[Raven's Point of View]

...

"Don't worry, I'll make this short. Guided Arrow!" she shouted, shooting three arrows that chased me down.

I Shadow-Stepped out of the way, dodging the homing bolts.

"Is that all you have in store, 'Grand Archer'? Tch. The Rena I know is much more powerful. Weakling, you're too slow!" I shouted.

She ignored my comment, running closer to me, as I Shadow-Stepped back. "Freezing Arrow - Drizzle!" she screamed, shooting an arrow imbued with magical power, stunning me in place as it exploded upon contact with my chest.

Rena dashed in front of me, jumping while doing an 180 degree spin, she preformed an aerial kick and shot out a wind bomb, launching my frozen body into the air, later catching with another bomb that stunned me with a rather wide radius, back-flipping  and shooting out another three arrows that pierced into my chest.

I pulled the needles out as if they were nothing, my torso slightly bled, but I endured the pain.

"This marks your end!" she shouted, aiming several more bolts at me.

Again, I Shadow-Stepped out of the way, it was my turn for action now. 

"Watch and learn!" I yelled with confidence. "Bloody Accel!" I enhanced my sword with a Blood Oath, as a dark red aura appeared, circling around my blade. 

I lunged at Rena, Shadow-Stepping and swiftly slicing her. The injuries that my blade inflicted onto Rena healed my own wounds. Equivalent exchange, one could say.

She slightly screamed, as I uppercutted her into the air, summoning a small black hole with my Nasod arm to catch and stun her, quickly slashing four times before letting go of my arm, launching her back. By now, my injuries from her were completely healed, as if nothing happened.

Rena, for whatever reason, still wanted to attack. She ran over to me, as I Shadow-Stepped away once again. Honestly, she should change her combat patterns, it was growing repetitive.

"Wind Wall!" she yelled, creating a vortex made of wind energy, pulling me in by brute force.

"Stigma Shot! Arc Shot! Rapid Shot!" she screamed, first shooting a large arrow that implanted a debuff, followed by five other bolts that hit my torso, and finally, an army of needles that were rapidly aimed and shot at me. Honestly, it was a chaotic frenzy of arrows.

"Aero Strafe!" she jumped up high into the air, releasing a downward arrow that created an intense blast, an explosion. The Wind Wall had disappeared after the Strafe attack, I was able to move freely. Again, I plucked out the arrows from my abdomen and chest areas, enduring the great pain it brought.

I pointed my blade at Rena for a moment, Shadow-Stepping towards her, and generating a shockwave from slashing her forwards. "Shockwave - Cutter!" I yelled. She was launched away.

Rena weakly stood. It seemed as if she really didn't have a desire to attack me, so why was she doing this in the first place? There had to be a reason behind this catastrophe. I slowly approached her, patting her on the head.

"You can stop now. I can tell you don't want to do this." I instructed.

"I.. really don't. I'm... s-sorry, Raven." she softly spoke, holding onto her stomach in pain. Perhaps I'd overdone it.

"Then, why were you doing this in the first place?" I asked.

"This is the 'Mirror World'. I was created because you two entered the gateway. I am a mere illusion, but my 'Master' and 'Mistress', or my 'creators' had ordered me, and the other version of yourself, to bring the real, present-day forms to them alive, but severely injured. I don't know the details, but if I didn't do it, my existence would disappear. How selfish of me, I'm truly, sincerely, sorry. My greatest apologies, Raven. Please, I know this is foolish to ask of you seeing that I was just your foe a moment ago, but please, defeat the evil ones who are the producers of this world, and this entire Forest of Magic altogether. The current Rena could have been already captured by the other you, and if she is, she truly is in grave danger!" Rena responded.

I nodded. "I'll help you, however, try to pull anything suspicious and I won't hesitate to end your life myself."

"Yes, S-Sir Raven. I am aware of that circumstance. I am an honest person, it's in my true nature. I will never lie to you. I'll lead the way, these injuries are somewhat an obstacle, however, I should be able to survive until we get there." she weakly smiled.

Once again, I nodded, then followed her footsteps. No matter what persona Rena was expressing, she was always kindhearted. I suppose I was fond of that part of her.

...

We arrived in a long hallway that seemed to be floating on thin air, but it was simply another hallucination. The archer guided me through. I glanced around, my surroundings were filled with what seemed to be small recollection bubbles of events that occurred in my lifeline, starting from the point where I was a Velder Knight. My dark past replayed in my eyes, I looked away and kept focusing on the pathway. At one point, it showed my first meeting with the real Rena, she was a soft and gentle flower back then, too. It took approximately five minutes to walk to the end, where a new gateway stood, awaiting for our presence.

"Shall we?" Rena asked.

"We shall." I replied, walking in with her.

...

What I then witnessed... was the most terrifying thing I've seen in a long time.

...

---[CHAPTER 12 - ILLUSIONS & HALLUCINATIONS PART III : END]---