The Dawn of the New World

"Everything is real if you believe hard enough," answered a voice from beside him.

Hao Xuan recognized who it was even without looking, but he still looked. Turning to the side he saw Mr. Hyde standing next to him with his top hat, monocle, and snakehead cane equipped, looking around.

Mr. Hyde also turned to face him with an expression that was part disbelief and part astonishment. He shook his head lightly.

"Your ability to land in the most bizarre and dangerous of situations is unparalleled. I don't think anyone currently alive could compare to you when it comes to finding trouble."

He sounded genuinely impressed for some reason, which annoyed Hao Xuan a little.

"Are you making...fun of me?" Hao Xuan asked through short breaths.

Mr. Hyde shook his head while looking around with a hint of melancholy, "Not at all. It is a compliment through and through. If only you were a little stronger you could have actually harvested a few rewards from this place."

Hao Xuan inspected his surroundings once again but could not see anything past the thick mist.

"Do you know what this place is?"

Mr. Hyde nodded with a sly smile.

"One of the other ten worlds. Or you could even call it another dimension in a way. It is a reflection of your world, and of many of the others."

"Is it...dangerous?" Hao Xuan asked in a low voice. He wasn't very much shocked from finding out this was another world entirely. The moment he saw Mr. Hyde he knew it was going to be something like this.

Mr. Hyde's lips twisted, arching into a grin going from one ear to the other.

"Very!" his words resounded within Hao Xuan's mind like a serpent's hypnotizing hiss.

Hao Xuan backed up a little, closer to the staircase.

"What is the name of this world?"

"It has many names, most of which you would not be able to comprehend even if I told you. But in the most simplest of terms, it is the Mirror World."

"A mirror world...?" Hao Xuan repeated with a raised eyebrow.

Mr. Hyde corrected him, "Not "a", THE Mirror World. There is only one of it. It is the only world that is closest to all the other worlds but at the same time, it is the hardest one to get to. You can always see it but never reach it. Understand?"

"You mean... it's ACTUALLY the Mirror World? Like, Literally?"

Hao Xuan had seen enough movies and read enough useless information back on earth to quickly realize what he was talking about.

Mr. Hyde burst out laughing, "Hahaha, were my words not cryptic enough? Yes! This is the world that you see whenever you peer into a mirror, whenever you gaze at your fleeting forms of flesh and blood. You who judge each other by your temporary appearances, this is a world of nightmares for a species like yours."

The wall of mist that surrounded them resonated with Mr. Hyde's words and pulsed like it was alive, scaring Hao Xuan even more than he currently was.

"SHH! Shut up!" Hao Xuan urged.

Mr. Hyde realized what was happening around them and cut himself off by force.

"Oh, my apologies. In this place my existence can physically manifest in a number of ways even when I don't mean to," he explained before looking towards Hao Xuan with a questioning gaze.

"So why have you come here? Or rather, why are you still here even after knowing what this place is? The beings that live here will not take kindly to your presence. And their appearances do not...follow the standards of beauty that you adhere to, so it is best to keep some distance. If one of the more powerful creatures saw you, it will follow you wherever you go."

Hao Xuan used the glaive to stand up before explaining further, "I have to find someone. They took someone a few minutes ago, is it possible to save him?"

Mr. Hyde glanced at him with a look that accurately conveyed his feelings to Hao Xuan.

"Shut up, I'm not that stupid," Hao Xuan retorted without even needing to hear the words.

"I didn't say anything," Mr. Hyde replied with a wronged expression.

"You don't need to," Hao Xuan rebuked, "Just tell me if it's possible to get him back."

Mr. Hyde looked into his eyes and knew he wasn't going to turn back so easily so with a deep sigh, he continued, "Most probably. But I advise against it. This doorway is not unguarded," he gestured towards the claw marks surrounding the staircase.

"The creature that took your 'friend' will not give him up so easily. And if they even catch a glimpse of you just once, they will be able to find you again wherever you go, no matter how far it is. Sooner or later they will come for you until one of you is dead. And if I had to bet, I would not put my money on you."

"I'll be careful then, if he is still alive then I have to try and bring him back. Do this for me and I'll owe you one!" Hao Xuan's words made Mr. Hyde laugh again.

"You already owe me too much. But this is the last time I will help you. If you want anything else you will have to answer a few of my questions, truthfully. Do you agree?" he extended his right hand towards Hao Xuan, who after a short moment of contemplation shook it.

"Agreed."