In a spacious office brimming with finely crafted furniture, an air of tension hung between two figures seated at a polished oak table. The décor, though elegant, felt somewhat impersonal, a backdrop that failed to capture the gravity of the conversation unfolding within its walls. Helianthus fidgeted in his chair, his brow furrowed with unease, while the elderly Katsuro Acashi, Bald and wise, stroked his beard thoughtfully, a rather cliché gesture, yet it suited him well in this moment.
"Sir, isn't this going too far? Even for them?" Helianthus burst out, his voice tinged with urgency. "A page like this is tantamount to signing their death warrants! You have no idea how hard it was to maintain composure during that speech. We're truly sending them off to the jaws of death! They just got summoned, and now they have to face that cursed labyrinth? Have the messengers gone mad?"
His frustration poured out like a dam breaking, and Katsuro observed him with quiet concern.
"Calm yourself, Helianthus," Katsuro replied, his voice steady and measured. "I understand your frustrations; I share them as well. But our hands are tied. We created this facility to aid the Lillies, to ensure they gain the strength to face their various pages. We cannot stifle their chapter progression just because the road ahead is perilous."
Helianthus's face fell, sorrow and anguish etched in his features. "I know the mission is important, but this feels like cruelty. It's inhumane! I can barely keep a straight face while sending them off to face certain death. It's all becoming too much!"
A flicker of warmth crossed Katsuro's expression as he regarded Helianthus. "You have a compassionate heart, my friend. If only Lisa had been under your guidance, perhaps her fate wouldn't have been so harsh."
The words caught Helianthus off guard, a flicker of surprise lighting up his expression. "I'm sorry, sir. That was terribly out of character for me. I didn't mean to dredge up those memories."
"Never mind that," Katsuro chuckled softly, shaking off the moment. "Just an old man's melancholic ramblings. But back to the matter at hand: I recognize the cruelty that lies ahead for these new summons. If we want them to survive, we must do everything in our power to prepare them."
Helianthus nodded, determination replacing some of his earlier resigned despair. "Yes, sir. I understand. We'll do our best."
The old man's demeanor shifted, seriousness returning as he ceased stroking his beard. "By the way, did you look into that matter I mentioned?"
"Yes," Helianthus replied, his expression now grave. "We've located a few of them, but their positions keep fading out of existence. One was recently spotted in the market, and he caused quite a scene—one we couldn't possibly miss."
Katsuro's eyes widened with concern. "Oh dear. It looks like we might have to contend with a crisis before the page for the Labyrinth of Lethe even begins."
†
A Reflection
Ryo's eyes snapped open, a jolt of panic surging through him as he surveyed his surroundings. An endless expanse of white enveloped him, an overwhelming void that pressed against his senses. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and his breaths came in quick, shallow gasps like the aftermath of a nightmare from which he had been wrenched awake. The unsettling truth, however, was that he couldn't recall dreaming at all. Moreover, the silence that settled upon him felt oppressive, devoid of any presence or purpose. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound emerged, a startling realization that only heighted his unease.
'What the hell is this place?'
he thought, frustration gnawing at him. He struggled to frame the chaotic swirl of emotions within him. As he grappled with the disorienting emptiness, a shiver ran down his spine, as if some unseen force were threading its fingers through his very soul. His arms quaked with anxiety, and his heart thundered against his ribcage, each beat echoing louder than the last. A sense of dread washed over him, accompanied by an undeniable awareness that he was not alone.
Suddenly, a voice pierced through the stillness, soft and innocent, reminiscent of a child's. "Ryo," it called, echoing from behind him, a curious juxtaposition to the oppressive weight of its presence. Instinctively, he resisted the urge to turn around. He knew better; looking might unearth something sinister. Yet, as if anticipating his thoughts, the voice sighed, "Oh… I suppose it can't be helped."
"Well, it's good you didn't actually look at me. That would have been... really bad," it added, the childlike tone tinged with a strange amusement. Ryo felt a mix of fear and confusion grip him, leaving him utterly speechless, not from desire but sheer inability.
'Why? Who are you?'
The thoughts raced through his mind, each one colliding with another. A child? A demon? I can't look... I mustn't! I—
"Let's try something different then, shall we?" The voice suggested playfully. In an instant, a mirror materialized before him, elegantly framed, shimmering with an otherworldly sheen. Ryo's reflection stared back, but it was not his own, at least not entirely. He closed his eyes instinctively, but then, compelled by curiosity, he peered again. Nothing disastrous unfolded. Hesitant, he checked his arms and stroking his face, he was whole.
His breath began to steady; alarm transformed slowly into cautious intrigue. "Isn't that rude? No comment?" the figure in the mirror mused, its voice smooth like silk.
