A warning: to the leader, the pariah, the victim, the messiah; this is war.

After the revelation that Traveller was a time traveller, the Queen condemned all three of them to spend a day in the Hall of Mirrors. Hyoyeon - the time travelling Hyoyeon - didn't truly know the terror of the Hall but the looks on Jungsoo and Hyukjae's faces were enough to chill her to the bone.

The looks on their faces when they found out her true identity also chilled her. Jungsoo looked murderous, as if it was her fault all of this happened. Hyukjae looked stung and betrayed.

They had thrown them into cells. Traveller Hyoyeon was in a small cell made out of stone. One wall was made up of heavy metal bars, with a door impossible to break without the bars. She was still wearing that stupid lilac dress.

She understood now why Queen Hyoyeon had insisted Traveller Hyoyeon wear it. It was to emphasise the fact that they looked identical. Well, not quite identical. Queen Hyoyeon was a little taller than Traveller. She looked a little older and had none of dark shadows under her eyes like Traveller. Queen Hyoyeon also had a mad glint in her eyes, it was obvious the woman was insane.

But at a glance, the two women could have been twins. It would be easy to mistake them.

Traveller sighed, leaning her back against the moss covered walls. This was the worst version of herself she had ever encountered. She closed her eyes, struggling to think of an escape plan. 

She was on a time limit, after all.

Hyoyeon the Traveller opened her eyes when she heard the rattle of keys in the cell door. It was pitch black outside in the corridor and there was only a small stub of a candle flickering in the cell.

The door swung open, and Choi Junhong entered the cell. He entered warily, looking at her as if she was about to attack him.

"Junhong? How did you get here?" she asked him.

"You're the Queen," Junhong stuttered.

Hyoyeon sighed again. "I know you probably don't trust me. But I never lied to you, I just never told you the whole truth."

Junhong didn't move, but he spoke quietly. "I followed the catacombs and ended up beside the Hall of Mirrors. A staircase led to the throne room. I heard everything and afterwards crept into the dungeons again. I killed a guard and stole his keys and tried to find you all."

Hyoyeon looked at the taller hopefully. "Are the other two okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. They don't trust you. Neither do I."

Traveller Hyoyeon felt very tired, as if she wear the titan Atlas the world was resting on her shoulders. "Its a long story," she said. "But if I tell you the whole truth, will you tell Hyukjae and Jungsoo?"

Junhong looked torn.

"You must trust me even a little bit, if you came to find me," she added.

Junhong sighed. "Fine."

Hyoyeon smiled, and reached under her skirt to where she had strapped a device to her leg. She took out the slim, black cuboid and placed it on her knee. It was a little shorter than the length of her hand and was very thin. She punched a button and the screen lit up, showing an almost empty batter. She punched in a code.

Junhong looked amazed. He closed the door behind him and knelt beside Traveller. "What is that?" he breathed. 

"Its called an iPhone," Hyoyeon replied, clicking the voice memos app. "I brought it with me to New Seoul and they never took it off me when we were captured. It only has a little power left, but it should suffice."

"What does it do?" asked the awe struck voice.

"A lot of things. What its doing now is its going to record our voices. Then you take it and go to Hyukjae and Jungsoo and press this button and it will play back what we've said."

"Junhong frowned. Aren't you coming with me?"

Traveller shook her head. "Right now, you're our hidden card. If they realised I've escaped from my cell they'll know we have someone here." Traveller looked at the gloom outside of the bars. "Is there any chance of a guard coming to check on us?"

"No. I killed all of the guards in this block. I hid the bodies to."

Traveller shivered slightly at Junhong's casual tone. "Let's get this over with," she said, clicking record."

She took a breath.

"Where do I begin? Okay. So you know how people say that everyone has a good part and a bad part of them?"

Junhong nodded.

"Okay. So there's one world. But there are ten different dimensions in it. Each dimension has the same people in it, but they're slightly different. In one dimension - these dimensions are call timelines - everyone's personalities are different. One timeline has you at the worst you could be, the next has you at the best you could be and the other eight have you at different points in between your best and worst."

Junhong was silent for a moment as he processed the information. "Right," he said slowly. "So in one, uh, timeline you could be like a hero, in the next you're a villain and in the other eight you're at varying stages between hero and villain?"

