Beyond the abyss of the Mirror

But no one wants to increase the depth further.

At these depths, the depth itself is not visible.

What if there's a reason for that?

A reason that exists inexplicably.

Everyone knows it exists, but no one knows why it exists.

And if you got on this tour by an unfortunate accident. Now you can watch the Abyss shimmer. What storms are there on its surface, and how calm it can be at depth.

—What's up! - sound approach from behind.

—Freya? What are you doing here?

—Good old nothing. Why are you asking? - she smiled with light asymmetrical smile.

—Nothing... Wanna leave me alone?

—Noo... I knew you well and if i leave you, you probably will do something with yourself. Especially in such place.

—Well... wanna talk?

—About what?

—Don't know... Maybe about this world? What you think? - he said with sigh.

—About THIS world? - she tilted her head back. - There is no world left here... It's unfortunately artificial.

—You right... And i can't do this anymore...

—This is why i can't leave you. God's know what you will do with yourself.

—Trying to plant the seed of hope in me?

—For what? - she draw couple of bottles from her coat. - I am here for only one reason: make you wanna spend on this ground couple more days, maybe week's or even months. - she hands him the bottle.

—You know what i joined the Association? And after all this time i don't have the spark i had before.

—Sigh... this conversation again?

—You trying restore my hope, so... yeah.

—The Association... Are you ever regretting joining it?

—Yes. You know... I joined as editor, alongside with eight other people. But then the time passed... well... many of us never made into editor's. For example, Savrie. He joined as editor, he successfully keep this position. He's one of few who still work as editor.

—What about those who didn't became an editor's?

—Well... Tariah became an illustrator. Rodney, well, he was a musician... but they still take him. He makes small corrections in tales and short stories.

—And they said that bunch of small sparks will make a torch to lead the way?

—Yeah... But i don't think i have this spark anymore...

—That's one of the reasons why i will not leave you. - she opened another bottle. - There's other good statement. Even a small spark can cause forest fire.

—This spark glowing less and less bright...

—Well, you just don't have enough fuel! - she hands him another bottle and smile.

—You... how?... How did you do this?

—What?

—All of it. You somehow find me, even in this place, which God's know how far away from the camp's and city-stations. You also draw the bottles out of almost nowhere.

—Well, it is a good question. - she drink from bottle. - Fortunately for you, it has simple answer, and you know it.

—I know many things that exist and don't, and neither of them about the most mysterious woman i ever met.

—You know me. How do you think i know there are you every time?

—Sigh... How?

—I am you! - she smiled with her teeth exposed.

—What do you mean?

—Don't you ever wonder why it's always only us, and if someone appears near you i always leave you? —And it's happening every time and everywhere?

—You... You are a part of the world no one can see, aren't you?

—If that's making you feel better, why not.

—Sigh... Almost half of my life and ideas isn't mine and you not exist in this world...

—In THIS world? Where almost everything is artificial? I don't think what even you live in this world. - she smiled and stood up.

—Already leaving?

—You have something else to talk about? I can stay here as much as YOU want.

—About the expedition... Do you think we can reach the Citadel?

—The Citadel? That in Forgotten City? Don't know. The Forgotten City has three Citadels and they connected... almost all of them. - she lay down on the ruins bricks. - Also that city has Mirrored Bay - quite a unique place...

—I don't care about the Bay. We need to get to the Citadel. - he stood up. - I can see it even from here...

—In that case... Can you see the Satellite?

—What?

—The Citadel has three parts — Foundation, Tower and Satellite. Foundation is deep underground and has temperature stabilization system, Tower is that you will see on the ground and it's a Brain of the City and nearer regions. And Satellite is bunch of rings above the Tower and has retranslation purpose.

—I don't see the Satellite. What that can be?

—Then there's only one option. It fell.

—If it blocks the way to the Tower, that's bad. We need to get there.

—What's probably bad. Expedition may not get to the Tower. - she smiled.

—Savian made a map then we was on the Continent. This might help. But... i don't know about the regions around the City and City itself...

—Map? Savian really spend all this time in Archive. Did he sew maps of previous Expeditions?

—Yes. Half of the hopes of this Expedition laid on his map's. Other half... lies on new machines...

—There is machines everywhere. In this shattered and twisted world... almost everything is artificial...

—Revelle and Lysvelle designed device. It... it works on... Essentum and Absentum. They can be extracted from almost everything, but our target is gemyfly. If it will work on them... it will work on other creatures.

—I see... So, this is why you are made the camp here. There is a lot of these creatures.

Why do they stay up there, above? They stay in such a way that they don't come into conflict with each other.

But not all changes are frightening. For example, observations have confirmed that the first moon is moving away from the planet, while the second moon is getting closer. But the third Moon does not change its position. At the very least, it is neither moving away nor drawing nearer.

But...

There are three moons.

However, only the first and second moons have all the phases.

Only the first and second moons "flaunt" themselves.

But not the third.

She only has two phases, and you won't see any more.

She is always visible in the sky.

No one has ever flown to her.And for some reason, she is no longer as attractive as her sisters.

You remember putting them on the table, but they are no longer there. Maybe someone took them?

You put the new goodies in a less visible place — the cabinet. They won't touch them in the cabinet. No one will guess that they are in the cabinet.

But they are not there.

There's Nothing there.

Every time you open the cabinet, there's Nothing here.

It's not empty, but it's Nothing.