MY SOULMATE
ght relief was the water I froze for myself. I took a sip, froze it, and sucked on the ice to soo
g a planet as a single individual. The complexity of orchestrating molecules to form mount
hifted to the glass left by Bishop Pricina. It stood as a stark r
low someone like me to practice reorganizing matter. I tried rearranging some stones using mere glances instead of
. Breathing and speaking were challenging. Only the ice I froze in my mouth offered some respite. I could freeze it in my mouth, let it
towards the Crimson Forest. Instead of going straight to the heart, I visited my throat, overseeing ongoing repairs. The damage
zed the cells were different not just because they were damaged, but because I was
or design. Allowing the change would make me less fragile, but the process of fully transforming into
form. With determination, I instructed my body to halt any further pain and
ality. The process challenged everything I had ever known or hoped for. It went against teachings an
g in my chest. She was the only t
id further pain, I longed to communicate with the other C
n his shoulders. Spotting me, he held t
e a poignant memory. It was ephemeral, fading as qui
ulled the sword free?" I inquired, my voi
left to rule the Crims
t there. Our actio
e int
ee the pain I
ng, and I didn't make you consume those stones. They off
felt couldn't possibly be equal to the pl
You also gained knowledge. Have you practiced manipula
it might be a fair exchange, I still fe
as you achieved something significant, something else was bound to be taken aw
d, "I despise this
ed. "You've been asked to mature far more rapi
me three days just to re
ble woman! I thought it had b
ioned, "Are you
ses bot
's our next step?" I asked wearil
irror in my chamber," he decla
world, this might have resembled a delighted husband offering scissors to his wife for a bouti
, only vulnerability
kay," I relented. "I'm supposed to pierce the mirror and
ction in the mirror serves as the target. When you stab the glas
nds like the exact opposite of wh
ble acts of self-destruction. We perform them to remind ourselves that we've moved beyond being merely human. It'
d his words. I wondered what other acts of self-a
the other side, I'll mend you
t affect living matter
ror into your heart, completing the connection. As I step into my Crimson Forest, I'll merge with Damon Christianus. Christian will retain my me
pull it
y to send me, and I'll endure it to arrive. The joy we'll feel at the end will outwei
my heart's chambers when you arrive?
ng. "Unless you intentionally left a par
commented, jutting my
l these fragmented parts of me that linger here will pass through the mirror and rejoin my body. Then those chambers will
e on the sword's hilt, conv
you," I breathed, mee
until you see how much harder I'll fall when I meet yo
for the real Christ
ped back. "Thrust the s
ated the mirror's texture being unlike that of the real world. It was soft, almost fleshy, and an intense pain surg
the mirror's frame. Footsteps echoed,