Viktoria

The mirror showed a reflection that wasn’t my own. I cocked my head to the left and leaned in. The draw of her presence was undeniable. The urge to reach in and grab her had taken over me. Her long straight blonde hair flowed effortlessly, her eyes as innocent and blue as the ocean, but a face so sad.

Instinctively I placed my hand on the mirror. The woman's sad face twisted into an evil grin. I gasped and tumbled backward as the mirror began to seep black shadows. The shadows had covered my hand; I shook it furiously as panic flooded through me.

“What is this?” I cried as the shadows flung off and clung to the red-painted walls of my room. The shadows made a splattering sound causing me to gag.

She was knocking on the mirror, beckoning me towards her. I couldn’t resist, my body stood, and each step I took pulled me to her. My mind said to run, but my legs felt cemented.

“What are you!” My voice was laced with fear.

Her face still twisted, eyes black as night, she chuckled so sinisterly my skin crawled.

“I’m Viktoria. You’ve awakened him, and there’s nothing you can do.”

Loud footsteps sounded from behind her. Viktoria suddenly tensed.

“Who is he?” I tried to look behind her, but I saw nothing but a burnt city and ashes falling from the sky.

“The one who walks the night. He”ll consume your whole world and leave you all night walkers.” Viktoria turned and ran.

The town in the mirror was broken. Brick buildings have toppled over. The sky was a deep crimson red and smoke filled. No trees or living plants in sight. The ground was dry dirt. Not even a weed. You could hear the low cries of people that you couldn’t see. Sadness pulled at my heart.

“Are you ready, Night Walker?” A deep voice rumbled through the mirror. The power of that question made me jolt.

A huge man stood in front of me. Shadows coiled off of him, and the tendrils flickered out toward me.

My mouth went dry and nothing came out. All I could do was shake my head no. Disbelief had overcome me. Was this real?

The man lifted the palm of his hand at me, mumbling something under his breath. His palm held a symbol I couldn’t make out.

My forehead began to burn. I cried out in pain. Suddenly it stopped. I looked in the mirror. The mark of death appeared burnt into my flesh.

I gasped in horror. Before I could respond to the man and figure out what he wanted, he disappeared.

“No, no, no! Take it away.” I cried out as my legs buckled beneath me.

Shadows coiled and flared around the mirror. My room and red walls were nothing but black . Their world and mine would soon be one.

I didn’t know what to do. I placed my face in my hands and began to weep.

What did I do? How am I going to fix this? Maybe Viktoria could tell me?

“Viktoria! Are you there?”

I waited impatiently for her to repsonde, but I received nothing.

“Please help me.” I sobbed.

The mirror hummed in response. It showed me a world of happiness and a small family. It showed me Viktoria and this exact mirror—a reflection of a face that wasn’t of her but another woman. Viktoria reached for her, and she was marked with the same symbol. The mirror had given her a prophecy, but Viktoria didn’t fulfill it. Slowly her world crumbled around her, and their world became one. Her mark faded as she was now the woman in the mirror. She paced as she slowly waited on the next person. The next night walker.

I didn’t know what to make of this. I stared for a long time in confusion. The emotions of hurt and anger filled me. I close my eyes and shook my head.

Why me?

“Please take it back!” I screamed out once more.

The mirror fell silent, then these words sprawled across it:

“Once the world becomes shrouded in shadows, two worlds will become one.

It shall be on the day that darkness will rise that all hope is gone.

Once the dead rise, you shall take him on.”

“What does that even mean?” I stood abruptly, wiping the tears from my eyes.

The city in the mirror faded, but the shadows continued to take over my house.

“No! This is not how it ends!” I yelled out, “You will not win.”