Their descent to their current level had been unexpected, swift, and disgustingly slimy. Not only that, but they’d lost sight of the evil courser spirit they were chasing for the Harvester. The evil spirit that they had almost caught. Apollo snorted out an annoyed breath. So much for that reward. Oh well.

“Where are we now?” Athena asked, squinting around them as she stretched out her legs and shook out her mane.

“I don’t know,” Elrim answered, as he glanced around them at their darkened surroundings.

Apollo let out a breath and shook his mane out, too. “Well,” he began, “there is a way to fix that. Let’s find out where we are, shall we?” As he spoke, he turned and walked towards the pinpricks of light flickering in the distance, the others following along behind him.

A locked room - no doubt holding endless treasure and untold riches - awaited them at the end of the corridor. It took what felt like hours to finally breach its door and, with hopes high, the group entered the room –

– only to find a panel of wood leaning against the far wall, and nothing else.

“What the hell!” Athena groused, ears flicking back as she trotted over to it. “It’s just a board? That’s it?”

“Not a board,” Elrim corrected her in thoughtful tones, as he cautiously peered behind it. “A mirror? Let’s turn it around.”

Corven moved forward to do so, and Athena begrudgingly helped. It took the pair only a matter of moments to flip it and carefully lean it back against the wall, reflective side out for them to gaze into.

Except they each responded to it differently, their reflections not what any of them had expected. “Oh, wow,” Athena breathed as her ears perked forward, eyes bright. The reflection staring back at her was adorned with beautiful armor – bright, shining metal pieces custom-made for her form. Each boasted intricate engravings and filigree, accented with a bright blue banner featuring her crest on it, and a brilliant broadsword strapped to her back, a weapon befitting only the most noble of warriors.

Elrim stared with furrowed brows at the shadowy creature gazing back at him, strange horns protruding from its head and eyes glowing like coals in its skeletal face, and immediately looked away. Corven let out a soft noise, ears flicking back as he watched his mirror-self with Elrim, the both of them prepared to return to the surface, with quiet dread. Apollo tilted his head a little, admiring the lovely bow on the back of his reflection.