Once again, Eli stood in the mirror room, staring into his empty bedroom. Korian stood next to him, looking down at their hands and the space between them. Eli didn't speak and had been silent since they entered the room. He didn't know how long they had been standing there, staring.

It had been a few hours since they killed Elias, and during those hours they buried him the dried up palace gardens. It took a lot of Eli's conscience when they dug the grave and dumped the body. The last man he killed they had left in the forest. He would never know if anyone actually found him.

Together, they announced to the realm that Elias was dead and the Arumni was safe once more. Korian gave all the magic he took from Elias back to the land. Eventually, everything would start to grow back as the land healed, but it would take some time, a long time.

No one had come up to the castle yet, Eli was sure they were all too scared. If he was being honest, he didn't even know how many people were still alive. For all he knew, it could just be him and Korian. He knew the Village was gone, and possibly the forest hideout too. Korian would head back after Eli left.

If Eli would ever leave. Now, faced with the prospect of finally going home, he was no longer sure. Korian was alive, they were both alive. What if no one else was? He couldn't just leave Korian here on his own.

He wouldn't know until he made his decision, and by then it might be too late. Even though the Mage was finally dead, everything still wasn't over. There was so much rebuilding to do and Eli didn't know if he should stay and be there for it.

Part of him was surprised that he was still alive. Had the Mage been lying when he'd said they'd both die if one was killed? Or maybe he hadn't ever known the truth. The instant he'd plunged the blade into the Mage's body, he'd expected to die. And yet, there he was, standing in front of the mirror to home with Korian by his side.

As he stared at his mirror, the door opened and light seeped in. His mother walked in, reminding him of earlier that day. He wasn't sure if he could handle seeing her cry over him again. If he did, his decision would be made straight away.

"Is that your mother?" Korian whispered to him, breaking the eerie silence. Eli nodded, watching sadly as she walked through the door. A figure followed through after her and Eli's heart began to pound in his aching chest. He didn't know who it could possibly be.

He gasped when he saw Kory enter the room. It was so strange seeing him now, seeing the differences between him and Korian. He still wore his blonde hair short, still wore his classes, still made sure there were no creases in the clothes he wore. But his face, his face was so sad. He looked around Eli's room, showing off the bags under his eyes. His mother sat on his bed once more and Kory joined her, holding her hand between his.

He must have looked after her while he had been gone. Of course, he did. He always was that kind of person. He had always gotten along with Eli's mother. He let out a small smile, grateful for his friend.

"Is that- Is that me?" Korian asked with a gasp. "I look... Strange."

Eli let out a laugh, "That's Kory, he's my best friend."

"You never told me," Korian replied, sounding almost offended.

"It didn't seem important. He's nothing like you anyway," Eli answered. "You didn't tell me you knew the Mage until I asked."

Korian sighed, looking down at him with sad eyes. "That's true," he started. "Although, I don't think we were as close as I once thought we were. I never saw his mother. I don't even know if she is still alive."

"I'm sorry," Eli said, part of him regretting his words.

Korian only sighed again, watching with Eli as the pair on the other side of the mirror began to talk. About what, they couldn't know, all they heard was silence. Eli could only assume it was about him. He would be home soon; they could stop worrying about him then.

"I am going to miss you," Korian said, looking away from him.

Eli grabbed his hand, bringing Korian's gaze back to him. "I don't have to go," he said. "I could stay here for a little while."

"No," Korian laughed, shaking his head. "You need to go home."

He wasn't wrong, but that didn't stop Eli from feeling bad about it. "Well, how about I visit sometimes instead?" he suggested hopefully.

Korian thought for a moment, letting out a little smile, "I think that would work," he replied. Eli grinned at him. He would definitely visit, how could he not? Just, maybe not for a while, he needed to give his mother time to settle down first. She would be shocked to see him back.

"I'm going to miss you too," Eli said eventually, letting his arm drift from Korian's hand up to his shoulder, pulling him inwards. He wrapped his arms around him, burying his head in the other man's neck.

Korian buried his head in Eli's hair, sighing lightly. One hand cradled the back of Eli's head, the other touched the small of his back. He still didn't want to leave, but at the same time, he did. He was conflicted, but he knew that if he could at least visit Korian, he would be okay.

Eli pulled back, staring at the other man's face, at his kind eyes and long hair, at the scar on his chin and the sharpness of his jawbone. Without a word, Eli leaned in, pressing their lips together. Korian responded with a hiss of breath before pushing himself closer. The kiss was short and sweet, more than enough for the two of them. A promise of more to come.

Korian leaned back, pressing his forehead against Eli's. "I think it is time for you to go," he whispered, giving Eli a small smile. "I wish you did not have to."

