Am I really from Earth?

  No way I’m from this place, right? I mean, all I have are my memories from Earth. I’ve never even seen this world before today. But then… could I have been born here and somehow sent to Earth? By who? And why? How would that even be possible?

  “OYE!!” A sharp voice pierced my thoughts like a dagger.

  “Huh?” I blinked, pulled back into reality.

  “Why are you mumbling to yourself? Stop ignoring us!” the little girl yelled, hands on her hips.

  “Sorry,” I muttered. “I was just… thinking. None of this makes sense to me. Do you know why I have this spirit thing? Or why I was brought here?”

  She tilted her head, tapping her chin like a child pondering a riddle. “Hmm… As for why or how you were brought here… nope! No clue!”

  My shoulders slumped. “Great. Just great.”

  “But!” she said, a finger shooting up as though she’d just remembered something. “We already told you, didn’t we? Spirits choose their humans at birth. What? Did you already forget? Pfft! Your memory is so weak!”

  Her laughter was grating yet strangely adorable, like a child mocking an adult who’d lost a game.

  “You think this is funny?!” I snapped, feeling my frustration boil over. “I just want to understand what these spirits are and why one of them chose me!”

  Her smirk widened, as though she enjoyed teasing me. “You want to know what spirits are?”

  “Yes!”

  “All of it?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “Yes, all of it!” I leaned forward, letting a mischievous grin cross my face. “Or else…”

  Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Or else what?”

  “Or else I won’t make any more sweets for you.”

  The reaction was instantaneous. Her eyes went wide, and her jaw dropped. “You wouldn’t dare!”

  “Oh, I would,” I said smugly, crossing my arms.

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  She huffed, cheeks puffing out like a deflated balloon. “Ugh, fine! We’ll tell you, but you better not skimp on the sweets later!”

  “I won’t,” I said, barely suppressing a laugh.

  She folded her arms and straightened up, trying to regain some of her lost dignity. “Ahem. Listen carefully. This is a story our mother used to tell us.”

  I nodded, leaning forward in anticipation.

  “Thousands of millennia ago,” she began, her tone shifting into something reverent, “there was nothing but darkness in this world. No plants, no animals, no sky—just barren land, shrouded in endless black.”

  Her voice grew softer, drawing me in like a spell.

  “Then they came. The supreme ones. Beings without form, the creators of everything.

  “The Elder Gods.”

  I shivered. There was weight behind her words, as though she were invoking something ancient and sacred.

  “They arrived in this dead, dull world and began their work. They shaped the skies and forged the mountains. They gave birth to rivers and oceans. Within moments, the world was overflowing with color and energy.

  “They then created life. The first beings to ever walk this land were the mighty dragons—our kind.” She puffed out her chest proudly. “Then came demons and vicious monsters, followed by all the other creatures you can imagine. And last…” She wrinkled her nose. “The weakest but cleverest of them all—humans.”

  “Hey!” I protested, but she ignored me.

  “After creating life, the Elder Gods gave the world their greatest gift: magic. They embedded magical circuits into every living being, allowing them to harness its power. Magic flowed through the world, connecting everything through a vast, invisible network called the Ley Lines.”

  She paused dramatically, as though expecting applause.

  “Okay,” I said, gesturing for her to continue.

  Her eyes narrowed at my lack of reaction, but she pressed on. “Their work wasn’t done. The Elder Gods chose a few among the creatures they created and granted them divine power. These chosen ones became the first gods, tasked with overseeing the world and punishing the sinful.

  “And alongside the gods, they created another kind of being: the spirits.

  “The spirits are immortal entities, crafted by the Elder Gods themselves. They dwell within the bodies of worthy humans, granting them power that can shape the world. With a spirit, a human can achieve anything.”

  Her words sent chills down my spine. Was that what the red aura and claws were? Some kind of spirit hidden inside me this whole time?

  She continued, her voice growing softer. “With their creations complete, the Elder Gods left this world in the hands of the gods, the spirits, and the creatures who lived here. But before they disappeared, they gave us one final gift: a name for this marvelous world of ours.

  “Spiegelbild.”

  The name hung in the air, resonating with a strange, otherworldly power.

  “Spiegelbild,” I repeated softly. The word tasted unfamiliar on my tongue, yet it stirred something deep within me.

  The girl studied me for a moment, her head tilted. “You look funny when you’re deep in thought.”

  “Huh?” I snapped back to reality.

  “You humans are so weird.” She giggled. “But… you’re not too bad. Especially for someone who makes sweets!”

  “Gee, thanks,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

  Her laughter echoed through the forest, light and carefree. Despite everything, I couldn’t help but smile.

  But deep down, I couldn’t shake the unease bubbling within me.

  What did the Elder Gods have to do with me?

  Why was I brought to Spiegelbild?

  I have to uncover these mysteries...