Lost in the Mirror World

// She knows they are right behind her. She knows that they will catch her--eventually. Yet, she doesn't stop running. If she stopped, they would catch her and it would be all over. Her legs burn, as do her lungs. Tears blur her vision and she doesn't see the branch in time. She trips, falls, and cries as she slams into the ground; she tastes warm blood in her mouth and her tongue throbs. A chill runs down her spine as she feels something cold and slimey grab her ankle...// Leilani wakes screaming and sits up, blinking sleep from her eyes rapidly. She ceases screaming, taking a few minutes to catch her breath. And slow her heartbeat. Her straight, shoulder-length hair is white as freshly fallen snow; woven into her hair is a turquoise flower with hues of yellow shimmering within. Her eyes are red as freshly spilled blood and the sclera is black instead of white. Her skin is pale--moreso currently--and her body is thin and small. On her forehead is a small spiral horn the color of dawn that shines with a gentle light and around the horn is a purple seven-pointed star mark. The trembling child glances around fearully. Her room is large and resembles a magical land more than an actual bedroom: a beautiful green meadow populated by a herd of unicorns with snow-white fur and golden horns upon their brows and every type of butterfly imaginable is painted on the walls, along with a beautiful blue sky with white fluffy clouds and a golden sun set off to the right; the floor is painted green with many different colored circles to resemble flowers (it feels like one is actually walking through the meadow); the only window in Leilani's room is arched and the silk curtain is a light blue until it reaches the end, where it's white--the curtain is meant to resemble a waterfall; there is a small wooden desk in one corner of the room with a matching chair, where a diary and many of the child's drawings can be found scattered on top of the desk; a bookcase sits across from the desk and is filled with many books; there is a chest at the foot of her bed filled with well-loved toys; her blanket is a mixture of different bright colors with butterflies frolicking about; and on her bed (which is in the center of the room) lined up along the headboard are all of Leilani's stuffed animals. There is a blue dragon named Azure, a black and white panda named Bamboo, a white lamb named Baa-Baa, an orange fox named Trot, a gray bunny named Carrot, and a white unicorn named Silver. Silver the Unicorn is Leilani's favorite stuffed animal and the one she grabs and hugs for comfort. There is a gentle smile stitched on the unicorn's face that always makes Leilani feel better, but tonight is different; the nightmare has sapped all of the child's happiness away, just like it always does. Three years ago, Leilani's family and clan disappeared, leaving a four-year-old Leilani all alone. She doesn't remember what happened to them--due to a head injury the child sustained the same night--and was taken in by a kind old woman named Poppy. That same year, Poppy was murdered by the //Bad Man//--the leader of a band of theives who then kidnapped Leilani and sold her to the king of Goldcrest. A month later, Leilani's magical powers brought to life seven terrifying monsters after the young child was nearly murdered by a guard who wished to end her suffering (the king was draining Leilani of her magic and this, plus lack of decent food and water, left the child sick and weak); the monsters killed everyone--save Leilani, of course. Then, she met a young man named Amaterasu, who took her in and she's been living with him ever since. "Big Brother!" Leilani cries for Amaterasu, too frightened to go back to sleep. There is no answer. "Big Brother?" Leilani calls for him again, a little louder. Still there is no answer. Trembling like a flower does when cold winds batter it mercilessly, Leilani slowly and fearfully climbs out of bed. She fears //they// are under her bed, patiently waiting to grab her and pull her screaming to the place //they// have gone--the place that stole them away and wanted her as well. Her heart pounds, louder and faster with each shaky step she takes. The floor is cold as ice, as is the room; Leilani's blue, green, and black long-sleeved nightgown--styled after a Chinese Peacock Butterfly--is barely able to stave off the cold. Her warm breath turns into a cloud of steam with each exhale. [[Choice Tree #1]]

The world David has lead Leilani in is nothing but darkness; her horn's soft glow is the only reason the child is able to see two feet in front of her. In the distance are many bright lights in the shape of doors. She feels something grab her hand and she yelps. "It's just me Brat," David sighs. "No matter what happens, do //not// let go of my hand. Got it?" "Y-yes sir," Leilani swallows and hugs David's arm, along with Silver. David leads her to the first door. He glances inside and Leilani does the same. The scene before them is of a vast desert that Leilani recognizes--it's Goldcrest! The small child wails and hides behind a confused David. "What?!" he demands, startled. "I don't wanna go back to that place!" she cries. "We're not going there," David groans. "Amaterasu isn't in that time." Reassured, Leilani calms down and David leads her to the next door. This time, the scene before them is of a strange forest with bizarre trees and animals Leilani has never seen before. A large cat-like animal with black fur slinks into view, its gaze on a small, fuzzy critter eating a banana in a tree. To the child's horror, the cat-like creature pounces at the fuzzy critter, which darts up the tree. However, the cat-thing gives chase and David pulls Leilani away from the door as a horrific shriek of pain pierces the air. "M-Mister David?" "It's fine, Brat." [[Continue ->The Third Door]]

The door creaks open ominously. A shudder races down Leilani's spine and she walks into the hall before she can convince herself to rush back into bed. Hugging Silver tightly to her chest, Leilani shuts her door and begins walking quickly to Amaterasu's room--which is at the end of the hall. His room isn't far, but to Leilani, the hall seems to stretch on forever; a soft whimper escapes her throat, but she continues onward. Shadows dance and play across the walls. Moonlight bathes the hall in a soft light that helps Leilani see where she is going. She rubs her arms and wishes she'd brought a blanket with her--it was colder than usual tonight. She wonders why and if //they// have anything to do with it. A soft creak startles the child and she spins around, but there is nothing behind her. //Remember what Big Brother said...// She reminds herself as she continues on. //You're safe here...nothing can take you away...nothing can take you away...Big Brother will eat it first...or set it on fire...or set it on fire and then eat it...// The thoughts do nothing to calm Leilani. Every creak of the floor causes the child to halt suddenly and cry out--tears blur her vision and she resists the urge to scream; she doesn't want to wake everyone up. All she wants is for Amaterasu to tuck her in and sing her a lullaby--she never has nightmares when he sings to her! He scares all the bad things away. As Leilani passes by a round mirror hanging on the wall, she hears a deep voice growl: "Where do you think you're going, Brat?" "B-Big Brother..." Leilani whimpers. She feels a cold hand on her shoulder and she is spun [[around ->David]].

