The voice without a face
723 Words
Lucien’s entire body went still.
“No,” he whispered.
I looked at him sharply. “What is that?”
He didn’t answer me.
Instead, he stepped forward.
Blocking me slightly behind him.
For the first time, I saw it clearly.
He was afraid.
Not of death.
Not of pain.
Of recognition.
The cracked mirror darkened.
And something began to form inside it.
Not a reflection.
A silhouette.
Slowly becoming real.
The voice returned.
But now it had shape.
“Lucien…”
My stomach dropped at the way it said his name.
Not like a word.
Like ownership.
Lucien’s hand slipped from mine for the first time.
“Stay behind me,” he said quietly.
I didn’t move.
Because I couldn’t look away.
The figure in the mirror stepped forward.
And the moment I saw it fully—
My breath stopped.
It looked like Lucien.
But not exactly.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same presence.
Except where Lucien felt controlled… this version felt endless.
Like something wearing humanity as a memory.
It smiled.
And the corridor felt like it collapsed inward.
“You’ve been protecting her,” it said softly.
Lucien didn’t respond.
“She still thinks she’s human,” it continued.
My heart slammed against my ribs. “What is this?”
The thing turned its gaze toward me.
And I felt it immediately.
Not fear.
Not danger.
Recognition.
“There you are,” it said again. “Finally awake.”
Lucien stepped forward instantly.
“No,” he said sharply. “You don’t get to speak to her.”
A low sound came from the figure.
Almost amused.
“You always did grow attached,” it murmured.
My head spun. “Attached to what? Who are you?”
Silence.
Then—
The truth came like a blade.
“I am what he used to be,” it said.
My breath caught.
Lucien went still.
Not denying it.
Not correcting it.
Just… still.
The figure tilted its head.
“And she,” it said softly, “is what we both created.”
My mind went blank for a second.
“What?” I whispered.
Lucien finally spoke, voice tight. “Don’t listen to it.”
But it smiled wider.
“She doesn’t know,” it said. “You didn’t tell her?”
My pulse roared in my ears.
“Tell me what?” I demanded.
Lucien’s silence answered first.
That silence hurt more than any truth could.
The figure stepped closer inside the mirror.
“Her mark isn’t a bond,” it said gently. “It’s a seal.”
My wrist burned violently.
I cried out, stumbling back.
Lucien moved immediately—but the moment he did, the mirrors around us cracked further.
Like the world was reacting to him.
Fighting him.
“No more lies,” I whispered, staring at him. “Tell me.”
His eyes met mine.
And for the first time…
He didn’t look like someone trying to protect me.
He looked like someone trying not to lose me.
“…You weren’t supposed to exist outside the seal,” he said quietly.
My breath stopped.
“What does that mean?”
The figure in the mirror laughed softly.
And the sound echoed everywhere.
“It means,” it said, “she was never meant to leave us.”
The corridor trembled violently.
The mirrors began to fracture one by one.
Lucien grabbed my wrist again instantly.
“Don’t let go,” he said urgently.
“Where are we going?!” I shouted.
“Out,” he said.
“That’s not an answer!”
His grip tightened.
And for a split second—
His voice softened.
“…If I don’t pull you out now, it will rewrite you.”
My chest tightened.
“Rewrite me into what?”
He looked at me.
And that answer… was worse than anything else.
“Into something that belongs to it.”
The darkness returned.
Faster this time.
Ripping the corridor apart.
The last thing I saw was the mirror figure watching us leave.
Smiling.
Not angry.
Not disappointed.
Patient.
Like it had all the time in the world.
And just before everything vanished—
It whispered one final thing.
“We’ll finish what we started.”
Then the world collapsed.
And Lucien held onto me like I was the only thing left real.
- Writer
