The mirror shattered into a thousand pieces. Alina's world crumbled around her, soundlessly, without screams, just a gaping void, sucking everything into the abyss of darkness. She floated, her body weightless, a speck of dust adrift in nothingness.The mirror that had reflected her image was destroyed, splintered into countless tiny fragments. Each shard floated around her, revealing fragments of memories trapped within, disjointed flashes of the past.The first flash, a little girl of eight huddled in a sterile white room, her eyes wide with fear as alien sounds buzzed around her. "Subject exhibiting signs of personality fragmentation," a cold voice echoed. "We must ensure her consciousness stabilizes."The second flash, the little girl stood before a mirror, tears streaming down her face. Yet, her reflection smiled, a strange, chilling smile. "Don't be afraid," the voice whispered, "I'll protect you."The third flash, a pitch-black room, muffled screams in the distance. Someone ran

Alina froze, her heart pounding violently. The figure at the end of the street remained silent, shrouded in thick darkness. But its eyes—two dimly glowing dots—pierced through the blackness, stabbing straight into her soul, stripping away every layer of her thoughts. The wind blew, carrying a strange scent—a mix of cold metal and something rotten, something decaying.Alina swallowed hard, her throat dry. Her fingers clenched around an old pocket watch, a foreign object that had suddenly appeared, a relic from a fragment of time she couldn’t comprehend. "Who are you?" Her voice trembled, small and fragile in the suffocating silence.The figure didn’t answer. Instead, it began to walk, its footsteps slow and deliberate, echoing in the deserted street. Tap. Tap. Tap. Each step sounded like a distant reverberation in a void. The surrounding buildings stood lifeless, devoid of any sign of existence. No cars. No murmurs of other people breathing. And most unsettling of all—no shadows.Alina

"WHOOSH!"The air around Alina felt like it was being sucked away, creating a hollow vortex that pulled her into darkness. She fell, sliding into an endless void, her hands groping desperately, searching for a hold, for something real. But there was nothing, just emptiness that continued to pull her deeper, further from the world she knew."Help... can anyone hear me?" Alina's voice was small and fragile, lost in the shadows that swirled wildly around her, obscuring every trace of light.Then—"CRACK!"Something shattered in the darkness, a thunderous cracking sound, breaking the chilling silence. The shadows began to move, wrapping around her body like the living roots of an ancient tree, cold and rough, crawling on her skin like maggots."AAAAARGH!" Alina screamed, a piercing pain, as if something was piercing her skin, crawling inside her, changing her from within."You are not the Alina you once were." The voice whispered again, faceless, sourceless, just a cold voice that flowed

Alina's steps felt heavy as she passed through the towering iron gates, the barrier that separated the outside world from the grand house that was now her home. The mansion stood firm atop a hill, surrounded by vast gardens filled with exotic flowers that resembled a mysterious forest more than a well-kept garden. Tall pillars supported the façade of the classical-modern structure, while large glass windows reflected the moonlight, creating the illusion of shifting shadows behind them.As she crossed the threshold, the scent of lavender and sandalwood filled the air—soothing, yet carrying an inexplicable sense of unease. The white marble floor gleamed like a mirror, reflecting the high ceiling adorned with sparkling crystal chandeliers. Long hallways stretched endlessly, leading her deeper into a labyrinth of blurred memories. Large paintings lined the walls, portraying unfamiliar faces that stared at her with hollow eyes—faces that felt eerily familiar.It felt like walking among the

Alina tore through the jungle, her primal instincts guiding each step. Crack. Every broken twig, every whispering breeze carried a question. Her mind swirled, fragments of memory surging up like dark waves. Betrayal gnawed at her trust. A smoldering hatred burned in her soul.She reached the ruins of an ancient building, now blanketed in moss and tangled vines. The air hung thick with gloom. A chill crept down her spine.This is where you died, whispered a voice deep within her.Among the crumbling stones, shards of a mirror lay scattered across the mossy floor. Her heart pounded—thump-thump. Is this the broken mirror they spoke of?She picked up a piece. Its surface was foggy, coated with dust.The moment her fingers brushed the cold glass—zzzzzzt!—a surge of vision struck her. She saw herself, eyes glowing crimson, locked in a deadly gaze with another figure. Darren.Not with tenderness, but with hatred.He stabbed her.Not with fangs, but with a gleaming silver dagger under the moo