There is a little unicorn In a secret meadow. She is hiding from the world That hurt her deeply. Gone is her family; Gone is her Poppy. The light took the first, And the Bad Man took the second. At times, the little unicorn Is sad. However, the little unicorn Has a new family That consists of A siren, A gargoyle, A fox boy with nine tails, A boy made of shadows, And a Big Brother Who keeps them all safe, In a land of darkness. [[Next Poem -> Leilani's Poem #4]]

Once upon a time, there was a little caterpillar who lived in a beautiful meadow. [[Page 2]]

The little caterpillar had a dream—to see the world it lived in. [[Page 3]]

So, it began making its way to the tallest tree in the meadow. [[Page 4]]

Every day, the little caterpillar would slowly make its way to the tree. [[Page 5]]

Once it reached the tree, it began to climb during the day and stopped to rest on a branch every night—munching on delicious leaves and blades of sweet grass along the way. [[Page 6]]

One night, when the little caterpillar stopped to rest, it hung upside from the branch and was covered in a shiny chrysalis. [[Page 7]]

Inside the warm cocoon, the caterpillar dreamt of traveling the world. [[Page 8]]

A few months later, the chrysalis began to rock. And rock. And rock. [[Page 9]]

This alarmed the little caterpillar greatly. [[Page 10]]

And just when the little caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a beautiful butterfly that could see the whole, wide world from the sky. Leilani puts the book back; it didn't help calm her down. [[Go back ->Choice Tree #1]]

Leilani hurries over to the desk, expecting to be dragged away at any moment. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, she reaches her desk and opens [[the journal -> Leilani's Poem #1]].

Just as Leilani is close to the door, she remembers the storybook sitting on her bookcase that Amaterasu had gotten her for her birthday: The Little Caterpillar's World, a story about a caterpillar's quest to climb a tree so it can see the entire world. She loves the story; maybe she should read it--perhaps it will help her calm down? Or perhaps she should go over to her desk and read some of the poems she wrote in her Memory Journal? Or should she leave the room and search for Amaterasu? What should she do? [[Go to the bookcase ->The Bookcase]] [[Go to the desk -> The Memory Journal]] [[Exit the Room ->The Door]]

Leilani walks over to the bookcase quickly, her little heart pounding. She finds the book and begins to [[read ->The Little Caterpillar's World]].

Big Brother has dark hair And dark eyes And a nice smile That makes me happy [[Next Page -> Leilani's Poem #2]]

The light was bright. The light was warm. The light took everyone away. Why did it take them away? [[Next Poem ->Leilani's Poem #3]]

The little flower blooms, The little flower is happy. The little flower meets A raven. They become friends. They are happy. One day, the little flower Wilts And the raven is sad. Leilani puts the journal back; it didn't help calm her down. [[Go Back ->Choice Tree #1]]

"Hey Brat!" David, a Mirror Goblin that haunts the mirrors in Amaterasu's Castle, greets the young girl cheerfully--well aware he's nearly scared her to death. "Whatcha doin' up? You know it's three in the morning, right?" David is a five-hundred-year-old Mirror Goblin with dark grey skin, long, pointy ears and rotting yellow teeth. He's bald and his yellow eyes always remind Leilani of egg yolk. He wears a ragged, black sleeveless shirt and ragged, dark brown pants that have seen better days; the left pant leg is shorter than the right one due to a wendigo catching hold of his pants (so David claims. What really happened was his pant leg got caught on a branch and ripped, but he's too embarrassed to admit it). The only thing Leilani can manage to do is nod. David frightens her, yet she prefers his company to //them//; David wouldn't dare drag her to a bad place--Amaterasu would annihilate him in a heartbeat. //They// on the other hand...She shudders and whimpers. The light shimmering from her horn dims slightly. "What's the matter?" David asks, more serious; an angry Amaterasu is not someone David wants to deal with. //Ever//. "I'm trying to find Big Brother!" Leilani cries, her fear too great for her small body to contain any longer. "I-I want B-Big Brother...!" "H-Hey!" David puts his hand over her mouth in an attempt to quiet her. "Shh! Stop crying or I'll be the one paying for it!" Leilani's too afraid to stop crying; once David realizes this, he sighs: "Listen to me, alright? Stop crying and I'll stay with you until we get to Amaterasu, okay? Will that make you feel better?" Leilani nods and sniffs. "Good," David sighs again--this time with relief. "Come on Brat--Amaterasu's room is dead ahead." [[Continue ->Amaterasu's Room]]

