Chapter Four: Of Beginnings and Ends


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    Jason suddenly realized he was still in his pajamas, a reminder of how abruptly he’d been pulled into the mirror. They were surprisingly elegant, deep shades of midnight blue with stars that shimmered and shifted, forming glowing constellations across the fabric. With a quick thought, he activated his inventory, swapping the pajamas for the outfit Twig had custom-made for him—sleek, black tactical combat gear adorned with subtle, intricate details. A cape draped behind him, etched with a white raven in mid-flight, its wings spread wide and fierce, completing the look. It was everything he needed—functional, imposing, and undeniably awesome.


    A wave of relief washed over him as he realized he still had access to his inventory and gear.


    “Where are we?” Jason asked, glancing around. The place felt like a forest, but not quite—a twisted imitation of one. The trees were gnarled, their bark cracked and veined with a faint luminescence.


    Alex shrugged, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. “I call it Wonderland. But, more properly, it’s known as the In Between. A place that doesn’t fit anywhere else—a pocket between realms.” He paused, taking in Jason’s bewildered face with a flicker of something between sadness and affection. “Years, brother. It’s been years. You have no idea.”


    Jason blinked, his head throbbing as the landscape around him twisted in impossible ways—trees grew sideways, their branches clawing at nothing, the ground seemed both soft as moss and solid as stone. “Months, more like,” he muttered.


    “For you, yeah. In Terra Mythica, it’s been months. On Earth, it’s been days or weeks. But here, for me... it’s been years.” Alex’s eyes clouded for a second before he turned his gaze back to Jason, his smirk now a little thinner, more worn.


    “How did you…” Jason struggled for words, his throat tightening. “How did you survive here?”


    Alex’s smile came, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Come on. We have a lot to discuss, and less time to discuss it in.” He motioned for Jason to follow. “We need to keep moving. It doesn’t like visitors.”


    Jason’s brow furrowed, unease prickling up his spine. “Who’s ‘it’?”


    Alex’s gaze flickered sideways, his eyes catching a movement that Jason could barely comprehend—a shadow slipping between trees that weren’t quite trees. He didn’t answer, just pressed forward, feet navigating a spiraling path that led deeper, downwards, into what seemed like an endless abyss.


    The trees leaned closer, curious, their branches grazing Jason’s shoulders, small touches that crawled up his nerves like ants. He stumbled, the ground beneath him shifting, slipping away, while Alex moved forward with an uncanny confidence, his steps sure and silent.


    “What happened to you, Alex?” Jason finally managed to say, his voice a low rasp.


    Alex paused, staring at something in the distance Jason couldn’t see. “I learned how to make this place my own,” he murmured. “You can’t just get along here. You have to tame it. You have to carve out a part of it as yours.” He gestured for Jason to keep up. “Come.”


    They walked through landscapes that changed with each breath—dense, dark forests gave way to sprawling deserts, and those shifted into still, ice-covered lakes. Each transition was abrupt, seamless, like passing through invisible doors to worlds that barely connected—some terrains lasted only moments, as fleeting as the last lights of dusk, while others stretched on, holding their form longer, resisting the change.


    The ground grew cold beneath Jason’s feet as they crossed the ice. The air crackled with the scent of frost and something ancient, something Jason couldn’t name but could feel in his bones.


    “Reality doesn’t work here like it does elsewhere,” Alex said, his voice carrying in the chill air. “I’ve been here for decades—maybe centuries. I stopped keeping track.”


    Jason’s heart clenched. He had never imagined that his brother—the one who used to build forts with him out of blankets and sneak him extra dessert that they couldn’t really afford—had been fighting alone for so long.


    “I’ve been keeping tabs on you,” Alex said, breaking the silence.


    Jason glanced at him, startled. “Oh?”


    “Mirrors are strange things. Reality is built on what we know, what we trust to be solid and unyielding. But mirrors? They twist that certainty, bending it just enough to show us the cracks. They’re distortions, thin veils where truth is weaker. I thought you almost noticed me once or twice, but your were just checking yourself out.”


