Beyond the Mirror

    “Each journey begins where another ends, but the most unexpected ones often emerge from the spaces in between.”

Magic had always been a cornerstone of Ryder Rothmore’s life, not just as a skill but as an extension of himself. From the moment he cast his first spell, the rush of weaving the unseen into something visible—tangible even—had been his greatest joy. He took pride in his control and precision, qualities that set him apart in a world where magic often seemed chaotic and unpredictable. Yet even with all his talent, he had come to realize that magic couldn’t solve every problem. Some mysteries required time and careful thought—a lesson Reuben, his ever-grounded guardian, never hesitated to remind him of.

“Still staring at that riddle, huh?” Reuben leaned against the doorway of Ryder’s bedroom, arms crossed with a bemused smile. The faint scent of herbs and soil followed him, a testament to the time he spent in the garden. “You’re going to burn a hole in it with that intensity.”

“It’s not just a riddle,” Ryder replied, his eyes still fixed on the crumpled parchment spread across his desk. “It’s the key to something important—I can feel it.”

Reuben chuckled, stepping closer. “You’ve been feeling that for weeks now. Maybe the answer will come to you if you go outside for a bit.”

As if on cue, the sound of an engine drifted through the open window at the front of the house.

“Ah, perfect timing, here’s your chance,” Reuben said, already heading for the door. “Come on,” he called. “She’s not unloading all of that by herself and Evan is already out there.”

Ryder hesitated, a sigh escaping his lips. He glanced back at the riddle one last time before compiling the papers together into a neater stack, getting up, and floating after his guardian. The parchment could wait—at least for a little while. Magic, after all, wasn’t just about solving puzzles; it was about the moments in between, where life happened. 

Ryder—a magical being born from a lab experiment combining the essence of Visible Imagination with the soul of a toadstool—possessed the upper torso of a human, while his lower half unraveled into a flowing, ribbon-like form that encased his glowing rune, the core of his life force. From his back sprouted wings shaped like the curved caps of toadstools, their sturdy structure ensuring his ribbon remained aloft, never touching the ground.

“Greetings Giselle!” Ryder called from the porch, floating gracefully toward the car after Reuben. “How may I assist?”

Giselle—Reuben’s new apprentice who was moving into the guest house on the property—chuckled at his impeccable manners. “Hey, Ryder. How about taking this?” she asked, holding out a floor lamp and its shade, separated for the move.

With a nod, Ryder cast a levitation spell, lifting the items into the air as if by invisible hands. “Consider it done,” he said, floating off toward the studio, the lamp bobbing in the air behind him. He wanted to make quick work of this chore today and get back to what had really been preoccupying his mind the past month. 

After a few trips to and fro, the group finally finished. Inside the studio, Evan—Reuben’s partner—had just completed setting up the washer and dryer that had arrived earlier that morning. Ryder had levitated the few remaining boxes into the corner of the room. While Reuben and Giselle carried in a large ornate mirror before setting it down in a huff.

Giselle set the mirror in the corner of the room, stepping back to admire it. “Well, that’s everything,” she said, turning to the others. “Thank you all so much for your help. I couldn’t have done it without you guys.”

”Don’t mention it,” Evan said with a grin. “Now, have fun unpacking!” He gave her a friendly wave before heading out the front door.

“Yes, and don’t hesitate to let us know if you need anything. Have a great night!” Reuben said, following after Evan.

“It was truly our pleasure,” Ryder added with a small bow, his gaze lingering on the mirror. “What a beautiful piece.”

Giselle smiled, walking back over to the mirror and tracing its decorated frame with her finger. “Yeah, it was my mother’s. I always loved seeing her reflection in—”

“Reflection!” Ryder interrupted suddenly, his eyes lighting up.

“Excuse me?” Giselle questioned, startled by his outburst.

“Apologies… reflection…” Ryder repeated, his voice urgent. “It has to be… the word is reflection—it’s speaking of a mirror, no doubt!” Without another word, he floated quickly out the door, popping back in momentarily to say, “Giselle, thank you! You’re brilliant!”

Confused but amused, Giselle watched him go, shaking her head with a chuckle.

It was only moments later that Ryder burst into the house, a blur of motion as he floated at top speed past Reuben and Evan who were now relaxing in the living room. Ryder’s urgency caught Reuben’s attention, and he started to get up, but Evan placed a calming hand on his arm, pulling him back.

​

“Let him go,” Evan said, his tone amused. 

Ryder didn’t stop until he reached his desk. He shuffled through his papers until he unearthed the original note that he had found in the gazebo and his neatly written notes alongside it. His hands, steady yet eager, flattened the page as he poured over the riddle yet again:

A triumphant grin stretched across Ryder’s face as the pieces clicked into place. “Reflections has to be correct, that means these are two separate words. What is the second…-sper?” He paused, looking over the rest of the riddle. “Whisper!? Reflections whisper! This is the answer! And with it being reflections, this word must be ‘face’ not ‘fate’. It must be speaking of a mirror.”

His mind raced with possibilities. What mirror could this be? Was it a small, forgotten hand mirror? Something possibly left behind by the Rothmore Estate’s previous owner? He hadn’t been here when Reuben bought the house, so he had no idea what relics might have remained. With determination burning in his chest, Ryder knew he needed Reuben’s insight.

He floated swiftly back into the living room, where Reuben and Evan were sharing a laugh over the television. “Reuben,” Ryder called, interrupting their conversation. “The riddle, I believe, is about a mirror. Are there any mirrors the previous owner might have left behind?”

Evan’s face lit up. “No shit, you figured it out!? That’s awesome, Ryder!”

Reuben furrowed his brow in thought, tapping his chin. “A mirror, huh? Well, there’s the one in the shop bathroom. The old owner left it when she moved out. It’s beautiful, and I thought it added to the shop’s charm, so I kept it.”

Ryder had already begun floating towards the door the moment he heard the word ‘shop’. He grabbed the keys that sat upon the entranceway table. “That must be it!” Ryder declared, his excitement bubbling over. “Thank you, Reuben! I shall return soon!” Without another word, he zipped out the door and around the corner, heading straight for the Mystic Herb, Reuben’s metaphysical and herbalist shop that was conveniently located on the other side of the estate.

Reuben and Evan exchanged a chuckle. “He’s like a kid on Christmas morning,” Evan said, shaking his head fondly.

Reuben smiled with a relieved sigh. “I hope he finds what he’s looking for. It’s about time we uncovered some of the mysteries around here.”

​Ryder reached the Mystic Herb in no time, heading straight for the bathroom. The ornate mirror on the wall was a work of art in and of itself, its intricate frame carved with swirling patterns reminiscent of vines and flowers. Ryder hovered in front of it, his reflection staring back at him as he examined every detail.

“Hidden in plain sight,” Ryder murmured, repeating the riddle again while studying the edges of the mirror. “It must be on or behind it.” He ran his fingers along the frame, searching for any hidden compartments or latches, his frustration growing as nothing revealed itself.

“If I could just get this off the wall,” Ryder muttered. He grasped the bottom edge of the mirror and gently pulled upward. For a moment, it seemed to give way, but then a sharp snap echoed through the bathroom as the mirror came loose. Before Ryder could react, the heavy frame tilted forward, falling directly toward him.

Instinctively, Ryder flinched, bracing for the crash. But instead of shattering, the glass rippled like water, its surface undulating with a strange, fluid grace. As the mirror descended, it enveloped him completely, pulling him into its shimmering depths. It felt like diving into a pool of water, the surface rippling around him as he passed through. But the moment he emerged on the other side, Ryder found himself standing in an entirely different world.