I leaned back, crossing my arms and giving her a skeptical look. "Seriously? I've read about ancient Babylonian history. Enkidu was a creature created to challenge Gilgamesh, but they became friends. He died, though—end of story. And now you're telling me he's 'The Almighty'? Come on."

She sighed, her gaze unwavering. "It is the truth," she said firmly. "When Gilgamesh died, the remnants of his magic brought Enkidu back to life. But this time, Enkidu wasn't the same. He took control, shaping the world in his vision. He ensured that magic—once a natural part of life—was stripped away from everyone, even the gods themselves."

I raised an eyebrow. "Even the gods? That's... a bold claim."

"That's why the gods can no longer act directly," she explained, her voice intensifying. "Their power is limited. They've been forced to find another way. They grant blessings to chosen individuals, calling them to fight on their behalf. These people are meant to challenge Enkidu and bring an end to his rule."

I rubbed my temples, trying to wrap my head around it. "So, let me get this straight. The gods are basically outsourcing their rebellion? Giving random people powers to take down Enkidu?"

She nodded. "Exactly. And it's not just rebellion—it's survival. Enkidu's control even extends to the divine realms. If the gods ever manage to destroy him and regain their full power... magic will return to the world."

"And that's bad because...?"

She leaned forward, her eyes dark and serious. "Because it won't just return to a few. It will flood the world. Everyone will have magic. Imagine the worst of humanity armed with unchecked power. But the gods, they want the world to have magic. They want people to praise them. Magic is their way to maintain power when everyone has magic, everyone will come to the gods to make them stronger. That's how the gods like to be treated. But Enkidu? He doesn't want that. He doesn't want magic to spread. He wants to keep it away from the masses. If magic returns to the world, chaos will follow. Do you know what would happen if magic came back into this world?"

I shook my head, keeping my mouth shut.

"Your woman would get magic and no longer love you. People would be fooled, not by words, but by the magic. There would be blood everywhere... that's what happened in the old times."

I stayed silent, overwhelmed by the weight of her words.

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze unwavering but no longer as sharp, waiting for my answer. "Why did you say you can go to the mirror world?" she repeated, her voice steady.

I hesitated, my fingers tapping lightly against my leg. "I... I don't know how to explain it," I began, my words tumbling out faster than I intended. "I had this bad dream I was falling from the sky. When I woke up, I was shaken. I went to the dining room to get some water, but then... there was this mirror on the floor. I stepped on it, and suddenly, I went through it."

Her expression didn't change, but I felt her focus intensify.

"I pinched my cheeks to make sure I wasn't dreaming," I continued. "But it was real. The world I ended up in it was quiet. Empty. Like no one else was there."

She finally let out a big sigh, leaning back in her chair. "I didn't tell you my name, did I? I'm Ayami Tsujimoto. I've been around for about 80 years."

"Eighty years?!" I blurted out, my voice louder than I intended.

"Shut up," she snapped, narrowing her eyes. "I've been granted a unique ability since birth. I can shapeshift into any type of cat. Only cats—no other animals. But anything tied to the heritage of cats."

I blinked, still trying to process everything. "…Then can you turn into a bobcat?"

Without hesitation, her body shifted. Her limbs shortened, her posture lowered, and in a moment, she had transformed into a sleek, muscular bobcat. The sight left me speechless.

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I stared, my mouth slightly open, as Ayami—now a bobcat—stood there, her golden eyes gleaming with a feline sharpness. She tilted her head slightly, as if amused by my reaction.

"Believe me now?" she asked, her voice still hers but with an uncanny undertone that matched her new form.

"Uh... yeah," I managed, rubbing the back of my neck. "This is... a lot to take in."

She padded a few steps closer, her movements silent and fluid. Then, just as effortlessly as before, she shifted back into her human form, brushing off her jacket as if nothing had happened.

"Good," she said matter-of-factly. "Because you're going to need to believe in a lot more than this if you're serious about what you've seen and what you want to do."

