CHAPTER IX
Broken Mirror
Lilly squared off with Lilith as their combined Labyrinth finally cemented itself in a surreal appearance, uniting pleasant images of home and school right alongside oppressive features, bars of bone over windows and doors along with fractured streets and blood red skies overhead.
Lilith grinned before she vanished from sight, accompanied by a sonic boom and the ground beneath her feet shattering. Lilly gasped before holding up Myrtenaster, barely blocking the strike from Lilith's blackened sword.
"Not bad!" Lilith said with glee. "This is great! Don't you agree?"
"What?"
"The rush I'm feeling right now being so close to you! I can already feel the sunlight on my skin!"
Lilly grunted before pushing away, projecting several runes in the air to counterattack, but each and every magical projectile failed to hit its mark. Lilith was much too talented with her black sword, swatting away fireballs, lightning strikes, and frost like they were tennis balls. It was Lilly's turn to go on the offensive, projecting a rune behind her that propelled her forward with great force, enough to press Lilith backward with her swing.
"Mom's sword sure is powerful, isn't it?" Lilith said. "Even against Caliburn, it holds its own."
"Caliburn?" Lilly said.
"Yup. That's this baby here." Her face grew grim. "Dad's old sword."
Something burst from the black sword in Lilith's hand, throwing Lilly back with intense pressure. It was like a shockwave with no apparent origin, but Lilly knew for a fact it came from the sword. After all, she could sense a heightened level of enmity radiating from the sword itself.
What is going on? she thought, remaining in a semi-kneeling position as she looked over at a grinning Lilith. That sword she's wielding. It's...alive.
"Don't tell me a little pressure is enough to put you down," Lilith said.
"Never," Lilly said, rising to her feet.
"Good. You'd be putting mom's old weapon to shame if you did."
Lilith moved in, sword in position for an upward stroke, but before she even came close, Lilly found herself surrounded by several runes which gave her no time to react before unleashing a storm of magical attacks on her. Lilith continued rushing in, however, fully anticipating that the attack wouldn't work. She was right; Lilly darted out of the dust cloud, her body surrounded by a sphere of bronze light, which broke as they clashed swords repeatedly.
"You're pretty quick with that Shield Rune!" Lilith said.
"Why do we have to do this?" Lilly cried.
"Because it's the natural order of things! You reject me, and I wish to assert myself! Don't you see what this is? Your two halves are literally battling for dominance right now!"
Lilly gasped as something approached from behind. She had no time to respond to a second opponent, but in a flash, something else intercepted the new attacker.
"I didn't even summon him," Lilith said. "And something tells me you didn't summon yours either. And yet, he's always there, answering our every need."
Lilly managed to push Lilith away, taking a quick glance at another battle occurring nearby. The clanging of swords was even faster than what she and Lilith had just been engaged in. And then, she realized what she was looking at. Her knight had emerged once more to protect her, fighting against a near-identical knight, but black in color.
"You've got your knight," Lilith began, "I've got mine."
Lilly looked over at her doppelganger in shock.
"I told you. You and I are the same person. Just different aspects. I know you've suspected this fact all this time, so why the hell do you keep trying to deny it?"
Lilly gritted her teeth before dashing forward to attack, but another intangible force launched her backward again. She coughed before turning to her opponent. She was pointing that blackened Caliburn out toward her.
"Hmm," Lilith mumbled. "Hey, let's turn up the fire a bit. Or, well, not fire, but..." She pointed Caliburn skyward, opening a swarm of runes in the air, each one of them black in color with barely visible, dark violet wisps of light wafting away from them. "You know what these are, don't you, Lilly?"
Lilly gritted her teeth. Those were Darkness Runes. Each one had the power to hurl a curse at her. Those curses could be anything, from something as mundane as physical illness to as fantastical as generational doom.
"Careful not to let any of them touch you!" Lilith said before unleashing all of the Darkness Runes in rapid succession.
Lilly darted to the side to dodge the first volley, but the rest were still firing. She summoned an Earth Rune to increase her physical strength and agility as she ran, the strengthening spells taking effect just in time for her to dash into an alleyway. She stooped over to try and catch her breath, but the curses were still flying at her, curving around the corner to pursue.
