The Underway stretched into silence.
Not really the expected silence of the forsaken stone—but the wrong type. The type in which even echoes draw back, and time seems to be held in other's lungs.
Rei sensed it as well.
"Why did it cease?" she murmured.
I was slow in responding.
Because the shadow had stopped the very difficult process of moving.
Not retreating. Not getting angry.
It had become ghostly quietly—like a knife comprehending this might be something that can shatter it.
Faded and shaky, text streamed into my sight.
ANOMALY DETECTED
SOURCE: UNKNOWN
THREAT EVALUATION: FAILED
That by itself was horrid.
Footfalls came from the shadowy area in front.
Slow.
Measured.
Human.
Rei breathed out a sigh of relief that she didn't know she was holding.
"Someone survived."
I clutched her wrist.
With force.
She let out a little admonishing sound, "Kuro—?"
"Stay still," I whispered.
The footsteps ceased.
Then a voice was heard.
Her voice.
"Kuro?" it called. "Why did you stop?"
Rei rooted herself to the ground.
For the first time since its transformation, the shadow withdrew violently.
From the blackness, a silhouette emerged into the feeble light.
It was Rei.
Same size. Same face. Same blood on her sleeve. Same shallow scratch near her collarbone from the fall.
Perfect.
Above the figure, text appeared.
HOSHINO REI — ACTIVE
The real Rei's breath shattered into fear. "That's not—"
"I know," I replied.
The other Rei grinned.
Relieved. Warm. Familiar.
"There you are, it said, coming closer to us. I thought I misplaced you when the earth fractured."
All my instincts shouted wrong.
The shadow spat—really spat—and coiling around my legs it withdrew slowly for my protection.
Text flickered.
IDENTITY CONFLICT
SYSTEM VERIFICATION: INCONCLUSIVE
The impersonation of Rei waited until it was a few steps closer before it became evident that confusion was getting over her.
"Kuro?" she said quietly, her voice filled with uncertainty. "Why do you look at me that way?"
She extended her hand.
Rei shrieked.
"DON'T TOUCH HER!"
The imitation Rei recoiled.
A grimace appeared on her face—genuine pain. Genuine feeling.
"Kuro," she uttered, her voice choked. "What's the matter with her?"
The Underway responded.
Signs burst forth with great intensity all over the walls.
Text hit me hard, in red and unstable form.
MIRROR ENTITY CONFIRMED
DESIGNATION: REFLECTOR
RULE: THE ORIGINAL MUST BE CHOSEN
Rei's fingers sank into my arm. "Kuro… please."
Betrayed Rei's orbs brimmed with tears. "You don't have to obey it," she said softly. "You are aware of me."
She moved towards me.
The darkness shrank from her.
That was the surprise.
It was more afraid of her than of anything else present.
I couldn't take my eyes off them.
One was trembling with fear and fury.
The other was serene, hurt, and trying to communicate with me.
The altar's vision came back uninvited.
Strike first. Remove variables.
But this was not a variable.
This was a choice aimed at my destruction.
I moved forward.
Rei inhaled sharply. "Kuro—don't—"
I halted before the imposter.
From a close distance she appeared to be without a flaw.
The scars were even identical.
"I know you," she said in a low voice. "Feelings for you aren't the same anymore. That's fine. I will carry it for you."
The shadow screamed within me—memories being ripped apart in a violent manner.
Text burst forth.
EMOTIONAL PRIORITY CONFLICT
BURDEN OVERLOAD IMMINENT
I came very close to the fake Rei.
And said in a low voice, "You made one mistake."
She beamed. "What?"
"You were too nice."
The shadow attacked.
Not her body—
But her, mirror image.
The darkness was smashed to pieces like glass.
The artificial Rei let out a yell—not of pain but of rage—as the form she was in broke apart and scattered into distorted shards of illicit memory.
Flashes of text appeared in a blinding manner.
REFLECTOR — EXPOSED
The thing let out a horrible cry, its voice warping, turning into layers, becoming a monster.
"I WAS HER," it shouted back. "I FELT WHAT SHE FELT!"
The Underway was shaking badly.
The genuine Rei went down to her knees, crying hard, covering her ears with her hands.
I moved to place myself between her and the monster.
Chilled.
Concentrated.
The shadow grasped the Reflector and squeezed.
There was no pity.
Only oblivion.
Silence hit brutally as the pieces vanished into nothing.
The words came up slowly and with great difficulty.
REFLECTOR — TERMINATED
REWARD: MEMORY FRAGMENT (CONSUMED)
I nearly fell over.
The darkness rushed into me, bringing along something different.
Not feeling.
Context.
Pictures appeared—infinitive reflections, infinite candidates shattered by the same decision.
Rei raised her head towards me, her eyes were red, and she was trembling.
"You… you didn't wait."
"No," I replied.
She was looking for me. "How could you tell who was me?"
I directed my gaze downward at her.
And for the first time after the Burden evolved, something, hurt.
"Because it tried to substitute what I lost," I softly said. "And you are not substitutable."
Text flickered weakly, hesitantly.
ANOMALY: EMOTIONAL RESIDUE DETECTED
The Underway moved once more.
A different route appeared—steeper, darker, marked with warning signs that had not been there before.
Rei dried her cheeks, getting up slowly. "That creature… it was aware of me."
"Right."
"And it still lost."
She locked her eyes with mine, fear and something else were mixed up there.
"What are you turning into, Kuro?"
I faced the road.
Something was ahead that was keeping an eye on us.
Something clever.
Something waiting.
"I am turning," I said in a composed manner, "into a person whom this place will not be able to fool anymore."
The shadow moved on, hungry.
And, very far down in the Descent, something changed its plans—
For I had just done something that the system considered to be an inviolable rule.