1 Through The Mirror

A radiant light drew her towards the room at the farthest end of the house. It was captivating and spoke of new beginnings. Ones where her heart would no longer feel like someone had ripped it to shreds and her eyes wouldn't shed the tears that could fill entire oceans. As she stepped nearer to the light, her whole being became calmer, and she could breathe for the first time in forever. When had she last been able to spend even a minute without feeling like her world was in pieces?

For a long time, everything had been tinged with grey shades; with no colour able to corrupt the dull canvas that was her life. All track of time was lost, and she spent her days going through the motions. She had opened up herself to him and gave him all he could ever want - only to forget herself along the way, and now it was like she was falling behind everything. If only the memories disappear... Wouldn't that be so wonderful?

She entered the room with the golden light and her eyes settled on an intricately designed mirror that stood out amongst the other possessions that the room held. It stood tall against the wall, the reflective surface clear of dust. It was a certainty that she had never seen the mirror before now, so where had it come from? No one had been seen entering or leaving the house, and she would remember purchasing a mirror such as this one.

Staring at her reflection, she was taken slightly aback at her haggard appearance. Lifting a hand to her eyes, she lightly pressed against the black circles under them, and grimaced. This wasn't good.

As she continued to study herself in the mirror, a beam of light shot out of its surface and engulfed her entire body. It was warm and comforting, like being wrapped in a huge blanket: in its embrace, she felt like she could sleep for eternity, with no care in the world outside of its warmth. Then the blanket unwound itself, and her feet touched solid ground. The sudden drop made her stumble a little, and it took all she had to stop herself from falling over.

Finding her footing, she looked about her and saw that she was in a room that was different to her own but was somewhat the same. Everything was in its rightful spot, and nothing was out of place. If it wasn't for the distorted appearance and dulled colours, she would've thought that she was in the same room she had been before.

A sudden tinkling sound travelled through the room and made its way to her ears. It wasn't easy to locate where the sound was coming from, as she had to travel through many winding corridors and through many doors; until she got to one that was different from the rest.

It stretched up high, so much so that she had to crane her neck just to see the top, and it was mahogany in colour. Wildflowers and winding vines spread upwards on its frame. It was breathtaking and beautiful all at once. Behind its doors, the tinkling sound was more clearer, and a soothing feeling overcame her as she reached out to push lightly on its wooden surface.

Once she was inside the room, the bright light that suddenly illuminated the room instantly blinded her. And it's contents within.

It took a while for her eyes to return to their proper state, and she could see things more distinctly. The room was simple, with nothing more than a table, chair and a computer monitor - showing a set of images that could not be properly seen from where she was standing. Indistinct murmurs also came from the monitor, but like the images, it was hard to make anything out. She took a step closer but suddenly stopped when she felt a chill go up her spine.

Turning on her heel, she came face to face with a man who had materialized out of nowhere. There was a familiar air about him, but no matter what Su Yi couldn't quite place where she had seen him before.

"Welcome Su Yi to the space between mirrors." He bowed deeply, but his eyes remained locked on hers; it was like if he removed them, he would lose sight of her once more.

Relief, affection and a bit of sadness all flitted through his eyes, but Su Yi was too distracted to notice.

She took a step backward and nodded her head before opening her mouth and inquiring, "w-what is this place? What's going on?"

The man moved forward tentatively, afraid he would startle her if he advanced too quickly, and gestured towards the chair before the solitary table.

"Please take a seat, and I'll explain everything." He saw her uneasy expression, and a soft smile lit up his face, making his elegant face even more enchanting. "You don't have to worry, nothing bad will happen here. I'm known as a System, and I'm here to help you through this confusing time."

At his words, Su Yi's turbulent mind calmed slightly, and she stepped lightly towards the chair. As soon as she sat down, she felt like a load had been lifted off her shoulders, and that familiar feeling from before returned once again, and she relaxed even more.

The man's smile broadened when he saw her calm state, and the mixed emotions within him heightened further until they were close to overflowing. However, it didn't matter how he felt he was never allowed to display anything on the surface, nor was he permitted to have any sort of feelings towards the person who was under his care.

He was nothing but a system, and to Su Yi, that's all he had ever been.