We call them Alters. They are spawned from our reflection and twisted into something more... monstrous. Everyone's Alter is different. Some look the same but have a different eye colour, while others grow horns and a few extra limbs.

There's no way to tell what one's Alter will look like before their first shattering. Only during the struggle for your soul will you find the broken, distorted truth lurking behind the mirror. Some may ask why we don't prepare you for this battle or warn you of what's to come.

The truth is, if we did, you'd die. You are not the first to undergo this process, nor will you be the last. The millions of screaming souls beneath your feet have taught us this lesson. So, even if you think you are being helpful, warning a friend or loved one of what they'll face, don't. Not unless you want to see them survive their first shattering.

-- Lorekeeper Renwood at the Third Orientation to the 47th Shard

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Nil found it difficult to stay calm despite his efforts. He instinctively tried to push and pull, struggling against the monster's tight grip. However, his squirming barely made any difference.

The monster pulled him closer with a nearly effortless tug. Without anything to grab onto, he was crushed in his reflection's embrace and trapped between its arms.

He tried to scream, but sound ceased to exist inside this limbo realm. He could do nothing except stare into the reflection's face. Its too-wide grin promised something sinister.

Before he could react, the reflection did something, and a glowing silver light flared in its hands. There was a strange tugging sensation followed by what felt like a thousand needles entering his skin. Every poke and prod felt like fire was being injected into his veins.

The pain distracted him from the true horror outside his body. Frantically he could only scream inside his head as he noticed his flesh begin to meld with the reflection. Now, there would be no escape even if he managed to pry himself from the reflection's grip. Not unless he was willing to tear his body into two.

Despite the pain, Nil tried to calm his thoughts by remembering the captain's advice to "let it in." Although it seemed like easy instructions, standing there and accepting being eaten alive was nearly impossible.

He suddenly felt a surge of heat that caused his thoughts to scramble. Soon after, he experienced a new sensation that began at the center of his chest and spread to his fingertips. Along with the burning and prickling, he felt as though he was being pulled in two different directions at the same time. This feeling was more than physical pain and touched something within him on a deeper level.

Like the sound of something hitting a plane of glass, a crack rang through the world, and his vision split into thirds.

Somehow, that feeling, more than anything else the reflection had done, was the final straw. The damn thing wanted to eat him! It grabbed him by the wrists and pulled him into this world of hell and pain. Enough was enough.

He let himself become aware of every agonizing feeling he was enduring and embraced it. The captain said to forge his anger into a pick, so he let his thoughts run wild. Every stab, tear, and rip fueled his desire, and he divorced himself from the feeling of fear.

As more cracks began to appear, his fragile resolve was at risk of crumbling. However, he persevered and bided his time, letting the monster believe it had won. Every second of suffering would be used against it as material to fuel its own demise.

After the fifth crack rang out inside his head, his vision had split into five panels. It reminded him of looking through a faceted gem. The multi-image perspective was just another oddity to ignore.

Finally, the torment was nearing its end, and he felt the reflection hasten whatever it was doing. When it began to crush him in its arms, he reached his own around its back.

Relying solely on his instinct, he exerted all his effort to create something, anything, to use against the monster. He put all his pain into making the weapon. Gradually, he felt a triangular object taking shape in his hands.

By the time the long shard of glass had fully appeared in grip, more than half of his body was currently subsumed into the reflection's flesh. If he didn't strike now, the thing would reach his face in a matter of seconds.

Willing the shard in his hand to strike true and inflict a world of hurt back at the reflection, he used his left hand to guide the other. With his shoulders locked, it was hard to maneuver, but eventually, he found the base of its neck.

With a silent scream, he plunged the glass shard into its neck with an upward jerk. Suddenly the feeling of tearing and hot needles paused as he felt the monster pull away. With their bodies connected, there wasn't much room to move, so it settled on using its monstrous strength instead. The reflection's arms began to crush him like a vice.

Nil wasn't done, and he pulled the glass shard out and struck again, this time in a new area. It was a race to see who would die first, and he intended to win. Failing that, he'd drag the bastard with him into the afterlife.

As his left arm snapped, he switched the shard between his hands and used it to continue his assault. Even as the monster grew frantic and desperate, he didn't stop. The cracks inside him began to tremble, and microfractures appeared along the five lines. Another second longer, and his soul might shatter.

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With the fury of being consumed pushing him forward, he shoved the shard back into the first area he stabbed and twisted. The reflection froze and shuddered in place. It gave one final squeeze before slumping over and becoming lifeless.

Nil wasn't satisfied with victory; he wanted more. The thing thought it could eat him, torment his body and somehow get away with it.

With his other arm broken, he resorted to a more natural weapon. Biting down as hard as he could, he squeezed his jaw around its shoulder. The strange filling sensation inside his chest was ignored as he struggled to tear a piece away.

Ten seconds later, he managed to do it, and the blank white meat tore away as a gooey chunk. He didn't know if it was the insanity of the moment or the adrenaline coursing through his brain overriding sane logic, but he didn't care. Nil opened his mouth and swallowed the chunk whole. The entire thing was blank and bitter, but it slid down his throat.

Nil would laugh if he could, yet even the world conspired against him, making it impossible to enjoy his triumph. Instead, he settled for twisting the shard deeper into the monster's skull.

