The corridor after evening self-study was unnaturally quiet, the lights flickering occasionally as if someone were grumbling about life to the electrical circuits.
Kazama Rei walked ahead at a quick pace, as if he had already sensed that something terrible was about to happen. Ashiya Kaito rubbed the back of his neck as he walked, muttering, 'I really don't want to run into anything that will suddenly scream again. I still remember that face from yesterday.'
'It's normal; you have a good memory,' Rei replied dismissively.
The two of them pushed open the door to the psychic observation room and saw that the lights were already on.
Yuuki Mio stood in the centre, the hem of her white uniform skirt fluttering gently in the air conditioning. She was breathing as if to a rhythm only she could hear. Her amber eyes were unfocused, completely absorbed in a prophetic state.
Rei paused for half a second. "She's doing it again?"
'Probably.' Kaito shrugged. 'Hopefully, this time it won't be like last time when she said, "The three of you can't go down to the basement, or you'll all be wiped out". It turned out that we had just stepped on a pile of discarded old exam papers, though that was pretty scary too.'
Just as he finished speaking, Mio suddenly felt as if she were being pulled by some force, her spine stiffening completely.
She opened her mouth, but the voice was not her own; it was like an echo mixed from multiple channels.
'The sixth name will disappear in the mirror.'
Rei's pupils constricted instantly. 'Wait, "six"... you mean the Summoning Research Society?'
Mio didn't hear him, continuing to recite the sentence as if it were forced down her throat:
'He walks through the cracks...
With dreams as doors...
With mirrors as paths...
With names as the price...
The chosen ones will never return to the light.'
The air temperature plummeted and the entire room felt as though a ceiling of spiritual pressure had been slammed into it.
Just as Rei was about to move closer, Mio suddenly looked up, her eyes shattering like amber.'The one who opens their eyes will see Him first.'
The next second, the lights snapped off.
In the darkness, only Kaito's voice could be heard. 'Damn! Who's playing this "lights out" game?!'
When the lights came back on, Mio was lying on the ground, breathing heavily but unharmed.
Rei knelt down and helped her up, his voice low. 'Mio, did you see anything?' he asked.
Mio trembled and grabbed Rei's sleeve as if it were the only tangible thing she could grasp.
'Rei, that thing was staring at you.'
Kaito: '...Huh? Wait a minute, who did you just say? Rei?!"
Rei felt as if cold water had been poured down his spine, from the back of his head to his toes.
Mio leaned on his shoulder, her voice so soft it seemed swallowed by the darkness.
'He's awake...
Next, it will be your turn to see him.
But the first person he wants to see is you.'
Rei's throat tightened and he was completely speechless.
In the large mirror of the observation room behind him, a figure that looked like himself was smiling.