Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2022 8:35 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

The tapping of tiny little pursuing legs lingered behind them as she made a mad dash down the corridor. Her breath quickened as her legs began to feel heavy. They were running like rats through a maze with every twist and turn in hopes to escape the strange music box monsters. Their salvation was a massive hall with two giant ornate doors. Cloe didn't have much time to admire the architecture as she clutched the door handles. Before she could do anything, Seo-hyang warned her that someone was inside the room blocked off by the doors. Cloe took a moment to calm herself down. Or at least attempted to. She slowed her breathing and thought about their situation as quickly as possible. 

"Lets go through the doors." Cloe finally decided in a quiet voice. 

Whatever laid behind them could be some sort of monster or could be survivors. However, she was also getting tired of running. If they didn't find some place to hide in, those creatures would eventually wear them down. In the back of her mind, in the darkest part of her thoughts there was a part of her that secretly wanted to know what was in that room. She would never admit it out loud in fear of scaring her only companion but a tiny part of her didn't care if they died, as long as she could figure out what was going on with that temple. 

"Ready?" She asked. 

Once she got the sign of approval from Seo-hyang, she reached towards the door and tried to slip into the room. 

Author: Imugi, Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 5:06 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

Her experience with this place told her that was no ordinary object, and it revealed its true nature immediately. On her guard, Seo-hyang was ready to defend as it charged towards them, only for Cloe to send it flying into pieces. However, that wasn't the end of things. Several more of its kind emerged, forcing them to flee. It would appear breaking them would do little good. Nodding in agreement with Cloe, the two turned to escape. Here the winding corridors of the monastery proved useful for once, as they could hear if those crawling mechanical creatures were close. After many twists and turns, their pursuers were still hot on their trail. Seo-hyang began to worry just how long they would be chased. Were those creatures so determined that they wouldn't stop until they were caught? 

Their most recent turn led to a hall that had two great doors on one side. They were ornate, with different carvings than the one that opened into the hall of mirrors. Serpentine dragons adorned the support pillars beside the frame in polished brass. There were the sounds of a struggle coming from within, along with the screeching of the walking music boxes drawing closer. They could either continue running, or take the risk of slipping into the room past the doors in hopes that would throw the creatures off their scent. The former assassin had not forgotten her reason for coming here, and turned to Cloe. "It sounds like someone is inside past these doors. As unpredictable and treacherous these halls are, should we press onward or take a chance?" She asked, motioning towards the door flanked by inlaid brass.

Part of Seo-hyang was hopeful that they could find Perunika, or at least someone who wasn't an illusory body intent on taking their lives. But caution made her doubt the possibility. So far they hadn't found either hide nor hair of the girl aside from the bloodstained hairpin.

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 9:42 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

At the sound of the approaching tinkling of a music box, Cloe agreed to stay close to him. A chill ran down her spine as she spotted a slightly glowing music box, sitting in the middle of the hall. The crank for the music box was still turning but Cloe couldn't figure out how on Revaliir it was able to move. Suddenly, six spider-like legs came out of the box, three on each side. The music began to speed up as the little music box scuttled its way, directly at Cloe and Seo-Hyang. Instead of fleeing, Cloe yanked the lit torch off the wall and ran up towards the music box creature. Although it was creepy with its spider legs and music, it was still small.

*Before I was a barmaid, I was my village's best Hopball player*

SMACK! She gave the nasty little creature a good whack with her torch, setting it on fire and flying across the room. The critter smashed into pieces as it hit one of the walls. With a smile, Cloe turned to Seo-Hyang and walked back over to her. Then her smile faded as she heard multiple musical notes from more music box critters. Spinning around, she saw a small group of them forming near the corpse of the previous music box. Their music turned into screeching melodies as they began dashing towards Cloe and Seo-Hyang.

"Nows a good time to run," Cloe said.

Author: Imugi, Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:46 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

It was a good thing that the torch was usable. There were many strange things about this place, but there was no point dwelling on what they couldn't understand. With a source of steady light for the time being, things were starting to take a better turn…or so Seo-hyang thought. Her acute senses picked up on the faint sound of music coming from not far away. At first she wasn't able to place her finger on what it was, until the sound was clearer. A music box, in this ruined place? How strange for it to start playing once they arrived here. From what their experiences in the hall of mirrors taught her, the former assassin was on her guard. She spoke to Cloe through the link, voicing her concerns.

'Something isn't right. In a place so ruined as this, there shouldn't be that sort of sound. Music boxes don't normally start themselves.' 

If things turned ugly, they would have to run. They didn't have the resources to directly confront everything they encountered if they wanted to find Perunika. Her eyes scanned the area for the nearest passages leading away from the source of the approaching sound. Armed with a dagger, Seo-hyang was limited by their current situation. If she was alone, then she could rely on her urumi to keep whatever was coming at bay, despite being in an enclosed space. But with Cloe here, she couldn't risk injuring her on accident. "Stay close, we might need to run." There were nagging thoughts in her mind, leaving her unsure of which approach to take. If the ran they could leave whatever was coming behind, but on the other hand it might provoke it to chase. Seo-hyang had no intentions on putting herself and Cloe in harm's way. 

