Chapter Ten: The Mirror's Edge
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Like the finality of oblivion, the black moon clasped its frontal maw shut.
They say when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. Ashnight raised his palms to his face, and in that moment all he could see was a white palm and an endless stretch of darkness.
But this darkness was wonderful. It was a great wonder. It was the world.
He could see, carved in white lines around this darkness, the geometry of the tunnel he had earlier been. Also drawn in this black canvas was the carcass of each and every abomination he'd killed; the viscera were in painted patches of white, though awkward as if it was drawn by a toddler.
Then he stared upwards. Crashing above him was a dense forest of flesh and bone—he could tell, though the art was awkward—all connected to the black sinister creature gnawing at him.
Could it see him? Ashnight reached his arms towards this defiant monstrosity, but the abomination did not flinch; instead it continued its oblivious gnawing, while his hands fazed through.
Wait, was this how death was supposed to be? It was quite chill. Or maybe I'm a ghost now.
There was a white sun mirrored by a black one. Didn't know what it was or why the heck it's doing there, but that aside, this seems exactly like the maze.
Well, it was until he saw himself standing at the other side facing his own self, which was kinda weird since he did not remember being two. But this other self had a stupid grin on his face and was trolling around on the wall as if it hadn't noticed him.
A stupid grin? Stupid? Hmmm? He tilted his head. Why does it feel familiar?
"Oh, Ash!" The mirror image called with his eyes gleaming. He slammed his fist on his open palms. I knew it. It was that dumb fuck. And why the hell was it looking like him?
"Hey, freak. You died too? Oh, so shadows die after all."
This motherfucker still had that smile plastered. Funny enough, it was drifting up the walls. Even now calling it 'it ' was awkward. Should it— no, should he— no, that's worse.
"So where the fuck are we? I dunno. I just feel this is your doing."
He walked towards where this fella was. Luckily enough, it was walking high up the sky above this drawn world. How could he do that?
"Well, don't be angry though. Promise me that."
"You didn't do anything stupid, did you? What the hell did you do?"
"Well..." Nether toyed with his fingers. "About a while back..."
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A minute earlier.
"Ash!"
Frantic, the shadow tore from where it was, slipping through the walls. It hurled itself at the dazed Ashnight who stood wide-eyed.
With an imperceptible speed, it fused itself with Ashnight's skin right as the monstrous form of the countless-limbed abomination found its way right above him. Like a dark moon.
His other eye darkened, emerging the opulent silver ring. Then in that fraught second, Nether Ashnight slammed his feet right at the pungent carcass, caving himself into the bowels of black ichor and bone.
Outwardly, this creature slammed its maw shut with the finality of oblivion, while its countless limbs danced around in a frenzy.
With his fingers, he dug his way deep through the softer tissues of this dead carcass, though the bones and red cartilages posed some hindrance, and the very fact that his movement was starting to tick on this creature's ungodly senses.
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"So in short... you took control of my body. Full control. My consciousness, my sentience... all of it."
Slowly in this dark confine, Nether nodded his head. Then a bizarre doodle that looked like a feather—countless of them—swept past him.
"What was that?"
"Wind. But wait, wait... you ain't mad? You're not mad!"
He turned towards the gnawing abomination, then at himself. The entire of his body was like a drawn white picture of him, though the coloring was basic as fuck. But— He stared at Nether.
That guy seems to look more like him, with the colours and everything. Damn, I'm the original here. Wait?
"Hey, fucker. If you're in control of my body as of present, why ain't I seeing it right now?" He pointed at the countless-limbed abomination who had its limbs stretching down as if trying to capture something.
"I'm guessing you're the one that fella tryna strangle."
"Technically, you too. But yes." The next minute his shadow was beside him. "I shrouded it from your view to make sure you ain't pissed off. But you guess you ain't, so there's no need."
With a wave of its hand, the darkness coalesced, forming a three-dimensional human construct rounded in a limbed sphere. On its hands was a rope-like, barbed weapon pressed against the invading maws of the other sphere.
