—Glad you're so eager for the trial, but you should hear more about this place first—With everyone's attention, the scholar continued—As you've noticed, "Mirror World" isn't an arbitrary name. It's essentially a copy of our world, key word being "essentially." Different zones operate under different rules. Some areas might lack gravity, for instance. Universal constants include the absence of air, water, or food, though you won't die from their lack here. Most crucially, this place teems with vestiges. Wander into the wrong area, and you might encounter an Executor. With truly rotten luck, perhaps even an Overlord—That final detail sent a visible shudder through The Three Jacks—Any questions?
—Yes. When can we leave?—Jace took charge.
—Once you pass your trial. Don't fret about high-rank vestiges, they're far from here. If you're proceeding now, securing advantageous terrain is wise. There's a suitable spot nearby, if you're interested— Again deferring to his judgment, they followed the scholar through the colorless streets until reaching a half-empty parking lot—Plenty of space here. Just signal when ready, and we'll begin.
—Alright! Gear up, team!—Jack summoned his saber, but his companions didn't follow suit—...What's wrong?
—Jack, aren't you rushing this? Maybe we should hunt some vestiges first to prepare better for the trial—The mage suggested, but was immediately overruled by the scholar:
—Don't worry about that, Joy. Trials always scale to your current level. You'll only face what you can handle.
—You heard him. Stop whining and draw your weapons—Without waiting, Jack summoned his saber, eager to unleash his pent-up fury on a vestige. Jace simply shrugged and materialized his spear to join his brother. Joy hesitated, glancing at the scholar who responded with nothing but a smile. Outvoted, she reluctantly joined her companions, summoning her staff and spellbook.
—Very well. I'll now begin the trial. Best of luck!— The scholar announced from outside the parking lot. Almost instantly, a translucent screen materialized before all three youths:
[«Residence Trial: Face this challenge alongside your companions to gain free passage between worlds.»
«Accept?» «Yes/No» «1/2»]
Without hesitation, Jack accepted. Jace was somewhat lazy but accepted as well. Joy, however, stared at the screen until Jack noticed she was the only one left and urged her on.
—Joy, we don't have all day! Accept already, for heaven's sake!
—Haaaah... fine—After one last hesitation, she finally accepted. A red barrier began forming above their heads, covering the entire parking lot from above with a crimson dome. Simultaneously, as all the dust gathered, a screen appeared before all participants displaying:
[Reflection Trial: Overcome the individual chambers and face the vestige awaiting at the end.
Vestige: Protector of the Last Memory, Brute, specially designed for this trial]
Reading this description, they all exchanged confused glances, uncertain of its meaning, until the construction completed itself. Before them stood a massive structure of black stone, pyramid-like in shape, featuring three large entrances. Without pause, Jack positioned himself before one of the gates and spoke:
—Don't take too long. I'll see you on the other side—Without another word, the Red Demon entered, vanishing into the darkness as the gate sealed shut behind him. Watching this, Jace approached another entrance.
—My brother's always this impulsive... I think his anger's clouding his judgment. Let's hope everything goes well.
—Look who's talking, Mr. Lazy.
—Mr. Lazy?...Well, I suppose that's one way to see it.—The Blue Demon disappeared into his designated passage just before the gate closed.
—Fuuuh—The mage took a deep breath before approaching the final entrance. She stared into the impenetrable darkness for a moment before stepping through. As the last gate closed, absolute silence fell within the barrier.
—Hmm. Being the Children of the Prophecy seems to have granted them a unique trial. Fascinating, to say the least—The scholar mused aloud while patiently observing the silent barrier.
***
Jack found himself engulfed in darkness upon entering. He ignited a flame with his ability, but soon realized it was unnecessary. Surveying his surroundings, he discovered he stood on a vast battlefield, corpses littered the ground alongside discarded weapons, but one element dominated everything: fire.
While such a scene might overwhelm others, Jack as a fire demon remained unfazed. He advanced until encountering something horrifying, the charred corpse of his brother.
—...— Jack felt disoriented. He knew this couldn't truly be Jace's body; after all, they were inside some strange structure that somehow contained an entire battlefield within its confined space, an obvious impossibility. Yet seeing his brother's lifeless form filled him with primal dread. Suddenly, a familiar voice greeted him:
—Scared? I felt the same when I first saw this—The voice belonged unmistakably to Jack himself, or rather, a distorted version. Emerging from the flames stood another Red Demon nearly identical to him, except for the half-white, half-black mask covering his face, strikingly similar to Kaze's. The key difference was a crack beneath the left eye resembling a tear, not of sorrow, but of pure rage.
—Who are you?
—Isn't it obvious? I'm you.
—You're not me. I would never wear the same mask as that thing.