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Sun Jan 2, 2022 7:11 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

As they passed through the darkened hall, Cloe couldn't escape a feeling of a irritating helplessness that a child might experience. The constant wandering around while enveloped by darkness worsened that emotion, especially when she stubbed her toe on a wall she accidentally bumped into. Her frustration overwhelmed her fear as she stomped through the wretched hall. They eventually approached wooden walls and light in the distance. There wasn't a doorway leading out of the temple and Seo-hyang explained how the portal was supposed to send them somewhere else.

The idea of something interfering with any magic they used did not settle well with Cloe. She knew little of magic but the idea of something being strong enough to overwhelm a magic user was not great for their survival chances. Pushing that thought out of her head, she focused on the torches. Finally there would be light! She went to each torch and observed it closely. One stuck out further from the wall and seemed to be less secured than the others. 

"I'll need something to pry it but I think we can use it!" She stated.

Seo-hyang handed her a blade and she jammed it in between the metal and the wall. Using her body-weight and a little wriggling, she managed to free the torch from the wall. It dropped to the ground and she quickly picked it up before the flame could go out. Cloe handed the sword back to Seo-hyang when she suddenly heard something in the distance. 

Music?

The tinkling of a music box echoed off the walls and slowly drew closer. 

Author: Imugi, Posted: Sun Jan 2, 2022 5:00 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

The bond was forged, albeit a temporary one. 'With this, we can at least ensure we can speak with each other in case we need to confirm who we are speaking to.' Seo-hyang replied mentally. It wasn't a fool-proof method, but it would help some. Once the link was established, the two advanced through the darkness, the older woman following the flow of air. Light became visible in the distance, revealing similar wooden walls before they discovered the mirrored hall. However, there was no doorway leading back out of the monastery in sight. "I think we've ended up in an entirely different place than what I had intended. When I created the portal, I did so with the intention of allowing us to escape with the outer doors close by." Her spells weren't inaccurate, but that led her to fear that something else was at work here. If she didn't change the location of where the portal would lead, then perhaps an external force made that possible.

Now she had no idea where they were, or which way was the right way to go. They could be delving deeper instead of working their way out, and if their surroundings could change without notice, navigation would be a challenge. Quelling her anxious thoughts, Seo-hyang continued to sense the air. There was no scent of blood, but rather the odor of stale dry air. The smell was denser than what they experienced when they first entered the temple compound, so she deduced this was an more inner portion of the construction. She then turned her attention to the torches flickering on the walls, and had an idea. As they had no light and these appeared here despite being abandoned for centuries, perhaps they would be of use as long as they were inside here?

"Cloe, which one of these torches appears the least secured? Although I have my doubts on whether they are real or not, we do need something should we enter a place without any oil lamps." Her eyesight also was still adjusting from the darkness, with her senses overwhelmed in detecting the sources of heat radiating from the phantasmal torches. At Cloe's behest, Seo-hyang would then take a blade to pry the metal bracket holding the torch from the wall, freeing it for them to take.

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 8:30 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

The idea of a telepathic bond was a little frightening. It was one thing to get healed but to have her mind connected with another? The unknown magic frightened her a bit more than whatever the mirror creatures were. But she couldn't deny the practicality of setting up such a connection, in the event they were separated. And there was something in the back of her mind that made her curious over how that magic would feel. The same curiosity that has her trapped in this temple… After a moment of thinking, she took a step towards Seo-hyang despite her lingering fear. 

"I trust you." Cloe said, "Lets do this telepathic bond." 

Cloe watched as Seo-Hyang set up the bond. She watched as Seo-Hyang worked her magic to form a connection between their minds. Eyes wide with surprise, Cloe began to feel the connect with her new friend. It was a little less scary as the process continued and she began to understand more and more. Perhaps it was their new connection or perhaps it was just through experience. Once it was set up, she decided to test it out. 

Okay. That wasn't too bad.

She wondered if Seo-Hyang got her message she sent in her mind. All she was really doing was thinking one thought over and over again in hopes it would reach her. Once she got a response, she stopped. Maybe she would need a bit more practice before she felt confident about it. 

"Lets keep going." Cloe suggested, "We still need to look for your friends." 

Author: Imugi, Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 12:39 AM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

The silence of the darkness had never felt so welcoming. As the portal quickly closed before the doppelgangers could reach them, Seo-hyang was grateful that they were able to get out at all. Unfortunately, she knew they weren't where she had hoped to be. The former assassin said a prayer in her heart for the next souls who would stumble upon that haunted place. Whatever strange powers that were at work in that grandiose hall went far beyond her expectations. The dilapidated state of the corridors was the true face of this place. Seeing that Cloe didn't refuse to have her wounds looked over, Seo-hyang began by carefully removing the glass shards from her hand. Using her mastery of blood magic, she was able to influence the open cuts to staunch the bleeding. In the darkness her sight was only a bit better than Cloe's, in that she could merely make out shapes and not color. She was able to identify the glass from flesh due to a lack of radiating heat from the fragments. The glass merely absorbed the warmth, having a more evenly distributed temperature.