Amaterasu isn't in his room. Leilani whimpers and hugs Silver tighter, her small body trembling. Tears whelm in her eyes and she fights back a sob. David bites his lip and ponders what to do--if the girl started crying and Amaterasu returned...the Mirror Golblin shudders at the thought of what Amaterasu would do to him. "Hey Brat, why don't you tell me what you need?" David suggests quickly. "M-Maybe I can help you out!" "B-But Big Brother's the only one who can chase the Bad Things away...!" Leilani protests. "Oh come on!!" David snaps. "I'm just as capable of knocking heads together as that jerk is!" Leilani shrinks back and a soft whimper escapes her throat; David flinches as he realizes that he's scaring her. //Stupid spineless brat...// he seethes silently. //You're seven, why do you act like such a baby?// He glances behind him //just// to make sure Amaterasu isn't around, then tries again: "Why are you looking for that bas...man?" "Th-the Bad Things are b-back..." is her soft, tearful reply. //Bad Things? What the hell is she going on about?// David wonders. Outloud, he asks calmly, "Where are the Bad Things? Maybe I can take care of them and you can go back to bed." //Before I get in trouble.// He shudders. "Th-they are...everywhere," Leilani whimpers and hugs Silver as tight as she can. //If the stuffed animal was alive, it would be suffocating,// David notes. "What do you mean Brat?" "Th-the Bad Things are in the shadows and in the walls," Leilani explains, her voice small as if she's afraid of being heard. "I-In the air and in the ground. They a-are watching...w-waiting..." She pauses; David waits (impatiently) for her to continue. When she does, her eyes are wide with fear and her face is pale as moonlight, "They...th-they're gonna...d-drag me to th-the Bad Place...!" She sobs and buries her face in Silver's back. Her body shakes violently from a combination of fear and cold. //Think think!!// David mentally screams at himself. //That bas--jerk will sense her distress at any minute!// "I'll go find Amaterasu and bring him back!" David says quickly without thinking. "So, stop crying, alright Brat?!" "H-huh?" Leilani sniffs and looks at him. "I said..." David hisses, angry with himself. "...I'll go look for Amaterasu. So, go back to bed." "B-But...th-the Bad Things will get me!" she cries. "B-Big Brother's the only one who can chase th-them away!" "Then I'll walk you back to your room," David sighs, his patience worn thin. "Th-they'll come while you're gone..." the small child buries her face in her toy's back again. "Then come with me!" David groans, then gasps as he realizes what he just said. "N-no! Err..." However, the young child is already looking at him with a hopeful gleam in her crimson eyes. //Oh hell...//David sighs. //I'm up that stupid creek without a paddle. If she gets hurt...!// David buries his face in his clawed hands. To find Amaterasu, the goblin has to enter the Mirror World--a strange place where every mirror is a portal that leads to a different place and time. It's very dangerous to travel this way (it's easy to get lost) and no place for a child. Especially Leilani. "Listen carefully Brat," David hisses. "The Mirror World is very, //very// dangerous! So, stay by my side at //all times// and whatever you do, do //not// go through any mirror unless I say so! Got it?" Leilani nods. "Alright then. [[Let's go ->Into the Mirror World]]."

The third door is different from the first two. Leilani's magic senses thus, though it looks no different from the other doors. There is a heavy air around it and for some reason, Leilani feels drawn to it. David pulls her past, not even stopping to check the door--he knows what lies beyond it and wishes he didn't. Amaterasu isn't in //that// place; David knows this for a fact. "Alright," David halts. "At this rate, we'll be here all night. Listen to me Brat--stay right here. Do //not// move, I'll be right back." Before Leilani can protest, David vanishes. Without the warmth of his hand gripping her own, she begins to feel the fear slowly creeping back into her heart and mind. On top of that, this strange, dark place is far colder than the castle or even outside. She hugs herself--both to calm and warm herself. It does no good. For a reason she doesn't understand nor can explain, Leilani glances at the third door. It seems to be...beckoning her towards it. Like it wants her to peer into its depths and learn all of its secrets. Her horn glows brighter, signaling danger. However, the young child takes no notice and takes a step to the door... [[Continue -> Choice Tree #2]]

Should she walk over to the door? Or should she stay put like David wanted? [[Walk Over to the Door]]. [[Wait For David]].

The child cannot help it. She wants to see where the door leads. So, despite David's instructions, Leilani walks over to it. Within its depths, she can barely make out shadowy silhouettes limping around. Leilani squints, struggling to see them clearly. Suddenly, she hears a faint, barely audible voice. The longer she stares into the door, the more clearer the voice becomes: "Hello little one. You seem to be lost." Leilani opens her mouth to speak, but her voice refuses to work. "Haahaa! What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" She is unable to reply. "It's alright. Not everyone likes talking. How about this--I'll do all the talking and you can just listen. Nod for yes, shake your head for no." Leilani nods. "Good! You are such a sweet child. Why don't you tell me your name?" [[Tell the Voice Your Name -> The Spell]] [[Don't Tell the Voice Your Name ->Never Trust a Strange Voice]]

She decides to wait; something about that door scares her. After a small amount of time, David returns grumbling and drags her away from the terrifying door. [[Continue -> Choice Tree #3]]

"Do you know my name, Leilani?" The child shakes her head. "That's good--names are powerful. They are what identify you and me. However, they are also dangerous--if someone knew my name, they could order me to do many things! It's the same for you, little one." Leilani begins to feel sleepy, like she's curled up in front of the fireplace in the living room on a cold, winter day. Vaguely, she is aware of the voice and how soothing it sounds. For the first time since she awoke from the nightmare, Leilani begins to feel calm. Safe, like Amaterasu always makes her feel when he sits by her bed until she falls back asleep. "You don't need him. He abandoned you, Leilani." She is suddenly //very// aware of the Voice--so much so that her head begins to throb, like she has a headache. The Voice drowns out all of her thoughts and while this should alarm the poor child, she remains calm. Docile. She's too sleepy to care. All she wants is to curl up and fall asleep, right in front of the door. "Yes Leilani, a child needs her sleep. Shut your burning eyes and relax--no one will be angry with you for resting." The Voice continues on, but Leilani is already fast asleep. [[Continue -> The Nightmare World]]

"Do you know my name, little one?" Leilani shakes her head. "That's good--names are powerful. They are what identify you and me. However, they are also dangerous--if someone knew my name, they could order me to do many things! It's the same for you, little one." The child shrinks away from the mirror; something doesn't feel right. The Voice is soft and coaxing--the more Leilani hears it speak, the more she wants to do what it tells her to do. However, she is aware of this and is wary of what the Voice wants. "Hahahahaha!" The Voice laughs. "You are a smart child indeed! Yes...I want something from you--your soul! It's so innocent and full of light--a rare delicacy for one such as myself! But I'll make you a deal--tell me your name and I will let you leave." "Na-uh..." Leilani refuses, shaking her head at the door. "Such a rude child!" The Voice sounds offended; a dark tone creeps into the Voice and it no longer sounds nice. "When someone asks for your name, you tell it to them. Tell me your name." "N-no!" Leilani begins to back away from the door, trembling. "Tell me your name." "No!" "Tell me your name!" Something grabs Leilani's shoulder and spins her [[around -> David Returns]].

