Chapter 12 - The Hidden Mirror Shrine
The crack echoed throughout the Mirror Forest.
Crack...
Crack...
Every crystal tree trembled as a pulse of golden light swept across the land.
Students stopped what they were doing.
Some looked toward the forest's centre.
Others ignored it, believing it to be another illusion created by the Mirror Forest.
Only Kai felt something different.
The Book of Infinite Beasts vibrated within his soul.
A single line appeared across its pages.
Destination Confirmed.
Proceed North-East.
---
The little silver fox lifted its head.
"I can feel it..."
Kai nodded.
"So can I."
Following the Book's guidance, the pair left the marked paths and ventured into a region no academy map had ever shown.
The forest grew unnaturally quiet.
No birds sang.
No insects buzzed.
Even the wind seemed unwilling to enter.
After nearly an hour of walking, Kai stopped.
Before him stood a stone archway almost completely hidden beneath vines.
Ancient runes covered its surface.
At its centre rested a broken silver mirror.
The moment Kai stepped closer, the runes began to glow.
A deep voice echoed from nowhere.
"State your purpose."
Kai looked around.
"I seek strength."
The voice replied,
"Strength alone is insufficient."
"What do you seek to protect?"
Kai thought of his parents.
He thought of the tiny fox everyone had mocked.
He thought of Ethan and the countless weak students who had no one to defend them.
"I want the power to protect those who cannot protect themselves."
For several seconds...
Nothing happened.
Then the mirror shone like the rising sun.
The ancient voice spoke once more.
"Answer accepted."
The stone arch slowly opened.
---
Beyond it lay an enormous underground sanctuary.
Hundreds of giant mirrors lined the walls.
Each reflected a different era.
In one mirror, dragons flew across crimson skies.
In another, armies of Beast Tamers battled creatures the size of mountains.
Kai stared in amazement.
"This place..."
"It's ancient."
The fox suddenly became alert.
"Someone's here."
A heavy thud echoed through the shrine.
From the darkness emerged a gigantic stone warrior.
Its body was carved from black granite, with glowing blue crystals embedded in its chest.
It carried a sword taller than Kai.
The Book appeared immediately.
---
Mirror Guardian
Rank: Elite
Age: 3,126 Years
Trial Guardian
Objective: Test the Worthy
---
The stone giant pointed its sword at Kai.
Its hollow voice echoed through the chamber.
"Defeat me."
"Or leave forever."
Kai gripped his spear.
The Crimson Flame Fox stepped beside him.
"No."
Kai shook his head.
"We're not strong enough to overpower it."
The fox looked confused.
"Then what do we do?"
Kai smiled.
"We observe."
The guardian attacked.
Its massive sword crashed into the ground.
BOOM!
Stone shattered.
Kai narrowly rolled aside.
The fox dashed behind the guardian, only for the giant to spin with impossible speed.
The attack barely missed.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"Too fast..."
As the battle continued, he noticed something unusual.
Every time the guardian swung its sword...
The crystal in its chest dimmed for a fraction of a second.
"The core..."
"It's exposed."
Kai remembered something from the academy library.
"Every ancient construct requires a mana core."
He smiled.
"I found it."
The fox understood immediately.
"Create an opening?"
Kai nodded.
"Exactly."
The guardian charged.
Kai sprinted directly toward it.
The watching mirrors reflected dozens of different versions of him.
For an instant, he couldn't tell which enemy was real.
The guardian's sword descended.
At the last possible moment, Kai slid beneath the blade.
"Now!"
The fox burst forward.
Not with brute force...
But with flawless precision.
Its paw ignited in crimson flame.
Flame Claw!
The strike landed directly upon the glowing crystal.
CRACK!
The shrine fell silent.
The guardian froze.
Blue light leaked from the fractured crystal.
After several moments, the enormous construct slowly lowered its sword.
Then...
To Kai's astonishment...
It knelt.
"Trial Complete."
The mirrors surrounding the chamber lit up one after another.
A beam of silver light descended upon Kai.
The Book of Infinite Beasts opened on its own.
---
Mirror Shrine Trial Cleared
Rank: S
Rewards:
- Ancient Beast Skill Fragment ×1
- Mirror Stone ×3
- Authority Level Increased
Special Reward Unlocked
Eye of Insight (Passive)
Allows the user to perceive hidden weaknesses, illusions, and concealed formations for a brief period.
---
Kai felt a cool sensation pass through his eyes.
The world changed.
The mirrors no longer reflected only images.
They revealed faint streams of energy flowing through the shrine.
The guardian, still kneeling, spoke one final time.
"Heir of the Beast Sovereign..."
"The first seal has been broken."
Kai's heart skipped a beat.
"First seal?"
Before the guardian could answer...
The entire shrine shook violently.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
Outside, dozens of students had accidentally discovered the hidden entrance.
Among them...
Lucien Ashcroft.
He stared at the glowing doorway with greedy eyes.
"So that's where you've been hiding, Kai."
A cruel smile spread across his face.
"Looks like your luck ends today."
He stepped into the shrine with more than twenty students at his back.