Invoking a bit of healing magic, she closed up the wounds. It was best to have them be healed completely since they were in a difficult position. Her medical supplies needed to be preserved for emergencies. The cut she had inflicted on herself to open the portal was healed as well. From Cloe's perspective, she would be able to hear a sound from the older woman that acted as confirmation upon the mention of the latter's age. "After a while, I stopped counting." The seasons would turn and change, months passing with the shifting phases of the moon. When one lives for a long time, keeping track of how many years that have gone by becomes less important. The life she has lived up to now is not a regrettable one. She herself knows that. When Cloe asked if the words she had heard from the mirror double were indeed true, Seo-hyang replied honestly. "Only some of them. The rest weren't spoken aloud." But the sentiment was the same.

And to Cloe's remark about the words' cruelty, she simply smiled. Although it was blunt and direct, there was kindness behind it. You didn't need to be human to have a heart too. But not all humans possessed them. As her eyes gradually grew more and more accustomed to the darkness, Cloe admitted with embarrassment that she had lost her torch back in the chaos. "It's alright, we'll have another opportunity to make another. This place is quite run-down, so it won't be difficult to find dry wood and something easy to burn." Not being able to see would make things quite difficult for Cloe, so Seo-hyang considered what she could do to ameliorate the situation. If only she could share her sense of sight with her…

"I have an idea. For the time being, we can share a telepathic bond. This place is impossible to predict, but should we become separated we will still  be able to communicate with each other." The next time she went out, she would have to remember to add a lantern to her belongings.  

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 12:48 AM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

She was right. They didn't have thirty seconds. Possibly less than fifteen. Seo-hyang's fighting abilities were impressive but Cloe doubted that even she could take on these numbers. As they drew closer, her friend cut her own palm and drew blood.

"You're not supposed to do the job for them!" Cloe exclaimed.

Seo-hyang quickly explained her plan and began using some sort of strange magic. A magical portal arose from her blood's essence leading to somewhere else. Cloe didn't need any further encouragement and jumped into the portal, landing out in some corridor on the other side. Turning around, she was able to watch her friend enter after her as the hundreds of mirror copies screeched out in fury at their lost prey as the portal closed. A sigh of relief escaped her lips then she looked around the area, only to realize how dark it was. Her torch! She must have dropped it in the mirror room when they were running. Seo-hyang noticed her injuries and offered to treat her wounds. Looking down at her hands, Cloe could barely see the glass sticking out from her hand from when she punched her double. Giving a small nod that she wasn't even sure her friend could see; she allowed her to take a look at the injuries.

"So… a hundred years, right? That must be one hell of a birthday cake." Cloe said awkwardly trying to start some sort of conversation as Seo-hyang did her work.

There were a lot of words spoken by the doubles back in the mirror hall. She wouldn't pretend she understood any of what the ex-assassin had been through or knew anything beyond the everyday world of common people. But cruelty was not an unfamiliar feeling to anybody. There had been so many who had been denied love or affection for being nothing more than themselves.

"Someone said those horrible things to you?" She asked.

Cloe didn't need to see Seo-hyang's reaction to know the truth. All she could do at that moment was listen. Cruelty wielded as a weapon could make wounds that would take years or even decades to heal from. Judging from her friend's reaction she knew that her friend had spent a long time healing. But like any wound, there was always a chance that it could tear open all over again.

"I suppose that creature back there just proved something." Cloe said, "Only the real monsters say such things."

Her voice held sincerity and empathy for her new friend though she was afraid that it would be taken the wrong way. Cloe knew there wasn't much she could do beyond listening. She was no healer and certainly not wise enough to give out any proper advice. Then her eyes turned to the rest of the corridor only to be met by the dark shadows hiding everything around them.

"I uh… dropped the torch. Back in the other room…. Sorry."

Author: Imugi, Posted: Sat Nov 6, 2021 9:32 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

After destroying the illusion, Seo-hyang flinched when Cloe grabbed her hand and pulled her along. More and more doubles began to emerge from the remaining mirrors, and it was clear that they would soon be surrounded. The door they had passed through to enter the hall wasn't opening, and she quickly assessed that her weapons would do little to force it open in such a short span of time. In response to Cloe's question, she answered: "Regrettably no, but I doubt we'll have thirty seconds even if that was the case." Most of her magic was defensive or designed to cripple enemies in combat–not for handling large numbers of them. However, there was one thing she could try. Stowing her whip away, she withdrew a blade and made a shallow cut on her palm, drawing blood. 

"I can't guarantee that this will work, but I will try to make a portal that will take us outside of the temple." With rapid movements and hand seals, Seo-hyang used her blood's essence to create a magical gateway large enough for them to pass through. "Now, quickly!" She urged, allowing Cloe to go first so she could ensure the approaching doppelgangers wouldn't have a chance to escape with them. Once both of them had gone through, the portal collapsed. Although they had escaped, something must have gone wrong with the gateway. Instead of appearing outside of the temple, they were back in the labyrinth of corridors. There was no sign of the doors that led to the grand hall they had escaped moments ago or the doors leading out.