She ran through the alley, which twisted in ways that were not native to the real world, but perfectly fine in this Labyrinth born of the hearts of both herself and her counterpart. Saving her from the pursuing curses was her knight, who leaped in from above. Surprising even her, it held out a hand, summoning a rune that shone with a brilliant white light. The curses instantly vanished, nullified by whatever spell that was just now.
"W-What was that?" Lilly said, looking up at her knight, who quickly turned around and leapt over her head to engage that black knight once more, saving her from its sword. She hadn't even noticed that it had been nearing her.
"Heads up, me!" Lilith yelled as she dove down from the sky, black Caliburn meeting with Myrtenaster in an explosion of chaotic magical energy.
Lilly glanced at the hilt of her mother's sword. How in the world are you able to withstand these attacks? she thought. Just then, the sword began to pulse in her hand.
"Hmm?" Lilith mumbled.
Myrtenaster pulsed one more time before unleashing a shockwave that forced Lilith away.
"So you do have it!"
"Huh?" Lilly said.
"I've been looking for that thing. I sensed its presence a few times a while back, but it would always vanish just as quickly as it showed up. I guess it makes sense it's been with you this whole time."
Lilly held up Myrtenaster, but what she held in her hands was no longer her mother's weapon. It had once again transformed into that same knightly sword from before, that beautiful work of craftsmanship complete with gold wash over the steel hilt and gemstones embedded into the metal.
She looked over to Lilith, whose sword was nearly identical, though hers had a black blade in place of the mirror-polished one in Lilly's hand. The hilt was also black in color, the elegantly cut gemstones replaced with rough-cut crimson and dark violet stones that radiated power.
"It's almost like poetry," Lilith said.
"What are you talking about?" Lilly said.
"You and I are two halves of the same person. One of us walks in light while the other lives in darkness. And that's how it's always been. I guess it's no surprise that Caliburn would choose the both of us as its bearer. Or rather, as the bearers of both its halves. Like us, Caliburn is also split in two, one half dispensing absolute justice while the other bestows perfect mercy."
Lilly looked at the majestic Caliburn in her hand.
"Did you know that our dad once wielded this sword?"
"Our...father?"
Lilith nodded. "And just like us, he, too, struggled between two halves of himself. Unfortunately, the struggle ended up breaking him. But I won't let that happen to us. I'm gonna put you to sleep so I can do what you can't—what you refuse to do. I mean, hell, it's your fault Perseus has to live with that damn curse on his left hand."
The Rune of Atonement. How could Lilly forget that horrible thing?
"You won't have to worry about anything anymore, Lilly. I'll take the driver's seat from now on. You can leave it all to me."
"I won't let you take over."
"Can you stop me?"
"Gehärtete Verteidigung! Stahlknöchel!"
"Are those the only Earth Rune spells you know?"
"Huh?"
"I figured. Your use of runes has been very intuitive so far and quite impressive for someone as untrained as you, but think about it. Why do you think that is? Why do you think you're so skilled despite nobody teaching you these things?"
Lilly paled as the realization dawned on her.
"That's right," Lilith said as her eyes radiated that brilliant golden shine once more. "It's because of me. You might be good," she said as she raised her sword in the air to project a multitude of runes of different varieties, "but I'm better. After all, you're us in the real world. I am us in the World of Shadow!"
Lilith unleashed a massive storm of every possible elemental attack. The barrage Ivory had dealt during the Vytal Festival Tournament paled in comparison. Fortunately, Lilly was able to dodge most of the attacks. Her Earth Rune defensive bolstering spell also gave her the ability to withstand the ones that connected with her, though the attacks were too numerous and the shield around her body was completely shattered.
"Not bad," Lilith said. "But you won't be able to keep this up forever. After all, you are merely borrowing your power. I am a being of magic itself!" She held up her sword, but this time no runes appeared. The sword itself began to pulse, emitting a fiery dark purple aura with red lightning accompanying it.
Lilly stared in awe. What in the world is that? She held up her own sword, which also began to pulse, as if matching Lilith's sword in strength and determination. Caliburn?