    A grin cracked across Jason’s face, despite the absurdity of it all. “That doesn’t sound like me.”


    Alex gave a short laugh. “I tried to reach out a decade or two ago, but I wasn’t strong enough yet. Not until now. Your new understandings helped too.”


    “You mean my Affinity? Truth?”


    “Yeah, that’s what they call it in Mythica. Your Affinity. Makes it sound like it’s something separate from you, something outside yourself. When really, it’s just you unlocking more of your… youness.”


    They fell into silence, the kind that was filled with too much to say and too little way to say it. The world shifted, morphing into a rugged cliffscape, lush with green moss and wild grasses clinging to the rock. The scent of salt and the distant roar of the ocean filled the air. A clearing unfurled before them, its edges jagged and raw, and at its center loomed a structure—monstrous and awe-inspiring. It was a twisted blend of stone and bone, as if it had been wrenched from the nightmares of giants and molded into the shape of a fortress. It loomed over them, dark power radiating from its walls, tugging at something deep inside Jason. It clung to the edge of the bluffs like an ancient beast, carved with impossible angles and intricate runes that seemed to pulse with a deep, thrumming energy.


    “This is my place,” Alex said, his voice carrying a grim pride. “One of the few places where the rules make sense—where I can breathe without feeling the world pressing in on me.”


    The fortress seemed to shiver as they approached. Jason watched as the walls rippled, bones shifting, stone grinding, until teeth sprouted along the doorway. The entire structure seemed to lean towards him, ready to consume.


    “Whoa…” Jason stepped back, his mind flicking to his inventory. The familiar weight of his sword materialized in his grip, a rush of relief coursing through him.


    “Hey, hey,” Alex said, holding up a hand. “You can’t just rush in. Give it a pet, let it know you’re friendly.”


    Jason shot him an incredulous look, but Alex merely gestured for him to put his sword away.


    “What, you’ve never petted a house before? Come on, we don’t have all day.”


    Jason vanished his sword into his inventory and reached out, his fingers brushing against the rough surface. It was warm, pulsing, like touching the belly of some enormous beast. Slowly, the teeth retracted, the door opening to allow them inside.


    “See? Easy,” Alex said, motioning for him to enter.


    The inside was a maddening labyrinth of twisted staircases and warped hallways—impossible angles and paths that led in spirals, upwards and downwards without any logic. The air was thick, and the walls seemed to breathe, expanding and contracting with a slow, deep rhythm. Alex led Jason into a room that might have been a kitchen—a massive table at its center, cluttered with artifacts, objects that looked both ancient and dangerous.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Alex put on a kettle. “I never liked tea before. But I’ve grown accustomed to it here.”


    Jason glanced around, his eyes catching on an intricately carved statue that seemed to move when he wasn’t looking directly at it. “This place… it’s insane.”


    “It’s home,” Alex said simply.


    The kettle whistled, and Alex poured them both a steaming cup. Jason took it, the warmth settling into his hands. He brought the cup to his lips, and instantly a notification popped up in his vision—the System text overlaying his sight.


    ***


    Mystic Brew Consumed: +5 Focus, +3 Clarity for the next hour.


    ***


    “How?” Jason blinked, almost spilling the tea.


    “How are you still seeing prompts here?” Alex asked, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Yeah, that would be Jack. Somewhere along the way, working with John Rearden, he started using prompts to communicate. It was a way he could interact without focusing directly—more like a reflex. Helps humans acclimate. Something about the mind rejecting new places. A system’s familiarity helps smooth the transition. It doesn’t all make sense, but it works. Fewer deaths on transfer, apparently.”


    Jason frowned. “You know Jack?”


    Alex took a sip of his tea, nodding. “We all know Jack, in one way or another. At least, anyone that’s connected to Terra Mythica. He’s part of why… I’m still here.”


    They drank in silence, the warmth of the tea at odds with the cold, unsettling presence of the room. Jason struggled to shake the strangeness of the moment—sitting here, drinking tea, with his brother who had somehow lived centuries in a world that defied reality.