Something is wrong. Leilani awakens in her bedroom, but //it is not her bedroom.// The walls are black and oozing bright, crimson blood. The curtain is a waterfall of blood. The circles meant to be flowers are cracked and ruined. The unicorns on the walls are laying on the ground, twisted and broken. The butterflies' wings have been ripped off and are fluttering down to the ground. Finally, all of Leilani's stuffed animals--including Silver--have had their heads ripped off and their bodies are strewn all over the floor. The stuffing from them is //everywhere.// It's all over the walls, raining down from the ceiling, and stuck to the floor. Leilani feels sick. Bile rises in her throat, but before she can move, she hears all too-familiar cackling from under her bed. Her heart stops and the blood drains from her face. She turns--though she doesn't want to--around. And. There. //They.// Are. Grinning at her from under. The. Bed. The stench of rotting flesh fills her nostrils and she bolts, crying for Amaterasu. //They// cackle madly and give chase, their twisted, rotting bodies moving faster than humanly possible. She can feel their breath on her neck. Feel their slimy fingers grazing her shoulders. No matter how fast Leilani runs, //they// are right behind her. //They// call out to her in voices that remind her of wind brushing against dry, dying leaves: "Where are you going child?" "Join us Leilani!" "The light isn't so bad." "It only hurts for a second." "Just stay still." "We'll hold your hand while the light takes you." "No!" Leilani screams, covering her sensitive ears with her hands. "No! I can't! Go away!" Suddenly, one of them tackles her. She screams as she falls and cries out when the thing crashes on top of her. The others move quickly to pin her, then begin to drag her back to her bedroom. Bright white light spills out of her doorway and into the hall; upon seeing it, Leilani struggles violently to break free of her dead family's grasp (that's the bad thing that took them away). However, their grip is like iron. //They// cackle gleefully as //they// drag her closer and closer to the light. All too soon, she can feel warmth radiating from the light. She cries for Amaterasu and begs her dead family to let her go. //They// ignore her, instead smiling at her with their fleshless lips as they drag her into the light. Her back arches as her foot disappers into the warmth; she can no longer feel her foot. Next is her legs--just like with her foot, she can no longer feel either limb. Her hip and back are next, then her shoulders. Just as her head's about to enter the light, Leilani grabs the door frame. //They// hiss and begin pulling harder. In response, she tightens her grip on the door frame. However, //they// grab her hands and force her fingers to straighten; she loses her grip on the door frame and completely enters the light. She can't scream. She can't move. She can't breathe. The light is swallowing her body, mind, and soul whole. She can feel it tightening its grip on her, refusing to let her go. //Big Brother...//is Leilani's last thought before the light steals away the rest of her thoughts. She floats in a vast sea of white and numbness, only vaguely aware that she's being pulled up. Up. Up. She's being taken away...! [[Continue -> David Returns]]

David is shaking her, startling her out of whatever spell she had been under. "What did I tell you Brat?" he is //furious//. "What did I tell you?!" "N-not to move..." Leilani squeaks as tears whelm in her eyes. "And what did you do?" David glares at her. "I-I moved..." Leilani avoids meeting David's gaze; a tear slips down her cheek. The Voice has gone silent, to the girl's relief. David sighs, mumbles something under his breath, grabs Leilani's hand, and drags her away from the door. He continues to mumble under his breath as the pair walk by door after door, Amaterasu nowhere to be found. //This is just great,// David seethes. //I can't find that son of witch, which means this brat won't go back to sleep and I'll have to stay with her all night!// "M-Mister David?" Leilani tugs on the goblin's ragged sleeve. David ignores her. //I had plans for tonight! I was going to pop by those two new kingdoms and mess with them so more! But no, the little brat has a nightmare and Amaterasu is nowhere to be found!// "Mister David!" the small child shouts, startling the Mirror Goblin. "What?!" he demands, his voice shrill. "You're hurting m-my hand..." she whimpers. "Oh..." David loosens his grip. "There." Leilani thanks the Mirror Goblin shyly. David resumes pouting about his ruined night. Leilani wonders where Amaterasu is and if //they// are going to appear again--she hopes not. She's afraid of //them.// [[Continue ->Missed Opportunity]]

"I was going to let you help me look for your big brother," David informs Leilani, just to hurt her more. "But since you couldn't follow one simple order, you have to stay by my side at all times." The girl nods tearfully. David smirks, satisfied and pauses before a door. He peers in and Leilani follows suit. The door reveals the familiar gray sandy beach of Kage-to-Kage, the continent Leilani lives on with her adopted family. The beach is deserted, to her disappointment. David groans and moves on. The next two doors are very interesting--from what Leilani is able to see, there appear to be human-shaped silhouettes moving about. In the first door, they are in a forest and watching a road. In the other door, they are underground and doing various tasks. David pulls her away from the doors before she can peer in further. [[Continue -> The Seventh Door]]

Leilani feels her heart breaking anew. The seventh door leads to a place Leilani hasn't seen for three years: her old village, where her clan disappeared without a trace, leaving Leilani all alone. Over the years, the poor child has been struggling to remember what happened to them, but no dice; no matter how hard she tries, she can't recall what happened to them or why she's still here and they aren't. Amaterasu has reassured her many times that her memories will return, but... "Brat?" David nudges her gently. "You alright?" Leilani shrugs; fresh tears fall from her lashes and a broken sob escapes her throat before she can stop it. "Do you want to enter the door?" the Mirror Goblin asks gently. "It might help you...out. Or we can skip this door and head to the next one. I'll...let you decide." Should Leilani visit her old village one last time or should she move on? [[Visit the Village]] [[Move On]]

The village looks just as she remembers it. It consists of a small cluster of houses made of a strange material that is harder than diamonds. Each house is gray with a red roof. Beautiful flowers every color of the rainbow bloom year-round and cover the beautiful meadow. The grass is a vivid shade of green and the sky a vivid blue with fluffy white clouds drifting through the sky lazily. In the center of the village is a spring full of crystal clear water. A white statue with a golden spiral horn upon its brow depicts Genesis, the Unicorn Celestial and Mother of the Briar Clan, and rests in the center of the spring. The meadow is surrounded by mountains on all sides, protecting--and hiding--the clan from the outside world. In the distance, Leilani can see the cave, waterfall, and connected river--the only safe way to enter or leave this paradise; the river curves around the village and is the clan's only water source (they refuse to drink from Genesis's Spring, unless they are blessing a newborn baby or someone is sick and seeks Genesis's healing). Just outside the village is a graveyard. A sob builds in Leilani's throat, but she swallows the pain and takes a step towards her old home. The villagers are bustling about, going about their day as if nothing has happened. Their horns glint on their brows, shimmering with a warm light. Giggling is heard as the children chase each other with fingers and hands sticky with honey. A few of the adults shake their heads, beaming at the children. "Leilani!" her mother steps out of the farthest house and calls. "Lunch time!" She is almost a spliting image of Leilani; the only difference is her mother's hair reaches her waist. A longing sigh escapes Leilani's throat, but she yearns to walk around her village again after so long! [[Continue -> Choice Tree #4]]