I nodded, still trying to shake the surreal feeling of what I'd just witnessed. "So… are you like one of those 'chosen people' you mentioned earlier? The ones who are supposed to challenge Enkidu?"

Ayami's expression darkened slightly. "Not exactly. My abilities aren't a blessing from the gods. They're… inherited. My family's been tied to magic since before Enkidu took control. That's why I'm still alive and why I can do what I do. But it also means I've been hunted, forced to keep a low profile."

"Hunted? By who?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Meh, by those who are granted power by the gods. They're all dead now, though," she replied.

"Why?"

"Because I have magic but didn't wish for their blessing. So they wanted me dead."

"Do gods even have feelings like that?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Sometimes," she said with a shrug. "They're just creatures that look like humans, and while they have feelings, they also feel superior to everyone else."

A silence hung between us as Ayami fixed her clothes, her golden eyes still focused on me with a mixture of curiosity and expectation.

"How about you tell me why you want to go to the mirror world?" she asked, her voice calm but probing.

I hesitated, scratching the back of my head. "Ah, yeah... but I'm not sure if I can now..."

"What do you mean 'I'm not sure'?" she replied, her tone suddenly more pointed. "If you want to go, then you should."

"Well, earlier... I tried running into a mirror, but it broke," I admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "So, try again. I have a pretty big mirror in my wardrobe."

I blinked. "Wait, you want me to try right now?"

She gave a small, knowing smirk. "Why not? It's either that or sit here wondering about it. But if you're serious about this, you'll take the chance."

I swallowed, feeling the weight of her words.

Ayami turned and walked toward her bedroom, gesturing for me to follow. "Come on," she said, glancing over her shoulder, "I'll show you the mirror."

I hesitated for a moment, still unsure if all this was really happening, but then I followed her down the hallway. My heart was beating faster than usual as I wondered if this time things would be different.

When we reached her bedroom, she walked straight to a large wardrobe at the far end of the room and opened it with a flick of her wrist. Inside, there was a full-length mirror framed in ornate silver. It was larger than anything I had ever seen, its surface gleaming in the dim light, almost as if it were calling to me.

"Here," she said, stepping aside. "Go ahead. Try it."

I stood there for a moment, staring at the mirror. "Alright... let's hope it works," I muttered, walking closer to it.

Standing before the mirror, I raised my hand and cautiously tried to poke the surface.

To my shock, my finger slipped right through, disappearing on the other side. It's working!? I thought, a surge of excitement rushing through me.

Ayami stepped closer, her eyes widening as she saw my finger go through the mirror. "That... actually works?" she said, sounding more surprised than I expected.

She then extended her own hand toward the mirror, but unlike mine, hers didn't pass through. Instead, her hand stopped at the surface with a soft thud.

"Guess it only works for you," she muttered, frowning slightly. "Interesting."

I took a deep breath, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Without waiting any longer, I stepped forward and pressed my whole body into the mirror.

Suddenly, I was in a mirrored version of Ayami's bedroom. The room looked identical. I walked toward the window, peering outside, but everything was eerily quiet, just as it had been earlier.

"I'm back here..." I muttered to myself, taking in the surreal scene before me. I turned around and walked back to the mirror, poking my head out and looking at Ayami.

"Come here inside," I called out, my voice sounding almost strange, coming from inside the mirror.

She gave me a skeptical look. "How can I get in when I can't?" she replied, sounding frustrated.

I paused, thinking for a moment. She was right; she couldn't pass through. But then it hit me—humans can make physical contact. "Hold my hand. Maybe I can bring you here," I suggested, reaching out.

Ayami hesitated, but then stepped forward, taking my hand.

As soon as Ayami's hand touched mine, a strange sensation surged through me. It felt like an electric current running from her to me, and for a moment, the world around us seemed to shimmer. I could feel the connection pulling at both of us, a force stronger than anything I had ever experienced.

To Be Continue.