Ryo squinted, trying to make sense of the reflected presence. The figure seemed both familiar and alien, a distortion of his own features that twisted and morphed, rendering it impossible to identify. Fluctuations in height and shape made the reality of the reflection feel surreal; it was as if he stood before a reflection of a dream—as inviting as it was unsettling.
'Who are you? What… are you?'
Ryo's heart raced as he confronted the eerie entity before him. Its form flickered in and out of focus, making it hard to discern where it began and where it ended an unsettling shape that both intrigued and terrified him.
As if it had plucked the very thoughts from Ryo's mind, the creature responded, its voice smooth yet mocking. "Oh? My bad. I guess you can't exactly speak, can you? Let me fix that."
In an instant, Ryo's voice burst forth. "W-what are you? What do you want from me? Where is this place? Am I in hell?" Panic tinged his words.
The creature shrugged, a discontented gesture that sent a chill down Ryo's spine. "Wah, stop with the interrogation! I'll tell you what you need to know."
Ryo instinctively stepped back, every fiber of his being on alert. "First of all, I can't answer your first question… yet. As for the second, I simply wanted to see if you are worth observing. You and that other one have piqued my interest, and I'd really like it if you met my expectations. It would make this particular story worth the effort."
The creature's eyes gleamed with a strange delight. "And for your third question, this place is where I do my best observing. Think of it as front-row seats to what you'd describe as a theater screening. It's my own cozy space, and you've been brought here — or at least your subconscious has. In a way, you could say this is a dream. I know! I'll name it… how about Voidscape? Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
The entity seemed to revel in its own monologue, but Ryo remained tense and guarded, unwilling to let down his defenses. "I'm sure you, whatever you are, know the real reason you brought me here. It has to be for something other than just humoring me."
The creature laughed, a sinister sound that echoed through the void. "Oh, I suppose my form might be a bit hard for mortals to stomach. How about this instead?"
With a flick of its elongated fingers, the creature morphed, its shape shifting until it stood before Ryo as a much younger version of himself, its face twisted into a grotesque, wide smile.
"Eh? Convenient, isn't it? Now, on to the next phase, if I may."
As the creature stepped out of the mirror, Ryo stepped back, instinctively recoiling in fear and disgust. The casual way it assumed his form revolted him to the core. If there was a part of him that felt untainted, it had suffered the same affront, if not worse than the rest of him.
'Freak!'
The thought echoed relentlessly in Ryo's mind, a primal scream against the horror unfolding.
"Heh, heh, hahahahaha!" The creature laughed, as if savoring Ryo's horror. "Swear you're killing me with that reaction! You're just like a stray cat."
Ryo frowned, confusion mingling with disdain. A stray cat? Really? he thought bitterly, his heart racing, trapped in a nightmare spun from the very fabric of his fears.
The figure before him glided effortlessly, its form shifting as it moved. "Alright, let's set up a comfortable place to chat, shall we?"
Ryo swallowed hard, a surge of courage propelling him to glance behind him. His eyes widened at the emptiness, no ominous shadows or menacing figures lurking in the distance. A flicker of confusion crossed his mind. He had half-expected to see both the younger version of himself the original form of the strange creature, both existing in the same space. But perhaps that notion was misguided.
"Don't worry your little head about that," the creature said, a mocking grin stretching across its face. "Put it in perspective; my head is the smaller version of yours anyway. Heh-heh."
Ryo rolled his eyes, the creature's joke landing flat.
'That's genuinely not funny',
he thought, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. It was clear this being was intent on provoking him. The tension tightened in his face, each muscle straining from the effort of keeping composure. If only this encounter could end swiftly.
With a flourish of its hands, the creature conjured a table and two comfortable stools, positioning them facing each other. To Ryo's surprise, it also produced a chessboard, pieces neatly set up and awaiting their duel.
"A chessboard? What's this for?" Ryo inquired, skepticism lacing his tone.
The creature leaned in, a dreamlike expression lighting its features. "I thought it might help you organize your thoughts while we speak. If you're busy playing chess, you won't have room for those chaotic thoughts that cloud your perception."
Ryo stared at the board, considering the absurdity of the situation.
Ryo's stoic façade cracked as disbelief washed over him. No way, he thought, could the creature be showing consideration for him, even in a form that mocked the painful memories of his childhood.
"I've never actually played before," Ryo admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "It always seemed like a hassle to learn."
The creature finished arranging the chess pieces, its elongated fingers hovering over the board as if engaged in a delicate ritual. "Ah, I see," it said, a hint of curiosity in its tone. "I can't afford to waste your time teaching you the ropes. Instead, I'll simply impart all the knowledge at once."