Leilani shakes her head. She buries her face in David's sleeve and takes a shaky breath. He quickly pulls her away from the door and guides her to the last door. [[Continue -> The Last Door]]

The last door leads to a small island with a rather tall hill, where a beautiful blade radiating power can be found buried to its hilt in the ground. There are many flowers in full bloom and no trees. The pair senses something protecting--and possibly hiding--the island from outsiders. To David's anger, Amaterasu is nowhere to be found. [[Continue -> Heading Home]]

Welcome to Lost in the Mirror World! In this tale, you play as Leilani Briar--a young child seeking the comfort of her older brother after having a nightmare. But alas, he is nowhere to be found! With David the Mirror Goblin by your side, you must traverse the enigmatic Mirror World--a strange realm that lies beyond the mirrors--to find Big Brother so you can go back to sleep! [[Start ->Leilani's Nightmare]] [[Character Bios]] [[Credits]]  (set: $DavidIsJerk to false) (set: $LalaInjured to false) (set: $LalaFollowed to false) (set: $DavidInjured to false) (set: $BranchBroke to false) (set: $LalaIsSad to false)  (set: $DoorsVisited to 0)

This is a list of characters who appear in the tale. Click on a name to view that character's bio. [[Leilani Briar]] [[Amaterasu]] [[David the Mirror Goblin]] [[Back ->Start]]

Name: Leilani Briar Nickname(s): Lala, Lani, Brat Age: 7 Race: Human-Unicorn Witch Witch Clan: Briar Clan Magic: Blood Hair Color: Snow-white Eye Color: Red Skin: Pale Personality: Shy, Quiet, Kind, Timid Clothing Theme(s): Butterfly Noticable Feature(s): Possesses a small spiral horn on her brow and a seven-pointed star mark around it; her sclera is black rather than white [[Back ->Character Bios]]

Name: Amaterasu Shadowblood Nickname(s): Big Brother, Jerk, Lord of Hell, Lord of Darkness, Overlord of Darkness, The Shadow King Age: ??? Race: Half-breed Witch Clan: ??? Magic: Shadow Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Black (normal), Red (when angry or in shadow form) Skin: Pale Personality: Kind (to his family), Cold (to everyone else) Clothing Theme(s): ??? Noticable Feature(s): Possesses markings on his face [[Back ->Character Bios]]

Name: David Nickname(s): Mirror Monster, Coward, Pain-in-the-Neck Age: 500 years Race: Mirror Goblin Witch Clan: N/A Magic: Dark Hair Color: N/A Eye Color: Yellow Skin: Grey Personality: Sarcastic, Rude, Cowardly, Cruel Clothing Theme(s): N/A Noticable Feature(s): Is bald and ugly [[Back ->Character Bios]]

Should Leilani visit the Spring, the graveyard, or head to her old house? [[The Spring]] [[The Graveyard]] [[Leilani's House]]

Leilani decides to visit The Spring. She walks over to it without being interrupted by any of the villagers or her mother. The statue of Genesis stands tall and proud; it glows with a warm light that eases Leilani's troubled mind and brings a big smile to the child's face. Her heart is light once more and she no longer feels afraid. [[Go Back -> Choice Tree #4]]

Leilani decides to visit the graveyard, which is on the outskirts of the village; none of the villagers or her mother pay her any attention. Odd-shaped stones that are round on top and flat on the bottom (//Big Brother calls them tombstones,// Leilani recalls) are arranged in neat rows and have a single name carved on each of them, along with a number representing the person's age, and a simple quote: //Here Lies Rose Briar Age 400 A lovely flower that Wilted too soon// //Here Lies Lily Briar Age 45 A flower that shone Bright// Leilani stops reading the tombstones--they make her sad (why did the light take them). She notices the fresh flowers laid at each grave and smiles; one day, she will see them again (and Poppy). [[Go Back -> Choice Tree #4]]

"I'm coming Mama!" Leilani shouts, joyful and full of love--so much love it feels her heart might burst. As Leilani nears her home, she notices her father tending the small garden they have beside the house. His hair is a darker shade of white and he has a small beard the same shade of white as his hair. Should Leilani give her father a hug? Or should she keep running to her mother? [[Hug Papa]] [[Hug Mama]]

"Hi Papa!" Leilani waves to her father. He continues tending to the garden, as if he didn't hear her. "Papa?" Leilani walks over to him and tries to hug him. Her entire body phases through him and she lands on her stomach with an oof! Without getting up, Leilani turns to look at her father and gasps. He's transparent--like a ghost! "P-Papa?" the small child's heart refuses to believe what her eyes are seeing, even as they whelm, unbidden, with tears. She turns to look at the village. [[Continue ->An Ugly Truth]]

