Mirrors Reflect Shadows

Sumire watched with tears streaming down her face as Takao was electrocuted over and over again. She struggled hopelessly to free herself from her bindings, to do anything to help, but she was still too weak. With great effort, she managed to spit out her gag.

“STOP! Stop! Please! You’ll kill him! Stop— please—” She sobbed, begging desperately.

Takao lifted his head with difficulty. His silver eyes met Sumire’s purple eyes. She was bloody and bruised, and he was burnt and maimed. It was obvious they’d lost. He couldn’t save himself or Sumire. Tears of defeat steamed down Takao’s face.

Mia stalked between Takao and Sumire, examining them with predatory eyes.

“Yes— I suppose that’s enough fun. We’d better be on our way. Do you need a moment to say goodbye?” Mia taunted with mock sympathy. “But I suppose you’ll see each other soon enough in the afterlife, so why bother? Let’s get a move on! Pack her up! Kill him!” Mia ordered.

“No!” Sumire cried. She begged and pleaded, but it made no difference.

The man Takao had thrown over his shoulder drew his sword and stood over him with it raised high. He swung the blade, aiming for Takao’s neck. Takao shut his eyes, expecting death, but instead heard the sharp crack of a lightning bolt.

Takao opened his eyes. He was still alive. The man about to kill him was lying unmoving on the ground several feet away. His eyes found Sumire. She was still tied up and lying on the ground. Tiny sparks flickered momentarily from her horns. Her eyes were closed, and the color was draining visibly from her face. Her complexion grew deathly white, and she laid still.

Takao couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He couldn’t accept it. His heart felt like it would break. His mind felt like it would shatter. He couldn’t take it! He needed something— anything!— to direct his upwelling of emotion into, and he found it. Something rose up inside him, and he rose up with it.

“What the—” He heard Mia exclaim, but didn’t hear her finish.

Something was crackling in his ears, and all around him. The noise grew in volume until it was sharp and loud. Something danced across his skin, jumping from him to the ground and burning lines into the cobblestone. Lightning, the same purple shade as Sumire’s arced in every direction, enclosing Takao in a cage of deadly electricity.

Takao didn’t understand what was happening, and he didn’t care. His silver eyes glinted with venomous hatred. Mia and her three remaining followers visibly stepped back. As one of the men turned to flee, Takao’s wrath boiled over. They thought they could escape? After everything they’d done? NO! He would NOT let them go! They would PAY!

Takao screamed in furious rage! Lightning filled the square, melting cobblestone and collapsing buildings. He screamed until his lungs were empty; the lightning receded back to a small warding cage around Takao. He took in the carnage he’d wrought.

Collapsed buildings and burning rubble surrounded the square. The ground was a network of deep burnt scars and melted stone. Four bodies littered the ground, but there should have been five.

“WHERE ARE YOU?” Takao bellowed.

“Here—” Came a whisper from behind, accompanied by a sharp pain in Takao’s side.

He spun around, sending lightning crackling toward the sound. The vague form of Mia covered in black mist danced away from him, lightning passing through her harmlessly. Her form solidified outside the reach of Takao’s lightning cage. She held up a bloody knife and licked it mockingly. Takao gripped his side and found it wet with blood.

“You have an odd flavor. Not really to my taste.” Mia said casually.

Takao responded by launching a storm of lightning at her. Her form shifted again to black mist and advanced on him with no regard for the lightning field. Instead of jumping away, Takao launched forward to meet the mist, sending a fist straight at where Mia’s face should be. Just like the lightning, he passed through it, then felt a cut open his arm and back.

Takao spun only to find himself surrounded by dark mist. Purple lightning continued to surge from him, but had no effect on the black mist. He swung his fists wildly, but hit nothing. Mia’s horrible laughter filled his ears as more cuts and gashes appeared across his body.

Takao fell to his knees. Indignant fury filled him to the brim. Nothing was working! He needed something more! The same something that he’d turned into lightning came to him again, and he grabbed hold of it, pouring the rest of his strength into it.

The purple lightning surrounding Takao turned black, and Mia screamed in pain. Her body reformed from the mist, and Takao directed all his fury at her. Lightning streamed from him to Mia and flung her backward, skidding across the ground. Smoke rose from her limp body, and she laid still.

Takao fell to his hands and knees, gasping and chocking for air. The lightning surrounded him shrunk to a shower of sparks, but he refused to let it die out completely. Blood dripped from him like rain, but he didn’t care. Using the last of his strength, he crawled to Sumire and knelt beside her. He untied her and lifted her gently to his lap, holding her gingerly as tears joined the drops of blood falling from his face.

All Takao’s anger had dissipated, leaving him with nothing but sadness and exhaustion. He thought he might as well rest while he waited to join Sumire, so he shut his eyes.

It felt no time at all had passed when he finally got to hear Sumire’s voice again and feel her gentle touch on his cheek.

“You don’t look so good.” Sumire said softly.

Takao opened his eyes, thinking he must have passed on already, but to his surprise, he hadn’t moved. He was still in the devastated square, and in horrible pain. Sumire was still lying on his lap, but her beautiful purple eyes were now open and looking up at him. Her hand caressed his cheek, and she smiled at him. His heart leapt with overflowing joy. Renewed tears poured from his eyes, prompting Sumire to shield herself from the sudden shower.

“Watch it.” She chided.

Sumire turned over and tried to sit up, but collapsed into Takao, wrapping her arms around him for support. He held her close, and only released her when he noticed a warm, familiar feeling fill his body. She moved away, and Takao found his skin glowing softly and a small golden locket hanging around his neck.

“You had this on you the whole time? You should’ve used it on yourself.”

“I thought you’d say that, but I’m not the one about to bleed out.” Sumire argued, and Takao couldn’t dispute this.

As the light faded from his skin, Takao felt much better, though still somewhat light-headed from blood loss. He returned the necklace to Sumire who was surveying the surrounding destruction with intrigue and awe.

“What happened? How did you beat them? I mean— not that I didn’t think you could! It’s just that the last thing I remember, we were both about to die.”

In answer, Takao held up his hand and displayed the purple electricity that was still sparking between his fingers.

“That— that feels like my magic. How did—” Sumire stopped herself abruptly, slapping her forehead with her palm. “I’m so stupid! It’s mirror magic! You copied my lightning magic! That’s what you’ve been doing all along, copying my magic! I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out till now!” She brooded.

“Mirror magic? Is that rare?” Takao asked.

“Very! You're the only person I’ve ever met to have it, and I’ve lived a long time.” She assured.

“Wow! Mirror magic— So I just copy other people’s magic?”

“Pretty much.” She shrugged. “As far as I know, at least.”

Takao was thrilled to at long last know what his magic was, but the thrill was easily overpowered by his joy of having saved Sumire. He stood and offered her a hand up, but she shook her head.

“I’m still too weak. Did you see the amulet Mia was wearing? I think that’s what's draining my strength. Can you get it?”

Takao nodded and turned toward Mia, but stopped cold when he saw she was awake and standing. Her eyes were wild, and she wore a wide, crazed grin. In one hand, she held the amulet that had been around her neck and in the other a small crystal that was rapidly changing color.

“The fun’s not over yet.”

Sumire’s Exposé!
Little is known about mirror magic because of how rare it is. It’s best known for being the signature magic of the sphinx, an enigmatic, powerful monster that is seldom encountered and when encountered seldom leaves survivors.