"Now, be a good little girl and submit to me!" Lilith said before swinging her sword. "Darkness Flame!"
"Caliburn!" Lilly yelled as she held her sword up high. "Lend me your aid! Sacred Flame!"
Between them met two pillars of fire, one born of untold darkness and the other composed of pure, golden light. The clash produced a conflagration of impossible proportions, spreading across the land and incinerating everything in its path.
"Amazing," Lilith said as she watched the Labyrinth landscape reassert and restore itself. "So, this is what happens when Caliburn and Caliburn clash." She scratched her head. "Man, we're gonna have to give them nicknames so it doesn't get confusing."
"Lilith," Lilly began, readying herself for combat. "I won't let you have your way with the world."
"Don't be like that. All I want is to sit in the driver's seat for once instead of being stuck in this gloomy world forever."
"And allow you to run amok? Never."
"How rude! I just want to have some fun for once! Maybe peel someone's skin off without killing them, or maybe see if I can extract every single bone without them bleeding to death. That would be a thrill, wouldn't it?"
Lilly's grip on Caliburn tightened.
"Good. Now we can have a real battle. Let's see which is superior, the girl who was pampered all her life and lived in the dawn light or the one who has been through hell itself!"
Lilith was the one to commence the duel, dashing at Lilly with so much force as to pulverize the concrete beneath her feet. She brought the dark half of Caliburn up high before swinging downward as hard as she could to meet with Lilly's light half of the sword. The clash between the two unleashed an explosion so powerful as to instantly form a crater beneath Lilly's feet. She counterattacked, swinging hard enough to send Lilith flying back. Soon, both were dashing at one another, exchanging blows at speeds no human eye could possibly see.
The battle between Lilly and Lilith was epic in scale. No other word could possibly describe the cataclysm which accompanied each meeting of their swords, those two swords that were identical and yet could not be any more opposite from one another. Mirror-polished steel met with blackened metal, sending shockwaves that crushed the ground beneath whilst unleashing strikes of black lightning and gusts of black flame.
Lilly gasped as she lost her footing, her heel sinking into a pothole.
"Gotcha!" Lilith screamed, swinging her dark Caliburn.
Lilly managed to deflect the strike, vaulting backwards and righting herself before defending against Lilith's incessant offensive. If there was one thing Lilith got right, it was that her drive to battle was much greater than Lilly's. The latter's nature was much too gentle, even if she had recently been nurturing a side of her that brought her shame and fear.
"You're barely even fighting!" Lilith yelled, continuing to exchange blows with Lilly. "You call yourself a hero when you can't even stand up for yourself! Don't make me laugh!"
Lilly gritted her teeth.
"How you even manage to save people from their own hells is astounding! Oh, right, because the Corrupted you've been killing have been easy to kill, right? Nothing more than monsters? Well, I should probably give you the full disclosure. The Corrupted are not mindless monsters. They are nothing like the Grimm you've fought so many times."
Lilly gasped.
"You've known all this time, haven't you? Those Corrupted are none other than real people, trapped in this world to repeat their worst fears and guilt and regret and secret desires and everything for all eternity."
"You're lying!"
"Why do you think they all look the way they do? 'Corruption' is a perfect word to describe them, each one so tortured and damned, each of them in a way that is perfectly tailored to their own inner darkness that has completely taken them over."
Lilly faltered in her resolve, her grip on Caliburn slackening.
"Yeah, that's right. You've been killing people all this time, Lilly. I mean, there's no problem with that. It's what happens in war. People die. And it's totally okay since they were all trying to kill you—"
"No, it's not okay!"
"Huh?"
"That means...that means...I've been...no, no, no...I could have saved them!"
"Have you not been listening to a word I've said? Each one of those things is literally corrupted. They're beyond saving."
"No one is beyond salvation!"
"Wow. Where have I heard that before?"
"Every single person can be saved!"
"It's weird how you can be so similar—no, you're exactly the same."
"What?"
"You've never met him, and yet you are no different from our father, that bastard who abandoned us."
"M-My...father?"
Lilith sighed. "That fool was so damned idealistic that he completely abandoned his other half, allowing him to fester and take on himself all of his corruption while the other half basked in the sunlight all his life."