The village is in ruins. Most of the houses have collapsed and the few still standing are in horrible shape. Broken glass glints among the dead brown grass. The graveyard is chocked full of weeds and the flowers laid at the tombstones--now cracked and worn so bad, the words are lost to time--are withered and gray. Her mother's garden is nothing but a patch of sun-bleached dirt. The Spring is dried up and the statue of Genesis, once standing tall and proud, is nothing more than a pile of shattered rock and scattered dust. The meadow is dead. The river is all dried up, like the Spring, and the cave by the now-empty waterfall has collapsed in on itself, preventing anyone from entering or exiting the once beautiful paradise. There are no villagers. Leilani stares at the dead land in disbelief for a long time, making nary a sound. When at last her heart accepts the tragic scene before her, it shatters and a loud cry--like that of a man who has lost all hope of salvation and wishes for death to come and take him, still screaming, away from this life and into whatever the next life holds--erupts from her throat. It is such an ugly, grief-striken cry--completely unlike Leilani's normal sweet, musical voice--that David covers his ears--lest they bleed. The light shimmer from her horn flickers once...twice...then is extinguished. Tears cascade down her cheeks and her body trembles from the sea of grief it's drowning in. "Leilani!" David shouts above the child's ugly wail until it finally dies away to a pained whimper. Gently, David says carefully, "I'm sorry Kiddo. I thought--I thought you knew...how much the village has deteriora--err...changed." "Wh-why..." Leilani struggles to speak through her pain and grief. "Wh-why did it...change...?" "It...was like this the whole time," David replies softly. Leilani shakes her head and hugs her knees to her chest. She struggles to tell David how she had seen the village before the //Bad Thing// took everyone away. However, the words die in her throat and all she can muster out is a pained cry. [[Continue ->Leave The Village]]

"Mama!" Leilani joyfully throws her arms around her mother's waist. However, rather than feel her mother's warm body, Leilani feels empty air just before she falls //through her mother// and lands on her stomach with an oof! Confused, Leilani looks behind her. To her surprise, and horror, she can see through her mother--as if she's transparent like a ghost. "Leilani! Lunch time!" her mother calls, as if she didn't just see her own daughter. "M-Mama...I'm right here," Leilani whimpers, her heart refusing to believe what her eyes are seeing. "Come child!" her mother calls again. "Your food's getting cold!" "M-Mama!" Leilani tries to grab her mother's dress, but her hand nabs empty air. Her eyes whelm with tears and she glances at the village. [[Continue ->An Ugly Truth]]

"Come here..." David gently picks Leilani up and carries her back into the Mirror World. He walks far away from the seventh door before he tries to put her down, but she clings to his shirt and buries her face in the fabric. He groans, but accepts the fact that he now has to carry her. He feels sorry for the child and is determined to find Amaterasu now--no matter what. David greatly dislikes Leilani, but even he doesn't like to see her in so much pain! (set: $LalaIsSad to true) //You better be behind door number eight!// David growls. [[Continue -> The Last Door]]

"Okay," David growls once he and Leilani are back inside Amaterasu's Castle. "We've searched //everywhere// and still that bas...jerk is nowhere to be found!" "What Bas...jerk are you referring to?" Amaterasu asks from behind David. "Hi Amaterasu!" David yelps and spins around. "I-I wasn't referring to you! I-I promise!" "Lala, what are you doing up?" Amaterasu asks her, ignoring the terrified goblin. "It's almost six." "I h-had a nightmare," she sniffs. "Come here," he gently picks her up. "I'll deal with you later," he whispers sinisterly to David before walking to Leilani's room. [[Continue ->The Lullaby]]

(if: $DoorsVisited is < 2)[The next door the pair comes across reveals the familiar gray sandy beach of Kage-to-Kage, the continent Leilani lives on with her adopted family. The sea rages and attacks the beach. Leilani wonders if it has stolen all of the sea's cookies. The beach is deserted, to her and David's disappointment. So, they move on to the next two doors--which are very interesting. From what Leilani is able to see, there appear to be human-shaped silhouettes moving about. In the first door, they are in a forest and watching a road. In the other door, they are underground and doing various tasks. "Which door do you want to check first, Brat?" David asks her. "I w-want to check the... [[The Fifth Door]]." [[The Sixth Door]]." ] (if: $DoorsVisited is 2)[ "Alright, let's move on," David sighs. Leilani nods in agreement. [[Continue to the Seventh Door -> The Seventh Door]] ]

David and Leilani find themselves on a dirt road in the middle of a forest so dense, neither can tell if it's the middle of the day or the dead of night. Ahead of them is a small group of travelers joyfully singing some tune David vaguely recalls Lorelai the Siren humming rather frequently. "Up on the hill the young maiden lives," one traveler sings. "Oh my, oh my, oh my!" a few of them chime in. "Her hair is the color of honey so sweet." "Oh my, oh my, oh my!" "Her eyes the color of a bright new dawn." "Oh my, oh my, oh my!" "Her skin is soft as cream." "Her voice as gentle as a lullaby!" "Oh my, oh my, oh my!" "Beware all ye men who hear her song." "For her song means your doom!" "Oh my, oh my, oh my!" "Oh yes--her song means your doom!" "She'll drag you to the bottom of the sea!" "Oh my, oh my, oh my!" "And watch your face turn blue!" "Oh my, oh my, oh--" The song is cut off by the screams of one of the travelers, who's being dragged into the forest. The rest of the travelers scatter like mice. David and Leilani watch--the goblin pleased the song has been interrupted and the child frightened by the commotion--as shadows detach themselves from the darkness and drag away several of the travelers. "Serves them right!" David sneers. "Those travelers couldn't sing worth a dam--darn." "Wh-what are the shadow-thingys going to do to them?" Leilani asks, her voice small. "Have them for dinner, probably," David chuckles. "So...the shadow-thingys are going to have dinner with them?" Leilani cocks her head to the side as she tries to imagine what shadows eat. David stares dumbly at her for a few moments before nodding, "Sure Brat. Let's get out of here before we're..."invited to dinner" as well." David walks away, not realizing Leilani isn't following; instead, she is staring at a shadow that has noticed her. It cocks its head to the side and Leilani--believing it to be a game--mimics it. The shadow blinks, surprised yet pleased. It cocks its head to the other side and, to its delight, the child again mimics the action--this time with a giggle. The shadow beckons for her to follow. (set: $DoorsVisited to it + 1) [[Follow The Shadow]] [[Find David]]

The pair finds themselves in an underground kingdom populated by shadow beings. They stare at David and Leilani curiously. A few small shadows skip over and ask in a language David doesn't understand, but Leilani does (due to Amaterasu teaching it to her, since it is his and Shiranui's native language): "Who are you?" "What are you doing here?" "Wanna play?" "How did you get here?" "What's with the grouchy thing beside you?" "I'm Leilani," she answers in their tongue. "And that's Mister David. We're looking for Big Brother, so we don't have time to play. We...got here through a door." "Brat, he's not here," David watches the bigger shadows warily; they are galring at him, as if daring him to try something. Anything. "Let's go." "But I--" "Come on." Leilani sadly bids the little guys farewell and the pair leaves before David can start something he won't win. (set: $DoorsVisited to it + 1) [[Continue -> David Falls]]

