimson hair shimmering in the moonlight. "Good. Then let's get started."
As the two moons watched silently overhead, Grey prepared himself for another grueling lesson. He didn't know what the future held, but one thing was certain: with Elsa's "guidance," it was going to be a long, exhausting journey.