"Haha... AHAHAHA!! I—I'm coming for you..."
The laughter echoed in the air, sending a wave of dread through me. In front of me stood Aiko, a girl I once knew for her kindness and sharp intelligence, now transformed into a figure of terror. Her face was smeared with red blood, and her hands dripped with the remnants of others' lives. With her fiery red hair and crimson eyes, she embodied the very essence of the nightmare unfolding around us.
Police officers lay scattered on the ground, desperately trying to stop her, but their efforts were in vain. Elders and children alike were fleeing in every direction, their screams piercing the sky, yet I felt as if my legs were glued to the ground, paralyzed by fear.
"A-Aiko?" I stammered, my mouth feeling heavy as I struggled to form the words. This was not the Aiko I remembered. In her eyes, there was no trace of fear—only a twisted excitement that sent chills down my spine.
What?! What happened to her?! Has she gone mad?!!!
"R-Re-REN!! I-I... LOVE YOU!!"
She suddenly shouted, her face lighting up with a wide, manic smile as she held two small knives. Her stance was almost playful, as if she were enjoying the chaos around her. She was breathing heavily, but there was a strange excitement in her expression.
"But, Ren, I never thought... you would betray me like this. I know, deep down, that you really love me. We are eternally connected, bound by something stronger than mere affection. It's that woman who dares to come between us, isn't it, Ren? She thinks she can take what's mine. But I won't let her. I'll do whatever it takes to protect our love—even if it means getting rid of anyone who stands in our way."
Her wide smile faded, replaced by a fierce, angry glare. She was no longer the girl I once knew; she was a predator, ready to kill. Her eyes locked onto Suko, a look of pure malice etched across her face.
With that sight I'm seeing now, it's totally unbelievable. My head... my heart, in pain, my hand sweating a lot, I can't breathe...
*Scrape, scrape*
She rubbed the knives against each other, creating a sharp sound echoing through the nearly empty park before she dashed toward us. The speed at which she moved was unbelievable. I knew she was athletic, but I had never seen anything like this.
Aiko aimed for Suko's neck, intent on delivering a lethal blow. With a fierce whoosh, she swung the left knife, slicing through the air like a razor. The force of her swing was so powerful it could have killed anyone in its path, but Suko managed to dodge just in time, dropping to her knees as the blade whizzed past her.
But Aiko wasn't ready to give up. With a swift adjustment, she fixed her posture and swung again, the knife cutting through the ground with a deafening thud as it created a deep gouge. The sound reverberated through the chaos of the park.
Once more, Suko evaded the attack, leaping onto the bench with a graceful thump. The way she jumped was almost surreal, as if she had conjured a path in the air, allowing her to move with incredible speed.
I felt completely useless, unable to intervene. I could only watch from a distance as Aiko relentlessly attacked, her stamina seemingly endless. Suko, however, continued to dodge her strikes, but despite having the opportunity to counterattack, she held back.
Inside me, a mix of emotions surged—guilt, courage, or something else entirely. I couldn't just stand by and wait for them to finish this fight. I needed to do something. But if I acted without thinking, I would only become a third wheel in their deadly dance. I knew Aiko wouldn't attack me; her sole focus was on killing Suko.
*Thud.**Thud.* My heart beat louder inside me.
"I—I need to do something..."
The air moved silently amidst the chaos. The world around me felt dark, and the falling leaves seemed to mock me for my inaction. Yes, I was utterly useless. But thinking was all I could do. I had to find a way to help Suko, to break this cycle of violence before it was too late.
I understood why Suko hadn't counterattacked Aiko; it was because of me. I had always said I didn't trust anyone, yet deep down, I longed to trust someone—to escape the loneliness that weighed heavily on my heart.
"...hahaha..." Somehow, this situation felt oddly funny to me; it whispered that I could solve it easily. But how? I would figure it out.
*Sigh* I took a deep breath. Well, let's just finish this, I thought. A small smile crept onto my face, though I wasn't sure why. It didn't matter; I just needed to do my part, however small it might be. I could do this.
I adjusted my stance, kneeling down to prepare for a full-speed dash. But where to? I knew where... but first—
"AIKO!!!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the chaos like a knife. As I launched myself forward, I could see Aiko's head snap into my direction, her eyes widening with mixtures of surprise and excitement. I knew that calling her name would distract her, even if just for a few seconds. That was all I needed.
I need to bring Suko to another place, but how?
Then, suddenly, behind Suko, I noticed something unusual. A swirling mass began to form, like a cloud of mist coalescing in the air. At the center, a brilliant blue light emerged, sparkling like a thousand lightning bolts caught in a cosmic dance. My heart skipped a beat as I realized what it might be—a wormhole, a portal to another place.
But was it safe? The thought flickered through my mind like a warning light. I had no idea where it led or what dangers might lie on the other side. But in that moment, I didn't have the luxury of time to ponder the risks. The chaos around us was escalating, and Aiko was still a threat.
*Zzzzt* *Swoosh*
—the sounds of energy crackling filled the air, heightening my senses as I felt the electric charge surrounding me. I reached out and caught Suko in a swift motion, pulling her close as if I were giving her a protective hug. It was a fleeting moment, just three seconds, but it felt like an eternity. I could hear the electric crackle at my feet, as if I were dashing at lightning bolt speed, the world around us blurring into a whirlwind of colors.