    Alex finally spoke, his voice low and serious. “It’s time you knew the truth.” He met Jason’s eyes, the weight of the words clear. “There’s a war coming, Jace. Not just in Terra Mythica. It’s already begun—here, between the forces of Chaos and Order. And we… we’re at the center of it.”


    Alex paused, a shadow passing over his face. “There’s so much you don’t know about the path ahead, Jason. And I can’t tell you everything. There are rules, boundaries to this place. But with the war that’s coming, there are two things you need to know.” He leaned in, his voice dropping low with a solemn intensity. “You need to find the Book of Prophecies. Rita Nutkins. It holds the key. And you need to win the Winter Games.”


    “The Winter Games?” Jason’s brow furrowed. He’d heard murmurs about the event, a heated debate among students over whether it should even take place this year. But despite the uncertainty, the Archmage had declared it would proceed as planned.


    “Are you going to question everything I say? Yes, the Winter Games,” Alex said, his tone exasperated but patient. “Once a year, in Mythica, the Games take place. Students from across the world converge at a massive tower in the heart of Mesopotamia, known locally as Roandia.”


    “Roandia?” Jason echoed, an eyebrow quirking in playful defiance.


    Alex’s lips twitched, a hint of a smirk. “Listen, I’m older and wiser than you now. And I can still take you down.”


    “I’d like to see you try,” Jason shot back, a grin splitting his face as dark swirls of shadow began to coil around him, his cloak pulsing with latent energy.


    Alex shook his head and let out a sigh, but a flicker of pride lit up his eyes.


    “Our parents… they were part of this too.”


    Jason nodded. “The Dark One, I know.”


    Alex’s gaze sharpened. “I know you know bits and pieces. But this is important. Roandia—it’s where we were born,” he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Jack’s interest in us isn’t a coincidence. We hold pieces of the puzzle, Jason.”


    Jason’s brows knit together, frustration seeping into his voice. “What does that even mean?”


    Alex exhaled, the sound heavy with restraint. “Ugh, I sound just like Jack now. Listen, this place doesn’t allow certain truths to be spoken outright. Just having you here bends the rules to the breaking point. It takes nearly all of my power just to hide you from them. But listen to me—Rita’s Prophecies and the Winter Games. You have to win, Jason. Everything depends on it. Everything.”


    Before Jason could react, a deep rumble shivered through the air. The walls groaned, the floor tilted sharply, and the entire fortress began to shift, rising as if it were waking from a long slumber. The tremors grew fiercer, each shudder more violent than the last.


    “They’ve found us,” Alex said, a shadow crossing his face.


    “Who?” Jason scrambled for balance, barely keeping on his feet.


    “See for yourself.”


    Jason lunged for the window and stared out into the twilight of the In Between. Massive stone legs, jagged and battle-scarred, jutted from beneath the fortress, lifting it higher with each thundering step.


    In the distance, shapes moved—dark, monstrous things, shifting, flickering, like shadows given form. They were teeth and claws and eyes, bodies twisted into grotesque parodies of something like wolves—or was it bears?


    The fortress groaned again, its legs—massive, spindly things—emerging from beneath the ground, lifting the structure high into the air. The monsters reached them, some clawing at the legs, others leaping, trying to scale the walls. The fortress swiped at them, its limbs crashing down, batting the creatures away.


    “What do we do?” Jason asked, his voice tight with urgency.


    Alex met his gaze, eyes blazing with a fierce, unyielding light. And then, with a boyish grin that defied the years between them, he said, “We fight.”


    With a shared nod, the two brothers moved in perfect sync. They sprang forward, the air crackling with raw energy as they vaulted through the open window. The wind roared past them, and for a split second, there was only the rush of freefall and the pounding of their hearts. Alex accelerated mid-air, a burst of energy propelling him forward in a streak of light and force. Jason was right beside him, using Soul Step to close the final distance and soften his landing, the ground quaking beneath their feet as they plunged into the chaos. Their hearts pounded, adrenaline surging, swords already drawn and poised for battle.