Pressing down on her wound, Seo-hyang sighed in disappointment as she healed it. "It appears this place isn't as simple as we initially expected." They had gotten a taste of the dangers of this place, and she suspected things would only grow more difficult as time went on. The scent of blood caught her attention as she noticed Cloe's injuries. "Are you alright? I have some medical knowledge, please allow me to treat your wounds. Things like these are best to be taken care of sooner than later." With this rare moment of respite, they should make the most of it while they could.  

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Sat Nov 6, 2021 7:51 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

Cloe slammed her fist in her double's face only to feel shards of glass embed itself into her hand as her double's face cracked. Behind her, she could hear Seo-hyang's double poke and prod at clear sore stops and pull at the mysterious woman's past. Some of the things spoken between the two took root in Cloe's mind but now she had to focus on her double before it got any ideas. Unlike her friend, she lacked any weapons to use against the double. Instead of attacking, the mirror Cloe threw out more taunts. 

"And what about your sister? Won't she be so disappointed-" The mirror Cloe began. 

The mirror Seo-hyang was smashed to pieces by Seo-hyang. Why weren't they fighting back? 

"Why?" Cloe asked. 

"Why? Your sister-"

"Not my sister you idiot! Why didn't you attack me? Both you and mirror Seo-hyang had the chance…" Cloe's eyes widened in realization as she looked at all the other mirrors. 

There were hundreds of mirrors decorating this long hall and quite a few of them were pointed in their direction. Cloe took a few steps closer to Seo-hyang as she faced her own double with her cat-like grin. The mirror double frowned but made no move to get closer. She opened her mouth to shout out more taunts but Cloe grabbed Seo-hyang's hand. 

"You're stalling. These mirrors, they don't just copy our appearances. You need them to copy our personalities and histories too. But that takes time." Cloe stated. 

"So the girl does have brains after all." Cloe's double snarked. 

"Yeah and guess what? I have legs too." Cloe said with a smirk, "RUN!"

With that, she pulled Seo-hyang with her down the hall. As they ran, copies of themselves stepped out of the mirrors they ran past. One, two, three? Twelve. At least twelve copies and twelve mirrors that they had been standing in front of while they had argued with their reflections. The mirrored hallway seemed to be longer and longer as they ran but eventually they made it to the giant doors that led to some other part of the temple. Cloe grasped at the handle and tried to yank the door open but the ancient wooden doors refused to budge. She also pushed for good measure but it refused to budge. 

"Don't suppose you have a lock pick that can open a door in thirty seconds?" Cloe asked. 

Behind them were the twelve mirror copies. Six of Cloe and six of Seo-hyang. Yet the creatures weren't attacking immediately. Instead, they were standing in front of the mirrors closest to them. The copies reached up toward the mirrors and pulled out new copies of Seo-hyang and Cloe. Her eyes widened with fear when they all turned in unison towards them and their locked door. They didn't need the originals to make copies anymore. 

Author: Imugi, Posted: Sat Nov 6, 2021 1:24 AM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

"You've always been a burden to those around you. Isn't that why you try so hard?" Her mirror image then stepped out from the reflected surface, heels making contact with the pearly stone floor. "Do you really think you can save Perunika?" While Cloe's doppelganger openly mocked whom she reflected, Seo-hyang's took a more subtle, slower approach. Seo-hyang held her breath as her fingers closed around the handle of a weapon hidden in her clothing. Now on guard, she and her mirror image circled each other. As she kept silent, the mirage wearing her appearance continued. "Did you forget how troublesome it was for your father to raise you–a 'child' without legs or arms, who could only crawl on her belly?" The former assassin's hand shook as the memories started to resurface. 

"A daughter who couldn't even be married, let alone perform her filial duty. A daughter who wouldn't be able to bear a child who could inherit the family name." The illusion's words cut deep, reopening old wounds Seo-hyang thought had healed. "Because of you, Seo-hui couldn't get married." A cold sneer spread across the face of her double. 

"If you hadn't been born, perhaps your mother wouldn't have died." A dull pain throbbed in her chest at those words and a lump formed in her throat.

"You ruined your family. Everyone gave up everything for you, yet in the end only you remain. Though perhaps that shouldn't be a surprise, for a monster like you–" The loud crack of a whip echoed through the hall followed by the sound of splintering glass. Having heard enough, Seo-hyang lashed at the mirror her reflection had emerged from, then hurled a Veille Mbanja at the one with Cloe's reflection. As a spiderweb of cracks spread through the mirror's surface, a similar effect appeared on the body of her doppelganger. Instead of shock or surprise, the impostor merely paused before smirking as black reptilian scales began to form on its skin.

"It's been more than a hundred years since I heard those exact words." The former assassin spoke up at last, her voice calm. The pain in her heart was still there, but when she heard the mirror double's last words she realized where they had come from. Those were the same words her father had said when she was a child in his fits of rage. "Although I never had the chance to meet my mother, I know she loved me. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be alive today." Brandishing her sanguine whip, she sent a curving strike at the impostor's face. "Fate is like a river, unbridled and flowing. Although its currents are often turbulent, at times it is calm. And just like the floods in late summer, fate gives and fate takes away."

