Mirror, Haunt

Cold as fuck. Even though a thunderous snowstorm raged outside as if it would scourge the entire world to death, the residents of White Palace didn’t invest much in heating since they were naturally resistant to cold. Adam, as usual, had picked some of the most unpleasant places in the world for his thieving and banditry. Blake Belladona thought she had experienced the worst when they braved the ridiculous elements outside for an hour with naught but a white cloak.

“… Adam, go on ahead. I’ll hold her here.”

Her partner in crime, a young man of fiery red hair and tall posture contemplated the suggestion for a second. Despite the strange, rune-covered mask Adam wore that obscured both his eyes and upper face, he was obviously studying the unexpected foe with skin-crawling intensity.

“I’ll be back.”

The young woman placed a firm hand on the grip of Gambol Shroud, and did not answer. She could not afford to. Already the air’s chill was biting at her skin like fire, and soon the frigid environment would steal away even the tiniest reserve of strength. Blake thought they should’ve escaped the moment they were unveiled, not that Adam would ever back away until he got what he wanted. Blake fell back into a familiar stance and crouched downwards to the ground. She’ll have to end this quick. This was going to brutal, painful, and like all others, possibly the last fight of her life.

It was either that, or lose whatever little freedom she has left in this world.

-

The princess of the frigid lands, Shiva was legend. Born into the royal family in year 2066, her birth had happened just a week before the Ice Spirit’s Festival, and so the court’s mood makers proposed to celebrate both events on the same day. Initially the Queen – a noblewoman from southern lands, uneducated with cultures of the north – had objected to the idea, but no child of Shiva has ever died of cold and with the King’s own persuasion at work, she finally relented. It proved to be the right decision, for it was that day the Ice Spirit Himself had descended on earth to bless the girl with His own glorious Mark. The baby girl who was sound asleep at that time, who has never even seen the glorious form of the World’s Great Elemental, would later be hailed as the greatest miracle of all times.

Her name, was Weiss Schnee.

-

Weiss pondered over her options, and decided that an offense would do better than just stand. While the Royal Guards may yet catch the other man, his black and red countenance had spawned a most eerie feeling in her heart. It would be best if she could face him down herself. But first, she must capture this black-dressed, white-cloaked young lady who’s covering his back. Carelessness is bane, practice makes perfect. Her father’s rather poor attempts of makeshift idioms rang in her ears, and she felt her chest tightened with familiar pain. This was not the right time.

Suddenly her view became enclosed by white, and instinctively she struck out Myrtenaster to slash at nothing but fabric. Weiss understood that she had been tricked, but she bid her time calmly and sure enough, a gleam peeked out from the right to strike at her flank. Weiss switched hands immediately and slashed her rapier downwards in a perfect parry. The ambush had failed.

But Weiss did not expect the hidden knee. The powerful blow struck directly at the stomach, and she had to stifle a gasp as the wind went out of her lungs. The young swordswoman understood that she was in danger even as the intruder threw another rapid succession of scoring hits, and when her lifted feet finally landed back on ground she was immediately greeted by a flying kick. Weiss barely blocked the bone-shuddering blow with both her arms, and finally she managed to leap sideways and get away from the enemy. Weiss chided herself for being arrogant; she had underestimated the woman badly. It has been a long time since she felt real pain.

Suddenly the young woman felt short of breath, and her fists tightened a notch too strongly before she loosened them proper again. Weiss gazed at the intruder, and felt her heart hardened into stone and steel.

''This is nothing. The thorns in my lungs, the burning at my ribs, all of it – they’re nothing at all.''

-

Blake Belladona was different. That was the kindest way to describe the black-haired girl, and the villagers weren’t kind. When she was born the midwife apparently fainted at the sight of her peculiar, amber eyes, and when words spread out Blake was called worse than a plague. No one – except her mum, who refused to say anything – actually knew who the father was, except that it had to be a beast, it had to be a monster, and that Blake’s mum was a mad, mad woman to let herself be raped – or god forbid, oved – by whatever the thing was. The ridiculous situation would’ve been laughable if it wasn’t so real, and every day turned out to be hell for the duo.