Leilani decides to follow the shadow. (set: $LalaFollowed to true) It leads her to a small clearing a little ways into the forest. Once there, it picks up an old ball left there by a child and gently tosses it to her. She catches it and throws it back, giggling. They play with the ball for a while, then play tag and hide-and-go-seek. Leilani has no idea how much time has passed before David appears, angry with her for not following him. "You are so stupid!!" he snaps at her, not caring when she begins to cry. "Shut your trap and come on." In response to her crying, the shadow picks up the ball and throws it as hard as the shadow can (which is //very// hard) at David. The ball slams into his gut and he drops to his knees, clutching his gut. Once he recovers, he grabs Leilani and the pair leave. (set: $DavidInjured to true) [[Continue -> Choice Tree #3]]

"I have to go with Mister David," Leilani apologizes to the shadow, which looks crestfallen. "Maybe we can play later?" (set: $LalaFollowed to false) It nods. Leilani waves goodbye and runs to try and catch up with David. The Mirror Goblin is nowhere to be found, to her surprise. //Where did he go?// she wonders. Just as she takes a step forward, she hears David scream from above: "Get in a tree!" It is then she hears the soft growl coming from the brush in front of her. A pair of glowing green eyes stare hungrily at her; the five scars on her back begin to throb as a memory tugs at her mind--a fuzzy memory of being chased by something hungry with sharp claws that dug into her back and then she was falling... She is running before she's even aware of it. The monster roars and gives chase. Leilani's heart beats fast and fear spurs her to go faster. She swears she can feel its breath on her neck. Can feel its claws just barely touching her back. //Big Brother!!!// Leilani wants to scream for him, but fear has stolen her voice; besides, she needs all the air she can get if she wants to escape! Leilani spies a low branch ahead. She can grab it and try to climb to safety! Or should she not risk it and keep running? [[Climb The Tree]] [[Keep Running]]

Leilani grabs the branch and climbs the tree. There's a loud thud as the monster slams into the trunk, then an angry howl as it realizes Leilani is out of its reach. The child breathes a sigh of relief and rests her head against the mighty trunk. "Come on Brat," David lands beside her. "Let's get out of here." //SNAP!// "Oh shi...no..." he feels the blood drain from his face. (set: $BranchBroke to true) There's no time to scream. Leilani feels the branch give way and then she plummets. David, being a goblin, floats in place and makes no move to save the poor child. Leilani closes her eyes with a whimper; a tear slips down her cheek. Her body tenses, anticipating pain. (set: $DavidIsJerk to true) However...she never hits the ground. When she finally dares to open her eyes, she realizes that someone is holding her--a young man with dark hair and eyes. He is standing on a low branch that is still out of the monster's reach; this does not stop the monster from jumping up in a vain attempt to nab them. "Are you alright?" the man asks her gently. She nods slowly, stunned. He wipes a tear from her cheek, then leaps to a higher branch before he sets her down. "Hey Brat, you're alright!" David doesn't land on the branch this time. "No thanks to you," the Friendly Man huffs. "You abandoned her when she needed you." Before David can react, the Friendly Man's shadow wraps around the goblin and throws him down to the monster. David yelps as it chases him around the tree. Finally, the goblin leaps into the air, grabs Leilani, and leaves the forest. Just before the forest disappears, Leilani sees the Friendly Man become the shadow she had been playing with and watches him disappear into the darkness... [[Continue -> Choice Tree #3]]

Leilani doesn't risk stopping; she runs by the branch, which smacks the monster in its face. She hears it snarl and then there's a loud //SNAP!// as it rips the branch from the tree. It throws the branch directly in Leilani's path, forcing her to stop. It knocks her to the ground and is attempting to scratch and bite her, but she has quickly crawled under the branch and out of the monster's reach. For now. David watches this from a tree branch in a nearby tree. //I'm not risking my neck for some kid!// David shakes his head. //I don't want to die!// He sits in the tree, unwilling to help the poor child. (set: $DavidIsJerk to true) The monster finally knocks the branch out of its way and slinks closer to the whimpering child. Just as it lunges, the shadow Leilani befriended earlier appears in front of her and hits the monster with a rather big branch. The monster roars in pain. The shadow smacks it a few more times and runs away; the monster gives chase and Leilani is safe! "Let's get out of here Brat," David leaves, not even waiting for her to get up. [[Continue -> Choice Tree #3]]

Amaterasu tucks Leilani in. The young child, feeling completely safe, yawns and rubs her eyes. Amaterasu chuckles and asks gently: (if: $LalaFollowed is true)["Did you make a new friend?" She nods happily, "We played catch and tag and hide-and-go-seek! "Sounds like you had fun," he smiles, then regards her thoughtfully. "Why do you look down?" "Mister David yelled at me...and made me leave..." she whimpers. "I m-miss my new friend..." "I'll see about letting you visit him--or even him coming to visit," Amaterasu ruffles Leilani's hair. "Big Brother, how did you know I made a new friend?" she asks as a thought occurs to her. "I can read minds," he reminds her. "Oh...I forgot about that," Leilani yawns again. ] (if: $LalaInjured is true)["What happened to your hand?" "I tried to keep Mister David from falling and scraped my hand on a rock." "I see," he lays his hand on the injury and heals it with his magic. "There--all better." "Thanks Big Brother," Leilani smiles and yawns. ] (if: $LalaIsSad is true)["Did David say something mean to you again?" Leilani shakes her head, "We...visited my old...home..." Amaterasu nods in understanding, "I'm sorry little one." The child sniffs, "Why...why did the light take them away?" "Honestly, I don't know how to explain that," Amaterasu sighs. "Why didn't it take me?" "Did you want it to?" "No!" "Okay then. Listen--I honesty don't know why it didn't take you as well. Perhaps it was merely luck." Leilani is silent. ] "Did you dream about the Bad Thing?" She nods, tears whelming in her eyes. "It's alright," he smiles and ruffles her hair. "I won't let anything get you. I promise." "Please stay!" she pleads. "Of course," he sits down at the edge of her bed. "Want me to read a story?" She shakes her head. "Alright," Amaterasu says. "What do you want me to do?" "Will you sing a lullaby?" she asks him, holding up Silver--who somehow stayed with her throughout her adventure. "Silver's scared too." "How about I sing you both a lullaby?" Leilani nods eagerly. The lullaby is a symphony of beautiful, peaceful sounds that possess a whimsical melody with gentle undertones woven in to complete the masterpiece. The young child is lulled to an untroubled sleep, her stuffed animal clutched tightly in her arms. "Good night little one," Amaterasu gently brushes some hair out of her face. She stirs slightly and mumbles, "Night." Then, she falls back asleep--dreaming good things instead of bad things. [[Continue ->The End]]