—...How would you react if I told you you did all this yourself?—The masked Jack asked, ignoring his comment.
—I'd call you a liar. I would never harm my brother—The Red Demon snapped back angrily. His masked counterpart simply shook his head.
—It was you. Or rather, your flames that caused all this.
—Hah! That means I'll gain that power. I'll make sure to use it right, to destroy that thing and teach Shoun Foster a lesson. Then my brother and I will return home— Blinded by rage, Jack's ambitions had expanded beyond just dealing with Kaze, he now craved vengeance against Shoun too—And to achieve that, I'll have to destroy you. Nothing personal.
The Red Demon lunged at his masked double, who swiftly conjured a fiery saber to block the strike.
Steel clashed against flames, glowing white-hot, yet neither yielded. With skilled maneuvers, Jack pressed the attack while his masked self remained purely defensive. He searched for openings in his opponent's guard but found none. Every feint and trick failed to create an advantage.
Undeterred, Jack escalated, unleashing fireballs, towering infernos, and smoke screens between sword strikes. Even if his copy shared his fire resistance, he hoped to overwhelm it. Yet every attack was perfectly countered, every tactic nullified.
—Is that all you've got?—The taunt sent Jack over the edge. Remembering his harsh training with his father, he launched himself at his enemy again. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed under increasing pressure, but he didn't care, he only wanted to destroy his opponent. In his blind fury, his stance eventually faltered, allowing his double to counter with a brutal knee to his stomach that knocked the wind from his lungs and left him momentarily paralyzed, just long enough for the masked version to grip his chin—Pathetic.
The insult fueled Jack's rage further. The air grew hotter, his flames shifted color, but none of it mattered as his double fired a point-blank fireball to his face, sending him flying.
He scrambled up immediately, ready for the next attack, but found his copy simply observing from a distance, infuriating him even more as he charged again.
—Stop underestimating me! I'll kill you!
***
Jace found himself surrounded by darkness, but paid it no mind as he kept walking. Before he realized it, he'd arrived in a vast frozen wasteland where even the sand stood frozen solid. A few meters ahead loomed a massive clock frozen at a specific minute and second, beneath which rested an ice throne. There sat a masked version of himself, though subtly different.
His other self stood completely free of his usual heavy garments, wearing only a sleeveless shirt and pants, his blue, frozen limbs fully visible. The mask resembled Kaze's, but this time with a crack running straight across the eye area.
—...
—...
—...
—...
—Who are you?
—I'm you.
—I would never wear that mask... I'm supposed to overcome this chamber, right? How do I do that?
—Why does it matter? Whether you pass this test or not, your body will eventually break like mine. So why try? Why keep fighting meaningless battles against vestiges?
—...I may not want to keep fighting, but I can't stay here and abandon my brother and Joy—The Blue Demon explained, attempting to take a step forward only to be struck by searing pain—Aaargh!— He cried out, looking down to see his right foot had suffered severe frostbite.
—See? Every step brings you closer to your fate, freezing to death by your own power.
Jace wanted to deny it, but then he surveyed the long path remaining to reach his other self. Knowing he'd have to endure that same pain again and again, he began doubting whether it was worth suffering so much.
***
Joy found herself surrounded by darkness. She considered casting a light spell, but before she could, a vast forest materialized before her eyes.
The towering trees reminded her of landscapes from her childhood homeland. After admiring the scenery briefly, she resolved to move forward, only to discover two diverging paths. Before she could even contemplate her choice, disembodied voices began whispering in her ears:
—Go right~
—Go left~
—Go right~
The whispers persisted, growing more insistent each time she leaned toward one direction. The opposing voices would intensify, screaming at her to follow their command, to obey their path. The cacophony overwhelmed the mage, forcing her to her knees.
—Haaah...haaah—The tormenting voices faded momentarily, only to be replaced by a new, hauntingly familiar one.
—How pitiful you are... and since I'm you, I suppose that makes me equally pitiful—Joy lifted her gaze to find an identical version of herself standing nearby, save for the mask it wore. The mask featured a deep crack forming an X across the mouth area.
The mage immediately recoiled, leveling her staff at her double.
—Who are you!?
—I'm you. Wasn't that clear enough?
—I would never wear that hideous mask!
—What if someone told you that you would wear it?— Like a ghost, the double turned intangible and began floating among the towering trees. Though invisible, her voice still echoed—Keep moving forward.
Almost as if compelled, Joy lunged after her masked counterpart, only to be bombarded once more by the relentless whispers, sending her crashing to the ground.
—Aaagh!
—Pathetic. Even when you see me as an enemy, you still obey me. I didn't think I could sink any lower—The double taunted—If you want to pass this trial, keep moving forward.