The Mirror Mage | ONC2022

9. Shattered

(Author's Note: Dedicated to the wonderful @EvelynHail and her ONC Slavic Fantasy story, Dan Ilic and the Shadow Door. Surely the most enthusiastic ONC story supporter on Wattpad!)

Even as Ben heard Ciara's cry of "stop!" he was already withdrawing his hand, an action of the purest reflex. The little mirror shattered into pieces, but all Ben felt was relief that his hand was intact, despite appearances. He sucked the blood from a small cut on his forefinger.

"I'm guessing that wasn't supposed to happen?"

Ciara looked shaken. "No."

Pounding footsteps heralded the arrival of Uldon, who appeared in the doorway, flushed and breathing hard. "What in Rhillion's name happened here? What did thou do?"

His gaze was drawn inexorably to the shattered mirror. "How-?" He glared from Ben to Ciara.

Ben gave a small shrug, hiding the fact that he was still feeling shaken by the episode. "I have no idea."

"His hand just slipped inside the mirror, like... like it was water," stammered Ciara.

"Show me," Uldon demanded.

Ciara went to the cupboard and took out another small mirror. This one was round with a narrow gilt metal frame.

Ben took it, hesitantly. What if his hand got stuck this time? He wasn't at all sure that he wanted to try and repeat the experiment. This wasn't what he had signed up for. He had been attempting to light a lamp, for heaven's sake, not disappear into a mirror. Again.

Memory came crashing back. He had been with Luke in his family home, exploring the attic and they had discovered that dusty antique mirror. And he had fallen through it, just like a moment ago, though that time it hadn't been only his hand, it had been his whole body. He imagined being sucked through this tiny portal, his body coming out the other side as a bag of broken bones.

He stared at the mirror in horror.

Hastily, he placed it on the table with trembling fingers, careful to keep them on the edges of the frame, off the actual glass, then he took a step back.

"I don't think so. I want to know a lot more about how this whole thing works before I try anything like that again." He stared back at Uldon defiantly and folded his arms across his chest.

"It's quite safe to use thy hand on a mirror that size." Uldon attempted to reassure him. "To do a proper glass walk, the mirror has to be at least the same size as the person."

"You've done this yourself, then?"

Uldon cleared his throat. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean 'not exactly'? Either you have or you haven't."

"Well, I haven't actually done it myself, personally, but I've been to Vierrac and seen the Guild Master do it. The mirror was large, as big as a door." Uldon waved his hands to indicate the size.

"You saw him disappear inside the mirror? Did it break like this one?"

"No." Uldon shook his head. "It didn't even crack." He smiled, proudly.

"And then you saw him come back out again? After all, that's rather the most important thing, isn't it? We all know I can disappear into a mirror, but no-one seems to be able to tell me how to get back, how to return to my own world."

Uldon looked blank. "I don't know. He just walked in, and then he walked out."

"So why did I come out in a totally different world? And what if I went through a mirror here in Rhillion, but then came out in a different world again? Strange as this world might be, at least I can breathe the air here."

Uldon looked startled. He had evidently not considered that aspect. It was obvious to Ben that Uldon didn't have any of the answers Ben needed.

"I think I need to meet with the Guild Master. Perhaps he will have answers for me. At least, he'll be able to explain how glass walking works. Does he live far from here?"

"Ah. Well. Vierrac is many leagues away, several days travel, even at a fast pace."

"I don't think we'll need to worry about that." A new voice spoke from the doorway. "Given thy disruption to the ether, I guarantee the Guild Master, or one of his Mages, will already have started their journey here."

Uldon and Ciara jumped as if they had been poked, and spun around to face the newcomer. "My lord!"

Ben had seen many handsome men during his work as an actor, but none could hold a candle to the man standing in front of him. Glossy black hair curled to his shoulders, eyes as blue-grey as the sky at dusk sparkled, and a five o'clock shadow outlined his chiselled jaw. Unlike the others, whose cloaks were a drab brown, this man wore black, the exact shade as his hair. Energy pulsed from him as powerful as electricity, reaching out to encompass them all. Ciara blushed and Uldon straightened.

Ben swallowed. This must be the Rider. Should he bow? He compromised and bobbed his head, then waited to be addressed.

The Rider looked him up and down, his gaze resting for a moment on Ben's jeans-covered legs.

"So thou are the young man who has come to us from the Mirror Worlds. Uldon, introduce us!"

Uldon stammered. "Of course, milord. Lord Rider, this is Ben Lucas. We were just testing him, to see the extent of his mage powers, before bringing him to your attention."

"I see. Well, you have my attention now! That shock to the ether would have been felt all across Sunia." He turned to Ben. "Show me what thou did."

Uldon pointed to the broken glass. "He put his hand through this mirror, and that was the result."

"Show me," repeated the Rider, still looking at Ben.

Ben hesitated.

"He fears it," explained Uldon, with a condescending shrug.

"I don't fear the mirror," argued Ben. "I just don't want to be pulled through it like last time, not unless I know exactly where I'm going."

The Rider picked up the small mirror Ben had laid on the table and held it out to him. "This one is safe. It is too small to take more than thy hand."

"I told him that," muttered Uldon.

"Yes, well forgive me, but this is all very strange to me." And I don't know how much I can trust you. The unspoken words hung in the air.

"Thou can trust me. Here, take my hand. If the glass takes thou, it will take me as well." The Rider held out his hand to Ben.