A mountain of quiet. Steel. Stillness.
Slade.
He never let anyone fall alone.
Except me.
He let me fall.
And then he walked away.
Leo, who once made the dark feel like a blanket.
Now he wraps it around her.
He called me brother.
Where is my brother now?
Withher.
And her.
Gods,her.
I would’ve followed her into fire.
I did, didn’t I?
And how did she repay me?
But when the doors closed behind me— no one came.
She’s in all the mirrors.
She always stands with them.
She smiles at them the way she used to smile at me.
Her shadows wrap around their hands like vines.
Her voice calls them by name.
She doesn’t speak to me anymore.
The mirrors never lied.
They didn’t have to.
They just reminded me of my mission.
Over and over and over again.
Phoenix telling the others,“He made his choice.”
Slade shaking his head,“He knew the risks.”
Leo saying,“We can’t go back for him. Not now.”