For a split second, I caught a glimpse of Aiko's face, her expression morphing into a mask of fury. Her eyes narrowed, and I could see the anger radiating from her like heat from a fire, as if she were about to unleash an atomic bomb of rage right then and there.
But as I entered the swirling mass, which I thought of as a wormhole, suddenly everything became black; I could not think at all. I tried to grasp the reality of the situation, but my mind felt clouded, as if I were submerged in a thick fog. It was as if I were traveling through another dimension, where all I could see was an endless dark abyss. The sensation was disorienting, like being caught in a dream—a long, surreal dream that stretched on without end.
***
"..."
"...Where... am I?"
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a place that felt strangely familiar, yet unsettling. My head spun, the remnants of the wormhole's energy still tingling in my limbs, and I struggled to focus. The world around me was hazy, colors swirling like paint on a canvas, and I could barely make sense of my surroundings.
*Rustle* *Thud* *Thud*
Suddenly, I heard a door open behind me; someone entered the room. I tried to focus on who had come in, but the details remained blurred. My heart raced as I tried to piece together what was happening.
"...Su...Suko?" I managed to whisper, my voice barely above a breath.
"Yes, Master. How may I assist you?" The figure responded, her voice steady and firm, as if nothing had drained her stamina. There was an air of mystery about her, a quality that both comforted and unsettled me.
As my vision began to clear, I realized I was in my room, but it felt different—stripped of its warmth and familiarity. The walls were the same shade of blue, the furniture arranged in a similar way, yet everything felt off, as if I were looking at a reflection in a warped mirror.
"Suko, where are we? I'm at my room, but—"
"Indeed, Master, your intuition serves you well; we find ourselves in another dimension known as the Mirror Dimension. While all appears nearly identical to the realm you are familiar with, there exists a vital distinction: no soul may dwell here for eternity."
"Why?" I asked, my curiosity winning over the thought I was going to ask before.
"It may appear to be habitable," she explained, her tone unwavering, "yet it is only for a fleeting duration. As I have mentioned, this realm serves as an exact replica of the true world. Thus, when the true world undergoes transformation, this realm shall likewise adapt, giving rise to a new iteration of itself."
"So?"
"Thus, each time this realm faces destruction, it is due to alterations occurring in the true world," she continued, her eyes glinting with an otherworldly light. "This dimension serves as a reflection, a mere shadow of reality. When events transpire in the true world—when individuals make choices, when lives are lost or transformed—this place shifts and adapts, faithfully mirroring those changes."
"Oh-ohh, okay." I felt a wave of confusion wash over me. I knew I had more questions about this dimension, but the words seemed to get stuck in my throat. Besides, I had other pressing inquiries. "Hmm, did you open that portal?"
"Nay, I do not possess such abilities." Suko replied, her expression unwavering.
"So, how? Does it just randomly appear?"
"Nay, it is not so simple. The Mirror Dimension is a rare phenomenon that manifests but once in a millennium. Thus, the portal you encountered is of human design."
"So who created the portal, I wonder," I muttered to myself, frustration creeping in. Figuring this out without any clues was a pain. I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the tension building in my mind. "Oh, by the way, when I was running, I felt these electric crackles at my feet. Do you know what that was?"
"Yeah, I, the great one, know it~" Suddenly, a voice chimed in, light and playful. It was Sisha's voice, but I looked around and couldn't see her anywhere.
"Hey~ Ren, are you an idiot? I'm right at your shoulder!"
I turned my head sharply, and there she was, perched on my shoulder like a mischievous sprite, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief. She bounced slightly, her tiny frame radiating energy.
"Sisha! Do you create the portal?"
"Ohh, getting straight to the point, huh?" she teased, her voice lilting with amusement. "No, I don't but know who did it!"
"Who?"
"Guess who?" she replied, her tone playful as she twirled a strand of her hair. She fluttered from my shoulder to hover in front of me, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Jeez, I might just kick you out the window, you know," I shot back, trying to keep my frustration in check.
"Hey, that's fairy harassment, you know!" she exclaimed, feigning shock as she placed a hand dramatically over her heart. "But really, you're the one who created it. So why are you asking me?"
"What?! No way!"
"Yeah, you are the one who did it! This girl also knows about it. I wonder why she hasn't told you~"
I felt a wave of confusion wash over me. Suko knows too? I turned to Suko, who stood right beside me. For a split second, I thought I saw a flicker of anger in her expression. But someone like Suko being angry? That seemed impossible.
"Do you know too?"
"Indeed, I intended to inform you, Master," she replied, her voice steady and firm, though I could sense an undercurrent of frustration. "However, that wretched bit*h intervened before I had the opportunity."
"Hey! Who are you calling bit*h, bit*ch?!" Sisha shot back, her playful demeanor shifting to one of defiance.
"To you, bit*h." Suko retorted, her tone sharp. She wore a smile, but it was laced with anger.
"Eh? Suko is angry? But why?" I wondered, feeling confused. It seemed like I was watching something I didn't understand. They looked ready to fight, their words sharp and tense, and I couldn't figure out what was going on between them.
I wanted to ask about Aiko too, but it seemed unwise to interfere in their exchange. Well, whatever. I decided to let it go for now. I lay down on my bed, surrendering to the pull of sleep.