Heath stares at the other figure standing in front of him with slightly parted lips, stunned.

 

It’s himself, except pitch-black threads frame his pale face and nearly converge with the dark atmosphere. The unblinking stare it gives him makes Heath’s hair stand on end. He doesn’t even dare breathing—or blinking—too frozen by the sight of himself just staring blankly.

 

It reminds him of Owen, when he goes from his child-like behavior back to the usual cryptic him. Would his doppelganger also lash out, just like him?

 

Just the mere thought of his mirror image lashing out—physically and mentally—causes sweat to form on his forehead, and Heath reaches deep inside his heart for the familiar tune of his magic.

 

The music box, the shape his magic has taken form of, with its soft rhythm of rainfall—he can’t find it. Where is it? All that’s left inside is a deep endless void, a void that makes Heath’s lips purse and fists clench. He doesn’t recall breaking his promise. He doesn't feel like he broke his promise. Shino is fine, he has to be fine. So Heath carefully, slowly, raises his eyes to examine his doppelganger once more.

 

His pose is somewhat neutral, his legs parallel to each other, and his arms hanging limply by his side. Sharp, pointed nails are attached to his hands. His eyes, without light, without focus, are an intense midnight blue. It’s deep, so deep Heath nearly forgets to breathe.

 

What does it for him is his hair.

 

It’s black, like he noted earlier, but mirrors the void inside him. It’s the same black as the void where his magic is supposed to be.

 

Is this… a different manifestation of his magic? Or is this a parasite, about to take his magic away? No. No, it can’t take his magic away; Heath needs it! He needs it to fight the Great Calamity, he needs it to fight for his friends, he needs it to protect his friends…!

 

The thing immediately takes on a defensive stance the moment Heath steps forward and bares its pointy teeth, reminiscent of an animal. A low growl leaves its throat.

 

“Did you—” Heath’s voice comes out raspy and he swallows thickly to wet his throat. “—did you take my magic?!”

 

It growls louder, not even responding to Heath’s question, not able to answer him, and pounces.

 

Heath barely manages to dodge its advance, but not before its sharp nails graze his right cheek. A trail of blood leads to his chin, dripping down onto the floor. It isn’t talking to him, it isn’t even listening to him; how is he supposed to get his magic back?

 

The endless darkness around him doesn’t help either; there is nothing he can even use to defend himself, let alone attack and somehow defeat the beast. Is this all he is? Is this really how helpless he is without his magic?

 

Heath shivers, the sudden temperature drop catching him off guard. There is not a single gust of wind, yet it feels like the void they were in suddenly became a spot in the Northern Country. But what surprises him more is the nearly silent whimper coming from the thing.

 

For some reason, it has stopped dead in its tracks. The arms are wrapped around itself while tears flood its eyes and fall in streams from his face. It’s weeping. Weeping for… what? Why? Why so suddenly? It stares at the ground, lips trembling helplessly, until it releases a heart-wrenching sob.

 

The sight really hits too close to home, and Heath couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.

 

The doppelganger finds itself engulfed in a warm embrace. Heath knows. He knows exactly what it… what he’s feeling right now. Sometimes, more often than not, he finds himself with this unexplainable dread in his chest. Any of them could die anytime, any moment, be it from the Great Calamity or on one of their missions. Or from another Nova incident… He always feels like crying. But he knows there is no reason to cry.

 

Fixing his weeping self with a determined stare, Heath declares, “You’re fine. We’re fine. Everyone is training really hard to prepare for battles. We have friends who have our backs when it gets tough.” His voice is steady, cutting through the dark void.

 

“You are not alone.”

 

Akin to a child, the doppelganger looks at Heath with wide eyes filled with sparkles. He breaks out in a wide smile, Heath mirroring his positive attitude. He closes his eyes and starts glowing and glowing brighter, until the black void completely disappears.