Perfect Avatar
Chapter 162: The Boy And The Broken Mirror

Chapter 162: The Boy And The Broken Mirror

Overwhelmed by the swirling emotions coursing through her veins, Candace’s head spun with a dizzying sensation. Yet, undeterred by the disorientation, she extended her slender arm, proudly brandishing a golden cane adorned with a majestic crystal moon.

The ethereal glow emanating from the moon’s core cast a spellbinding aura, captivating the audience in a euphoric trance.

"A round of applause for our benefactor!" shouted the speaker.

The crowd erupted in a thunderous applause, their cheers echoing through the grand hall. All eyes were fixed on the dean.

She stood tall, her cane firmly in her grasp. As she raised it above her head, a peculiar sensation coursed through her veins. A subtle transformation occurred, the solid cane morphed into a delicate glass, brimming with crimson liquid.

The spectators, their faces filled with admiration, rose from their seats as one, their hands clapping in unison. The atmosphere was electric, charged with an overwhelming sense of celebration and triumph.

Even the animals, sensing the excitement, joined in the jubilation with their own unique sounds of approval. It was a moment of collective joy, a testament to the accomplishments of the dean and the unity of the community.

And the fruits of a nightmare.

The wine within the glass shimmered under the dim lights, tempting her with its intoxicating allure, she took a sip and raised her glass to the sky. everything revolved slowly around her. The noises became blurred, the faces of the spectators looked more and more like emotionless masks.

Sitting on her throne, she looked down at the dancers and as their movement became more and more legible, her dazed eye widened.

At the outskirts of the bustling circus, concealed from prying eyes, a solitary figure stood near the entrance. Cloaked in a black flamenco ensemble, adorned with a grandiose hat and a veil that concealed her gaze, a young girl exuded an air of mystery. Her presence was inconspicuous, yet her allure was undeniable.

She was standing, watching the show from afar, but what caught Candace’s attention was the emerald color of her long hair.

A subtle gesture sent shivers to the dean as the girl delicately pressed her index finger against her lips, a silent plea for secrecy.

Outside, Dora brought his hand closer to Erick, tears appearing on the latter’s only eye.

(Enough, this boy is broken, you don’t need to go that far.)

He stopped for a moment, a few inches from Erick’s chest. A smile on his lips, he narrowed his eyes.

"No, you are wrong. This dagger has our energy, that means this broken toy is the result of our actions. He forced us to do this but he came back to us. He is a vengeful enemy."

(In this case, he has suffered enough, let him go!)

Dora stood still, the raw power seemed to wrestle within the confines of his palm, as if it were a living entity fighting to break free.

The air around him crackled with an ominous electricity, casting an eerie glow on his face

A deep frown etched across his face as he pivoted away from Erick who could move again.

"Fine, I won’t touch it... I don’t need it."

He snapped his fingers, a sudden burst of dark energy emanating from his touch. In an instant, a sinister black spot materialized on Erick’s chest, like a mark of doom.

"... Uh?.... NGH!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHH"

His muscles convulsed and writhed in a grotesque dance, moving in unnatural directions that defied the laws of anatomy.

The sight was both mesmerizing and horrifying, a macabre display of the body’s limits pushed to their breaking point. Blood oozed from his eye, tracing a crimson path down his hidden face, while scars on his chest reopened, releasing a crimson tide that mingled with the darkness coursing through his veins.

It was a grotesque symphony of pain and suffering, a testament to the depths of his torment.

With a gut-wrenching scream that echoed through the desolate landscape, he collapsed to the ground under Dora’s indifferent gaze.

"..."

(...)

"What? Are you going to cry again? It’s the only thing you can do."

(... How can you find pleasure in such cruelty? You act so kind to Candace and Iris, but you have no heart or compassion.)

"We don’t hear that from a powerless parasite! Who cares if we’re cruel? This is how things should be and what they expect of us. This is how we become the real Dora."

(... Are you really sure the real Dora would act like this? They look at you like a monster, don’t you see that you’re always alone?)

"Because we are still without our memories of them, once we recall, everything will revert to how it was. We will embody Dora and save the world. You can observe from the sidelines and... Why is this one so loud?" He exclaimed, turning to Erick, who was writhing on the ground, wounds reopening and closing intermittently."

(He is in agony; this is too much even for a foe. Please, cease this, please!)

Dora’s eyes narrowed with contempt as he observed Erick, his lips curling into a sneer.

With a swift motion, he snapped his fingers, unleashing a sinister black hole beneath Erick’s, its gravitational pull mercilessly dragging him down into the depths of oblivion.

The ground quaked beneath him as he was mercilessly dragged into the gaping maw of oblivion, his screams of terror drowned out by the deafening silence that followed.

Arms crossed, Dora gazed at the horizon, anticipating his interlocutor’s response.

"Well? Any further remarks?"

(...)

"I thought as much. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we must attend to our benefactor."

(... Saving the world? How ironic, coming from someone inflicting so much harm. Now I understand why you were solely tasked with ending the Twilight of Gods; your essence revolves around destruction. You epitomize what they described: a monster, surpassing any Players or Disasters. There is no humanity in you. Why do you strive so hard to be Dora?)