"You know our father?" Lilly said, her voice quavering.
"No. Fortunately. I don't think I would be able to stand being in the presence of such an idealistic idiot without throwing up in my mouth."
"Why would you talk about him that way?"
"Because he abandoned us!" Lilith screamed. "He abandoned us! He abandoned our mother!"
Lilly's heart skipped a beat.
"And you know this. You've always known this. You just never admitted it to yourself, not out loud. No, that's my job."
Lilly looked at the ground. No, no, no, that can't be. He...he loved us, didn't he?
Lilith shrugged. "Maybe. Doubtful, though. I guess he loved mom, since he did make a baby with her, but I guess he didn't love her enough if he could just abandon her like that."
"He didn't abandon us!"
"How else do you explain his complete absence, huh? There aren't even any pictures of him in the house. Mom has never said a word about him. You wanna know why? It's because he isn't the kind of man worth remembering. Typical deadbeat dad."
"Stop it!"
"We agree. Enough talking. Let's settle this the old fashioned way: through violence!"
Lilith's assault was relentless, driving Lilly back. Though the latter was able to regain her footing, Lilith would always find a weakness and exploit it without mercy. This was the difference between the two halves of the same person. Both had the power necessary to gain the upper hand, but only one had the will to do whatever it took.
Maybe she's right. Maybe I am too weak to save anyone. If...if all I've been doing is killing innocent people, then maybe...
"Quit being so distracted!" Lilith said before landing a powerful punch to Lilly's face, sending her reeling.
As always, though, Lilly was able to regain her composure, bringing Caliburn back up to continue the battle, even if it was purely defensive at this point. It wasn't that she didn't have the power. She simply had no desire to use it.
There's nothing wrong with having power, Lilly.
M...Mom?
There is never anything wrong with power alone. It's how you use it that matters.
It wasn't her mother's voice she was hearing. This was a recollection of a memory from long ago.
Power can be a useful thing, so long as you never let it corrupt you. If you have power, you can use it to save those who need saving. If you ever find yourself in that position, Lilly, don't let it go to waste. Exercise what little power you might have and do it to change the world.
"Change...the world..." she mumbled.
"Huh?" Lilith said. "Oh, yeah, that little speech. You're damn right I'm gonna change the fucking world. It's gonna be one where the people we care about are completely safe."
"And what about everyone else?"
"Who?"
"The rest of the world!"
"Like I said, who?"
"You don't care about anything, do you, Lilith?"
"I care about the people close to me: mom, Leon, our friends, our...family, I suppose. As far as I'm concerned, everyone else can burn."
"Well, I'm not like that!"
"It's that idealism that'll get you killed. Or worse, get your spirit killed. The way you live will lead you to the same fate as our father."
"What do you even know about him?"
"That he was an idealistic fool."
"You keep saying that!"
"Because it's true."
"That's enough! I won't tolerate you talking about him like that!"
"Then, do something about it!"
"I will! Sakral Flamme!"
"Good! Geschwärzte Flamme!"
The two flames born of the two halves of Caliburn were much brighter than before. The clash resulted in an explosion that flattened the surrounding landscape, which, again, reformed of its own accord, the power of the Labyrinth asserting its dominance over all that resided within, although in spite of this alternate world's power, Caliburn was starting to take its toll on the fabric of space-time. After all, the Labyrinth was a phenomenon formed out of pure and chaotic magic. Caliburn was an artifact of the highest order of ancient thaumaturgy. Even split in two, its place in the cosmic order could not be denied.
"Why do you have so much hate in your heart?" Lilly cried out.
"You could never understand!" Lilith spat. "You who grew up in the warm embrace of our mother could never understand the darkness! You may walk through it from time to time, but I live in it! I am the darkness! I am your shadow, Lilly!"
Lilly pondered on the idea as she continued to exchange blows with Lilith. As the truth of the matter crept its way into her heart, Lilly found her resolve sloughing away and her efforts became weaker and weaker.
"What's the matter?" Lilith yelled. "Why are you not fighting back?"
"Because there's no point," Lilly said. "Because you're right. You have been raised in complete darkness. But also because you're wrong. I do understand."
