The pianist sat down, raising his arms like the wings of a majestic bird before landing it on the keys of the piano. Smoothing sound followed by the vocal of the singer on the stage brings ease to those could hear in the Victorian style Velvet blue theatre.

As I slowly awoken by the music, I could find myself sitting in the box seat with an elderly gentleman looking back at me. His hand held a deck of cards, which he place gently on the table.

The first thing about his feature I could remember was his long nose and it seems rude to ask about it.

Before I could speak, the elderly gentleman coughed once. The music seems to soften slightly from a mere cough.

"Welcome to the Velvet room." The elderly gentleman smile as he passed me a greeting card. On the card was a name in gold colour curly font. "My name is Igor, a pleasant to meet you."

Igor moves away his free hand to the side of his face; his next sentence must be about this location that we are currently.

"This room.

It exists between dream and reality, mind and matter.

Only those who are bound by a certain contract of sort may enter."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a thin metal case, flipping the cover and returned a calling card back to Igor.

"Ah, quite the formality, Shun Chihara." Igor smiled remains on his face as he accepted my calling card in return, reading the details in seconds before putting it into his chest pocket.

"Let us proceed with the important request, one that you could not turn down as if involve you as well. Specifically fate of the world will be led astray from its designated path, shall you fail."

No pressure, I guess. I mean, not one or two but having the world's fate rest on me. Haha …

"Of course, there is always a way to avoid it. Finding those who process the same power, you shall awaken them from their slumber. In turn, they will help you overcome the impossible, little by little."

Igor looked to the side for a moment.

"One of our honoured guests had left. You should be meeting that person in the near future. Do enjoy your stay here meanwhile."

My eyes grew heavy and began to give in while my soul enjoys the music that continues to play at the stage.

Ding ~ Dong!

My eyes pry opened immediately at the chime of the school bell.

How long was I knocked out? Students of different classes gathered at the walkway as they meet up with friends to leave the school.

I should freshen up myself before going back home.

"Have you heard? About the missing class fund?"

"What about it?"

"I heard the school suspect that the Archery club or the Kendo club members might have stolen the funds due to their dire needs for new equipment."

Gossips and baseless rumours, those were the common things that students around my age love to do.

The fund disappearance case was month or two old, the culprit would have already erased the evidences and anything that would relate to him or her.

Yet the school wanted an answer, probably pressured by the parents and students.

It's rather unfortunate as the only evidence or rather theory that the school had to work with was the members as they were the closes to the area at the time of disappearance.

The clubs had no way to defend themselves as during that time, some of the members weren't gathered together while others didn't have any alibi to prove their innocent.

I held my palms together to collect the running cold water from the tap and splashed against my face.

The school councils had been hounding them to cough out the money, even to the extent of threatening them of cutting their monthly farm in order to 'pay back' the sum.

Of course, this didn't go well for either side as the missing fund wasn't a small amount and with the equipment needing to be maintained high standards before the competition.

With headstrong members protesting their innocents and neither side of the clubs stopping the accusation or pointing fingers, fights would seem inevitable if this continues and remain unsolved.

All of these, was it really worth it? All for a missing fund….

Is it not life pathetic and futile?

I looked around as I heard the voice.

Who…

My very own reflection began to move by its own, right before my eyes. My reflection looms within the mirrors of the toilet back and forth while I stood still.

My body refused to move a muscle while my reflection moves to the next mirror panel.

We reach. We gasp. What if left in our hands at the end?

"A shadow. Or worse than a shadow- misery" I completed the sentence unknowingly and my reflection stopped at its track, turning around, looking curiously at me, before giving me a devilish smile.

He took a bow before returning to the same position as I.

I exited the toilet immediately, thinking my mind must have been so tired that it began hallucinating.

I stopped once again.

Where are the students? The teachers that patrol around during this timing?

The white coloured walls covered in blood. Swords and arrows decorated the windows, doors and floors. At my sight, shadow like monsters wearing suits of Japanese amours killing each other. They all dawn the school emblem on their flags.

A battlefield?! No, a stage plays rehearsal?!

"URGGHHH! ! #$%135&* " One of the sword wielding monsters charged at me, screaming in an unknown language, only to be bought down by an arrow. Its body was quick to melt to the ground, leaving behind its sword.

For a moment, I thought I was safe, till I lock eyes with the monster that held a traditional Japanese longbow.

The first arrow it let loose missed me by the leg, more than enough reason to convince me to make a run for it.

I ran towards the main gate with the shortest route, not looking bad at either sides of the conflict.

"No way… The main gate…"

The main gate has been replaced by roles of mirrors.

"It got to be a joke? Right?"

I pushed hard against the mirrors; it would not budge a step. I could see on the other side, students happily walking away from the main gate.

"Somebody! Somebody! " I smashed my fist hard against the mirrors, hoping someone would turn around and noticed.

The sound of armor parts along with footsteps drawn closer than ever. Their weapons were no longer in the other's sight but on me.

Surrounded.

No way to escape.

Is this the end?

Cast aside thy Emotion, the antagonist of Reason.

My head….it feels like its splitting apart as the voice echoes within me. My visions blurred back and forth, the feeling of being shredded apart rains through my body.

The similar voice that spoke to me… My reflection back there….

"You…what do you want from me…."

Truth buried in indefinite doubts.

There is no time to hypothesis.

The challenge calls forth your name.

It is time-

I clenched my fists tightly as I fight to stabilize myself. The monsters took a step back, two as I stood up straight, looking at them straight in the eyes. The sound of glass cracking behind me could be heard.

I am thou, thou art I

From the depth of your heart I awoken .

I shall Go forth to bring thou light.

Nothing will cloud upon this night,

For the truth is in thy sight.

"PE..SO..NA"