A shrill scream rang out as the whip lashed the mirror double's face, shattering it into a pile of broken shards. "Who are you to lecture me on past history? What right do you have to say a thing about me?" Having taken damage, Seo-hyang's reflection cried out in a frenzied voice, her tone rising higher and higher. "You've always been like this! Always ashamed, always hiding! Do you think you're no longer afraid because you look like a human?! If they saw you for what you really are, they'd run–just like the second son of the Jang family!" Her whip cracked again, this time smashing the impostor's entire body to pieces. 

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Fri Nov 5, 2021 2:46 AM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

Despite the rest of the temple's decrepit appearance, the doors were as new as a fresh daisy in spring. The elegant designs and complex drawings mixed with rich wood that she would have spent hundreds of coins just over the one part of the room drew her in. She never was one for treasure or sparkling jewels however getting this close to something that was far more luxurious than anything she had ever seen before had captivated her mind on some level. And her sass.

"The owner must have been compensating for something." Cloe insisted.

The light of her torch reflected everywhere, lighting up the room a little bit more than before. The sight of all the mirrors sent a shiver down her spine as she remembered her first encounter with the first one. Cloe followed Seo-Hyang close behind, holding out her torch like it was a protective shield. From the corner of her eye, she thought she saw one of her reflections move in the opposite direction. Choosing to ignore it, she stared at the path in front of her and marched forwards. They needed to find answers and to find those girls. Her confidence shriveled up when Seo-Hyang's voice echoed through the room. Cloe glanced at Seo-Hyang but could see she was not the one who spoke.

"Look who it is! Clever little Cloe." A sinister voice spoke.

That voice… she spun around to see her own reflection looking down upon her. The same dark hair and glittering eyes but her expression was cold with a spidery smile. Cloe gripped her torch tighter as she held it up as if it would help against the mirror versions.

"They can't do anything as long as we don't go near them." Cloe declared.

Whether or not that was actually true was debatable but it was the best guess as to why neither of them had attacked yet. She suspected they couldn't leave the mirror fully, which meant as long as they were out of arms reach, they would be fine. The Cloe of the mirror smiled widely as she hopped from mirror to mirror. A cackle followed her behind as she landed in the mirror closest to Cloe.

"Oh, little Cloe. Always sounding so confident. Even when you have no idea what's going on." The reflection spoke, "…. Or maybe you just want to appear confident, now that you have somebody who can watch."

"Ah intimidated by my behavior is it?" Cloe retorted trying to regain control of the situation.

The mirror reflection only gave out a cruel little laugh.

"Clever little Cloe. That's always what you're trying to be, isn't it? There's always some mystery to be solved, some information to chase, something that needs answers. That's why you followed your friend here. It has nothing to do with saving anybody at all. You just want to feed your own curiosity and look clever in front of an audience." The reflection spat, "Well we are all watching now."

"I care about those girls!"

"You may care about them but not as much as you ought to. But that's how you've always been, isn't it? Always trying to impress somebody? Look at me! Look at how clever I am! That's why you left home. You needed to feel clever. It had nothing to do with helping your parents or sending money to your family. You just wanted to be the clever girl who made it in the city. The girl who traveled and saw all the world." Each word was a knife against her mind, "And now you'll never see them again. You just couldn't be clever enough to get back."

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" Cloe yelled.

Her hands curled up into fists as she rushed towards the mirror with her left fist raised to punch at the irritating visage.

Author: Imugi, Posted: Fri Nov 5, 2021 1:25 AM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

In the darkness, she sensed Cloe's movement as the temperature radiating from her body caused a slight shift in the air. Returning outside, Seo-hyang felt much more comfortable out of the monastery. The air was warmer outside than within. Due to what she was, Seo-hyang never needed to bring a light source when it was dark. She could navigate a dark room just as well as one that was well-lit, however that was as far as her senses went in surpassing that of a human's. Color and writing would be indistinguishable regardless. As she watched Cloe create a makeshift torch, the younger woman did her best to put what she had witnessed into words. Simply put, Cloe wasn't sure if she had seen anything or if it was a trick of the light. There was no doubt that she had been forcibly dragged here through some sort of method, yet aside from that her memory was blurred.

Connecting what Cloe had experienced with what she had seen firsthand, Seo-hyang guessed that aside from sorcery it might have been the shock from how suddenly it happened. The kidnapping happened without warning, catching the victim completely off-guard. By the time they were trying to grasp what was going on they were already fighting for their lives. Cloe ignited her torch with success and smirked, to which the former assassin returned with a small smile of her own. Armed with a light, they returned to temple once more. Once inside, they saw the corridor lead straight ahead to a set of visible doors. Unlike the decrepit state of the monastery, these doors were pristine. Crafted from exquisite hardwood, their vibrant color and finish led them into a grand, ornate hall.The high ceilings accentuated the space, making it feel more vast than it appeared. Rich mahogany and rosewood were above gilded marble pillars covered in decorate carvings. Lifelike shapes of mythical creatures, birds, and abundant flora gave the pillars an imperial opulence. The floor was composed of seamless polished stone with the luster and color of mother-of-pearl. In contrast to the dimness of the corridor outside, the grandeur of this place hadn't faded in the slightest. From what Seo-hyang could gather, the arrangement of this place resembled an assembly hall. It was designed to accommodate a large number of people despite there being no signs of seating. The atmosphere was less somber than the other areas of the temple, yet there was a strange feeling lingering in the air. It grew stronger the longer one stayed.