That last sentence infuriated her. "There's no way you could understand! Don't lie to me! Geschwärzte Flamme!"
Lilly didn't defend against the attack, allowing the full force of Caliburn's might to swallow her body. The pain searing her flesh was indescribable, a combination of burning and electrocution and drowning and crushing and slicing all at once. Her aura was soundly shattered as her body tumbled around on the pavement, Caliburn clanging beside her.
She gasped weakly as she tried to get back up to her feet, but it was no use. Her strength was all but gone. And yet, something within her burned, like the fire of a phoenix awaiting its return from the ashes. Caliburn was also pulsing, calling out to her, shining as a beacon for her to follow.
You won't...abandon me?
It pulsed again.
I see... Thank you...
She reached out, gripping Caliburn by its hilt, using it as a crutch as she rose to her feet to stand before Lilith, who was marching in her direction.
"Still alive, are you?" Lilith said.
"I won't die," Lilly said in absolute defiance. "Not so long as people are counting on me to protect them."
"Bang up job you're doing."
Lilly closed her eyes as the power of Caliburn flowed into her body, fully healing her injuries.
"Don't you find this interesting? This whole paradigm, I mean. I guess dad struggled with his own thing back in his day and now here we are, doing the exact same thing he did. And we don't even know the guy." She held up her darkened half of Caliburn. "I can hear its memories. Holding it in my hand like this, it's almost as if I can feel his hand, too. But it's nothing more than a memory. That coward fled a long time ago. It's not as if we could ever actually meet the guy."
"Don't you ever get tired of talking crap about someone you've never met?"
Lilith chuckled. "Nah. I've gotta get it outta my system. After all, even though I've never met him, I somehow know who he is and what he's done and all that crap. I mean, I told you already that I'm a magical being, not that different from those stupid Daemons, just not as friggin' obsessed over stupid shit."
Lilly held Caliburn at the ready.
"You have one more scrap left in you?"
She didn't answer.
"Right. Let Caliburn decide the fate of Lilly Schnee today."
Lilith went on the offensive. Lilly deflected and redirected with perfect skill and precision, her movements guided by Caliburn itself. She and the sword were one, its essence flowing into her and combining with her soul. Like Lilith, its memories also made its way into her mind, memories of exquisite swordsmanship and unrivaled valor. What she didn't notice was that her body was now clad in a translucent form of the same armor that her knight wore. Lilith was in the same state, covered from head to toe with her black knight's see-through armor.
"If you're not gonna take this seriously," Lilith began as her darkened Caliburn began to glow, "then I might as well finish you off now! Geschwärzte Flamme!"
"Unsterbliches Licht," Lilly mumbled as a shell of golden light projected around her, completely nullifying Lilith's attack.
"What the?"
"Geißel vom Himmel."
Lilith turned to the sky as a massive ray of golden light poured down. "I see. You've already aligned perfectly with Caliburn. I guess I got you all wrong. You really are tough as nails. But this isn't over! Not yet!" Before the ray of light struck her, it vanished. She turned to face off with Lilly. "Why? Why did you withdraw the attack?"
Lilly didn't answer.
"You should know better than to underestimate me, Lilly."
She shook her head. "That's not it."
Lilith attacked wildly, but Lilly fended off her attacks with ease.
"Stop playing around! Fight me! Geschwärzte Fl—"
Lilly interrupted her spell with a punch to the jaw, sending her reeling and causing the black knightly armor to shatter and vanish. Lilith stared at her with fury in her golden eyes.
"I'm not gonna kill you, Lilith," Lilly said, her own armor dissipating. "That would be stupid. It wouldn't be any different from killing myself."
"Defeating me will grant you all the power you need! Aren't you supposed to be some sort of idealistic idiot who wants to save the whole world? Huh?"
"I'll find another way."
"There is no other way!"
"You're wrong."
"No! This is the only way! Your problems can't be solved with wishful thinking! Only naïve fools who've never seen the real world think that way!"
"I know. But still, there is another way. And I'm gonna find it."
"You're an idiot! You've always been an idiot!"
"I know." She began to sob. "And I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry, Lilith, I'm so sorry."
