The sky in Reverie had always been perfect—smooth like brushed glass, painted with still clouds and a golden sun that never moved. But today, Ethan saw something wrong.
A crack.
It started small. A silver tear that shimmered above the Mirror Lake. But the longer he stared, the more it pulsed—like the sky itself was holding its breath.
Noel stood beside him, his expression unreadable. "Do you see that?"
Ethan nodded slowly. "It wasn't there before."
"I think... it's because of you," Noel whispered.
Ethan turned to him, startled. "What do you mean?"
"You're changing this world," Noel said. "You weren't supposed to stay this long. Reverie is built to reflect—not to hold onto people."
Ethan looked back at the sky. "Then maybe it's finally breaking."
---
Back in the real world, Nimra stood in front of Ethan's mirror. She'd felt something strange all day—like a pull behind the glass. Her fingers brushed the surface, and the mirror rippled like water.
"Ethan?" she whispered.
No one answered.
But she could feel his presence, like a heartbeat through the frame.
---
In Reverie, Ethan and Noel returned to the old ruins near the edge of the lake. The air was heavy. The ground beneath them buzzed, like the world was alive.
And waiting.
The crack in the sky had grown. Lines of light spiraled out from it, like a spiderweb.
Seren was already there.
He leaned casually against a broken archway, watching them like a fox watches birds. "You did this," he said, voice smooth like oil. "The boy from the other side."
Ethan clenched his fists. "What do you want?"
"To see what happens when the glass finally shatters," Seren smiled. "Don't you?"
Noel stepped forward. "Stay away from him."
Seren laughed. "Brother, I'm not here to fight. I'm here to witness."
His eyes flicked to the sky. "That's not just a crack. That's a doorway."
---
That night, Ethan lay beside Noel beneath the pale sky. The stars in Reverie were dim, as if they feared the growing tear.
Ethan couldn't sleep. The weight of it all pressed on his chest.
"What if this is my fault?" he whispered.
Noel turned to face him, brushing hair from Ethan's face. "Then I'm glad you came."
Ethan blinked. "Why?"
"Because for the first time, this world feels alive."
Ethan looked into Noel's eyes, the reflection of the crack glowing faintly in them. "What happens when the world breaks?"
Noel leaned closer. "Then we walk through the hole together."
Ethan closed his eyes and held him tighter, wondering what waited on the other side.