"Seems you're in bad position yourself also. Disappointing." He hissed. "You know, when Sunny fuses with his shadow, he gets reinforced twice his original strength. Sorry to think that was the case for you. Not to mention, his shadow is less talka—"
"You ungrateful dickhead, you could have died back there. Had it been for me—"
"Well." He shrugged at the gritting image of him. "Seems we're gonna be dying soon. You know wh—"
"That's because half my consciousness is here with you. If I should gain full control of your consciousness, your abilities would roll out double fold. You could kill that thing."
Ashnight folded his palms. "If you knew something cool like this, you could've done it earlier. Do you even have any brain cells?" Veins popped on Nether's head.
"If you're asking for my permission, you got it. Now go ahead." He slammed his palms on his waist.
"No. I can't. I can't do this to you. You might not know it, but I do. We're bros." This damned clone turned at him. Wait, was that tears? Tears? Why?
"Hey, hey. I think I'm lost here." He gave an awkward chuckle. "Why're you getting all sentimental, man?"
His shadow studied him for a while, then with a deep sigh turned away from him. "Do you know what this is—this world? This is me. Shadow, devoid of memories and life." It gestured at him. "Well, except you, of course."
"I get you're tryna be heroic and all that, motivational. I don't care." Ashnight's eyes were on the very fact that one of those creature's limbs was slowly gaining traction towards his struggling form.
"We could always do this later. I'd even join you in whatever act."
"This place seems all new to you, but you've been here before, Ashnight. This place is no stranger to you." Nether turned at him, pressing his gaze on him like some fanatic.
Mood swings. Sure, he was a teenager.
"I dunno what you're talking about, Nether."
"I know. But you must have felt it. The fact you didn't panic. The fact that you were composed when you saw someone else in your skin. It all points to what I'm telling you." More tears streamed from Nether's eyes, dumbfounding him the more.
This was a full psychotic break.
"So... you're saying I was here but I don't remember." Maybe he'd just play along and end things faster.
"Not was. Many times you've been here. You've merged with me. Listen, Nether, you probably would forget this if I take full control of your body again." Nether smiled.
"I told you this was made out of my memories. But I'm a shadow. I have no memories."
"So where'd these memories come from?"
Nether glanced upwards. A slow trail of tears trailed his cheek. Oddly, it looked a bit real.
"You. Everything. This world was made from your memories. With each fusion, your memories become mine. Some of it. With those memories I developed a personality—a personality like you. I became from a mere sentient shadow to your mirror image."
Ashnight's eyes were bland. His face was expressionless. He just stood, devoid of any emotion to feel.
"You fused with me to survive after your brother died, to scrap up food, water. You'd become me, and slowly your memories constructed this space. Yet I watched you forget. Forget about the fact you were losing your memories. The fact that you wouldn't remember all of what you did."
Nether tucked his hands in his pocket, then spared one glance at the speechless Ashnight who crashed onto the floor.
"I became guilty. A personality I learnt from you. With your memories I unlocked mine. I started to remember...I once had wings. You've changed, Ashnight. I've watched you change from a loving survivor to a detached, cynical one."
Finally Ashnight raised his expressionless face. "So this is why I have no memories of my distant past." There was a sad glimmer in his eyes. "Why I only remember his hair but not his face." He chuckled silently. "Oh, dumb Ashnight."
"You ain't mad at me?"
Ashnight slicked his hair back, then he smiled.
"No. No. Why? It's quite the opposite. You helped me survive and all you just took were my memories. Fair enough."
Nether was dumbfounded. "You... you're just gonna accept this like that?"
"Yep." Ashnight stood, then tapped Nether on the shoulder, pointed to the harrowing state of his silhouette. "I'll be long dead before I'll come to accept it."
"Oh." Nether took a deep exhale. His eyes followed the tapered claw now right before their mirror figure's chest. "So you still doing it or not?"
"I am." Ashnight shrugged. "Go do your job, Nether."
Nether made to speak, but then he noticed Ashnight's shaky palms. A jeer almost escaped his lips, but he held it in.
You're the more freak, Ashnight.
He walked towards the drawn figure of the struggling Nether Ashnight. But then Ashnight called with his arms crossed.
"Hey, dickhead." Ashnight winked. "Don't let me know!"
Nether turned his head away, but though he had this smile on his face.
"This isn't the first time you said that."