the hell's mirror

The knock on the mirror was sharp and insistent, echoing through the stillness of Gem's room. The sound cut through the quiet like a blade, rousing her from a restless sleep. Her eyes shot open, her heart racing before she even fully registered the intrusion.

At first, she thought it was just a dream—a trick of her mind. But when she turned, she saw it: green glowing symbols slowly spreading across the surface of the mirror in front of her. They pulsated with an eerie, rhythmic glow, like something alive, something that didn't belong in her sanctuary.

And there, at the center of it all, was a wide, familiar grin—a twisted smile that seemed to stretch impossibly across the glass.

Gem's breath caught in her throat. The last time she'd encountered him, she had barely escaped. Now, he was back, trying again. She could feel it in her bones: he was getting closer.

"No," she whispered under her breath. She forced herself to sit up, her body stiff and cold, the remnants of sleep still clinging to her mind. "Not now."

The glowing symbols shimmered brighter, the smile growing wider as if mocking her. The Radio Demon's presence wasn't just in the reflection—it felt tangible. She could almost hear the radio buzzing in the back of her mind, that dreadful static that had always heralded his arrival.

With a sigh of frustration, Gem swung her legs off the bed and stood. Her bare feet hit the cold marble floor with a sharp thud, but she didn't flinch. She had dealt with this before. She would deal with it again.

Before she could even think about grabbing a weapon or preparing herself for the worst, she raised her hand claws out and slashed it into the mirror.

CRACK.

The glass shattered in an instant, the green symbols disintegrating with it. Shards rained down around her, scattering across the floor like fragments of something broken, something lost. The smile, though, lingered in her mind, still hanging there in the space between reality and nightmare.

She exhaled sharply, wiping the remnants of glass from her hands. The danger wasn't gone—not by a long shot. The Radio Demon was still out there, and the worst part? He was getting bolder.

Just as she stood over the shards, a loud sound echoed from the hallway—a crash, followed by the unmistakable sound of more glass breaking.

Gem froze, her senses instantly on high alert. That was no accident.

—

Meanwhile, down the hall...

The niece jolted awake to the sound of glass shattering. She shot up in bed, eyes wide with confusion and alarm. The noise came again—louder this time—followed by the unmistakable thud of something heavy hitting the ground. She could barely process what was happening, but she knew one thing for sure: it was coming from her aunt's room.

Panic gnawed at her as she jumped out of bed, heart pounding. "What the hell?" she muttered, rushing out into the hall.

When she reached Gem's door, she hesitated. There was no sound coming from inside. But something felt wrong—deeply wrong.

She pushed the door open slowly, eyes darting around the dimly lit room. And then she saw it. Glass. Everywhere. Shards of mirror scattered across the floor, glittering like broken stars.

Gem stood in the center of the chaos, her eyes hard and focused as she stared down at the remnants of the shattered mirror. Her hands trembled slightly, but her expression was one of quiet determination.

"Aunt Gem?" the niece called out, stepping into the room. Her voice was cautious, almost hesitant. "What... what are you doing?"

Gem didn't turn. She didn't even flinch. She simply moved to the next mirror. "Stay back," she murmured, her tone colder than usual, like a door slamming shut.

The niece hesitated but followed her aunt's movements, watching as Gem raised her hand and struck another mirror, cracking it with a single, powerful blow. The glass splintered across the room, the shards shimmering in the dim light.

"Aunt Gem!" the niece called out again, her voice rising in frustration. "What the hell is going on? Why are you destroying everything?"

Gem didn't answer right away. She seemed lost in the task, her eyes narrowed in focus. After a moment, she marched past her niece without a word, striding down the hallway toward the other mirrors that lined the walls.

"What are you doing?" the niece demanded, running after her. "Seriously, why are you smashing everything? This is insane!"

Gem stopped in her tracks, her back still turned. "Grab something hard," she said, her voice harsh but quiet. "We need to smash every mirror downstairs. Now."

The niece blinked, her mind racing to catch up. "What? Why? What's going on?"

