A cold, dead hand shot out from the mirror, and grabbed Aurora by the throat.
"Jace..." Aurora screamed, scratching at the icy fingers that were squeezing her windpipe. The hands were pulling her down, dragging her into the glass. Her chest was already passing through the surface of the grass, the cold emptiness seeped into her ribs.
Jace spunked around. He was on the other side, safe when he saw her struggling. He didn't run away, Instead he threw his bat. The weapon flew through the air, spinning round and round. It smashed into the mirror right next to Karen's head.
CRASH.
The glass shattered. The image of Karen broke into a thousand pieces. The grip on Aurora's throat disappeared instantly.
"Get up quickly!" Jace roared.
Aurora quickly got to her feet, gasping for breath, rubbing her bruised neck. She lunged for the bank, throwing herself into the solid, Gray dirt of the Library ground. She rolled over staring back at the moat. The mirror bridge was falling apart, and the shards were moving violently, swallowing the spot where she had been. On the other side, the Monster watched them, its wide smile was gone now, replaced by a look of pure, cold fury. It let out one last scream, then turned and ran back into the fog.
Aurora lay on her back, looking back up at the purple sky. Her heart was beating frantically against her ribs.
Her thoughts were spinning. 'She was alive, she was really alive'
A shadow fell over her making her flinch, as she raised her head. It was Jace. He reached down and picked his bat, checking it for damage.
"You have terrible luck," he said, shaking his head. His voice was no longer angry, it was just tired. He offered her a hand. "Get up, Architect. We're not inside yet."
Aurora took his hand. His grip was surprisingly strong, rough and warm. He pulled her up to her feet.
"Thank you." she whispered. "You saved me."
"Don't thank me," Jace muttered, nodding towards the huge double doors of the Library. "Thank him instead."
Aurora looked forward. Standing at the top of the Library steps was an older man. He wore a rough jacket with leather patches on the elbow, and thick glasses with one cracked lens. He held a lantern that glowed with a soft, golden light. It was the same colour as the mark on Aurora's wrist.
"Open the gate!" the old man commanded, his voice loud like thunder.
The massive gates groaned open.
"Welcome to the Sanctuary, Ms. Mclaren." the old man called out, looking directly at her. "We've been waiting for you."
Aurora frowned, limping towards the stairs. "How do you know my name?"
The old man smiled, but it was a sad smile. "Because, my dear, I saw you die here three days ago. I'm very pleased to see my vision was wrong."
Jace groaned. "Elias don't start with the spooky seer stuff. She's had a long day."
"Come inside," Elias said, stepping aside. "Before the Siphon notices you've crossed the threshold."
Aurora walked up the steps. She stopped at the door, looking back at the twisted campus. Somewhere out there, in the dark, was the real Ben, and she had just left him behind."
'I'll come back' she promised silently, clutching her burning wrist. 'I'll search the whole place, even if I have to burn it down."
She stepped into the Library. The heavy doors slammed shut behind her, cutting off the howl of the wind, the shriek of the monster, everything went silent. But this time, it was a safe space. Her knees finally gave out, she slid down the wall to the floor, the rush of fear and energy leaving her body all at once.
"Thank God I'm safe." she mumbled, closing her eyes.
"For now," Jace's voice came from somewhere above her. "You're safe for now....."
***
The heavy wooden doors closed with a loud bang, like a clap of thunderstorms after rain. Aurora quickly pulled back. She huddled against the wall in fear, waiting for any of the monsters to pop up. But it was calm, too calm. The silence was dusty and calm. The air smelled like old books, clean floors, and coffee.
"You can breathe now, Architect," Jace said. He was leaning on a stack of books, wiping black dirt off his bat with a cloth. "The magic walls keep the sound in, Nothing outside can hear us."
Aurora slowly dropped her arms. She blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the low light. She was not in any ruined building anymore, she was in a safe space. The main hall of the university library was changed. The huge windows were covered with thick metal and glowing blue symbols. The rows of shelves had been pushed together to make walls and hallways. And there were people, dozens of them. Students, teachers, even the grumpy woman from the campus shop. They looked rough with ripped and dusty clothes. Some had bandages on their arms or heads, but they were safe. They looked at Aurora with both curiosity and fear.
"Is that her?" a girl with pink hair whispered to her friend.
"She should be the one Elias saw. Look at her wrist, she has the mark." the friend whispered.
Aurora quickly pulled her sleeve down. She used the wall to push herself up. Her legs felt weak, her hips hurt where she hit it on the glass, and her throat was still sore from Karen's icy grip.
Elias, the old man, walked forward. He hung his glowing lamp on a hook by the door.
"Give her a room." Elias gently ordered. The people moved back. He then looked at Aurora with kind, tired eyes. "You've had a bad welcome, Ms. Mclaren. I'm sorry we couldn't give you a better greeting."
"Where am I?" Aurora asked, her voice was shaking. "I mean... I know it's the library, but it's not look like the Library."
"We call it the Sanctuary." Elias said. He then pointed to the room. "This is the calm centre of the chaos. The Hypnagogia—the dream world, is messy. It changes based on fear. But this building? It is held together by knowledge. Stories have power here, they keep the walls strong."
Aurora looked around, It did feel strong. The floors did not ripple, the shadows stayed where they should be.
"You called me an Architect," Aurora said. "And you... you said that the last one died" she said looking at Jace.
Jace frowned. He put his bat into a loop on his belt. "Don't scare her, Elias. Let her drink some water first."
"An Architect," Elias explained, ignoring Jace, "Is someone who can make the dream do what they want. Most people who fell through the cracks were just victims. But you... the dream listens to you."
He glanced at her wrist, pointing at it.
"That mark is a connection. You can build paths, smash walls, and can change nightmares."
Aurora glanced at her wrist. The gold lines were dull now, sitting under her skin like a sleeping circuit board.
"I don't want to change it. I... I just want to go home." she whispered.
Elias' expression grew sad. He looked at Jace with an expression that read, 'She doesn't know yet.'
"We all want to go home. Aurora," Elias said gently. "Come, we need to check your injuries. The medical area is on the second floor."
Aurora took a step and stumbled. Jace came to her immediately, and held her hands to help her stand.
"Easy," he muttered and continued, "You're completely worn out."
They led her through the winding shelves. The survivors watched them walk by. Some nodded to Jace, others just looked empty and defeated. They reached a wide counter that used to be the checkout area. Now, it has become a first-aid station. A woman in dirty nurse clothes was bandaging a guy's leg.
"Dr. Aris," Elias called out. "A new person has arrived."
The doctor looked up. Under her eyes were dark rings, just like Aurora's own. She wiped her hands on a towel and walked over.
"Bites? Scratches?" Dr. Aris asked quickly.
"No bites," Jace reported. "But she fell hard on the glass plane. And a reflection tried to choke her."
The doctor frowned, and gently touched Aurora's neck. "Bruising is starting. I'll apply ice on it, sit here."
Aurora sat on the edge of the counter. She felt empty as the rush of energy was gone, now replaced by a deep cold fear in her stomach.
'Ben'
The image of the monster flashed in her mind. The way its smile was too wide, and the way it sounded like her.
'He's dead.' as the voice in her head whispered. 'You left him turned into a monster.'
Tears stung her eyes, as she bit her lips to hold them back. She couldn't cry now, especially not in front of these strangers.