Blake however, grew up to be a good, obedient girl. It was a harsh, terrible environment, but Blake endured the unfair abuse and lived strongly. If they cursed at her, she would simply smile and continued on her business. If they tried to harm her, she would run far, far away before any of them could catch up. Ironically, the so-called evil had shown far more virtues and compassion than any of the accusers themselves. Still, Blake did not blame them for their fears. The malignant rumors weren’t completely untrue, and since childhood she had shown supernatural athleticism that easily surpassed the best fighters in town. Blake accepted the fact that she was different and that she would be shunned, and so she tried to smile despite the overwhelming hate. Even as her heart felt drowned and in despair, Blake did not stop trying to forgive.

Still, the curses never stopped, even if no one dared lift a finger against Blake and her mother.

-

Blake was regretting like hell that she didn’t break a leg or two when she had the surprise advantage. Obviously she was too soft for not dealing the killing blow when she could, but she was not Adam, and she especially did not want to kill the people she was stealing from. This time though, things were looking dangerous. Contrary to that fragile, porcelain beauty look, the enemy was one heck of a swordswoman who darted deadly thrusts like furious raindrops and slashes that came spinning and striking hard like a whirlwind. Moreover, she was using some strange magic that boosted her mobility, and every time she leaped sky-high Blake had to run away like some pitiful mouse. It’s as if gravity has no hold on that woman!

“… Haahh!!!” Abruptly Blake drew her katana from its sheath in a single, powerful horizontal blow, and it finally forced the seemingly unstoppable foe back for an instant. The woman looked surprised, for Blake was now holding two weapons on each hand; the sheath – more like an oversized cleaver actually – and a katana. She has been fighting this entire time with just the sharp sheath and had not wanted to use her trump card until absolutely necessary. Her other hidden technique – the kusarigama style – could also counter the enemy’s ghost-like mobility, but since she used a black ribbon as the link it was as good as sealed considering how easily it could be cut.

Without giving the opponent time to reassess the situation, Blake rushed forwards like black thunder and smashed aside the rapier with brute force. The swordswoman tried to recover with a blind spot cut, but this time Blake’s katana met the rapier’s blade with ease. The heart stopping duel continued to rage, and while the white-haired woman continued to press Blake with her speed she was never able to score another hit. Blake was blocking every attack like an impenetrable fortress.

“You may be fast,” Blake muttered as she deflected yet another thrust, “But so am I.”

As the enemy’s blade slid harmlessly past her ears, Blake seized the opening and slashed directly towards the woman’s left thighs. With this she should not be able to give chase, and then finally she could go after Adam –

Abruptly, her vision exploded in blue, white, and burning red.

-

Weiss Schnee grew up to be incredible. At the age of seven she has incredible mastery over different languages, and at nine she understood enough politics to aid her father in court. Her genius in both swordsmanship and magic notwithstanding, the girl was also beautiful as an angel, with her singular icy blue eyes most famed and eye-catching in the entire realm. But even those weren’t the reasons why she was so loved and adored. One day the king announced about a pleasant surprise for everyone, and a couple of weeks later, Weiss Schnee sang on stage. Never have the people of Shiva heard such a voice. Never have anyone thought that they would scream in their seats, cry in joy, or even kneel in prayer at who truly was the greatest miracle they have ever seen.

But the world was not kind. Year 2081, at the age of fifteen, her parents died of an unknown disease while travelling abroad, and suddenly Weiss found herself assuming the throne of one of the world’s largest empire in history. She has neither the time nor energy to grief as the enemies of Shiva threw plot after plot – sometimes in the form of deceptive courtiers, sometimes through subtle threats and bribery and ironic goodwill, and once even a cold assassination attempt – with infinite ingenuity.

But she thwarted them all. As time passed she grew smarter, wiser, and crueler. A ruler does not cower simply because a decision was harsh or morally incorrect, and Weiss pressed forth her beliefs with ruthless efficiency. She had had her people starved for months so they could endure harsh winters to come. She had lied like the wicked witch of tales, for it meant stability to her kingdom and the weakening of her enemies. She had even executed good men to thwart a rebellious plot, and as a result prevented a civil war that surely would’ve wrecked a million more lives.

