Having a better mood now, Alec then went outside to grab himself a lunch. Using the money he recieved from the exchange earlier.

It was only when he was passed by a shop, that he saw his reflection on the glass windowpane. Showing a golden text floating right above his head. This had not been the case earlier. Since no other mirror - other than the one in his bathroom - showed to him this.

This made it clear that whatever it was, whether a curse or perhaps even a forewarning. It followed him far beyond than just one mirror like he believed prior.

This made his good mood from earlier to go sour, leaving him no longer want to go and get lunch anymore. Therefore he chose to head back, walking in the direction of his apartment.

On the way back home in every reflection he saw, there was a line of text was hanging above his head. It did not break his composure, as tried to paid it as little attention as he possibly could.

Slamming the door shut, as soon as he got home. Alec entered his bedroom and swiftly searched the many drawers. Pulling out a small pocket mirror, he finally found after searching so long. He saw that hateful line of words once again.

[Alec Willows. You have ten days left to live in this world]

That he stared for a couple minutes, without noticing any change. After which he ended up frustratedly saying.

"I understand I have only ten days left. Just tell me something more than that!"

At that the text in mirror disappeared for the first time. Only when Alec barely believed that it might be gone for good, it reappeared back in the spot stating this.

[Would you like to fight for your right to remain in this world?]

Reading this Alec now had a smile, one that clearly did not reached his eyes. That were furrowed down in anger.

"What do you mean 'like to fight'? Or else what, go find a spaceship and head to a different one? There is no choice for me, but to fight!"

A short moment of silence after that. With his anger cooling down, and it slowly revealing the helpless he hid behind it. Alec then composedly said.

"Yes. I will fight."

As soon as him saying 'yes', those words disappeared as well.

Leaving behind a very small line of text, that did not disappear from his sight. No matter how hard, or how long he looked.

[9 days : 20 hours left]

Not until he himself put the mirror down.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

In the next hour Alec paced inside his room. Not able to sit still in any place, not more than for a couple minutes at least.

His pacing kept on getting faster, not quite running but just short of it. Showing the deep seeded anxiousness, which his facial expression did not.

Finally after some time did he stop. Looking at the time on the clock, and noticing that an one hour had exactly passed. Then picking up the pocket mirror, without bothering to do anything fancy. He angled it to look above his head.

Where Alec saw the small text to again be there, but with a slight difference from before.

[9 days : 19 hours left]

"Guess it's official. I only have less than ten days left...But there was something about this fight, right?"

Standing still for a moment he extended his hand, and the phone flew right at him. Hitting him in the stomach, and falling down on the floor.

"Yep, definitely should practice my aim more."

Picking the smartphone up and dusting it a few times, he made a few more searches on it. One that was about local gun ranges. The scene then shifted from Alec in the apartment, to now him in process of wearing protective gear.

Standing inside a much different building, he turned his head over to someone. Who was in a much similar gear as him, but with the bearing of someone much more used to it.

This was an expert at the shooting range, currently holding the plastic model of hand gun . Making a few motions with it as he said this to Alec.

"Never point this thing at yourself, or anyone you do not wish to harm. Keep your fingers at the sides if walking with it, only keep on the trigger when you are sure about firing it. Room three is free, so we should head there."

Picking up a olive colored bag, he proceeded to walk in front of Alec. Guiding him along as they got to the room, where he finally put the bag down on a table. Then opening it he pulled a hand gun out, while pointing the muzzle down the range.

"Always make sure to check, that both the magazine and the chamber are unloaded. Since you have paid for two weeks worth of our special plan. Let's start by you observing my stance first, and then just copying it however you can."

Then opening it he pulled a hand gun out, while pointing the muzzle down the range. That he checked twice to confirm it was empty.

"Always make sure to check that both the magazine, and the chamber are unloaded. Since you have paid for a premium to be here, I will make sure you learn to keep your safety foremost. Now let's start with the shooting stances. Observe how I keep my stance first, and then try to copy it as accurately as you can."

Performing a basic shooting stance step by step. The trainer first bent his back slightly forward, keeping his arms fully extended. Both his knees were shoulder length apart, but not completely bent. Under that his toes appeared to be completely parallel.

Coming out of the stance, he then performed it in a different angle. All of that Alec paid full attention to, that the trainer noticed as he said

"Good. Now show me how to do it."

Trying to do the stance as accurate as possible, Alec performed it accurately. With a couple corrections from the instructor, he appeared to have a slight hang of it.

"Now let us finally do what we are here for.See this button?"

He said, pointing at the yellow button with a forward arrow. Of the two buttons that were there, both facing at different direction.

"You can change the distance of your target with the help of this. Make five consecutive bullseyes, and press it once. It is normal for everybody to start slow, and then improve aim as one further go. Think of it like a reaction, directly related to your immediate action."

Pressing the button, he made the practice dummy move forward. By fifty metres with each press of the button. Then by pressing the other one, he got it to return back.

"Now focus on shooting as many as you can on the board. But remember to keep your focus at its centre. Shoot until the gun Since it is your first day, it's fine if you get tired and wish to stop before that."

Giving a nod to the trainer, Alec wore his ear muffs and took the shooting stance. Aiming at the bullseye mark of the target. Which after missing the board with seven bullets, he hit its outermost radius with his next shot.

But it seemed that was not what Alec wanted, as he further narrowed his eyes. Before looking at the many radius on the target one by one. With the white being on the outermost one, yellow being the middle and red pointing bullseye.

Not averting his eyes from the bullseye, the trigger of the gun pulled by itself for the briefest second. That Alec masked by pressing in his index finger, too.

It definitely seemed like a lucky fluke, as the instructor only got wide-eyed for a second. Before shaking his head, and not paying it any more mind to it.

The notion of it being a fluke did not disappear. As he did not manage to hit the centre, in the next nine bullets that he spenf. With them hitting mostly the white spots, and a couple times in yellow area. With his arms shaking more and more, Alec had tried to shoot accurately as possible, yet not seeing any significant improvements in his shot.

To him it almost seemed more like a test of endurance, where he just had to keep his stance and keep on shooting. No matter wherever it actually ended up landing.

But despite all his thoughts the improvement was there, as he no longer hit anywhere outside the board.

Taking a deep breath he tried to keep his focus steady. Again as he tried to keep his aim right at the bullseye. By having trigger be pulled by itself, just a millisecond earlier than he himself pressed it.

Only this time it shot blank.

Making him realise that he had finished shooting all the bullets. Noticing his realisation to that, the coach covered his mouth before chuckling.

Pointing the muzzle of the gun downwards, Alec then had the instructor take it. After that he removed the ear muffs, in order to hear what his instructor had to say.