1.
The world beyond the crack was too bright.
Not warm. Not safe. Just white—so white it hurt Ethan's eyes. He squeezed Noel's hand tighter, afraid to let go even though he felt weightless, like his feet weren't on the ground anymore.
When the light finally faded, they were standing in what looked like a hallway made of glass. Every surface reflected something different—memories, faces, places Ethan didn't recognize. But one reflection caught his eye.
Himself. But not now.
It was a younger version of him. Holding his mom's hand. Crying.
Noel looked at him carefully. "These are fragments. Reverie doesn't forget anything. Be careful what you stare at… or it'll pull you in."
2.
They walked slowly, the air oddly thick. Voices whispered from the walls, teasing, laughing, sobbing. Ethan didn't like it.
A flicker of gold passed by—bare feet, a whisper of silk robes, a wicked smile. Seren Ardent was watching them.
"Should we run?" Ethan asked.
Noel's jaw tightened. "He wants us to."
Ethan nodded. "Then we won't."
Seren appeared in front of them, just as they reached a dark door. His smile was sharp, eyes gleaming like liquid honey.
"Welcome back, little darlings." He turned to Ethan. "Especially you, Ethan Rivera. It's so delicious to watch someone so... breakable wander into my world."
"I'm not here for your games," Ethan said, surprisingly steady.
"Oh?" Seren tilted his head. "But you're in my game, sweet thing. That door?" He pointed. "It only opens if one of you tells the truth—and the other tells a lie. But which will it be? And what will you lose if you guess wrong?"
Noel stepped forward. "This isn't necessary, Seren. You're wasting time."
Seren ignored him. "Two questions. One each. And one answer must be false."
3.
Ethan swallowed. "Fine. Ask."
Seren's smile widened. "Do you love Noel?"
Ethan's heart slammed in his chest. He looked at Noel. At the bruises on his soul that no one else could see. The silence they'd shared. The safety. The ache.
He took a breath.
"No."
Seren's eyes gleamed. "Ouch. But who's to say if it's the lie or the truth?"
Noel didn't flinch. "Ask me."
Seren leaned close. "Would you destroy Reverie to save Ethan?"
Noel answered without hesitation. "Yes."
The hallway began to tremble. The door groaned open.
"Lovely," Seren said. "One of you told the truth. One of you lied. But does it matter which was which, if you both bleed either way?"
4.
They stepped through the door. Inside was a room full of floating mirrors—hundreds of them. Each one showed a different version of Ethan and Noel. In one, they were children. In another, old and grey. In one, Ethan was crying at Noel's grave. In another, Noel was kissing someone else.
Ethan's throat tightened.
"This place wants to rip us apart," he whispered.
Noel took his hand. "Then let's stay close."
They moved together, mirror by mirror, until they reached the center—a tall, black mirror. Unlike the others, it showed nothing.
Ethan reached out and touched it.
It showed him Zevian Vale.
5.
Zevian stood in a field of red flowers. Behind him, fire. In his hand, a broken shard of the mirror.
"He's the one that betrayed us," Ethan whispered.
"Yes," Noel said. "And he's not done."
The black mirror began to crack. Slowly. Like ice melting.
From the cracks, voices spilled out—Ethan's memories, Noel's thoughts, Seren's laughter.
And then:
"Ethan," came Nimra's voice. "Where are you?"
"Nimra?" Ethan gasped.
"She's calling through the real world," Noel said. "Your connection to her... it's what's keeping you grounded."
Ethan pressed his hand flat against the mirror. "I'm here, Nimra. I'm coming back."
Seren's voice echoed around them.
"Oh no, you're not."
6.
The world shattered.
The mirrors exploded into a thousand shards. Ethan fell backward into Noel, and they both hit the floor of a different room—cold stone, moonlight above, and Seren standing at the center like a king.
"Enough games," Noel growled. "What do you want?"
Seren grinned. "Oh, nothing too difficult. Just your heart, brother. And his soul."
Ethan stepped forward. "Then come take it."
Seren raised a hand—and the shadows around the room surged like smoke.
But then… a figure stepped into the moonlight.
Professor Nareus Vale.
7.
"Class is in session," Nareus said calmly, eyes glowing faintly. "Let's talk about consequences."
Seren hissed. "You don't belong here."
"And yet, here I am."
A flash of silver. The shadows recoiled. Seren vanished like mist.
Ethan collapsed into Noel, shaking. "Why did he stop?"
"Because," Nareus said, walking toward them, "he's not the one you have to fear next."