Traveller nodded. "Exactly. And because everyone is slightly different, different decisions are made, different things happen and the timelines are all completely different. In the timeline I'm from there was no war and no lightless days. There is no New Seoul. It's just Seoul and people live all over Korea. There isn't a royal family either."

Junhong's eyes were as round as coins.

"In my timeline, my grandfather and his brother Jinsoo were scientists. They were scientists in this timeline too. But because there were no Lightless days, great-uncle Jinsoo never became the country's leader. They found out about these timelines, they discovered timelines. My parents continued there work and took it a step further. My parents found out that if you charge all of the cells in a human body with negative electrons, the body becomes unstuck in a certain timeline."

Hyoyeon could tell by the confusion in Junhong's eyes that none of this made sense to him. She continued anyway.

"When this happens, the human body goes through a shock like getting hit by lightning and there is a high chance of death. My parents built a machine to make this happen in the safest way possible. I was there first subject.

It both worked and failed. I was able to travel to different points in my own timeline, but it wasn't recommended because of the high chances of causing a time paradox. I was also able to travel to all of the different timelines and meet different versions of myself, my family and my friends. But not everything worked out. Instead of being able to travel to a point in time or a timeline at will, I could only go at a specific time on a specific day. I went into the time machine at exactly three fifteen on a Saturday. And since then (five years ago) I've only been able to Travel at three fifteen on Saturdays. Also, whenever I travel, it takes a few years off of my lifespan."

Junhong tilted his head. "Is that why you look so tired all of the time?"

Hyoyeon nodded. "It also means that I have about three weeks," she said, perching her chin on her knees.

"Three weeks until what?"

Hyoyeon took a breath to steady her voice. "I'm twenty three, but in three weeks I'll die of old age. Time travelling takes time off of my life so that I'll die like a ninety two year old before I'm twenty four."

Silence grew between the two. "I'm sorry," Junhong said. He was glad that this Hyoyeon was on their side, but the fact that she was going to die in three weeks upset him.

Hyoyeon waved her hand dismissively. "Don't be. I've known for about a year," she said. "Anyway, once I mastered the ability of travelling through timelines, I noticed that conditions were bad in a lot of them. In most of there had been a war and things had never been the same. So I gave myself a mission; to help things get better in every timeline before I die. So I would go to a timeline, learn about what's wrong and help improve things before moving on to the next."

"So you came here, found out this version of you was an evil Queen and that she needed to be taken down by the rebels to improve?"

"Exactly. I'm from the first timeline and this is the ninth. So when three fifteen comes on Saturday I need to go to the tenth timeline so I can help the people there. Then I'll have a week or two to spend in my own home before I...pass."

Once again, a silence grew.

"I'm sorry," Junhong repeated. "Traveller, or uh, Hyoyeon, it's five am on saturday now," he said.

Hyoyeon balled her hands into fists. "That means we need to finish this business in the next few hours," she muttered.

***

"Do you believe her?" Junhong asked Jungsoo. He had just played back his entire conversation with Traveller (not Traveller, Hyoyeon) on the iPhone for Jungsoo and Hyukjae in their cell (after explaining how he got there in the first place).

Jungsoo nodded slowly. "I hate to admit it, but everything she's said makes sense. We don't have any choice but to believe it."

"I can't believe she's going to die in three weeks," was all Hyukjae said.

The two had been thrown back into the cramped cell they had been in earlier.

"So what's the plan?" Junhong asked.

Jungsoo shrugged his shoulders and rubbed his temples. "Let me think," he mumbled.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

Hyukjae's head shot up. "Footsteps," he muttered. Hurried footsteps were coming down the corridor.

"Where do I go?" Junhong asked, standing up. There was nowhere to hide.

"I thought you took out the guards?"

"I did!"

"Obviously not all of them!"

"Calm down! We don't know if they're coming to us and it sounds like there's only one. Even if he's armed we can take him," Jungsoo said.

Hyukjae nodded. The footsteps got closer and closer and stopped outside the door. There was a rattling of keys.

Jungsoo nodded at Hyukjae. "Get ready," the older said.