Seo-hyang walked carefully into the Hall of Reflection, her dark eyes scanning the walls and floors for concealed traps. The smooth stone reflected her dark robes in its surface, the clarity of the image surprisingly crisp. Moving along the edge of the hall, the former assassin caught herself glancing at her own reflection in the glossy finish of the walls. Remembering what had happened to Cloe, she quickly turned away, striding towards the center. It would be safer to be away from any reflective surfaces. 

"Leaving so soon?" A familiar voice stopped her in her tracks. It was only then that Seo-hyang realized why she had froze–the voice sounded exactly like her own. Standing a few paces away from her, there was another Seo-hyang, dressed in the same clothing and smiling back. Her hand instinctively moved for a concealed weapon.  

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 8:25 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

Unfortunately for her, everything was dark and difficult to see. There were few windows and the light of the moon barely made anything visible. Although she couldn't see Seo-hyang she could feel that she was there with her. The fact that she wasn't alone and there was somebody else with her made her feel slightly less anxious. They couldn't go any further unless they had some sort of light source. Seo-hyang had the same idea.

"Ah yes, a lamp! I'll be sure to pack that next time I'm getting kidnapped." Cloe spoke with a sarcastic edge.

She motioned for Seo-hyang to follow her back outside, though whether or not she could see it was unknown to her. Outside there was much more light and a few fallen branches with some rocks. Cloe first found a relatively decent branch and two dry rocks. This was good for starting a fire but they would need a proper torch. Reaching down towards the end of her long skirt, she ripped off the end of the fabric. Wrapping the fabric around the top of the stick, she then took out a flask from one of her pockets. It was a tiny flask meant for a midnight drink when she couldn't sleep. She poured the rest of the alcohol onto the fabric end, silently cursing the temple and its stupid lack of light. As she was doing this, Seo-hyang asked what she had seen.

"I don't know." Cloe answered honestly, "It could have been a face. It could have been the light. Or my brain was playing tricks on me."

There was a pause in her work as she started processing how she was feeling about all of this for the first time.

"My memory over being dragged here is strange. It happened moments ago but I can't remember anything. I know something dragged me in and I know what happened but if you asked me any details, I draw nothing but blanks. Like it was all a dream that I just woke up from but can't quite remember." Cloe explained, "What if whoever dragged me in did something else to me?"

The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She returned back to her work and used the two rocks to create one spark onto the torch. Soon, with enough sparks, she was able to set the end on fire and make a torch. Picking up the other end of it, she looked to Seo-hyang with a cat-like smirk.

"Farmhand knowledge." She said, "Now let's get to the bottom of this."

Author: Imugi, Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 7:04 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

Once she was closer, Seo-hyang realized this girl didn't seem like who she was looking for. Though their features might share some similarity, this woman wasn't from the House of Flowers. Her heart sank. "My name is Seo-hyang, I must have mistook you for someone else. A good friend of mine asked me to help find some girls who went missing recently and gave me a list along with their appearances." It would seem she wasn't the only person here who had come, willing or not. When the woman mentioned how she had been dragged through a mirror then found herself here, a slight chill came over the lady clad in black. On one hand she was relieved; that would mean Perunika had been taken here. But then came the fear. A malevolent force was kidnapping people through mirrors, forcing them into this place for unknown reasons. Something like this was powerful enough to spread its influence across continents and overpower trained assassins.

Cloe began searching on the ground, and Seo-hyang was about to inquire what she was looking for until she held up a glittering hairpin. At the faint scent of blood, her eyes widened. The poor girl must have tried to use it as a weapon before she was overpowered. If Perunika had been successful, then blood would have been on the tip of the pin instead of the wing. Carefully putting the pin away, she gave a quick glance around for any more pieces of evidence before following Cloe. The blood on this pin wasn't much, but the former assassin could make use of it if need be. The doors of the decrepit monastery opened, greeting them with dust and stale air. It was stifling, like no one had lived here for ages. The inside was dim and there were faint outlines of the walls with doorways leading in. 

"Do you have a lamp? My eyes are used to the dark, but I'm afraid I don't have a source of light with me at the moment." As a serpent, Seo-hyang had her ways of finding her way through the dark, but others would be at a disadvantage. The currents of air flowing past them were cold and sluggish, with Cloe being the closest source of heat and warmth. A lingering question hung in the back of her mind as she recalled Cloe's odd behavior when asking who she was. "Cloe, what was it that you saw earlier?" Whatever it was, it seemed to be weighing on the young woman's mind. As they entered the abandoned temple's inner corridors, the sound of their footsteps echoed loudly in the silence. And when they were out of sight of the temple doors, the hallway behind them changed.