Dora bit his lip, his eyes revealing an uncommon emotion.

"Striving to be Dora? How so? We are Dora, and we are on the path to reclaim our former self."

(Is this your belief or what they instilled in you? The genuine Dora was never shunned by his peers; why do yours avoid you?)

"What are you implying?! We are not Dora? Absurd coming from someone who admits being an intruder! This is Dora’s vessel, and we possess his memories and strength; hence, we are Dora!"

(But you lack the others’ approval; you are merely a weapon.)

Dora’s fist tightened, the veins bulging against his skin. In that moment, an eerie transformation took hold of the park, as if a sinister force had awakened from its slumber.

The once serene atmosphere now morphed into a sickly yellow hue, suffocating the surroundings with a thick shroud of black mist.

The ground trembled, stirring dormant animals to awaken and flee in all directions.

Dora lifted his head, arms crossed, casting a clinical gaze at the cloudy sky.

"Fine, if you want to handle it this way, then let’s settle this once and for all."

(What are you planning to do?)

He extended his arms, a gesture that triggered fear in many, and as black mist filled the park, his eyes turned from white to black.

"We’re going to make it clear, whether we are Dora or not."

***

As they descended further, the sound of their footsteps echoed in the stairwell, creating a rhythmic pattern that filled the space. Marie’s focus on her phone was unwavering, her brows furrowed in concentration as she navigated through the digital world. Meanwhile, Lilith’s movements were more relaxed, her arms swaying gently at her sides as she took each step with ease.

"What about that mouse that once ate my cheese? No one specified it had to be a human."

"Lilith, go to sleep... huh?"

Marie’s senses were immediately heightened as she observed a rapid transformation in the environment surrounding them. The space seemed to contort and twist, creating a surreal and disorienting experience. Colors shifted, shapes morphed, and the very fabric of reality appeared to be in flux.

Meanwhile, in a different setting, Freya stepped out of her bathroom, wrapped in a cozy bathrobe. As she made her way towards the bed, a peculiar sensation washed over her. The room around her began to take on a golden hue, casting everything in a warm, ethereal light. The air seemed to vibrate with energy, and the furniture started to spin slowly, creating a dizzying effect.

"Hmm?!"

Throughout different parts of the city, a series of strange events took place simultaneously. Mercy was seated on a bench all by herself in the middle of another parc, Iris was lying on her bed in yet another hotel room, Hope and Cid stood in front of the cemetery.

In each of these locations, the environment began to shift and transform.

They were engulfed in a whirlwind of confusion, disoriented by the swirling motion that seemed to blur the lines between reality and illusion.

Eventually, the chaotic journey came to an abrupt end as each individual found themselves deposited back onto solid ground. The abrupt transition from the disorienting whirlwind to the hard surface beneath them was jarring, causing them to regain their bearings and take stock of their surroundings.

Mercy, the first one, opened her eyes and painfully surveyed her surroundings.

".... Ngh... What the heck... huh? Freya?... Iris?! Everyone?!"

She got up, noticing all her comrades on the ground, gradually waking up.

"What... what happened?" Iris got up next, scanning the faces around her, Candace, Marie, Lilith, Mercy, Freya, Hope, and Cid.

They gazed around, bewildered by the scene. They were in a peculiar space, above a ravine in the middle of nowhere. A graveyard of broken weapons formed the lower ground, and in the distance, giant chains bound the sky and plunged into it.

In a state of disbelief, they observed these anomalies, questioning if it was merely a dream. However, a sudden clap of hands drew their attention and left them mesmerized.

"Excellent, the primary cast, minus one, is now together again. Greetings, we apologize for interrupting your activities, but we find ourselves in a serious predicament and we seek your assistance in resolving it."

Dora concluded his speech and placed one hand on his back, yet it was the sight of his left side that sent chills down everyone’s spines.

With long gray hair, red irises, a somber expression, and dressed in identical attire, stood another Dora beside him.

"Friends, allow us to introduce us formally, we are Dora, on our way to save the world, like you’re expecting us to. Now meet my other half, an imposter who has de Dora que le visage. You can call him fake Dora... or Anesi since we don’t remember this part in our names."

No one dared to speak, their thoughts clouded by confusion and disbelief. Dora applauded the one he labeled as fake, while the accused kept his eyes fixed on the ground.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, Candace stood out by gazing into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. Her mind was preoccupied with information received earlier.

Freya stood alert, taking a step back. The scene mirrored the past danger associated with Dora: an innocent boy standing beside a complete psychopath.

One version of Dora displayed regret, avoiding eye contact, while the other smirked confidently, his eyes penetrating their souls, a monster to whom murders were mere statistics.

"What is going on here?" Mercy whispered, also stepping back in alarm.

Dora comforted his alter-ego with a pat on the shoulder.

"It’s a simple conflict between him and us. We engaged in a philosophical debate and now require your judgment. Who is the real Dora?"

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