With a soft closing of its eyes, Ryo suddenly felt inundated. An overwhelming torrent of instructions, strategies, and memories surged through his mind. He saw flashbacks of legendary players absorbed in concentration, their faces shadowed in determination as they executed brilliant strategies. He witnessed the elegant dance of knights and bishops, rooks and queens, all coming to life in a cacophony of chess terminology that his brain struggled to absorb.
The experience was nothing short of an assault on his senses. Overwhelmed, he screamed, "THAT'S ENOUGH!" The plea ripped from his throat. His head spun, threatening to split apart under the weight of the knowledge.
The creature tilted its head, confusion etched across its features. "Huh? I assumed a mortal would be thrilled to access that wealth of information. Nevertheless, I'll pause here; that should be enough for a single game of chess... with me, that is."
As the flood of knowledge receded, Ryo gasped for breath, his gaze fixating on the creature that had taken on the visage of his childhood self. "Huh? I feel... experienced. No, I'm wretchedly eager to play!" A strange exhilaration suffused him, born from the earlier mental onslaught. "Alright, let's get started."
The game commenced, the wooden pieces glinting under an ethereal light.
"Honestly," the creature drawled, its eyes glinting with mischief, "this match will conclude in my next eleven moves. But I suppose there's time for a chat."
With a swift flick of its fingers, the creature moved a pawn. "You see, I brought you here to warn you. You're lucky I've set my sights on you; otherwise, you'd be hopelessly worse off. The other..." It paused dramatically. "The other has its eyes on you as well, and that's precisely what I'm cautioning you about. I don't want you dead yet, but don't expect any more favoritism than this warning. The other one, and the next page you'll encounter… they will be your greatest obstacles in this world. One misstep, and you lose everything."
Ryo's hands trembled as he considered his response. He moved a knight hesitantly.
"Hmm," the creature mused, sliding its rook across the board with deceptive ease. "Such courage, but futile."
Ryo swallowed hard, a sense of despair creeping in. No matter how much he learned, he could not defeat this creature. He shifted a bishop, hoping to gain a foothold only to watch as the creature countered effortlessly, its grin widening.
"Three moves remaining for you," it said, the amusement evident in its voice. "And I have ten moves to play. Let's see how far your newfound knowledge takes you."
Ryo's heart sank. The game wasn't just a test of skill; it was a harbinger of challenges yet to come.
Ryo stared at the creature, his heart racing with confusion and anxiety. "The other one? Who is that?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.
The creature grinned, a jagged smile that sent a shiver down Ryo's spine. "I said I won't be giving you any special treatment beyond this warning," it replied, its tone dripping with mockery. "Don't be greedy."
Ryo's irritation flared. He despised how the creature toyed with him, undermining his confidence and leaving him feeling like a pawn on a chessboard. Its unwarranted smugness, especially while wearing the guise of his younger self, was unbearable. "Then can you answer this: why exactly have you taken an interest in me?" he demanded, frustration weaving through his words.
The creature paused, fingers hovering over the chess pieces as if savoring the moment. The game was all but lost, and Ryo felt the inevitability of checkmate pressing upon him. "Heh-heh, you could say I see a bit of myself in you," it replied, its voice a sing-song taunt. "After all, we're both incredibly bored, aren't we? But that's only part of the story."
Ryo couldn't shake his growing discomfort; the creature's voice grated on his nerves, more irksome than Aetherion had ever been. He felt an involuntary shiver run through him, as if the sound itself was irritating his very skin.
I'm not sure why,
Ryo thought, fighting off frustration. "I guess it's over," he muttered under his breath, an unwelcome sense of defeat wrapping around him.
"And that's—" the creature continued, savoring Ryo's turmoil, clearly enjoying every second of it.
—I hate this, Ryo thought desperately. I hate, I hate, I hate, I hate, I hate, I hate—this person.
"Checkmate!" it proclaimed, a gleam of triumph in its eyes.
"Until next time, Ryo," it said, its voice dripping with amusement. "Let's play again soon, okay?" The words lingered in the air like a taunting echo as Ryo felt a strange sensation, as if the very fabric of reality was pulling him away from the creature.
"Wh—what should I call you?" he called out, panic tightening his chest.
The creature's form began to blur, its features fading into the shadows. "Hmmm, call me Mozoukami," it answered, the name curling around Ryo's mind like a shadow as everything dissolved into darkness.
†
"Wah!" Ryo bolted upright in bed, his head throbbing and sleep still clinging to him like a heavy blanket. Groggy, he glanced at the clock: 8:00 PM. Relief washed over him. "Phew, just a dream?" A frown creased his brow. "No, I remember chess too well. It couldn't have been a dream… Mozoukami, the Voidscape. It really happened, didn't it?" Thoughts swirling in a chaotic dance, he took a deep breath to steady himself. Just then, a knock echoed from the door, snapping him back to reality. Curiosity piqued, he wondered who it could be.