The boy's confusion deepened as he pieced together the fragments of what was happening. There was something undeniably wrong about all of this—something he couldn't yet grasp. He decided to change his approach, hoping to manage the situation better.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at the girl and said calmly, "Okay. I'll listen to everything you have to say. Just... can you please remove these bandages?"
The girl studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. She sighed softly, then nodded. "Fine." Raising her hand, she murmured a few words under her breath, and the bandages unraveled themselves, vanishing into thin air.
The boy flexed his arms, feeling the freedom of movement again, but he made no sudden moves. Instead, he stayed still, his mind racing. It's useless to run, he thought. They're not just powerful individually—there's more of them. If this girl, the priest, and that mysterious PeaceXan can do all this, who knows what else they're capable of?
His gaze flickered toward the girl as she waited for him to speak. He clenched his fists slightly, his frustration simmering beneath the surface, but he knew now wasn't the time to act impulsively. For now, he'd have to play along.
The girl turned without another word and stepped out of the dark room. Before crossing the threshold, she glanced back at the boy and said firmly, "Come outside."
The boy hesitated for a moment, unsure of what awaited him. But curiosity and a growing sense of inevitability pushed him forward. As he stepped through the doorway, a flood of light engulfed him. He instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes, the brightness overwhelming after so long in the dark.
The warmth of the sunlight on his skin felt unfamiliar, almost otherworldly. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust, and for a fleeting moment, he felt as though years—not hours or days—had passed since he had last stepped into the outside world. The air smelled fresher, the breeze felt unfamiliar, and everything around him seemed oddly distant yet vivid.
Lowering his hand slightly, he glanced around, his confusion deepening. "How long…?" he muttered under his breath, unable to finish the question.
The boy, his voice steadier now but still laced with confusion, asked gently, "Okay, can you explain everything to me now? What's happening here? How do you all know these... powers, and how is this connected to me? And why did you separate me from my mother?"
The girl paused, inhaling sharply as if steadying herself. She glanced at him, her expression a mixture of reluctance and resignation. "Fine," she said softly. "I'll tell you everything."
Without another word, she began walking, motioning for him to follow. They moved through a vast, empty hallway, its stone walls stretching endlessly into the distance. Their footsteps echoed faintly, the silence between them growing heavier with each step.
The boy studied his surroundings as they walked, his mind racing. The hallway felt ancient, its towering arches and dimly glowing symbols carved into the walls giving the place an air of mystery. He glanced at the girl, waiting for her to begin, his patience hanging by a thread.
Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but firm, breaking the stillness. "What I'm about to tell you will change everything you think you know. So listen carefully."
The girl began her explanation, her voice calm but filled with an air of gravity. "This world is full of mysteries, but the truth is, we live in a limited space. Here, we have everything we need—food, water, resources. It's all self-sustaining."
The boy frowned, thinking back. It was true—no one had ever left the island, nor had anyone even talked about leaving. "I guess that's true," he muttered. "No one ever tries to leave the island... but why is that?"
The girl stopped for a moment, glancing at him before continuing. "That's because it's not possible. This island is surrounded by a barrier spell—a powerful one. Anyone who tries to leave either can't find the way or forgets why they wanted to escape in the first place."
The boy's confusion turned into frustration. "But why? Why would you trap everyone here?"
The girl sighed and looked at him directly. "It's because... we're not human."
His eyes widened in shock. "What?" he whispered, taking a step back.
She raised her hand slightly in a calming gesture. "Don't panic. We call ourselves Reflecters. And before you ask, yes, we look like humans, but we're far from it. Reflecters are beings tied to the essence of light and darkness in this world."
The boy's mind raced, trying to process her words. "Reflecters?" he repeated, his voice trembling slightly.
She nodded. "There are three types of us. The first are the normal citizens—Reflecters without any abilities or powers. They live ordinary lives, just like humans."
She paused, then continued, her tone growing heavier. "The second are the Light Reflecters. And finally, there are the Dark Reflecters.
The boy's breath hitched as he tried to process everything. "And... what about me? What does this have to do with me?" he asked, his voice shaky.
The girl hesitated, her eyes narrowing slightly. "That's what we're here to figure out."
The boy's confusion only deepened. "Don't you know, then? Why did you all bring me here if you don't understand what's going on?"
The girl exhaled slowly and replied, "Yes, we know why you're here, but... it's different. This isn't something we've faced before."
He frowned, staring at her with narrowed eyes, suspicion growing in his expression. The girl sighed in exasperation. "Stop looking at me like that," she said. "I'll explain, but try to follow along."
She paused, searching for a simple way to convey the complex nature of their world. Finally, she began.
"Imagine an object—anything. Now, if we shine light on it, two things happen: the object is illuminated, creating a highlight, and it also casts a shadow. In this world, the object represents the citizens, the ordinary Reflecters who live without powers. The shadow represents the Dark Reflecters, And the highlight represents the Light Reflecters."
The boy nodded slowly, trying to piece it together. "And the light itself?"
"The light," she continued, her tone growing serious, "is the power source that creates the balance between us. It's what defines who we are—the source of all Reflecters' existence. But..." She hesitated, her voice dropping slightly. "There's more to it than you realize."
The boy tilted his head, still unsure. "What does that have to do with me?"
The girl's expression grew more serious as she continued. "When you told me you saw your own reflection, it revealed something... unusual. Normally, a person's reflection is a part of them—it's merged within. But yours wasn't."
The boy furrowed his brows, struggling to understand. "What does that even mean?"
She took a deep breath, her voice steady but filled with concern. "It means your reflection exists outside of you, as if it's been separated. That shouldn't be possible. What's even stranger is that if you don't have a connection to the power source—the light or shadow—then by all logic, you shouldn't even exist."
The boy's heart raced as her words sank in. "So what... am I? Some kind of mistake?"
The girl shook her head, her tone softening slightly. "I don't think you're a mistake. But whatever you are, it's something beyond anything we've encountered. And that's why you're here."