//This is stupid,// David grumbles. //Why the hell did I agree to look for Amaterasu? I hate that guy!// "Um...Mister David?" Leilani tugs on his sleeve. He ignores her. //I hate this brat too! Why am I helping her?// "Mister David?" //She's such a baby! How does Amaterasu stand her?// "Mister David!" //Maybe I should just abandon her in the Mirror World. She'll be fine.// "Mister David!!!" "What?!" David turns to Leilani, who stands a few feet behind him. "You almost walked off the cliff," she explains timidly, hurt by him yelling at her. "Oh," David sweat drops. "Thanks Br--" //CRACK!// "Oh shi--" he manages to grab the ledge just as the ground beneath his feet falls away. "B-Brat! Help me up!" [[Help David]] [[Don't Help David]]

Leilani grabs David's wrists and strains to help him up. //Mister David is heavy!// the child notes. (if: $BranchBroke is true)[//That must be why the tree branch broke!//] David is far too heavy for Leilani to pull up. "C-come on Brat!" the goblin screams. "P-pull me up!" "I'm t-trying...!" the child feels herself being slowly pulled closer to the ledge; she refuses to let go. Leilani and David fall off the cliff; David uses his magic to slow their descent, yet makes no move to grab the young girl when she loses her grip on his wrist. Luckily, Leilani isn't badly injured--she scrapes her hand on a rock when she lands on her stomach with an oof! (set: $LalaInjured to true) "Ow!" she winces from the sharp pain. "Come on Brat," David dusts his shirt off and the pair re-enter the Mirror World. [[Continue -> Choice Tree #3]]

Leilani shrinks away from the edge. David cries out as the ledge gives way and he plummets. Just before he hits the ground, he floats back to the top. (set: $LalaInjured to false) "Gee thanks Brat," he snarls at the child, then storms off. The pair re-enter the Mirror World. [[Continue -> Choice Tree #3]]

"David, get out here," Amaterasu drags the goblin out of the mirror by the creature's ears. "Ow hey!" David whines. "I'm trying to sleep!" (if: $DavidIsJerk is true)["I don't care," Amaterasu hisses. "What's your problem?" David demands. "You're lucky Lala's alive," Amaterasu says calmly, his voice dripping with venom. "If she had been killed, I would have made you //wish// you had died with her. Then again...not even Hell would have saved you from my wrath." David gulps, then whines, "But I can't do anything against a shadowstalker!" "Sure you can," Amaterasu retorts. "You could have been a distraction so Lala could get to safety." "Really?!" David yells furiously. "I value my life!" ] (if: $DavidIsInjured is true)["I don't care," Amaterasu hisses. "Of course you don't..." David grumbles under his breath, rubbing his sore gut gently. "You're injured. What happened?" Amaterasu asks curiously, no trace of worry or concern to be found in him. "One of your stupid cousins hit me with a ball," David snaps. "You probably deserved it." "Shut up asshole!" "David. Language." "None of the kids are awake!" ] (if: $BranchBroke is true)["I don't care," Amaterasu's eyes burn crimson. "Also, don't you //ever// put any of my children in danger. Lala was almost //eaten// because of your fat ass." David gapes at him, "H-how did...?" "I can read minds and peer into memories," Amaterasu snaps. "Or did you forget that? You're lucky I'm not going to light you on fire." "I'm r-really grateful for that!" ] "I don't care," Amaterasu hisses. "The only thing I care about is my family's safety." "Then why don't you care about me or //my// safety?" David whines. "You aren't a part of my family," Amaterasu replies. "You are a parasite at best." David flinches. "Leave the two kingdoms of Minerva alone," Amaterasu orders. "They have enough problems establishing themselves without //you// making things more difficult." "And if I don't?" "I'll kill you," is the nonchalant reply. "Slowly. Also, if you ever leave any of my children alone in the Mirror World, I will personaly throw you into the Madness Realm myself." "W-what?!" David gapes at the Shadow King. "B-but the Brat was f-fine! She d-didn't go through the d-door!" "True, but she was //almost// lured in," Amaterasu retorts. "If she had gone into that realm, Leilani would never have been the same again--assuming we were able to get her back in the first place. All of the good inside of her would have been ripped from her and replaced with bad things. Pain, sorrow, uncertainty, hatred--these emotions would have been all she could experience and understand. Love and happiness she would never have again been able to feel or know." "I o-only left her alone for a f-few minutes...! Th-the other guardians' realms were c-closed so I went back to h-her...!" "Those doors will //never// be open to the likes of you. //Never// leave my children alone, no matter the reason and not even for a second." And on that note, David is released. The terrified goblin flees into his mirror, causing Amaterasu to smirk--satisfied--as he goes into his room to rest. Helping two kingdoms establish themselves is very taxing. [[End]]

Thanks for playing! This is my first Twine Game and it was a lot of fun to make! This story is a metaphor for Life: no matter what you chose, the end result is the same--you find Amaterasu. What truly matters is what Leilani--and you--experience along the way! Certain events and dialogue are influenced by the choices you make, so why don't you play again and see for yourself? [[Start]] [[Credits]]

Some of the character(s) mentioned in this story belong to my friend Danielle Dreher. The rest of the story and its characters belong to me.