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 4:44 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

The sound of her own heartbeat drummed in her ears and she could hear the sound of her own breathing. There was no sign of birds, squirrels, or any animals. Not even a bug or a frog showed up. This would be the only time she would even accept a spider yet there was nothing. The stillness of the area made her uneasy. Then she looked to her left and spotted the foreboding temple. Its empty windows and cold stone made it seem like whatever life it held had been drained out of it years ago if it held any at all. But when she looked closer at one of the windows, she thought she saw something. A familiar face, though she was too far to see it clearly. Was it even there? Suddenly a voice called out to her and she spun around to see a woman in the distance. The stranger was calling for a Perunika. Cloe's face turned pale as the stranger approached. Was she a ghost? Before Cloe never really believed in spirits or apparitions but after the ship and today, she no longer knew what to believe. In a weary attempt to take control of the situation, she took a step forward and spoke to the stranger.

"My name isn't Perunika." She stated, trying to hide the fear in her voice, "Who are you?"

As the stranger drew closer, Cloe realized that she wasn't a ghost or anything like that. She certainly wasn't what she had seen in the mirror or in the window of the temple. Remembering that incident, she looked back to the darkened window only to see whatever had been there was gone. Perhaps she had been imagining it? Maybe all of this was some strange dream? She had gone to sleep right away. Yet the bruise on her back from the fall told her that this was all real.

"Oh? Sorry. Thought I saw…" Cloe started but realized that she couldn't quite describe what she saw, "Name's Cloe. Why are you here?"

There were no nice or pleasant words she could come up with that would be better to ask. She didn't mean to sound hostile but she needed to know if the woman had come through a mirror. Or if the woman lived in this place… The story about the girls going missing was all too familiar and Cloe turned and rushed back to the exact spot she landed earlier to look around for clues. There should be something! A sign or a handprint or anything else to show that these girls were here at some point.

"That happened to me. The mirror thing. I was dragged in and landed here." She explained as she got on her hands and knees to search.

From the corner of her eye, she could see something sparkle in the tall grass. Plucking it from the grass, she hopped back up and showed it to Seo-hyang. The item she was holding was a purple butterfly pin meant for hair decoration. On the tip of the left wing was a splotch of blood, too small to be noticed unless by observant eyes. For Cloe, this was all the proof she needed to know that the other girls were here at some point. Her eyes turned towards the temple. There was no other place they could be. She handed the pin to Seo-hyang and marched towards the temple door, her curiosity and determination overcoming her wild fear.

"We need to get answers." She simply stated, "And I doubt we'll get it sitting out here."

Cloe reached towards the door and began pulling it, only to realize it was a push door. A little embarrassed, she shoved the door open and stepped into the long hallway before her. It was only now, surrounded by cracked stone and an eerie sense of being watched, that her fear finally returned.

Author: Imugi, Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2021 1:10 AM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

Strange things had been happening to her sisters following the solar eclipse. When Madari sent her a message, it seemed sudden. Normally the women of the House of Flowers didn't contact each other so directly, especially since she had left that life behind. Her decision to retire from her life as an assassin was respected. Upon reading the letter, Seo-hyang realized the urgency. There were girls who went missing across the House of Flowers' network. At first they thought it was retaliation from another organization, after all assassins made many enemies in their line of work. However when they failed to find the usual traces, this became an emergency. The elf wanted to confirm if her old friend had been affected, and asked her to let her know if she knew of any others who went missing. After writing a reply in code, she sent the courier animal with her response. It was impossible for a trained assassin to be kidnapped while within the safety of their sisters.

From Madari's reports, one girl named Perunika went missing in the middle of the day. The other girls she lived with said she had gone to her room to freshen up before performing for a client when she disappeared. When she didn't come out and there was only five minutes before the appointment, they went into her room to find her cosmetics laid out and her hand mirror lying on the floor. There was no sign of her. They quickly switched in another performer, but their investigations came up empty. Perunika had vanished into thin air. More messages from Madari came in the subsequent days with similar circumstances and disappearances. At this point they weren't sure what was going on. Other people had gone missing, so it wasn't specifically targeting the House of Flowers. It was both a relief and a concern.

Her latest correspondence with Madari said that she would be coming to meet her in person, and Seo-hyang was preparing to brew some tea in the hostel she was staying at in Sularia. She had gotten to know the other residents in the past months. The women of Arri were lively and strong, and it was unique to see a kingdom where women were more visible than men. As she set the teapot to boil, Seo-hyang heard a shriek coming from upstairs. Sensing something was off, she ran upstairs to see a young Rosenite woman clawing at the ground with her fingers as a pair of hands were dragging at her legs from a full-length mirror hanging from the wall. Grabbing the nearest object that could act as a weapon, Seo-hyang swung down on the hands, beating at them until they let the girl go. Prying off the ghastly fingers that were clutching at the girl's ankles, she then dragged the girl back out of their reach before hurling a nearby crystal salt lamp at the mirror. Glass shattered upon contact, and the horrible grasping hands vanished.

