The mirrors shattered again.
A single crack ran across the vast expanse, spreading like a spider's web, and the world of glass splintered further, fracturing the very reality Kael had once known. The vortex of sharp, gleaming shards continued to swirl, an ocean of fractured reflections. Each shard revealed a different version of Kael—some angry, others resigned, some powerful, others broken.
The figure before him stood still, watching with a gaze that seemed to pierce through the very core of Kael's being. Its burning eyes never wavered, filled with a knowing that unsettled Kael to his bones. The whispers returned, louder now, more urgent, as if the very fabric of existence were bending, shifting under their pressure.
"You have come far, Kael," the figure said, its voice a deep, resonating sound that made the shattered mirrors hum in response. "But this is the place of choices. Here, the truth is reflected, and you must decide which path you will walk."
Kael's breath came in ragged gasps as he tried to steady himself. His hand instinctively went to the sigil on his arm, feeling the warmth of the Pactbearer's mark, but even it seemed distant, as though the connection between him and the magic that had guided him thus far was weakening.
"Who are you?" Kael asked, his voice hoarse, but resolute. "Why are you showing me this?"
The figure's smile deepened, a cold, unsettling expression. "I am the truth you seek, Kael. I am the choice you must make."
The shattered reflections around Kael shifted again. This time, they didn't show him moments from his past. No. They began to show possibilities. Futures. Forks in the road, where every decision he had made—or would make—bent reality in a different direction. Each reflection presented a different Kael, each facing his own unique trials, challenges, and victories.
In one, Kael stood triumphant, an emperor with legions at his back, the world at his feet. In another, he was alone, wandering a desolate wasteland, haunted by memories of choices he could not undo. In another still, he was consumed by darkness, his heart cold and devoid of compassion, ruling over all in a reign of terror.
And then, there were others—strange, distorted reflections of people he knew. Lin. Aelira. His enemies. His allies. Each was reflected in different ways—some loyal to him, others turning against him. Some even dead, their faces contorted in agony, a consequence of choices he would yet make.
The weight of it all pressed on Kael's chest, threatening to crush him. He reached out toward the reflections, but the glass was cold and unyielding, too far to touch. His fingers grazed the edge of a shard that seemed to show a future with Lin at his side. She was smiling, radiant, but there was an ache in her eyes, a sadness that Kael could not place.
"Why show me this?" Kael demanded again, his voice shaking with the weight of the truth the figure had laid before him. "What is this? What am I supposed to choose?"
The figure's smile faded, replaced by something darker. "You are not meant to choose for yourself alone, Kael. The mirror reflects the truth of what you are—and what you could become. Your choices will not just define you. They will shape the very world."
Kael's eyes burned with determination, but doubt gnawed at him, eating away at his resolve. He had fought for so long, struggled to overcome the obstacles in his path, but now, facing the enormity of the future, he felt small. Helpless.
"What if I fail?" Kael asked, more quietly now, the weight of uncertainty pressing on his shoulders. "What if all of this—everything I've done—leads to nothing? What if the world falls apart because of me?"
The figure did not respond immediately. Instead, it raised a hand, and the mirrors began to shift again. The images of Kael's possible futures warped, blending together like ink bleeding on paper. One by one, they twisted, refracting like light through a prism, until they all became one—a singular image of a vast, burning city, the sky aflame with fire. The ground cracked and trembled beneath the weight of something ancient and dark, rising from the depths of the earth. And in the center of it all stood Kael—alone, his hands drenched in blood, his expression unreadable.
"It's your choice, Kael," the figure said, its voice now colder, more distant. "Will you be the one who saves this world, or the one who brings it to ruin? Choose carefully, for the consequences will echo through eternity."
Kael stepped back, his mind racing. The Mirrorwake—the reality-shattering force he had unknowingly unleashed—was something more than he had ever anticipated. It was not just a power; it was a reflection of his own fears, doubts, and desires. The mirror did not just show what was, but what could be. And in the fractured glass, Kael could see himself—broken, powerful, corrupted.
Choose, the voice echoed again, this time like a command.
"I choose," Kael said, his voice steady but filled with the weight of his decision. His mind screamed at him to turn away, to deny the Mirrorwake's call, but he had already come too far.
"I choose the truth," Kael continued, his eyes hardening with newfound resolve. "I choose to face whatever lies ahead, no matter the cost."
The figure's burning eyes dimmed, as if satisfied by his response, but it did not speak. Instead, the mirrors around Kael shattered into countless pieces, the reflections of his future falling away like glass shards scattering on the wind.
Kael felt the pressure lifting. The twisting of reality began to settle, and the swirling vortex of reflections began to fade. The cold, oppressive silence that had once held him captive was replaced by the warmth of light—familiar, steady, and real.
Kael blinked, and when his vision cleared, he found himself back in the chamber. The crystal still pulsed at the center, but the shadows that had once crept toward him had vanished, leaving the room still and silent.
Lin stood a few steps away, her face pale, her eyes wide with concern. Aelira was beside her, watching him closely, her hand on the hilt of her sword.
Kael took a deep breath, his mind still reeling from the weight of his choice. But he knew, deep down, that this was only the beginning.
The Mirrorwake had shown him the truth. Now, he had to walk the path it had laid before him.
And whatever happened next, he would face it—head-on.