    Jason sidestepped a swipe of jagged bones and gnashing teeth, his Affinities flaring to life as he darted between the massive, stone legs of the fortress. Shadows gathered around him, coiling, forming into vines that lashed out, wrapping around one of the creatures, pulling it to the ground. He stepped, his body flickering, disappearing from one spot and reappearing in another, his sword already in his hand, its blade biting into the flesh of a massive, black-furred beast.


    Beside him, Alex moved like a storm, power crackling through the air, which shimmered with raw, electric energy. Bursts of green and violet light erupted from his hands as he spun, each movement fluid and deadly. The monsters that surged toward them were grotesque amalgamations—hulking forms with the massive bulk of bears, but supported by unnaturally long, sinewy legs. Their gaping mouths were filled with rows upon rows of jagged teeth, and exposed bone jutted through their fur in sharp, uneven spikes, giving them a nightmarish, skeletal armor.


    Alex struck with wild grace, each blow precise, his eyes blazing with a fierce joy that made him seem almost untouchable. For a fleeting moment amidst the chaos, Jason felt it too—the rush of battle, the shared thrill of fighting side by side with his brother, back to back, just like when they were kids playing at heroes.


    But the creatures kept coming, wave after wave, their grotesque forms shifting and adapting with each surge. They grew larger, their skin hardening into a dark, chitinous armor that deflected Jason’s blows. His breaths came ragged now, each swing of his sword met with mounting resistance. The fortress shuddered violently, its massive legs quivering under the relentless onslaught, cracks forming in the stone as it struggled to hold its ground. The thunderous roar of the beasts and the grating scrape of claws against rock filled the air, drowning out even the pounding of Jason’s heartbeat.


    “Jason!” Alex shouted over the roar of battle, his voice straining to pierce the chaos. “They’re coming here because they can sense you. It’s taking everything I have to dampen your essence, but it’s not enough. They’re like white blood cells, honing in, and more keep finding you. If you don’t leave now, they’ll overwhelm us. There’ll be too many, even for me.”


    Jason gritted his teeth, his heart pounding. “I’m not leaving you! Come with me.”


    Alex smiled, a sad, knowing smile. “This is where I’m needed. For now, at least. There’s so much I wish I could say, so much I’ve wanted to tell you over these years. But you have to trust me.”


    Something cracked deep inside Jason, a pain sharper than any blade he had ever known. His chest tightened, and his voice shook as he yelled, “I won’t leave you! Not again.” The final words fell softer, almost a whisper, meant more for himself than for Alex—a plea born of old scars and unhealed wounds, remnants of beginnings and ends.


    Alex’s smile widened, softening into something genuine and heartfelt. His eyes, fierce with determination but a moment ago, now glistened with a rare vulnerability. “I love you, bro.”


    Alex paused, mid-fight, his hands moving in a fluid motion, drawing symbols in the air. The world behind Jason shimmered, a portal opening, its edges rippling like water. Jason felt the pull, an invisible force wrapping around him, tightening like a vice. It dragged at him, relentless and irresistible, making every muscle strain in protest. It felt like the universe itself was rejecting his very presence. He tried to fight it, to anchor himself, to Soul Step, but it was no use—his body surrendered to the powerful current, drawing him back.


    “No!” he shouted, reaching out, but it was too late. The portal swallowed him, the world spinning, twisting, colors and shapes blurring together until—


    He landed hard, the ground beneath him cold and unforgiving, the impact jolting through his bones. Disoriented, he blinked rapidly, his vision clearing just in time to see his reflection flicker in the towering, ornate mirror before him—its silver frame cracked and ancient, swirling with faint remnants of energy. He had burst through it, tumbling out in a rush of cold wind and shadows that dissipated into the air.


    The mess hall stretched around him, alive with the familiar murmur of voices, the clatter of cutlery, and the warm, rich scent of roasted meat and spiced bread. The portal sealed with a resounding thrum, the shimmering surface of the mirror solidifying back into glass, trapping the battles of the In Between—and his brother—behind it.