Gasping for breath, she turned to the girl to see if she was alright. "I'm sorry for throwing your lamp. Are you alright?" Dazed, the Rosenite nodded, her face pale and her legs weak from fear. Once both of them had calmed down, she asked: "What happened?" In short, the girl had been trying on some new clothes when her reflection suddenly gave a sinister grin. It reached out and tried to pull her inside, causing her to scream as she fought back. If she had been alone in the house, she would've been dragged away–never to be seen again. It truly was frightening. Now that she knew what was going on, she joined a boat bound for Tyr. Rumors said that a strange phenomenon had appeared in that faraway place following the eclipse, matching with the start of the disappearances. 

Bravely she and a group of others entered into what she believed to be the source of these ghostly kidnappings. The moment she was on the other side, she covered her nose and mouth as she coughed. The air reeked of death, stale and so stagnant that it made one sick. Clad in black and armed with her weapons, the dark-haired woman with a wide-brimmed head covering made her way up the winding steps. An ominous black sun hung overhead, the sky red as blood. This place was ancient and falling apart, yet she felt as if insects were crawling all over her back. Regulating her breathing, Seo-hyang moved with caution as her group dispersed into smaller groups throughout the ruins. With silent steps, she walked around, making note of potential hidden traps or mechanisms left behind by the ancients. As this was once a stronghold, surely there would be defenses built in.

Spotting someone she didn't see on the boat, Seo-hyang approached with quick steps to see who it was. Perhaps it would be one of the missing girls from the House of Flowers. "Perunika? Is that you?" She called out. From Madari's description, she was a girl from the Highlands who had been caught by slave traders while traveling with her family. Fair skin and dark hair were all she could recognize from this distance.

Author: Cloe Locke, Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 7:40 PM, Post Subject: Through the Looking Glass [O][R?][Event]

It had been a week or more since she had survived the sinking ship in Itjivut and she was finally almost home. They had stayed in Itjivut until a new ship heading towards Adeluna was available. While she was in Itjivut, a complete eclipse had covered the sky. At first she was terrified, worried that another disaster would keep her from returning home or throw her into danger. But after a couple of days passed she realized that the moons had nothing to do with her. It was an odd event but she heard rumors that it was being taken care of by adventurers traveling to Parvpora to the terrifying city of Tyr. Legends told that it once was a city of life and magic but something happened to destroy it. There were also tales of Krampus who took naughty children away but she suspected that was a nursery story to keep children behaving.

Before she left Itjivut, she had gone shopping and found this gorgeous mirror that had been acquired by some traveling adventurers. The hand mirror was octagonal with circles carved on the metal backside. On each side of the octagon was a symbol. There was a cloud, a lilypad, fire, a lightning bolt, wind, ocean waves, a mountain, and a tree. The metal was old and yet the glass was as clear as the sky. She could see every detail in her reflection and the handle itself was covered in beautiful vines. She planned on keeping it as a souvenir from her trip. Despite the sinking ship, Cloe's stay at Itjivut was pleasant and allowed her to learn about different cultures and societies.

Cloe boarded the ship in the evening, packing what little she had left, and left for Adeluna. The ship was kind enough to let her have a room of her own and she decided to settle for the night. Being on a ship only a week or two after what happened with the first ship still unnerved her but it was the only way home. The sky above was an eclipse still so it was difficult to tell what time of day it was. Yet it was dark enough for a nap so she plopped her bag down and flopped on the tiny cot. Eventually, she fell asleep.

Something creaked in the room. Her eyes shot open as she looked around her darkened room. The shadows were still and she could feel her heart beating. She reached for the candlestick to bring light instead of touching a waxy candle, she felt a smooth glass. The only thing on the barrel she used as an end table was her mirror. All of her senses screamed at her to go back to sleep and to let it be. Ignore it.

Why? Why was it there?

The burning questions inside her mind had to be answered. She picked up the mirror and looked it over. Nothing about it had changed. Cloe then looked into the mirror, seeing only her reflection staring back at her. Then… it smiled. Cloe wasn't smiling. She dropped the hand mirror onto the bed in surprise at what she had seen. Suddenly the mirror stretched and grew larger and larger. Cloe fled her cot and rushed towards the corner of the room. She could run. It was smart to run. Why did her reflection smile at her? There were so many questions running through her mind as she stepped towards the mirror again, reaching out to touch the glass. The mirror was the size of a full mirror that one might find in a noble's bedroom.

Her hand reached through the mirror and it rippled like how still water ripples when something disturbs it. Then she felt someone pulling on her arm, dragging her further in. Finally, her natural instincts took over and a scream escaped her throat as she desperately tried to escape. But it was too late. Whoever was on the other side of the mirror was far stronger than she. There was a knock on her door but she was pulled into the mirror before she could respond.

Falling.

How long had she been falling?

Her mind was in shambles as she watched the strange reflections around her helplessly unable to understand where she was. Then she hit the ground with a thunk. Her arms, chest, and legs all felt the painful impact. Raising her head up, she saw the strange valley that she had been transported to. Dirt and grass surrounded her as did old trees and strange statues.

"Where the hell am I?" Cloe wondered out loud.

Her senses had returned to her and she clambered to her feet. Ahead of her was a gate and an old temple with a bell tower. This place wasn't the ship, Itjivut, and certainly not the docks of Adeluna. Beyond the outskirts was a deadland. Only the outskirts of the temple had any drops of life. That mirror… it had transported her to a new place.