The Keeper of History

«Am I… too late?»

Lein was running as fast as he could toward his house.

As he rushed through the ruined streets, he noticed people.

Some were in panic, not knowing what to do.

Some were still in shock, refusing to believe what was happening.

And some were hugging their children, calming them… calming themselves.

And there were children waiting for their parents to wake up.

There were also cars, without drivers, but with plenty of damage.

Some cars were smeared with someone's blood, with horrible traces of fresh bodies…

The road, once made of solid asphalt, was completely destroyed.

In some places there were cracks from the violent earthquake.

But none of that mattered to Lein.

Ignoring the people, ignoring the destruction, he finally reached the familiar house.

It was a two‑story building, so from the outside there were no visible signs of damage.

If you didn't count the strange tilt of the house, everything seemed the same.

Lein hurried inside—and froze.

The entrance led to the living room, but it was no longer familiar to him.

The chandelier lay shattered on the floor, and the floor itself was cracked—small, but noticeable cracks.

Lein looked to the left, toward the kitchen and the table where, just this morning, he'd had a pleasant breakfast with his family.

The table had collapsed under a chunk of ceiling from the second floor.

Broken dishes were scattered everywhere, shards littering the ground.

Lein's gaze fell on the gas stove, also crushed by some falling debris.

Then Lein felt it…

The smell of gas.

He rushed to the stove and turned it off.

But he wasn't sure it had worked.

«I need… to evacuate faster!»

Lein stepped back from the stove and ran toward the stairs leading down.

He knew his parents weren't foolish, and they would have figured out on their own to go down into the basement.

Because, as Lein knew, their basement was built specifically for such situations.

He didn't know what material it was made of, but he'd once overheard it was designed to reduce vibrations during earthquakes.

«The basement has several exits leading to the backyard, and upstairs. There's also ventilation, and a fridge with supplies. Father… was overly cautious when he built our house. I just hope they managed to get down there, all four of them. Please…»

Lein didn't even realize how he was already in the basement—his head was full of thoughts, theories, and… anxiety.

He… was afraid.

His family meant everything to him.

He loved them.

He loved them very much.

But…

«W‑what the hell…?»

The basement wasn't very bright, but it wasn't dark either.

Lein had imagined many possible outcomes.

He expected they might not be here.

He expected they might have gone outside first.

He even expected they might meet him here.

But he could never have imagined that they would all four of them be lying in a circle.

And inside that circle…

Was a chair.

With a mirror.

Ordinary, plain, unremarkable.

And inside that mirror Lein saw his own reflection.

Another him, smiling.

A sinister smile.

A mad smile.

— Who are you!? — Lein asked bluntly.

Though in his head, he already had a guess.

A guess he didn't want to admit was true.

— [Do you really… not know? Or… do you simply… not want… to know?]

Lein clenched his teeth.

«Damn it…»

— So it's… really you. I… didn't want this to be reality.

The mirror version of Lein smiled even wider.

— [I just… got… curious. Who… are you?… How can you… travel… between worlds? Even if… only spiritually.]

— I see. I'll answer you, but I need a guarantee you won't touch my family. They're still alive, aren't they?

Lein was bluffing, of course. He had no idea what worlds this entity was talking about.

«My family is probably still alive. I'm even sure of it. Because, as he says, he needs an answer. If he killed them, he wouldn't be able to get anything out of me. He thinks he can kill us all at any time, that's why he's so relaxed.»

But Lein, of course, wasn't stupid.

«Story… others can't see you, right?»

Immediately Lein heard the familiar pleasant whisper, and before his eyes appeared the Story's system window.

[Hint: The Story is visible to no one. Not even gods.]

— [They're alive… and will live… for a very… long time. As long as someone… cooperates… with us.]

— With you? You… are a people?

«Story. If I agree to enter the Fragment, can I take this mirror with me? Or the entity hiding in it?»

Lein again heard the whisper, and the system window changed:

[Hint: You cannot take anyone with you into the First Fragment.]

Lein was about to come up with something else when suddenly the whisper grew… quieter.

The Story's window changed again:

[Additional hint: Your mirror self was stolen and is considered the same person as you, until the mirror demon changes its body. You will automatically take it with you when you enter the Fragment.]

[Chosen, do you wish to challenge the First Level Fragment?]

[Yes/No]

— [We… are a people? Hehehe… funny to hear… such a thing… Enough talking… spit it out…]

Lein smiled.

The Mirror Demon didn't expect… such a reaction.

— [Why… are you… smiling?]

Lein pressed something in the air and answered directly:

— Because you've already lost.

— [What?...]

He didn't have time to finish before something started pulling him… somewhere.

Somewhere very ancient, great, and… terrifying.

Into the Fragment of the Story.

Lein understood that the mirror demon would never have left him or his family alive.

He also understood that the chances of defeating this entity were very slim.

He even understood that without the Story's help and its hints, he could never have saved his family—or himself.

And yet, for some reason, he believed…

He believed the Story wouldn't lead him to his death.

The only thing that really troubled Lein…

Was how he was going to kill this creature.

And…

How he was going to finish this Fragment.

«Indeed… today is a day of emotional whiplash.»