"Why the hell are you apologizing? And why are you crying?"
"Because...you're right. You are the darkness. And it's entirely my fault."
"What?"
"I am just like dad. I hung on to all the good in life and discarded all the bad, dumped it all on you. I'm the reason you are the way you are. And I know this because, like you said, you and I are the same, just different sides to each other. The hate you feel, the anger, all of it, I feel it, too. It's just...I never wanted to bear it. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being the reason you are the way you are."
"You think that makes up for anything? Huh?"
Lilly shook her head. "Nothing I can do can ever make up for it."
Lilith held Caliburn to her throat. "There's one thing you can do. You can die right here and I'll take over our life."
"If that's what will make you happy, then I'd be glad to give it to you."
"That makes no sense, Lilly."
"Yeah. But if this is the way I need to atone for my sins against you, then so be it."
Lilith hesitated. "Stupid. You're so stupid."
She gave her a smile.
"You would throw your life away? Just like that?"
"I wouldn't be throwing it away."
Lilith allowed Caliburn to graze Lilly's neck, but the latter did not flinch, not even as the blood flowed out. She let her half of Caliburn fall to the ground.
"If this will bring you peace, Lilith," Lilly began, "I will gladly be the sacrifice."
"Stupid," Lilith spat as her vision clouded. "Stupid, stupid! You're so stupid!"
"You're right. I'm stupid to have let you bear our burden all by yourself. I'm happy to trade places with you if it means you get to live in the light for once."
"You idiot! You have no idea what you're saying! This place, it's Hell!"
"If that's my punishment for what I've done to you, then fine."
"Shut up! Just shut up!"
Without another word, Lilly stepped forward, pushing Caliburn's blade aside before wrapping her arms all around Lilith.
"What...?"
"I'm so sorry, Lilith," Lilly whispered as her tears fell onto Lilith's shoulder. "I'm sorry for having abandoned you all our life. No one should ever have to walk in darkness, not even for a moment. Like I said, I'd trade places with you so you could live in the light."
"You're such an idiot," Lilith said, fighting off the tears that threatened to escape. "You don't have a clue what that means..."
"I'd still do it anyway."
"What's gonna stop me from doing what I want out in the real world, huh? I could burn the whole city down if I wanted to."
"If you wanted to do that, you could've done it a long time ago, like when you first took over our body. I know now the extent of our power. And besides, I know you better than anyone else. That's not what you actually want."
The tears began to well up in Lilith's eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
"It's okay to cry, Lilith," Lilly said. "Believe me, it's perfectly okay to cry."
With that, Lilith let go completely, allowing the tears to fall as she returned Lilly's embrace. Lilly held on to her tightly as the light and the dark began to exchange. All of the hurt Lilith had ever experienced made its way into Lilly's heart at the same time that Lilly's joy and peace flooded Lilith. Both halves of Lilly Schnee shared tears together, holding one another tightly as the demarcation between the two blurred, eventually vanishing altogether. Both closed their eyes as they were surrounded by a brilliant light that washed away everything around them.
—
Lilly opened her eyes, glancing around. She was sitting on a bench in the middle of Shade Academy's courtyard. Students passed by left and right, some glancing at her, the rest minding their own business. She sat for several minutes, allowing her mind to refocus. Her recollection was quite hazy, but the bits and pieces gradually came back to her, though it was quite unbelievable. She looked over at Myrtenaster, which was tucked away to her left just as it always was.
Was that just a dream?
I don't think so.
"What the?" Lilly said aloud.
Okay, this is awkward.
"Y-You're in m-my—"
What in the world did you do, Lilly?
"Uh, I have no idea."
Hang on, didn't you say you were gonna, like, trade places with me?
"Y-Yeah, I did say that."
But, we're in the real world. Both of us.
"...Yes?"
Huh. Oh, by the way, you should probably stop talking to yourself.
"What? Why?"
Because people are staring.
Lilly glanced around. Lilith was right. Eyeballs everywhere were glued to her. She kept her head down, pulling out her scroll and pretending to be busy with it. She quickly got up from her bench and began marching to the main building.
Uh, Lilly? Where are you going?
"Somewhere private!"