The door swung open to reveal a young Imposer. He quickly entered the cell and his jaw dropped seeing three rebels instead of two.

Hyukjae immediately pounced but the man held up his hands. "W-wait!" He said, stuttering. "I'm here to help you!"

Hyukjae raised his fists. "What? How? Who are you?"

The Imposer took a deep breath. "Okay, first of all my name is Jongwoon. Second, the people of Outer Seoul aren't the only ones who hate the Queen," he finished darkly.

Hyukjae took a step back while Jungsoo approached him looking curious. "What do you mean by that?"

Jongwoon looked relieved that he had at least gotten their attention. "She's insane, everybody knows that. She's cruel to those of Outer Seoul and enjoys killing. The treatment of Kwon Yuri was too much. We all know that we need a new leader, but we never knew who could be a good leader. Then you started leading the Resistance." Jongwoon looked at Jungsoo pointedly.

"Me?" Jungsoo looked revolted.

"You must be joking. I'd be a terrible leader."

Hyukjae thought about it. Jungsoo was educated and wise and above all of that he had a heart of gold. Hyukjae found himself nodding.

Jungsoo looked revolted. "Power corrupts," he pointed out. "If I got power, I'd change."

Junhong placed a hand on Jungsoo's shoulder. "Don't worry, we wouldn't let you become like her," he said honestly.

"What did you expect was going to happen?" Hyukjae asked.

"I wanted to make a change, not become leader."

"When the Queen is out of the picture, most of Inner Seoul and many of the Imposers will go to your side," Jongwoon pointed out. "And you wouldn't have to stay leader. You could just rule temporarily before someone else is chosen."

Jungsoo growled. "Just until someone else is found," he agreed reluctantly.

Jongwoon nodded. "I know you don't trust me, but hear me out. A lot of my friends share my views too. We all have access to the armoury. The Queen is going to summon you to the throne room once more before putting you in the Hall. I'll make sure all of the Imposers that are going to you are my friends. Most of the throne room Imposers will support you too. So once we get into the throne room, we'll arm you and we'll try to kill the Queen and Kim Heechul."

Silence hung in the air. This was actually happening.

Jungsoo didn't want to rule. He was terrified he would be corrupted, but if he didn't the poor of Outer Seoul would be under the Queen's rule for the rest of their lives. 

"Fine," he said. "Let's do this."

***

They walked slowly, flanked by Imposers. According to Jongwoon, some of the good ones even had guns.

Jungsoo knew he was taking a risk trusting Jongwoon. But if he didn't, they were definitely going into the Hall of Mirrors. By taking this risk, they might win this war once and for all. They really had nothing to lose.

When they saw Traveller, Jungsoo bowed his head. If what she said was true, than she had given her life to helping others. She was an angel, in his opinion and he felt guilty for ever doubting her. It amazed him how one person could be so good (Traveller Hyoyeon) yet so bad (Queen Hyoyeon).

They didn't say a word until they arrived in the throne room. The Queen stood with her veil off, looking triumphant. Heechul stood beside her, looking smug. Donghae stood a bit to the right but Jungsoo couldn't guess how he was feeling.

"Donghae?" Traveller asked in surprise once they were lined up in front of the Queen.

"Lee Donghae betrayed us," Hyukjae said, his voice full of venom. "Yuri's blood is on his hands as much as its on Heechul's."

Donghae shrugged. "I just did what you told me too, Traveller. I took control of my own future."

The Queen looked irritated now. "Shut up!" she yelled before looking down at the three captives. Jongwoon had snuck an Imposer's uniform in for Junhong and the boy had disguised himself as one. In fact, the tall boy at Traveller's elbow was Junhong.

"Now, which one of you would like to go insane first?" Queen Hyoyeon asked.

She was answered by silence. Jungsoo looked at Jongwoon out of the corner of his eye. Had it all been a trick?

"Your Majesty," Jongwoon called out, bowing his head slightly.

The Queen looked at Jongwoon. The man was visibly nervous. "I think it's time for a replacement," he said, pulling out a gun and firing.

Heechul pulled the Queen out of the way at the last minute. The woman fell to the floor. Imposers everywhere began taking out weapons. One struck the bonds from Jungsoo's wrists and did the same for Traveller and Hyukjae.

