Chapter 324: No Reflection
She moved into the room but could feel the room spinning. Like a severe case of vertigo or something. But as she moved past a pair of flaming cauldrons that were at the entrance. Something moved forward and yanked the laser rifle out of her hand before punching her in the side of the head. Which further disoriented her.
Then as the world was spinning in her eyes she was kicked from behind and stumbled further into the room. As she tripped and slid across the sand floor she slowly pulled herself up and looked around the room. Trying to figure out what was going on.
A warped voice came from the doorway. "The first time being near it is always the worst. But fortunately for me it appears that it is far worse for you." Salem could see her scarred twin walk over from the doorway with her laser rifle in hand. She had ambushed her the moment she walked in.
"What... urghh... the hell is it?" Salem asked as she pulled herself up and began realizing for the first time that the room had some ritualistic qualities to it. Like the cauldrons of flames by the door. Or the etched pattern on the floor of the room.
"This... is the room... where everything changes." Her counterpart declared as she walked forward. Oblivious to the fact that Salem was already shaking off what happened to her. It took a moment to realize that she had not been able to even since her counterpart’s mind. But it was not just unique to her, at the moment Salem could not sense anyone’s mind. It was almost like someone had gone in and switched off psychic abilities.
But she could even feel her physical movements were a bit more sluggish. So it was likely not just her psychic abilities but the nanosystem itself. It was weakened for some reason.
Then as she discreetly looked around the room she understood why. While most of the room had carvings and one side led to another room and then out to that lookout spot they have on the mountain. To her left was a completely flat wall.
But as she looked around the wall looked foggy for a moment before she stepped further away from it and could see it in its entirety.
The wall was solid and shiny. It was like a massive mirror but Salem could see a bit of fuzziness around the edges of the mirror. As she looked at it she noticed something wrong. First there was the reflection of the room. It was the same room she was in but there were a few things different. Like a column to her left that was broken in the reflection but was undamaged on this side.
She could tell it was a reflection and not a window because there was no fourth exit like this would be indicating. But what was even stranger was her own reflection. As well as the reflection of her bandit counterpart. Who was slowly moving toward Salem, probably thinking she was still disoriented.
Salem’s reflection was just missing. She could not see herself at all in this mirror. Well except for her counterpart’s reflection which was flickering in and out of existence. Not because she was moving but just because that was what it was doing. It was infrequent without a discernable timing or pattern.
Salem ducked as her counterpart through a punch. Then launched herself forward and took a stance while punching upward. Barely missing her bandit counterpart as they dodged back. Then Salem had to sidestep as the laser rifle fired and a stunning bolt of energy just missed her.
"Oh? You have already gotten through the disorientation part of being near it." Her counterpart sounded surprised. "I thought this version of us would be far more incompetent. But it looks like you are only slightly worse than myself."
Salem did not take the clear bait as she focused on how to disarm this woman. She would have to stay close to her if she wanted to do that. So Salem closed the distance and went to grab the laser rifle. It went off several more times as the laser rifle hummed.
The bandit Salem had switched it to lethal laser bolts. Salem had a hold of the bridge of the gun and pointed it away just as it went away several times. She punched forward with her other hand but it was caught by her counterpart. The bandit version of her was just as strong as she was.
Then Salem slammed her head forward and headbutted her opposite. She flinched and fell backwards as a trail of blood appeared from her nose. She had let go of the weapon. Salem quickly pulled the laser rifle into her arms and switched it back to stun.
Bang Bang Bang!
Salem had to run forward while using the laser rifle to block the bullets from her counterpart’s pistol. She could hear a noise like air escaping and quickly realized that the power source had been punctured. She tossed it to the side as she ran forward.
She hit her counterpart’s hand and hit her across the jaw. She dropped her gun and stumbled back just as the laser rifle went through the mirror and a ripple like a pound went through the entire reflective surface.
Salem did not let it distract her as she punched her counterpart in the jaw and then kneed her in the stomach. She was going to follow it up with another attack. But as she went to punch her, Salem could feel a bullet tear through her arm. She flinched in pain as she looked to the source and saw a group of bandits running over.
Her counterpart took advantage of her temporary distracted state. She kneed Salem in the chest before elbowing her across the face. "Let’s see how you do... in my neck of the woods!" Her counterpart yelled before Salem could feel her body go light as she was shoulder thrown. She watched her bandit counterpart and the other bandits as they moved away.
Then she could feel her body hit something fluid and start moving through it. Then the view of them changed to a shadowy mirror. Then a moment after that she was through whatever was going on and landing on the ground. She rolled for a few feet before stopping. She slowly pulled herself up as she realized she was in the reflection of that other room she was inside of.
There was a laser rifle here as well. But it had clearly exploded so she would not be able to get any use out of that this time. As she pulled herself up she could hear shouting and footsteps. Her head was a bit foggy so she did not react in time when a bandit ran into the room. "Boss they are-" They were cut off by a bullet tearing through their head.
Salem stumbled back and fell on her ass in surprise as she saw the figure walking toward her. They were flanked by several soldiers in military fatigues and body armor. They were flooding the room as they entered. Most of their focus was going to her.
Salem blinked in surprise, "Jace?"