Adrian took a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of his heart. Evergreen Manor stood before him, its familiar structure offering a brief respite from the chaos he had just escaped. But as comforting as the sight was, the questions buzzing in his mind refused to be silenced.
He looked down at Vermi, who was now weaving between his legs, seemingly unfazed by their recent ordeal. "What have we gotten ourselves into, buddy?" Adrian muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. The vine-like tattoo on his wrist still glowed faintly, a constant reminder that whatever had happened in the forest was real—and that it had left its mark on him.
A chill breeze blew across the grounds, causing Adrian to shiver. The cold seemed to seep into his bones, and he wrapped his arms around himself as he turned to head toward the manor. The large oak doors creaked as he pushed them open, the familiar scent of old wood and faint lavender filling his nostrils as he stepped inside.
The interior was just as he'd left it—quiet, warm, and filled with the soft glow of candlelight. It was a stark contrast to the dark, twisted forest he had just fled from. Vermi trotted ahead, leaping onto the sage green couch and curling up into a ball, already ready to sleep off the adventure.
Adrian walked over to the couch, but before he could sit down, he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. The large, ornate mirror that hung on the wall near the entryway was reflecting a light that shouldn't have been there.
He frowned, walking over to it cautiously. The surface of the mirror shimmered with a faint teal glow, the same light that had led him through the forest. He stared at his reflection, but it wasn't his usual appearance staring back at him. Instead, he saw himself as he had been in the forest—disheveled, with wild eyes and snow clinging to his hair and clothes. His reflection also showed the vine tattoo on his wrist, glowing more intensely than it was in reality.
"What the hell…?" Adrian whispered, his hand moving up to touch the mirror.
The moment his fingers brushed the cool glass, a jolt of energy shot up his arm, and the entire mirror rippled as though it were made of water. Adrian stumbled back, his eyes wide as the image in the mirror changed.
It was no longer a reflection of him standing in Evergreen Manor. Instead, the mirror now showed a different place entirely—a vast, snow-covered field under a starless sky. In the center of the field stood a towering figure cloaked in the same intricate, patterned robe he had seen before. The dark tendrils still swirled around it, but this time, there was no sign of Vermi.
The figure turned its head as if it could see Adrian through the mirror. Its eyes—two glowing orbs of teal light—locked onto his. Adrian felt a cold dread wash over him, but he couldn't look away.
"Adrian…" The voice came not from the figure, but from the depths of the mirror itself, echoing softly through the room. "You cannot escape."
The image in the mirror shifted again, and this time, Adrian saw something that made his blood run cold. It was the front of Evergreen Manor, but it looked…wrong. The sky was an unnatural color, a deep, swirling purple, and the manor itself seemed to be decaying—walls crumbling, windows shattered, and the once lush gardens withered and dead.
A sudden knock at the door behind him made Adrian jump. His head whipped around to look at the front door, which was now bathed in the same eerie teal light that had been haunting him. The knock came again, more insistent this time.
"Who…?" Adrian's voice trembled as he backed away from the door, his mind racing. Was it Elena? Or something worse?
The knocking grew louder, almost frantic, as if whatever was on the other side was desperate to get in. Adrian looked back at the mirror, but the image had reverted to its normal reflection, leaving him with no answers.
His heart pounded in his chest as he made his way to the door, every instinct screaming at him to turn back, to hide, to run. But something compelled him to keep going, to confront whatever was trying to enter his home.
With a deep breath, Adrian reached out and grasped the cold doorknob, twisting it slowly. The door creaked open, revealing—
Nothing.
The doorway was empty, the night outside eerily quiet. No sign of anyone or anything that could have knocked. Adrian frowned, stepping outside cautiously and peering into the darkness.
But as soon as he crossed the threshold, the door behind him slammed shut with a deafening bang. Adrian whipped around, but the door refused to budge. Panic surged in his chest, and he pounded on the door, trying to force it open.
"Let me in! What's going on?" he shouted, but his words were swallowed by the silence of the night.
Then, the ground beneath his feet began to glow, a faint teal light seeping up from the earth. Adrian stumbled back, watching in horror as the light formed a circle around him, growing brighter and brighter until it was blinding.
"Vermi! Help!" he cried, but his voice was drowned out by a loud, otherworldly hum that filled the air.
In a flash of light, the world around him disappeared, and Adrian was plunged into darkness.
When the light returned, Adrian found himself standing in the snow-covered field he had seen in the mirror. The air was cold, and the sky was that same starless black. The figure in the robe stood in the distance, watching him.
Adrian's heart pounded as he looked around, desperately searching for Vermi. But the cat was nowhere to be seen.
"Welcome back, Adrian," the figure's voice echoed across the field, sending a chill down his spine. "Your journey has just begun."