"Guards! Kill the traitors!" the Queen roared. Loyal Imposers began arming themselves and almost immediately a fight began.

Jongwoon ran over to Jungsoo. "We need to get the Queen," he yelled, ing a gun into Jungsoo's hands.

The place was mayhem. Jungsoo tried to locate the Queen but had to deal with a scythe of a loyal Imposer. They were outnumbering the Imposers loyal to the Queen, but the Queen herself had disappeared. Jungsoo realised that she had used the fight to escape.

Donghae and Heechul were moving along the edges to get out through the door. Jungsoo turned to follow when he saw Queen Hyoyeon. She was pulling open a smaller door and almost immediately disappeared from sight as she raced down a staircase.

Traveller Hyoyeon was following her.

"Traveller!" Jungsoo said, tossing the gun to her. She turned around in surprise, but caught the weapon. She nodded at him and followed the Queen down the steps.

A dead Imposer fell in front of Jungsoo, a dagger still in his hands. Jungsoo plucked the blade out of the dead man's hands and followed in the direction where Heechul and Donghae had ran.

Outside of the throne room, there were no guards. They either had deserted their posts or joined the fight in the throne room. A huge entrance hall was outside of the throne room. A grand marble staircase led to the upper stories. At the top of this staircase was Heechul. He was taking the steps two at a time. Donghae was struggling up behind him. Jungsoo followed. Heechul reached the next floor and disappeared behind a door. Donghae was unarmed and he realised he couldn't outrun Jungsoo.

Jungsoo stopped five steps below Donghae. He glared at the younger.

"I saved your life, Donghae."

"Yeah. But after you saved me you never acknowledged me again," the younger replied defiantly.

Jungsoo realised there had been fault on his part, but the image of Yuri being dragged through the town flashed before his eyes. A tear welled up inside of his eye.

"I had three vaccinations. I could save three people. And I wasted one of them on someone who would betray me!"

Donghae had the decency to avert his eyes.

"Listen Donghae. I'm not going to kill you. Find Heechul and tell him to leave New Seoul. Once we kill the Queen, the people of Inner and Outer Seoul will rally to our sides. Tell Heechul that both of you must be out of this city before nightfall or we'll kill you. Take anyone who is loyal to the Queen with you."

Donghae looked shocked. "But, there's nothing outside of the city!" he yelled. "If you banish us, you're practically killing us!"

Jungsoo smiled wryly. "You should have thought of that before you crossed us."

He walked back down the steps. "If you'll excuse me, I've a Queen to kill."

***

Traveller raced down the spiral staircase as fast as she could. She ended up in a hall facing a pair of heavy oak doors. They were still open a crack, showing someone had recently entered and didn't close them properly. Traveller knew this must be the Hall of Mirrors.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the doors open and entered.

Immediately all the sounds of battle, of her footsteps, of her breathing extinguished. It was like a maze. Glass covered every wall and mirrors were angled on every surface, including the ceiling and floor. Traveller could see herself reflected hundreds of times. Everywhere she looked, she was looking at herself. Gulping, she took a few steps into the maze. In front of her stood the Queen. It was almost impossible to tell the difference because they were wearing the same clothes, but a look in her eyes gave the Queen away.

"You're definitely brave, following me in here," she said with a wicked smile. Her voice seemed to echo around inside Traveller's mind.

Traveller opened to speak but her voice was swallowed up by the Hall. Panicking, she raised the gun Jungsoo had given her.

Traveller knew how to use a gun. She aimed and pulled the trigger. A bullet shot out and hit the Queen. But it wasn't the Queen. The mirror shattered and sent hairline cracks all through the Queen's smiling reflection. Looking around, Traveller could see a hundred Queens grinning back at her.

Hyoyeon's heart began to pound in her chest. The walls of the hall seemed to be closing in around her. Anywhere she looked, all she could see was her terrified face or the Queen's form. It felt like the silence was pressing in on her chest. It became difficult to breathe. She began gasping for breath. In her reflections she could see herself gasping, but she couldn't hear herself. Traveller fell to her knees.

