Mirror Mirror

Reina

✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲_________________________________________✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲

Marie is sitting on the ground in the dimly lit secret chamber, absentmindedly playing with the aglets of her boots.

The door to the chamber creaks open, and the Simone enters, holding a bag filled with artifacts. He looks tired but determined.

" Marie! I'm back. I've got the artifacts we need to complete the circle."

Marie looked up, relieved, "Oh, thank goodness! I was starting to worry. I haven't finished drawing the circle yet."

Marie stands up, holding a piece of chalk in her hand. She gestures towards the incomplete symbol on the ground.

" I was waiting for you to return so we could finish it together."

Simone walks over to Marie, his eyes scanning the partially drawn symbol on the ground. He wears a patient smile.

" It's okay, Marie. We still have time. Finish drawing the circle while I take a look at the artifacts we collected."

Simone opens the bag of artifacts and starts counting them, his expression turning into a mix of surprise and confusion.

(muttering to himself) "One, two, three... Wait, there are only six artifacts here. But how could that be? The secret chamber shouldn't have opened with just six."

Sounds of a distant fight can be heard, echoing through the chamber and reaching their ears.

What's happening out there? "I've forgotten something important. " the fake Gauche or Simone said as he brushed off some dirt off his clothing. "I need to go check. I'll be right back, Marie."

Simone quickly turns and rushes towards the door, leaving Marie behind in the chamber, confused and concerned.

A few moments passed as Marie waited. She continued the circle, shaking her hand once in a while as her hand was getting a bit tired. Suddenly, Finral and Noelle came into the chamber calling Marie and told her to come with them to safety.

Marie stands in the chamber, startled by the presence of Finral and Noelle. They approach her cautiously, concern etched on their faces.

Finral spoke first, "Marie, we need to get out of here. It's not safe. Come with us, please."

Marie looked up in surprise. " You're Gauches friends!"

Noelle softly replies as she puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder "yes Marie, we're here to protect you. Let's go back home."

Marie hesitates, " I can't go with you. I have to stay. I have a chance to save my brother."

Noelle, confused, repeated her statement "Save Gauche? Marie its okay, we'll handle the rest... And the ritual he's telling you to draw..."

Marie interrupts, holding up a piece of paper she retrieved from another part of the chamber. Noelle recognizes it as a continuation of the pages she read at the stump.

"Look! This paper talks about the connection between a mirror world and a real world. Last time I talked to Gauche, it looked like he was stuck in a mirror. If I complete the ritual, I can ask the fake Gauche to give my brother back."

Finral replies exasperated, "Marie, you can't trust him. He won't agree to that."

Marie,denying Finrals claims, shakes her head "No, you're wrong, Finral. He's been a good listener. He'll understand!"

Noelle gazes at the circle Marie drew on the ground. Marie was surprisingly quick witted, shes only 10 and yet she understood what the circle meant? Although upon closer inspection, it bears no resemblance to the banishing ritual Simone was studying.