Chapter 111: The Mirror's Edge and the Gospel of Brie
The High Temple of Celestia was a structure that defied logic. Its floors were made of solidified sunlight, and its walls were mirrors that didn't reflect your face, but the potential versions of yourself that could have existed in another timeline.
Von (Volt) stood face-to-face with his Doppelganger—the 'Luminous King'. While Von was draped in shadows and violet-gold lightning, this version was clad in armor of pure diamond, with six wings of white fire.
"You are the mistake, Volt," the Luminous King spoke, his voice sounding like a thousand harps. "I am the path you should have taken. If you hadn't defied the Judges, we would be the Masters of the Heavens. Give me the fragments, and let us finally be whole in the light."
Von gripped his scythe so hard the obsidian hilt began to groan. "The light you speak of is a cage, and the 'Masters' you serve are just jailers with golden masks. I'd rather be a mistake that is free than a masterpiece that is a slave."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Final Mirror Duel Initiated. Opponent: Solar-Volt (Level ??). Warning: Your skills are identical. Victory depends on the 'Anomaly Factor'.]
The Battle of the Two Kings
The clash was instantaneous. The room exploded in a flash of black and white. Every time Von's black scythe met the Luminous King's golden sword, a ripple of energy went through the floating island, making it tilt dangerously.
Rena and Sai were busy fighting off the 'Mirror-Guardians'—clones of themselves that the temple was constantly generating. "Sai! Don't look at your clone's eyes!" Rena shouted, blasting a mirror-version of herself with emerald fire. "It uses your memories to predict your next move!"
"I'm trying!" Sai yelled back, slamming his shield into a mirror-Sai. "But it's hard not to look when I'm this handsome!"
Aki, meanwhile, was having a completely different experience. He was surrounded by four mirror-Akis, but instead of fighting, they were all sitting in a circle.
"Wait, wait, wait," the original Aki said, holding up a hand. "If you're me, and I'm you... and you have my memories... then you know about the secret cheese stash I hid under the floorboards of the Academy library, right?"
The four mirror-Akis nodded in unison. "The 12-year-old aged cheddar? Yes. Exquisite choice."
"Exactly!" Aki clapped his hands. "So why are we fighting? We're the only people in this room who understand the true value of a good dairy product. Look at those guys," he pointed at Von and his Doppelganger, who were currently destroying a marble pillar with their duel. "Total drama queens. No snacks. No fun. Just 'Light' and 'Darkness' and 'Doom'."
One of the mirror-Akis sighed. "You're right. The Judges are very stingy with the catering. All we get is 'Nectar of the Gods.' It tastes like watered-down honey."
"Sacrilege!" Aki gasped. "Listen, boys. Join me. We'll wait for Von to win, then we'll loot the High King's personal cellar. I bet he has some 'Heavenly Gouda' hidden somewhere."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Achievement Unlocked: 'The Great Persuader'. Aki has successfully unionized his own clones. Note: The system is starting to regret giving Aki a communication gem.]
The Final Strike
Von was struggling. The Luminous King was faster, his attacks fueled by the proximity to the 'Gate of the Sun.' "You are weakening, Volt!" the Doppelganger laughed, his sword piercing Von's shoulder. "The abyss has no power here!"
Von fell to one knee, the black lightning of his wings flickering. He looked at his hand—at the ring mark Elara had left. He realized the Luminous King was perfect because he had no scars, no pain, and no friends like Aki to ruin his dramatic moments.
"You're right," Von whispered, his eyes turning a deep, terrifying shade of violet. "The light has its place. But even the brightest star is surrounded by an ocean of nothingness."
Von didn't attack with his scythe. He reached out and grabbed the Luminous King's blade with his bare hand, the celestial fire melting his armor.
"Abyssal... Unity!" Von roared.
Instead of pushing the light away, Von pulled it in. He used the six fragments of the Crown to act as a vacuum, sucking the Luminous King's essence directly into his own soul. The room went silent as the two versions of the King merged into one.
The explosion of mana shattered every mirror in the temple. When the dust settled, Von was standing alone. His armor was no longer black or gold; it was a shifting, iridescent grey—the color of a storm before the dawn.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: 7/7 Fragments Detected. The Crown of Eternal Night is Restored. Class Evolution: 'The Sovereign of Twilight'. Skill Unlocked: 'Eclipse' - The power to rewrite the laws of the world.]
Von felt the seventh fragment—the final piece—solidify on his forehead, forming a crown of dark light. The power was overwhelming, a tidal wave of a thousand years of history.
Aki and his unionized clones walked over, clapping. "Nice job, boss! Very flashy. Now, about that Gouda..."
Suddenly, the 'Gate of the Sun' at the end of the hall began to open. A figure stepped out—not a Judge, but something much older. It was the Great Creator, the one who had designed the system itself.
"Volt," the Creator said, his face a shifting map of stars. "You have completed the Crown. But the game isn't over. You've just reached the Final Boss level."
Von stood tall, his new crown glowing with a soft, steady light. "I'm tired of games. I'm here to end the simulation."