Immortal Mythos: Bound by Void-Chapter 8: The Fox in the Mirror

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Yuki didn't sleep that night.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that thing—twisting, screeching, recognizing him.

And worse... he saw himself.

Glowing. Shifting. Something not human.

At 3 a.m., he got up and splashed cold water on his face.

He stared into the mirror.

The reflection stared back—until it didn't.

For a single, breathless heartbeat, the face in the glass wasn't his.

It had golden eyes.

And faint white markings like flame across the cheeks.

Behind him, flickering tails swayed like smoke.

Yuki stumbled backward.

When he looked again, it was just him. Pale. Sweating. Normal.

"What the hell is happening to me?"

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The next day

Aiko was waiting for him again—this time under the same tree where they first met.

"You look like you haven't slept."

"Yeah, well, it's kinda hard to sleep when you see yourself turning into a demon."

She tilted her head. "Demon's a little harsh. More like... something ancient. Wild. Powerful."

"Comforting."

She sat cross-legged on the bench, twirling a pencil like it was a wand. "Look, I can't tell you exactly what you are. But I've heard of beings with that kind of aura before. Not recently. Not for centuries."

Yuki's stomach turned.

"I'm not even human?"

"I didn't say that," she said quickly. "You look human. Feel mostly human. But your spirit—it's something else."

He stared at his hands again.

"What if I lose control?" he whispered.

"You won't."

"How do you know?"

"Yeah, well, sleeping's tough when your reflection has tails and golden eyes."

And you? You're not a monster."

He blinked.

It was probably the kindest thing anyone had ever said to him.

And somehow... that kindness made it hurt more.

---

Later that evening...

High above the town, deep in the forest canopy, Ren perched on a branch like a statue.

He'd felt the burst of energy from the shrine.

"He's starting to wake up," Ren muttered.

The wind shifted. A voice like smoke whispered through the trees:

"And once he does... everything will burn."

Ren didn't move.

The voice was gone as quickly as it came.

But the warning lingered.

---

It started with a voice.

"You move like a newborn deer."

Yuki spun around, fists raised. "Who's there?!"

The clearing around him was silent—until the man stepped out of the trees, half in shadow, half in morning sun.

He wore a dark coat, loose and worn like he didn't care how it looked. His hair was silver-white, his posture lazy, but something about him radiated control.

Yuki narrowed his eyes. "Are you one of them? Like Ren?"

The man shrugged. "Define like."

Yuki didn't wait. He charged—fist glowing faintly with aura.

The man vanished.

Yuki hit air.

"Too slow," came the voice again, behind him this time.

A firm tap struck his neck, sending him face-first into the grass.

"Lesson one," the man said. "Your power means nothing if your instincts suck."

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Hours passed.

Yuki was exhausted. Covered in dirt. Spirit energy spent.

But he kept standing.

Every time he attacked, the man dodged.

Every time he defended, the man was already behind him.

He wasn't using magic. No spells. Just movement.

But it was perfect.

"You're not here to fight like a god. You're here to survive like one."

Yuki gritted his teeth. "Then teach me."

The man smirked. "That's the first smart thing you've said all day."

He tapped Yuki's chest with a finger. "Inside you is a void. It's not emptiness—it's a gate. And gates open."

Yuki blinked. "What are you talking about?"

But the man was already turning away.

"You'll understand... when the fire touches the sky."

With that cryptic line, he vanished into the trees.

---

That night

Yuki sat on a rooftop, staring up at the stars.

Every muscle ached. But for the first time... he didn't feel powerless.

He felt like something was changing.

Below, the city lights flickered.

In the crowd, a figure stood still.

A girl. No older than Yuki. Dressed in black. Hair like midnight, eyes glowing faintly violet.

She smiled like she'd known him forever.

Then, in a blink—gone.

---

The morning air was cold, biting, and fresh—the kind that seemed to shake the sleep from your bones. Yuki stood alone in the field, his breath clouding before him, eyes locked onto the distant horizon.

No one had come for him today. Not Aiko. Not Ren. And definitely not the man from yesterday.

It was just him.

His body ached from the relentless training the day before, but there was something else—something deeper, burning beneath his skin.

It was that feeling again—the sense that he was on the cusp of something big. Something that could either break him... or make him.

He raised his hand, fingers trembling slightly. For a moment, his thoughts wavered. Was it possible to really learn how to control this?

"Focus."

The voice, as familiar as his own thoughts, drifted into his mind.

Don't just swing blindly. Control. Feel the power. Make it yours.

Yuki closed his eyes.

The world around him grew still. The wind, the trees, the distant city—it all faded into the background as he searched for the fire inside him.

He reached inward.

A pulse. Faint. It flickered and sparked.

There.

He gritted his teeth, focusing harder. This time, the power swirled beneath his skin—hot, wild, but... controlled. He willed it into his hands, feeling the energy gathering there, tightening like a fist.

Then, without thinking, he thrust his hands outward.

BOOM!

A wave of force shot from his hands, sending a nearby tree crashing to the ground. The shockwave rattled the air, dust swirling in the aftermath.

Yuki stared at his hands. The power was... too much.

His heart raced. His breath was heavy. But the energy... it was familiar. It was his.

"Good," the voice said from behind him, and Yuki turned, startled. The man from yesterday had returned, watching with a faint smirk. "You're finally starting to understand it."

Yuki lowered his hands, panting. "What was that?"

"That," the man replied, "was you tapping into your aura's full potential. But you're still holding back. The next step is unlocking the void energy inside you."

Yuki looked confused. "Void energy?"

The man's smile was thin, dangerous. "That's the power that runs through your blood. Your kitsune blood. It's not just raw strength. It's deeper. But if you don't learn to control it, it will consume you."

Yuki swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the man's words. "How do I control it?"

The man pointed at Yuki's chest. "You have to accept it. All of it. The power inside you isn't just a weapon. It's your nature. You can't fight it. You can only—"

Before he could finish, a voice interrupted them from the edge of the clearing.

"Yuki!"

Aiko appeared, running toward him, her face a mixture of concern and curiosity. She stopped short when she saw the man standing next to Yuki. "Who's this?"

The man glanced at Aiko, his expression unreadable. "Just a friend."

Aiko raised an eyebrow. "A friend? You're teaching him to fight... without even introducing yourself?"

The man didn't respond. He merely turned and began to walk away, his voice drifting back toward them.

"Control is the first step. But the real test... is whether you can use your power without losing yourself."

Yuki watched him leave, but then Aiko's voice brought him back to the present.

"You've got some serious power in you, huh?"

Yuki didn't answer right away. He stared at his hands, a strange feeling still gnawing at him.

"I don't know if I can control it..." he muttered.

Aiko placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression more serious than he'd ever seen. "You will. But you've got to trust yourself."

Yuki looked up at her, and for the first time, he felt a small flicker of hope.

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