A boy sat in a chair at a table, across from an older man. His hair was gray and his skin wrinkled, sipping from his mug filled with some kind of red drink. A tea, the man said. The boy hadn't seen any tea like it, but he never really liked tea anyway. Too bitter for him, and sugar was expensive.

They sat in a dark room, lit by some lanterns hanging off the walls. The flickering of the flames cast long shadows throughout the room.

"Tell me another story!" The boy said.

"Alright, alright. Have you ever heard of the haunted mirror?" The light danced over his face as he leaned forward.

"Haunted mirror?" The boy asked.

"Yes, yes. Long long ago, in this very spot was an inn. And one of the rooms was said to have a monster in it, a mirror that ate everybody who slept in its room." The man started.

"What's an inn?" The boy asked.

"Well, boy, it's much like a hotel is these days. But for the olden times. Travellers would stay at it as they passed through town or maybe stayed for a while for a job." He explained.

"Ohhh okay, I get it now. And one of the mirrors was eating people?" The boy asked.

"Well, that's what they say anyway."

"Who are they, anyway?" The boy asked.

"Just... they. Do you want to hear the story or not, boy?" The man smirked.

"Yeah, I do! So the mirror was eating people." The boy said.

"So they say. So, one of the rooms apparently had a monstrous mirror that ate everybody in it. A haunted inn, they said. The innkeeper always refused, of course. He would tell people that it was safe, and there was no haunted mirror eating people. That would be ridiculous, he said. And yet, the rumours spread. One group stumbled into town after getting lost in the forest, and the only room was the room of the haunted mirror!" He leaned in as he finished, the light flickering over his face. A little spooky, the boy thought.

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"Are you sure this is the right way?" Alice asked, pushing the dense bush that clung to her away.

"Yes I'm sure, I've checked the map a thousand times. That rock over there is definitely this one right here." Will said, pointing at a grey speck on the map he held out.

"How can you be sure that's even a rock? Are you sure you didn't just spill your drink one day?" Joe laughed.

"Look, I'm the navigator here. If you want to blindly stumble through the forest without a map be my guest, but I'm gonna go where the map says." Will started walking into the forest.

Joe laughed again, "Well it can't be any worse than picking a random direction at least. Let's get going, night's coming."

The group continued stumbling through the forest, over rocks and stumps in their way. They managed to escape the bandits with their lives but had no idea where the road was. Just a map they stole on their way out and the hopes of recognizing some kind of landmarks.

Night fell, and they set up camp underneath a particularly large tree. Some large branches were placed up against it and whatever greenery they could find they draped over it. Rudimentary, but it was better than nothing.

"God, what I wouldn't do for a bed right about now," Joe said, massaging his back as he stood up.

"Yeah, well if all goes well we should get to Bellgrom today. Map says it's just a little way from here," Will said pointing in a direction, "that way, I think."

"You think? Or you're sure? Do you really know what you're doing?" Alice said, tearing down the makeshift shelter they had.

"Look, there're barely any landmarks out here on the best of times. Let alone with a map that may not be accurate, when I don't even know exactly where we are. If the map's accurate, it's that way." Will continued pointing in the same direction.

"Come on Alice, it's better than nothing. At least we still have each other?" Joe said.

"I'd trade both of you for a nice drink right now." Alice followed Will into the forest.

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"She'd trade both of her friends for a drink? That's so mean though!" The boy said.

The man laughed, "Yes it is, but she was probably just joking. We'll never know, I guess. Maybe she really would've, and she's the real monster out to eat you."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Okay okay what happens next, do they get to Bellgrom?" The boy asked.

"Well, they struggled through the forest for a little while, the dense forest scraping and bruising them as they went. But when the sun was near its peak, the group finally arrived at Bellgrom."

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"See, told you I knew what I was doing." Will pointed at the large metal gates off in the distance with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Let's hurry up and get some good food finally." Alice shook her head.

"Hey now, I think I deserve a thank you for that. After all that disrespect, come now, praise your dear navigator." Will crossed his arms and stood in front of Alice.

"You know I'm grateful Will. Thanks, we'd be lost without you. Can we please just go get some good food now?"

Joe laughed, "Yes, food! And maybe some drinks, and then a nice comfortable bed. Let's go!"

The group took off, jogging down the road toward the imposing gates they saw. A line was formed outside of it, guards checking everybody who entered.

"Ya think something happened?" Joe asked them.

"Maybe it's related to the bandits we escape from?" Will said.

"Or, y'know, whatever attacked the bandits and let us escape? Maybe it attacked nearby towns and these are refugees?" Alice said.

It was hours before they were finally at the entrance to Bellgrom, the line staggering forward every so often.

