MY SOULMATE

ght relief was the water I froze for myself. I took a sip, froze it, and sucked on the ice to soo

g a planet as a single individual. The complexity of orchestrating molecules to form mount

hifted to the glass left by Bishop Pricina. It stood as a stark r

low someone like me to practice reorganizing matter. I tried rearranging some stones using mere glances instead of

. Breathing and speaking were challenging. Only the ice I froze in my mouth offered some respite. I could freeze it in my mouth, let it

towards the Crimson Forest. Instead of going straight to the heart, I visited my throat, overseeing ongoing repairs. The damage

zed the cells were different not just because they were damaged, but because I was

or design. Allowing the change would make me less fragile, but the process of fully transforming into

form. With determination, I instructed my body to halt any further pain and

ality. The process challenged everything I had ever known or hoped for. It went against teachings an

g in my chest. She was the only t

id further pain, I longed to communicate with the other C

n his shoulders. Spotting me, he held t

e a poignant memory. It was ephemeral, fading as qui

ulled the sword free?" I inquired, my voi

left to rule the Crims

t there. Our actio

e int

ee the pain I

ng, and I didn't make you consume those stones. They off

felt couldn't possibly be equal to the pl

You also gained knowledge. Have you practiced manipula

it might be a fair exchange, I still fe

as you achieved something significant, something else was bound to be taken aw

d, "I despise this

ed. "You've been asked to mature far more rapi

me three days just to re

ble woman! I thought it had b

ioned, "Are you

ses bot

's our next step?" I asked wearil

irror in my chamber," he decla

world, this might have resembled a delighted husband offering scissors to his wife for a bouti

, only vulnerability

kay," I relented. "I'm supposed to pierce the mirror and

ction in the mirror serves as the target. When you stab the glas

nds like the exact opposite of wh

ble acts of self-destruction. We perform them to remind ourselves that we've moved beyond being merely human. It'

d his words. I wondered what other acts of self-a

the other side, I'll mend you

t affect living matter

ror into your heart, completing the connection. As I step into my Crimson Forest, I'll merge with Damon Christianus. Christian will retain my me

pull it

y to send me, and I'll endure it to arrive. The joy we'll feel at the end will outwei

my heart's chambers when you arrive?

ng. "Unless you intentionally left a par

commented, jutting my

l these fragmented parts of me that linger here will pass through the mirror and rejoin my body. Then those chambers will

e on the sword's hilt, conv

you," I breathed, mee

until you see how much harder I'll fall when I meet yo

for the real Christ

ped back. "Thrust the s

ated the mirror's texture being unlike that of the real world. It was soft, almost fleshy, and an intense pain surg

the mirror's frame. Footsteps echoed,