"So do I," Eli replied, giving Korian one final squeeze before stepping away. "I will be back though. I promise."

"Good," the other man said. "Now go. Your family is waiting for you." He stepped back from the mirror, giving Eli space. Nervous, Eli stepped forward, watching Kory and his mother speak to each other like old friends. He looked over his shoulder at Korian. Something felt incomplete, but he didn't know what.

"Bye, Korian, I'll see you soon," he said, giving him one final smile.

"Goodbye, Eli," came the sad reply. Taking a deep breath, Eli faced forward again. He could do this. He closed his eyes and took a step, hands splayed forward as if he was feeling through a darkened room.

He didn't know if he had passed through the mirror until he heard a loud feminine scream that definitely wasn't from Korian. He opened his eyes and gasped. He was home, in his bedroom, finally. After weeks of training and grieving and fighting, he was finally home.

His mother had shot up from the bed with a loud scream, staring at him with wide eyes. Next to her, still on the bed, was Kory, his mouth agape.

"Eli?" his mother cried, hands shooting up to cover her mouth. "Eli! Did you just- What just- Where have you been?"

"I-" Eli started, only to be swept up in the arms of his mother before he could get a chance to finish.

"You're home, you're actually home. I thought- I thought you'd died," his mother sobbed, tears leaking down her cheeks and wetting his shirt. She pulled back suddenly. "What on earth are you wearing?"

"I think... um," Kory said from the bed, staring at the mirror behind them. "I think a better question is: did you just come through the damn mirror?"

"Um, yes?" Eli replied, looking between the pair of them.

"What the hell?"

"How, Eli, how did you end up there?"

"What happened?"

"Are you okay?"

"Why didn't you come back?"

Eli took a step back, overwhelmed by the flood of questions coming his way. He should have expected an explosion from the pair of them, he had been gone weeks, without an explanation as to where he had been.

He quietened them calmly, telling them to sit on the bed so that he could explain everything. They both looked sceptical and confused, not knowing whether they could trust him. He had been gone for so long, and what he was about to tell them seemed crazy. He hoped that them watching him come through the mirror would help.

He told them everything. When he explained how he ended up Arumni in the first place, his mother cried, upset that she hadn't been able to protect him like a proper mother. He tried to calm her, to tell her it wasn't her fault, but she wouldn't listen.

He explained learning the language, learning to fight and defend himself. He told them about the Mage with his face and Korian with Kory's. He told them about killing the man in the forest (he cried, his mother hugged him tightly), and about the fight with the Mage at the memorial. They stayed silent during the entire story, the only noise an occasional gasp.

He broke down when he told them about killing Elias, about how scared he had been. He had thought that he was going to die through the whole thing, and how he wasn't sure if he was relieved Elias was dead or not. It weighed heavily on his conscience, and it probably would for the rest of his life.

"Oh my god, Eli," his mother said when he finished his story, tears welling in her eyes. "None of that should have happened to you. I thought you'd been kidnapped. The police told me that there was a high chance they wouldn't find you because it'd been so long and they had no leads. I never would have thought..."

"I'm okay now though, mum," Eli replied. "And Arumni is safe too. I fixed everything."

"You shouldn't have had to," she replied, "I still don't- I still don't understand how this happened to you." In all honesty, neither did he. "I think- I think I need to go outside for a bit and get some fresh air, okay?"

"Okay, mum," he said, looking down at the floor. She got up slowly from the bed, making her way out of the room as quickly as she could. Kory stayed behind, watching her go.

He sighed. "I can't believe all that happened to..." he said. "You're not making this up are you?"

"Of course not," Eli replied, offended. "You saw me come through the mirror, how could I make that up?"

"I guess you're right," Kory said, running a hand over his shaved hair. "Jesus, this is a mess."

"Tell me about it..." Eli said, glancing over at the mirror. He let out a small gasp at the sight. He couldn't see through the mirror anymore, nor could he see himself.

"What the hell?" Kory gasped next to him, following his line of sight. It seemed that he couldn't see Eli's reflection either. Elias was dead. His reflection was dead. There was no longer anything to stop him from passing between the realms. Eli shook his head at the obvious thought. It should have occurred to him earlier.

Together, he and Kory stood from the bed and made their way over. They stood in front of the mirror, staring at Kory's reflection. Before Eli's eyes, Kory turned into Korian, standing straight and confident.

Eli smiled. He'd have a lot of questions to answer over the following days and weeks. He and his mother would have to get used to each other again. He'd have to go back to school at some point too. There was so much to do, he was bound to get overwhelmed.

But for now, he had his mother and his best friend next to him, supporting him. And on the other side of the mirror, he had Korian, waiting for his return. He was happy. He was safe. He was home.