Damon stood there frozen for a moment. His eyes widened, but he did not understand what had been taken from him.

He still looked whole. But something had been pulled out of him and handed to his reflection.

Damon did not waste another moment. He shot forward, feet digging against the mirrored ground, sword drawn in an instant.

He swung downward with a frozen crescent arc. The impact smashed against the reflective world behind the reflection, sending cracks rippling outward like veins of ice.

His eyes widened again. His reflection had not even touched the blade. It simply stood there, watching him, unbothered.

Damon glanced at his hands. His fingers trembled slightly from the force of the strike. Then he frowned.

"It's not real," his thoughts screamed through the world, the sound ripping the silence apart.

The reflection smiled softly at him.

"Always resorting to violence. You cannot settle anything without hurting, cheating or killing someone. Father would be so disappointed in you."

Damon crossed his arms, planting his feet firmly. He watched the reflection with cold calculation. He spoke aloud because that was the rule in this world.

"I see. You have your heart on the correct side unlike me. And more importantly you follow the rules of this world. You cannot tell lies. Is that correct."

The reflection smiled the same devious smile Damon would have worn against someone he planned to break.

"That is correct. Unlike you I do not lie."

Damon scoffed. His gaze sharpened as he looked up and down his reflection.

"Then you've already failed to be an honest reflection."

He smiled at it coldly.

"Cut the bullshit. You cannot lie and you do not need to. Because truth cuts deeper than any lie."

The reflection brushed a hand along its cheek lightly, almost tender.

"You know that now so what."

Damon glanced at the reflective surfaces. But none of them showed him. Not even a shadow. It was as if he was not standing in front of a mirror at all. His stomach tightened.

Still, there was something he needed to ask.

"Are you the mirror seraph?"

The reflection shook its head.

"I am not."

Damon narrowed his eyes.

"Then who are you?"

"I am Damon Grey," the reflection replied.

Damon paused. That should have been a lie. But was it. Was it Damon Grey or was he Damon Grey?

Who had the right to decide the name. The identity.

The reflection looked like Damon Grey. It spoke like Damon Grey. Was that not enough to convince the world that it indeed was Damon Grey.

By contrast Damon looked different. He sounded different. He felt different. Was he Damon Grey.

He shook his head hard, pushing the doubts away as they echoed against the mirrored walls.

"Are you scared," the reflection asked.

Damon gritted his teeth with a low snarl.

"Of course not. I am not scared."

Lying was a habit and Damon was good at it. This was second nature.

Without waiting for another word he walked away. A cold unease spread in his chest like creeping frost.

Slowly the reflection walked beside him. Its footsteps adjusted to match Damon's rhythm exactly. Each step echoed with a subtle delay, as if the world was deciding which one of them was real.

As if telling Damon I am real and you are not.

As they walked Damon watched the surface of the mirrors. There were faint movements within them. Fluttering wings. A silhouette watching from far away, obscured by drifting mist.

His reflection was not quiet. Questions burst out around them like drops of ink in water. Damon could not ignore any of them. Every attempt to empty his mind failed. The world forced him to think. Forced him to remember.

After several minutes walking through the mirrored corridors Damon's head grew heavy. His heartbeat dragged like lead. His chest felt tighter than before.

They reached a clear opening. Far away he saw something rising from the fog. A glass cathedral that shimmered like frozen starlight.

"It is quite interesting, don't you think?" the reflection said calmly.

"I always imagined how you would tell her. Do you intend to let her find out on her own? Let us be real for a moment. We both know you are not going to tell her."

Damon bit his lip. His eyes lowered. His breath came out shaky as he walked toward the distant cathedral.

"I killed your father Iris. It was me, Damon Grey, your teacher who taught you magic and combat. The same person who fueled your desire for vengeance."

His glare snapped toward the reflection.

"I did not fuel her desire for revenge. I just gave her a reason to live on. I…"

The reflection sneered mockingly.

"You cannot even finish your words. Let us admit it. She would not need any of that if you did not kill her father. Now now me. Do not act like you are absolved."

Damon's eyes flickered. His knuckles tightened around the hilt of his sword. He stepped back instinctively.

The reflection stepped forward, closing the space.

"Do not forget that. Because I will never let you forget it."

Its form pulsed with a stronger presence. Its voice carried more weight. More solidity.

Damon felt it pressing against him.

"How do you do it anyway. Look at her every day with that lying face. Smile like everything is fine. Is that why you leave teaching her to Lilith Astranova. As if she is the one who owes the debt. Ah blood debt. I love blood debts."

Damon's teeth clamped together. His jaw ached. His thoughts shook the air.

'Shut up.'

His voice echoed like thunder. The mirrors quivered.

"Why? Because you are a coward. Think about it. You did not need to kill her father. If you had the spine to do what needed to be done and kill Marcus and his gang and eat those wretches then Iris would still eat dinner with her father."

The reflection leaned closer to him. Its breath felt cold against Damon's skin.

"I do not want to eat people. That is what you said. Well guess what you damned cannibal. You already did. And you loved it. Deep down you know you did."

The reflection reached out and touched Damon's shoulder. Its hand was warm, solid and very much alive.

"Why don't we go tell Luna what we have been doing. All of it. Will she still accept you as her brother? Or will she only see a monster walking the path toward demonization."

He leaned in closer. His voice slid into Damon's ear.

"She hates demons. Like you."

"This is who you are."

Glass shattered all around them. Damon's heart clenched.

He had failed the second rule.

It shows you who you are.

And his reflection grew stronger.

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