Gem didn't pause. "Just do it. We don't have time to argue."

Her niece hesitated for only a moment before darting into the nearest room, grabbing a heavy silver candlestick, and following Gem down the stairs. "Are you losing your mind?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion. "What the hell is going on with you?"

Gem didn't answer, moving swiftly through the corridors, slamming mirrors to the floor with ruthless efficiency. Her hands were steady, her actions practiced. This was no ordinary destruction—it was deliberate. It was necessary.

—

The echoes of shattering glass filled the Cathedral, reverberating off the high walls, and rattling every corner of the grand structure. The niece, now fully caught up in the frenzy, followed Gem's lead, smashing every reflective surface they came across. Mirrors in the hallways, in the library, in the living room—everything shattered under their blows.

The heavy candlestick in the niece's hands felt light as she swung it against the next mirror, the sound of the break filling her ears like a chorus of destruction. She barely had time to breathe before Gem was already moving to the next one, her gaze hard and determined.

By the time they reached the last mirror, both of them were covered in glass dust, breathing heavily, their bodies tense from the effort. The once-pristine Cathedral now lay in ruins, its mirrors destroyed, its quiet reflection shattered.

The niece wiped her brow, looking around at the devastation. "What now?" she asked, finally giving voice to the questions that had been swirling in her mind. "What the hell is going on? Why did we have to destroy everything?"

Gem took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as she surveyed the wreckage. Her voice was low and grim. "The Radio Demon is getting bolder. He's been searching for me. And I can't let him find me again."

The niece frowned, trying to piece it all together. "But... why? What did you do to make him want to find you?"

Gem's eyes darkened as she looked at the shattered glass around her. "I always thought it was because I'm holding a piece of the Hell's Mirror. A fragment of something he wants. But now, I'm not so sure. I think there's something else he's after."

The niece crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. "But Alastor's an Overlord, right? Doesn't that mean he can do whatever he wants? He's already in control of so much."

Gem nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, he has power. He can get away with more than most demons can. But mirrors? That's my domain. He can't cross through them the way I can."

Her niece raised an eyebrow, an idea beginning to form. "So, what are you saying?"

Gem's eyes narrowed with purpose. "We're leaving. Now."

Before her niece could protest, Gem grabbed her by the arm and yanked her toward the back of the closet. "You're going to need a dress. And shoes. We're going through one of the mirrors."

The niece's jaw dropped. "Wait, what? Are you serious?"

Gem didn't wait for an answer. She yanked open the hidden compartment in her closet, revealing an old, ornate mirror behind a stack of clothes. "Through here. Don't ask questions. Just follow me."

The niece stood frozen for a moment, but the urgency in Gem's movements left no room for debate. "But… the Radio Demon—"

Gem gave her a hard look. "I can't afford to wait for him to find us. We're getting out of here, and we're not waiting around for him to catch up."

With no further warning, she shoved her niece toward the mirror. "In. Now."

The niece stumbled, unsure of what was happening, but before she could say another word, she was pulled through the mirror, the cold glass swallowing her whole.

—

They emerged into the bright light of the living world, the air warmer, the sky a strange contrast to the suffocating atmosphere of Hell—the breeze of a fisherman's port brought by skyscrapers and sounds of trollies. The niece blinked, disoriented by the shift in reality. "Where are we?" she asked, looking around in confusion especially seeing that her red skin had been turned to a lively tan peachy color.

Gem stood behind her, her eyes scanning the world around them with a sense of relief. Her hair was white; she had green eyes, a yellow sundress, and fair peach skin. Though she still wore her pointe shoes. "Somewhere safe, for now. Alastor can't come through mirrors like we can. Not unless I let him."

Her niece glanced over at her, still trying to catch her breath. "So… this is happening?"

Gem's lips quivered into a brief, almost imperceptible smile. "It is. And while we're here, we should have some fun."

Her niece stared at her aunt, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Fun, huh?"

Gem's gaze softened, but her eyes still held the spark of something dangerous. "Just enjoy it while it lasts. Lucifer doesn't quite know I can do this."