Three weeks later.
Blackridge was quiet again. No new disappearances. No whispers of vanishing reflections. The mirror in the woods had never been found.
At least… not by anyone else.
Arthur Virelith sat at his desk, the morning sun leaking through half-shut blinds. He sipped black coffee, one hand scribbling notes across an old leather journal. A single page was marked with bold ink:
Rules Can Be Rewritten. But Not Without Cost.
He closed the book gently, setting it beside another item on the desk:
A small, rectangular shard of glass. Blackened. Cracked.Still cold to the touch.
A reminder.
Behind him, Luke Crimson stepped in through the door, carrying a bag of takeout and two energy drinks.
"You know, most people recover from supernatural trauma with therapy or alcohol. You do it with cryptic notes and mirror fragments."
Arthur didn't turn around. "Therapists can't help me."
Luke dropped into the chair, cracking open a drink. "You really think it's over?"
Arthur's eyes flicked toward the shard. "No. But it's paused. That mirror was only one gate. There are others. Some we'll never find. Some that will find us."
Luke groaned, leaning back. "Awesome. Can't wait."
Arthur stood and walked to the window. Outside, the town looked so normal. Peaceful. As if the forest hadn't nearly eaten their souls.
He spoke quietly. "I saw her again."
Luke blinked. "Who?"
Arthur didn't answer directly. "She's not free. But she's watching. And something tells me... she's not the only one."
He opened the drawer of his desk, revealing files. Dozens of them.
Other towns. Other disappearances. Other rules.
Luke stood slowly. "You're planning to keep going."
Arthur nodded.
"Why?" Luke asked. "You don't owe the world anything."
Arthur turned back to him, eyes cold, calm, and clear.
"I know the rules now," he said. "That makes me dangerous."
He picked up the mirror shard, slipped it into his coat pocket, and headed for the door.
Luke followed without question.
Outside, the wind whispered through the trees—just enough to catch the edge of Arthur's words as he stepped into the morning light:
"Let's go break the next one."