Chapter 6: The Burning Body

Dan nodded. “Now I understand. So what are we waiting for?”

Adrian turned toward him. “Dan, you’re not coming with me. I’ll go alone.”

Dan stared at him for a moment before replying, “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“The place will be dangerous for you,” Adrian said. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Dan smiled. “But I’m still coming with you to protect you. I might be weaker than you, but I’m not going to leave my friend halfway through.”

Adrian looked at him for a few moments before sighing. “Fine. Looks like I’m not going to change your mind. You really are stubborn.”

Dan laughed. “That’s right. You’d better remember that every time you try to leave me behind and go somewhere alone.”

Adrian smiled. “Then come on. Grab your rifle. We’re leaving.”

Adrian and Dan left the house and started running toward the forest in the middle of the day. After some time, Dan struggled to keep up with Adrian, breathing heavily as he ran beside him. “There’s something I don’t understand... How did that power appear inside you?”

“I’m not sure,” Adrian replied. “But it seems to appear whenever I’m worried about someone I care about.”

“Hmm...” Dan muttered.

They continued running until they reached the gate separating the city from the forest. The two of them stopped there, and Dan looked toward the trees. “The Night Guards have never entered the forest in broad daylight before. The creatures remain inactive during the morning.”

Adrian stared into the forest. “That’s exactly why we don’t know what’s waiting for us at this time of day. But maybe we can find out why they don’t attack us during the day... And if we figure out the reason, we might be able to turn it into a weakness.”

Dan looked at him, then tightened his grip around his rifle. “Then let’s go in and find out for ourselves.”

Adrian glanced at the gate. “Let’s go.”

Once they entered the forest, Adrian looked at Dan. “Stay close to me. Don’t leave my side.”

Dan nodded. “Got it.”

They moved carefully between the trees until they approached the mirrors. But this time, the mirrors were completely still. They didn’t move, and not a single creature emerged from them.

The two of them cautiously looked around, searching for any sign of danger. Then Adrian suddenly noticed something in front of one of the mirrors.

His eyes widened as he stared at it in disbelief.

His mother’s body was suspended in the air directly in front of the mirror.

“How... how is my mother’s body floating in the air?” Adrian said, his voice filled with shock.

He immediately rushed toward her, but Dan grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Wait!”

Adrian turned toward him in confusion.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Dan said. “The fact that your mother’s body is here all by itself, with no movement and not a single sound around it... Something about this feels wrong.”

He then looked toward the mirror and added, “It could be a trap.”

Dan continued staring at the body for several moments before speaking. “Adrian, look at your mother’s body... It doesn’t have a shadow.”

Adrian moved a little closer, suspicion beginning to creep into his mind. It really was his mother’s body, but there was no shadow beneath it. Before he could figure out what was happening, the surface of the mirror suddenly shifted. An image of his mother’s body appeared inside it, and then flames erupted across the reflection without warning.

“Mom!” Adrian screamed.

He rushed forward, quickly pulled the body down, and held it tightly in his arms as he watched the image inside the mirror burn in front of him. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from it until the reflection disappeared completely into the flames and turned to ash.

Adrian looked down at his mother’s body and found it completely unharmed. Relief washed over him, and he tightened his arms around the body he was holding. “Thank God... The body is still safe.”

He raised his head toward Dan. “Come on. Help me carry her.”

Dan stepped toward him, but suddenly stopped when he saw Adrian’s hands. He stared at them for several seconds before speaking. “Adrian... Where’s the body?”

Adrian didn’t understand what he meant. “What are you talking about? She’s right here.”

He lowered his eyes toward his arms, and the moment he saw what he was holding, the words disappeared from his mouth. There was no body in his arms. Only ash was slipping through his fingers.

Adrian stared at it without moving. Slowly, he raised one hand and tried to hold on to what remained, but the ash slipped between his fingers and scattered across the ground.

“No... That’s impossible.” His voice trembled. “She was right here a moment ago.”

He grabbed another handful of ash and squeezed it tightly in his fist before looking at Dan. “What happened? I was holding her... wasn’t I?”

Dan couldn’t answer. He could only stare at the ash in shock before whispering, “Oh God... We couldn’t save her.”

Adrian raised his head toward the mirror, but Dan quickly grabbed his arm.

“Don’t stand in front of it! Your reflection must not appear inside the mirror!”

Adrian ignored him. He remained kneeling in front of the ash, slowly running his fingers through it as his mother’s words returned to his mind.

“If they manage to burn my body, I’ll remain their prisoner.”

His hand began to tremble, and tears streamed down his face as he stared at the ash. He had come here believing he could save her, but once again, he had failed.

Adrian spoke in a broken voice. “I couldn’t save her soul... Why am I this weak?”

Dan stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re not weak, Adrian. You’re just facing a power far greater than anything you can stand against.” He then looked toward the mirror and the ash scattered across the ground, clenching his fist tightly. He was angry with himself. He had stayed by Adrian’s side the entire time, yet when his friend needed him, he hadn’t been able to do anything.

Adrian raised his eyes toward him but remained silent for several moments before looking down at the ash between his fingers again. He remembered everything he had been through since the creatures attacked his home. He remembered his father, his mother, and everything he had lost. Tears began to fall from his eyes once again.

Adrian remained sitting in front of the ash, unable to stop crying. He slowly ran his fingers through it, as if he still couldn’t accept that all that remained of his mother’s body was now nothing more than a handful of ash lying before him.

Dan stepped closer and spoke in a quiet voice. “There’s nothing left for us to do here. Come on. Get up and let’s go home.”

Adrian didn’t respond. After a few moments, he wiped his tears with the back of his hand and slowly stood up. He said nothing. He simply turned around and followed Dan, carrying a pain inside him that he couldn’t shake.

They left the forest and followed the same road back toward the city. Neither of them spoke during the journey. Adrian walked in silence, his eyes red from crying. The sun was beginning to set, and its light slowly faded behind the buildings.

When Adrian and Dan reached the outskirts of the city, they were surprised to see a large group of Night Guards surrounding a house. The two stopped for a moment before approaching the guards to find out what was happening. Adrian walked silently with his eyes filled with grief, barely paying attention to his surroundings. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even realize the house in front of them was his own.

Dan approached one of the guards. “What’s going on here? Why are all of you gathered in front of this house?”

The guard looked at him with concern. “A strange monster appeared inside. We’ve never seen anything like it before. It looks somewhat human, but it’s incredibly strong. We couldn’t fight it. Every time a group of guards enters the house, all we hear are their screams.”

As he spoke, several guards suddenly rushed out of the house, panic written across their faces. Dan looked toward the house, while Adrian remained standing where he was, still lost in his grief.

One of the guards turned toward him. “Some of them made it out!”

Adrian finally raised his head and looked at the house.

His eyes widened.

His entire expression changed as he recognized the place immediately.

“This... is my house.”

Then he screamed with all his strength.

“My brother!”

Adrian charged toward the house, but one of the guards grabbed his arm and tried to stop him. Adrian fought back, tore himself free, and sprinted toward the entrance as fast as he could.

“Adrian! Wait!” Dan shouted.

Dan tried to chase after him, but several guards grabbed him and held him back.

“Let me go!” Dan shouted, struggling with all his strength to break free.

One of the guards held him firmly. “We’re not letting you go in! It’s impossible. You’ll die in there!”

Dan continued fighting against them, his eyes locked on the house.