Welcome to Gaia! ::

Jenna had meticulously prepared for the lunar eclipse, gathering everything she’d need to make the most of the event. A fleece-lined coat, thermal layers, and warming packs for her hands and feet were packed alongside her telescope and newly purchased mirrorless camera, supposedly the best choice for astrophotography.

The plan was simple: power up, mirror walk to her lookout spot, and everything in place before the Blood Moon eclipse began.

After loading her equipment into the car, she drove a short distance to a mirror she had placed ages ago for this specific purpose. It was there, she powered up and placed the camera and smaller equipment into her subspace pocket before picking up the larger case and stepping through the mirror which rippled around her like a pool of water. But the moment her foot touched solid ground, Markeb knew that something was wrong.

Instead of the open sky, and windswept grass she was expecting, Markeb found herself in a room with pale-colored walls and a high ceiling of the same muted tone. There was a door and a mirror with a frame that looked nothing like the one she had stepped through nor expected to step out of.

Markeb carefully set her telescope case down and looked around the room in confusion, her stomach twisting uneasily. “What the hell…” she muttered, scanning the still, silent room. She had never been able to enter Mirrorspace alone before. That wasn’t supposed to be possible for someone of her rank.

Her breath caught as she approached one of the mirrors. Her reflection was absent, replaced instead by a breathtaking scene of burning stars in brilliant colors she had never seen with her telescope alone. Mesmerized by the sight she reached out, fingertips brushing against the cool glass only to be jolted by a sharp shock that sent her stumbling back and away from it.

Heart pounding, she fumbled for her compact, the one engraved with a moon and star, and flipped it open with trembling fingers.

Hoping their prince was powered and could explain to her what was going on, Markeb spoke his name into the compact, “Remarque?” Her voice filled with urgency and barely suppressed panic. “I-I need help, please. I’m in Mirrorspace. I don’t how I got here, nor do I know how to get out. This mirror, it won’t let me leave” At least not this one.

The moment Remarque responded, relief flooded through her, easing the tension that had built up from this unexpected visit to Mirrorspace. The stark white walls in the background suggested he was already somewhere nearby, which was a small comfort. At least it meant she hadn’t interrupted his evening with family. What wasn’t comforting, however, was his comment that Mirrorspace itself was experiencing difficulties. But at least that meant she wasn’t here because she’d somehow messed up.

Probably. Fingers crossed…

Despite his reassurance, Markeb’s brow remained furrowed with unease. She shook her head at his question. “No, I’m not claustrophobic,” she answered, following his instructions and slowing turning the compact so he could get a better view of the room she was in. “I promise, Remarque. I haven’t been wandering around. This is where I ended up”

She hesitated in front of the mirror that had startled her earlier. “And this mirror…” her voice trailed off as she pointed to it, careful to keep her hand a safe distance away. “I’ve never see anything like this. I should be looking at my own reflection, holding this compact… your face should be right there.” Her fingers twitched, tempted to test the surface again but she resisted. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Or, more accurately, what I should be seeing but isn’t there?”

Gladded by his arrival, Markeb smiled and waived as Remarque stepped through the mirror into the room she was waiting before stowing her compact away in her subspace pocket. Though, it came as an unexpected surprise when not one, but three wraiths floated through the rippling surface after him.

“Thank you for coming,” she replied, barely able to suppress a quiet giggle at how exasperated he sounded by the wraith's behavior. She watched in mild amusement as they drifted away from Remarque, finding interest in the strange mirror that had brought her here.

“I’m not sure how Mirrorspace thinks I can help,” Markeb replied knowing that her magic was incapable of granting just any wish and she sincerely doubted it could heal Mirrorspace if it were somehow damaged or broken. “But I suppose it did bring me closer to where I was going…” Her gaze shifted to where her telescope case had been left near the mirror, just below where the three wraiths hovered. “I was hoping to watch the blood moon lunar eclipse but it seems I’ll miss it this time.” Not a big deal, there will always be another chance.

“Other than the images received by NASA, I’ve never seen the stars so colorful and clear as they do in that mirror. I can’t help but wonder if someday we’ll be able to mirrorwalk to other worlds.” She felt so close yet so very far away from something tangible but what if… what if she could just see Markeb. “Wishful thinking I suppose,” she chuckled at the irony of her statement.

“What do you make of these anomalies, these space storms?”

“I honestly hadn’t considered trying. Without a reflection, in theory it should work more like a magnifying glass.” She stepped towards her case, gently nudging one of the hovering wraiths aside, and moved it towards the middle of the room.

His second question lingered in the silence, heavier than the first. As she unfastened the clasps and began removing the pieces of the telescope stand, she finally spoke. “I…” her voice wavered as she let out a long breath. “I have been gathering energy. Just… not consistently.”

She paused to glance his way, guilt flickering in her gold-colored eyes. “You know how vulnerable I am without offensive magic.” Unlike youma, their wraiths offered no level of defense either. “I’ve been counting on my brother to help, but with him being a Negaverse Agent, it’s not exactly easy. We’re constantly juggling priorities. Still, it’s better than being ambushed by a Knight and ending up with a broken arm again.”

Markeb winced slightly at the memory, then added quickly. “I know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear. But other than Sadalsuud, I don’t have many Court allies. And she’s been… quite. I haven’t seen or heard from her in a while.”

With the stand assembled, she carefully lifted the telescope from its velvet-lined case and mounted it. “We never traded information, so unless she’s powered up as well, there’s no way for me to reach out to her.”

“But I have had some cordial conversations with members of other factions, stargazers like I am.” Like-minded individuals who dreamed of exploring places outside of our universe.