Suddenly the weird feeling in his chest amplified and made him stop. His whole body vibrated, and an ice-cold rush of something traveled through his arm. Before he could investigate what was happening, his heart stuttered, and his vision faded to black before it returned, fixed.

Nil watched in surprise as his eyesight became one instead of five separate panels. The bloating feeling in his chest transitioned into a heaviness that coiled around his core.

The reflection's body started to melt, and the white-silvery goop flowed across Nil's skin and faded away. Once all that remained of the reflection had disappeared inside him, a loud ding blasted across the void, and the space in front of him blurred.

Suddenly, the warped space illuminated with a burst of brightness, revealing a mirror. The glass reflected a dimly-lit cave illuminated by blue-flamed torches. Standing inside the cave, next to each other, were Captain Collins and an older man wearing a silver robe. The older man appeared to be shouting at the captain, who seemed visibly irritated and looked away.

Not wanting to waste time in case the portal closed, Nil pushed into the mirror and fell to the otherside. He tried to cushion his landing with his arms, but the sudden transition between realms came with a flush of vertigo.

Nil landed bonelessly against the cold floor and accidentally bit his tongue. Looking up with a groan, he saw boots come to a stop near his nose. Raising his head, he saw Captain Collins leaning over him with a grin.

"So you survived your first shattering, huh? Good for you, boy," he said as he turned to the older man. "You see? He's alive, and you get your recruit. Now there's nothing to complain about."

The older man walked over and stared at Nil while keeping a scowl directed at the captain. "Damn you, Collins. It's a miracle he's alive. Look at him, his arm is broken, and he's bleeding out of his mouth. You could have killed the boy!"

"Ahh, but I didn't. Not shut your crowing and fix him. I'm sure the priests would love to see what his status says."

The older man narrowed his eyes at the captain but turned away and waited for Nil to stand up. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions, but they will have to wait. For now, congratulations, recruit. You are now one of the Shattered. Please extend your hand."

Nil extended his functional arm and held out his hand. The older man laid his own on top of Nil's. A weird reflective ooze coated his arm and crawled up his skin. It reminded him of the reflection when it liquified, and Nil tried to pull away, but the older man stopped him.

"Stay still."

Nil complied reluctantly and stood in place as the stuff coated his entire left arm. It hardened into a shell, and he felt a warm pressure settle over the limb.

Seemingly satisfied with whatever just happened, the older man released Nil's hand and stepped back. "There you go. Leave the thing alone for another hour, and your arm will be fixed. Don't worry about washing it off. The shell will fade away on its own."

He blinked, surprised by the strangeness of it all. It wasn't that he hadn't seen magic used before, but it was completely different seeing it in person. Turning to the man, he bowed slightly and lowered his head.

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."

"Good manners. You could learn from this boy, Collins."

Captain Collins scoffed and held up his middle finger. "Not my fault your so uptight, Morris. If you had to babysit a bunch of weaklings every week, you'd be just as grumpy, you old bastard."

The older man named Morris, who Nil know knew, sighed and shook his head. "Vulgar, as always. Enough. Boy, join the others. It's time to leave."

Morris walked away, and the still-grinning captain followed along. Nil shrugged and walked over to where nine of the recruits sat. They all stared at him as he approached. Some, like the two boys from before, glared at him. Not interested in whatever their problem was, he ignored them and stood near the front, studiously ignoring the two staring holes into his head.

He quickly checked on the remaining recruits and noticed that they appeared fatigued. Some of them had clearly been crying, and given the group's reduced size, he could understand why. As he scanned the group, he noticed the daddy's girl and her bodyguard sitting separately in a corner. It didn't surprise him in the least that some noble girl would survive the trial.

Morris clapped his hands once and called for everyone to stand up. There was a bunch of groaning and small whispers of complaints, but none of them refused the order.

Morris and the captain picked up a torch from the wall and led them down a long tunnel. They walked for a dozen minutes before a large wooden door came into view. The captain stepped to one side of the door while Morris went to the other. Together they placed their hands on a small indent, and the sound of a mechanism rattled off.

As the door began to open, Morris turned around and addressed the recruits. "Now that you are one of us, you get to learn a secret that those of the otherside don't know. Remember to follow along and do not stop for anything."

Everyone nodded their heads, not entirely sure what they were about to see. The rattling of the opening mechanism stopped, and a final click rang through the cave walls. With a grunt, the captain and Morris pushed the two halves open, revealing an unbelievable sight.

Spanning an entire underground chasm was a bustling city made of metal. Bright orange lights lit the cavern, revealing the rows of buildings filling the space. The sight of metal buildings being used and lived in felt almost blasphemous.

And amongst that was something even more shocking. Mixed together in the crowd of humans going about their business were people who were decidedly inhuman.

As Nil looked along the road, he noticed human-like creatures with animal characteristics and individuals with horns protruding from their heads. Upon closer inspection, he saw a group of small, yellow-skinned humanoids waving signs.

Captain Collins snapped his fingers and returned the group's attention to him. "Quit your gawking, newbies! You can stare later on your own time, but not mine! Move out."

The captain immediately started marching down the cliff and into the strange city.