It did not matter if her people rejected her, as long as they remained safe.

It did not matter if no one understood her, as long as the kingdom was protected.

It did not matter if her heart had turned into stone, and that she must lose the one true love she still yearns after everything she’s been through. Surely the ever-busy Queen could not afford any time to sing.

Surely… surely her parents would have been proud.

-

Weiss heaved a tired sigh as she leaned a shoulder against the pillar of blue ice. Entombed inside the glacial structure was the mysterious intruder whom she, with much effort, finally managed to catch. The black-haired woman had impressive skill and tenacity, and she was the first person to actually rival her in speed. It was also why Weiss did not use Ice until the very last moment, for with that agility and craftiness she would’ve dodged it all too easily.

The princess took the time to examine her enemy’s features. A strong, lean figure, coupled with a strong jaw and firm-looking eyes. The flame-colored iris gave the woman an exotic, feline look, and the oversized black ribbon she wore over her head only made the resemblance more striking. Still, the woman did not look like someone who would stoop to crime, so why? Was it because of circumstances forcing her hand, or that she didn’t have a choice?

Was it because of her… again?

The stray thoughts distracted Weiss a moment too long. It would cost her.

-

Her hometown burned.

When Blake saw the smokes rising from afar, she had thought it to be harmless open burning. But then the flames towered high with the sky black with uncanny, and finally Blake realized that something was terribly wrong. It was too late.

“Mum? Mum! Where are you?”

Her house remained surprisingly unburned, but it was only a matter of time before the fire reached it, and so Blake ran immediately inside and into her mother’s room. Most people would’ve run to the shelters by now, but her mum had always talked about a death wish. She had to check; she had to be sure.

That was the biggest mistake in her entire life.

“Huaaa! The demon child is here! I told you, I told you we shouldn’t have done it! It’s not my fault!”

What is that –

“How dare you! You were the one who suggested the whole shit! I didn’t want to –”

Why –

“You stupid fools, she bore a demon, a ''demon! Serves the bitch right that she dies!'' Now kill the demon before she comes to her senses!”

“Aa, ahh –”

-

“ – AaAaaaaaaahhHhHHhhHHH!!!”

“!?” Weiss jumped backwards in alarm, and to her disbelief the supposedly indestructible cage had exploded into a million fragments. Out came a tall, shapeless thing that writhed eerily unlike anything Weiss has ever seen before, and the captive woman was nowhere to be found. The monstrous black moved forwards, and literally every cell in her body was screaming for her to run, but she cannot; not while it was in the palace. Weiss flipped the switch on Myrtenaster to channel Red: It was the most Powerful magic she had known, and if she timed this right then maybe –

“…??!!!”

Pain. Exploding flowers of red and black. How had she even dodged the death blow she didn’t know, but still it grazed her left eye and the damage was done. One side of her vision was completely marred by liquid red, and the black thing was closing in rapidly like a fog of death. Weiss swung her rapier in desperation, but she misjudged the distance and missed completely. It was over. She closed her eyes.

“Blake!!!”

A rough voice rang out. Abruptly the horrendous thing stopped, and with a shudder it receded into nothingness like smoke. The amber-eyed woman reappeared into existence from within, and as she fell unconscious to the ground the young man arrived to catch her firmly by the shoulders. Weiss tried to take a step forwards, but the young man stopped her with a glare hateful enough to kill.

“Consider yourself lucky today, queen,” he spat, “I would’ve let her.”

They disappeared.



“Adam.”

Blake murmured from behind Adam’s back. The man was speeding down the mountain to lose any pursuers, and amidst all the howling wind he might have missed her voice.

“Did I…?”

''You monster! Aaa,aa, aaaAAahHHgarrgggg –''

“… No.”

He leaped down a crevice, and they vanished completely into darkness.

“No, you didn’t.”

(2,500 Words)