Crimson Veil
Episode 19: Gate of Mirrors — Rise of the Forgotten King!
[Page 1] – Splash Page
Scene: A floating mirror realm — an infinite space where reflections drift like broken glass in a black ocean. At the center stands a colossal obsidian gate, shaped like a closed eye.
Narration Box:
"When you gaze long enough into the abyss… sometimes it gazes back with your own face."
[Page 2] – Mirror Realm Awakens
Zareth stands alone. Dozens of mirrors swirl around him, each showing alternate versions of the world — some where Ren is king, some where he's dead, others completely devoured by flame.
Zareth (to himself):
"Countless timelines… and yet only one leads to him."
He turns to the closed gate. The eye twitches.
[Page 3] – Forgotten King Stirring
A voice speaks from behind the gate — old, cracked, like a thousand years of screaming in silence.
Voice:
"…Who seeks the final mirror?"
Zareth:
"The one you sealed away — the boy of fire. He's no longer a boy."
Voice:
"Then… I shall return."
[Page 4] – Ren and the Others Regroup
Back in Nekron Abyss. Ren, Kael, and Lira sit by a crystal pool recovering. The flame around Ren has settled, but his eyes now carry a mirrored glow.
Kael:
"We've got three fragments. Only one left."
Lira (tossing a rock):
"The map says nothing about a mirror realm though."
Ren (quietly):
"It's not on the map… because it doesn't exist in just one place."
[Page 5] – The Oracle Returns
Suddenly, a beam of starlight strikes the ground. The Oracle, cloaked in glowing robes, steps from the light, her face hidden.
Oracle:
"The Mirror Gate has opened. Zareth has begun the convergence."
Ren (stands slowly):
"What's behind that gate?"
Oracle:
"The one even demons feared… The Forgotten King — your first reflection."
[Page 6] – Flashback Panel
Images flash: a young Ren surrounded by shattered timelines; a past version of him that made a dark choice; a being with no eyes but infinite mouths, standing at the gate.
Oracle:
"He was a path not chosen — a version of you who accepted destruction as peace."
[Page 7] – NOVA Activates (New Base)
Above, the team's ship, NOVA, begins to change form. The AI, ARC, speaks:
ARC:
"Destination recalibrated: dimensional fold to the Mirror Gate. All systems ready."
Kael (loading gear):
"Guess we're breaking the laws of reality next."
[Page 8] – Final Panel
Scene: The Mirror Gate slowly opens. From within, a massive figure steps forward — cloaked in a cape made of screaming reflections. His face is Ren's… but older, twisted, and hollow.
Forgotten King:
"Hello… me."
Narration Box:
"The greatest enemy… is the version of yourself yourself