The Reflection Within
The room was dimly lit, the flickering lanterns casting uneven shadows on the walls. Lara stood at the center of the room, her hands trembling as she held the photograph that had haunted her since the beginning.
"Do you see this?" she asked, her voice trembling but steady. She held up the photograph, its edges frayed and worn. "August 13, 2020. An image of me with two men and a woman—a photograph I never took. And behind it, the words."
Her voice dropped, almost to a whisper, as her eyes met each person in the room. Caleb shifted uncomfortably, while Maddy sat frozen, her hands gripping the edge of her chair. Margot stood off to the side, her arms crossed but her expression wary.
"It's not just the photograph," Lara continued, her voice rising. "It's everything. The anchor, the heart, the nexus, the ritual. Every time we get close to uncovering something, it slips away. We forget. We move on as though it never happened."
"What are you saying?" Caleb asked, his voice shaking.
Lara turned sharply, her gaze locking onto Margot. "I'm saying someone among us is responsible for the erasure of memories. Someone has been ensuring we never follow through, that we never get closer to the truth."
All eyes fell on Margot. Her sharp features twisted into confusion as her lips parted to speak. "You're accusing me?" she stammered, her voice uncharacteristically unsteady.
"Who else?" Lara pressed, stepping closer. "You're always the one finding things out of place, pointing out the clues we never follow. You bring them to us, and then… we forget. It's too convenient, Margot."
Margot's eyes widened, tears welling up as she shook her head violently. "No! That's not true! I—I'm not a reflection! I would never—"
"Margot," Caleb interrupted, his voice trembling. "Are you… a reflection?"
The word hung in the air like a death sentence. Caleb's question was barely audible, his hands shaking as he took a step back.
"No!" Margot screamed, her tears spilling over as she looked desperately at each of them. "I'm not a reflection! I swear!"
A sudden, chilling laugh broke the tension. All heads turned to Elias, who leaned against the wall, his smirk widening into something almost predatory.
"I knew it," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "I've always known something wasn't right with you, Margot. And now I finally get to pin you down. But Margot," he added with a cruel edge, "you're far too strong for a mere reflection. Aren't you?"
Margot froze, her breath hitching.
Before anyone could react, Margot crumpled to the floor, her body convulsing. Dark, writhing shadows erupted from her, twisting and curling into the air. Her head snapped back unnaturally, her eyes hollow and black as pitch.
A voice emerged from the shadows, guttural and distorted. "How long do you plan to hide, Elias? If it weren't for this thing called Lara spoiling my plans, I would have possessed Margot fully by now. I would have taken her away, and you'd never have known."
Lara staggered back, her breath caught in her throat. Maddy pulled Caleb into a corner, her face pale but resolute.
The shadow-possessed Margot laughed coldly, the sound echoing through the room. "You just fell into a trap, Elias—a miraculous trap."
Elias stepped forward, his expression hardening as his body began to shift. Black veins spread across his skin, horns sprouting from his head. His eyes glowed a fiery red, his human features fading into something monstrous.
The shadows recoiled slightly, their tendrils twisting in agitation. "Ah," the voice taunted. "There you are. The monster beneath the man. Tell me, how does it feel to hide behind such a fragile mask?"
Elias didn't respond. With a guttural roar, he launched himself at the shadows, his claws slicing through the air.
The fight was brutal, the room filled with the sounds of shrieking shadows and the crash of furniture being destroyed. Margot's body twisted unnaturally as the reflection tried to maintain control, but Elias was relentless.
Caleb whimpered from the corner, his knees pulled to his chest as he shivered uncontrollably. The sight of Elias's monstrous form was too much.
"I can't… I can't…" he whispered, his voice breaking.
Maddy placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression calm but distant. "Stay quiet," she said firmly, though her gaze was fixed on Elias.
Lara crouched beside them, her amputated arm trembling violently. She had seen Elias transform before, but never like this. The sheer ferocity of his movements, the terrifying sound of his roars, made her feel small and powerless.
Maddy, however, seemed almost unphased. Her calm demeanor unsettled Lara even more.
"Are you used to this?" Lara whispered.
Maddy didn't look at her as she replied. "More than I'd like to admit."
With a final, deafening roar, Elias tore through the shadows. They dissipated into smoke, their shrieks fading into silence. Margot collapsed to the floor, unconscious but breathing.
Elias stood over her, his monstrous form slowly fading back into his human appearance. He looked down at his bloodied hands, his expression unreadable.
"Take her," he said, his voice rough. "And Caleb."
Caleb flinched as Elias turned his fiery gaze on him. With a faint growl, Elias extended a hand toward Caleb's temple.
"No!" Lara started to say, but it was too late.
Elias placed his hand on Caleb's head, his eyes glowing faintly. Caleb's body relaxed, his fearful expression softening as his mind was wiped clean of the events that had just transpired.
Maddy stared, her lips pressed into a thin line. "You didn't have to do that," she said quietly.
"Yes, I did," Elias snapped, his voice like steel. "Take Caleb and Margot to my building. Don't breathe a word of this to anyone."
Maddy nodded, though her shoulders sagged under the weight of the command.
When Maddy and Caleb were gone, Elias turned to Lara, his expression softening. She was still trembling, her arm cradled against her chest.
"Come," Elias said gently, holding out a hand.
Lara hesitated, then took it, allowing him to guide her to the balcony. The cool night air helped steady her, though her heart still raced.
"You're scared of me," Elias said after a long silence, his voice low.
"I'm not," Lara replied quickly, though her voice betrayed her.
Elias sighed, leaning against the railing. "You should be. What you saw tonight—it's what I am. It's what I've always been."
Lara stepped closer, her gaze soft but firm. "I've seen what you are, Elias. And I'm still here."
Elias turned to her, his gray eyes filled with something unreadable. "That's what scares me the most."