"Names and purpose of visit please." One of the guards asked them.

"I'm Alice, this is Will and Joe," Alice pointed to her companions. "We got attacked by bandits and are looking for a place to stay and food to eat."

"Well you'll have trouble finding any inns tonight, lots of refugees these past few days. There's always Nirthas, but I'd stay away if I were you." The guard said, shaking his head when he spoke the name.

"Nirthas?" Joe asked him.

"It's an inn near the southern wall. People say it's haunted though, got a mirror that'll eat you. Always has a free room, but I'd be careful if I were you." The guard said, waving them through and calling the next person up.

"Nirthas then?" Will asked the group.

"Yup," Alice and Joe both said together.

"Haunted mirror or not, I just hope they have some good food at least," Joe said.

"And ale!" Alice said, their pace speeding up as they continued south towards the wall, and their hopeful bed.

"Don't get your hopes up, if the mirror was really haunted the guards would be doing something about it instead of spreading rumours. I'm sure it's just a bad inn nobody likes." Will said.

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"Why would they go to the inn if they knew it was haunted though? Isn't that kind of stupid?" The boy asked.

"Maybe, but they didn't believe in hauntings. And they really wanted a nice comfy bed to sleep in." The man continued.

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The group arrived at Nirthas, a somewhat run-down wooden building with a big sign hanging over the door. The inside was dirty, with only a couple of people sitting at the tables that filled the interior. A man stood behind the bar, leaning on the wall.

"Hey, what can I do for you fine folk today?" He said.

"Food and drink for now, maybe a room tonight if you have one?" Alice said to the man.

"Sure thing, we've got some stew on now and your choice of ale or ale. Got one room free so you'll have to share."

Alice sighed, looking at her two companions. She was hoping for her own separate room, but if they only had one room then it was better than sleeping under some sticks at least. "Fine by us, we'll take some stew and ale then."

"Is that the room with the haunted mirror?" Joe asked the man.

"Haunted this haunted that, there ain't no haunted mirrors here, boy. No clue where that damn rumour came from anyway." The man went back into the kitchen where the clattering of dishes could be heard.

He brought out three bowls of stew perfectly balanced on one arm and three glasses full of ale in his other hand, clanking together as he came out and led them to a table. He placed the three glasses down and then pulled each bowl down off his arm placing one in front of each of them.

"Here you are, food and drink for all of ya. Comes with the room, but I'm gonna need five silvers for that one." He held out his hand expectantly.

Will pulled out a few silver chunks from one of his pockets and handed it to the man.

"Thank you, enjoy your stay!" He smiled.

The three ate and drank, relishing in the comfort of proper food for the first time in days.

"Food kinda sucks," Will said.

"Ale too, but it's better than the nothing we've had at least. We're safe in town, and we've got a room to sleep in tonight. Be thankful." Alice told him.

"So, you think we'll get eaten by a mirror tonight?" Joe asked them.

"Of course not, don't be silly. There's no such thing as a man-eating mirror." Alice waved her hand.

"That we know of, at least. Maybe everybody just got eaten and so we never found out." Will tapped on the side of his head.

"Whatever, let's go see this stupid mirror." Alice got up and walked towards the stairs. Will and Joe followed behind, almost bouncing on their feet with excitement.

Their room was basic. A large bed, a small desk with a chair, and a tall standing mirror off near the window.

"So this is the mirror that'll eat us, huh?" Joe said, tapping the side of it.

"Doesn't look much like a monster to me," Will said, walking around it.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm going to sleep." Alice jumped in the bed, pulling the cozy sheets up to her nose.

"You think this mirror really is haunted?" Joe said, looking at Will.

"I dunno, maybe? I don't think it'll eat us at least, but rumours always come from somewhere right?" Will poked the back of the mirror.

"I guess, maybe there's some ancient evil horror trapped inside, and it can only come out when it feels the blood of a human nearby!" Joe said, trying his best to do a ghost impression. It fell a little short without the flickering lights of a campfire.

"Maybe you're an idiot," Will said, getting into the bed next to Alice.

"Well don't blame me when we don't wake up in the morning, bucko." Joe joined the two in bed.

The three fell asleep shortly after.

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"And that's where their story ends." The man said, leaning back in his chair.

"Huh? But what happened to them? Did the mirror eat them?" The boy sat on the edge of his seat, leaning over the table.

"Well nobody knows, boy. Maybe they got too spooked by the rumours and ran away?" The man smiled.

"Were they ever seen again though? Did nobody ever see them after they went into that room?" The boy asked.

"That's how the story goes, they went in and never came out. Eaten by the haunted mirror, people say." The man said.

"But mirrors can't eat people," the boy said.

"Of course not, boy," the man said, "it's just a story."