The silence was smothering her, it was broken only by Queen Hyoyeon's tinkling laugh. In a last attempt, Traveller raised the gun and shot at the Queen's reflection.

The mirror broke and most of the other mirrors reflected the shattered glass. She repeated this action. The crushing silence seemed to retreat. The mirrors absorbed all of the sound, but with them beginning to break the silence was retreating. Traveller stumbled to her feet. And shot at the glass again. The mirrors were reflecting shattered images of the Queen now. All she would need to do was find the Queen that wasn't shattered. That would be the real Queen.

When she tried to speak, sound echoed through the Hall. "It's a trick isn't it?" she called. "With no sound people are left to their own thoughts, and only their thoughts." Her heart was hammering inside her ribcage. "But everyone in this timeline has grown up with the horror stories of what happens in the Hall. So when they're in here their thoughts drift to horrible things and as a result, those horrible things seem to happen. In other words, they make themselves go crazy."

"You're a clever one," came a voice from behind her. Traveller whipped around and saw an un-shattered Queen - the real one. She aimed her gun at her chest.

"Go on then." The Queen smiled. "But I'm not meant to die here. If you kill me now, you'll die too."

Traveller hesitated. Was the Queen bluffing? She rested her finger on the trigger. The woman in front of her was another version of her. Killing her now would be like shooting herself, Hyoyeon didn't have the guts to do that.

Traveller Hyoyeon was about to lower her gun when she realised something. "Either way," she said. "I'm dead in three weeks." She pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit the Queen in between the eyes. She looked shocked as she died. Traveller had after all, beaten the Hall of Mirrors.

***

The clock read ten minutes past three.

"It's going to be hard," Hyukjae said. "Not many are happy with Jungsoo as leader. Most of the ones who were loyal to the Queen left with Donghae and Heechul, so things shouldn't be too bad." He blew out, leaning against the wall. "We'll manage though. Thanks to you. I just wish you could stay."

Traveller smiled at Hyukjae. "I'm sorry Hyukjae. But I need to at least check out the last timeline," she said.

"Will I be there? In the tenth timeline?" The two were standing beside the river, keeping time by looking at a clock on a nearby tower.

Traveller nodded. "Have you ever heard of the Chinese red strings of fate?"

Hyukjae shook his head.

"It's the belief that you're tied to your soulmate by a red string and although it tangles, it never breaks."

"Is it true?"

"Yes. But not just with your soulmate," Traveller explained. "People are connected to each other. No matter what timeline, the same people encounter each other. There is a Hyukjae in my timeline. And every other timeline."

Hyukjae laughed slightly. "Was the Queen from this time the worst version of yourself?"

Hyoyeon nodded. "You'll never believe this, but in my favorite timeline we were all singers and dancers."

Hyukjae nearly choked. "What?"

Hyoyeon laughed. "Me, you, Jungsoo, Junhong, Jongwoon, Yuri, Heechul, Donghae and others. We were all best friends too." Hyukjae looked sadly at the water of the river.

Hyoyeon glanced at the clock. It was three fourteen. "Goodbye Hyukjae," she said. "Tell Junhong and Jungsoo I say goodbye too."

Hyukjae nodded. "The next few months will be difficult, but all of us in Outer Seoul owe you our lives," he said. "You are like our Messiah. And you're going to die in three weeks. Its so unfair."

Hyoyeon smiled. "I won't mind dying, because I know I've made a difference in people's lives."  Hyukjae nodded and wrapped his arms around her in a bone crushing bear hug. Hyoyeon laughed and wrapped her arms around her neck.

The clock read three fifteen. Hyoyeon felt tingles on her spine as she stepped away from Hyukjae.

"Goodbye," she said with a smile.

And then she was gone.

Hyukjae sighed loudly. He had barely known the woman but he felt remarkably sad at her leaving. But now she was gone and he would never see her again. He looked at the river again. Strangely, she was still reflected in the water.

The reflections rippled slightly, and then they too were gone.

***

Okay, so the ending seems rushed because I got sick and couldn't write until, like the hours before the deadline closes. Also, I didn't have time to do a full edit of this story, so I'll do that soon. Thanks to everyone who ommented and subscribed! I hope you enjoyed it!