The mirrors seemed endless, each one showing a distorted, cruel version of the gang's fears. GingerBrave sprinted through a maze of twisting hallways, his sugar cane raised as reflections of his fallen friends taunted him. The laughter of Shadow Milk Cookie echoed all around, growing louder with every turn.

"Wizard! Strawberry! Where are you?!" he called out, his voice cracking with desperation.

Somewhere nearby, Wizard Cookie panted as he dodged a burst of magic from his own reflection. The phantom cackled, its  candy staff glowing with an eerie, dark energy.

"How does it feel, Wizard?" the reflection mocked, its voice identical to his own. "To be a failure? To rely on others because your power will never be enough?"

"I'm not falling for this!" Wizard Cookie snarled, shooting a burst of light at the mirror. The glass cracked but didn't shatter. The illusion only smirked, its form shimmering as it stepped closer.

Meanwhile, Strawberry Cookie clutched her straps of her bag tightly, her wide eyes darting around as her own illusion whispered in her ear.

"You're so quiet," it said, circling her like a shadow. "Do you really think anyone notices you? Without them, you'd be nothing. Forgotten."

"No... that's not true," Strawberry Cookie whispered, shaking her head. But her voice was trembling. The mirror laughed, its sound soft and cruel.

Far above, unseen by the others, Shadow Milk Cookie watched them struggle, lounging on an invisible perch. His staff twirled lazily in his hand as his gaze flickered between the group.

"How delightful," he murmured to himself. "So predictable, so fragile." But when his mismatched eyes shifted to where you had disappeared, his grin faltered for a moment.

"They'll find their way back to each other eventually," he muttered, almost begrudgingly. "How boringly heroic of them." He stood, floating above the chaos below, and raised his staff.

With a flick of his wrist, the carnival halls shifted again. The paths between the gang grew longer, the air heavier with deceit. He chuckled darkly.

"Let's see how far you'll go to save your precious crumb," he purred, directing his gaze toward GingerBrave as if addressing him directly. "Or if you'll crumble before the truth."

GingerBrave's POV

GingerBrave stopped running as the mirrors shifted again, this time forming a long corridor lined with glowing eyes. He gritted his teeth, gripping his shield tighter.

"You're not going to scare me, Shadow Milk Cookie," he said aloud, his voice steady. "Whatever you're trying to do, it won't work."

A voice answered, soft and condescending. "Oh, brave little hero, always so steadfast. But bravery means little when it's misguided."

The shadows rippled, and Shadow Milk Cookie's form appeared in the distance, floating just out of reach. His grin was wide, his presence suffocating.

"I wonder," he continued, "how far your bravery will take you when you can't even protect the ones you care about." He gestured to the mirrors, and images of you appeared—lost, vulnerable, surrounded by shadows.

GingerBrave's heart clenched. "Where are they?!"

Shadow Milk Cookie chuckled, tilting his head. "Why, they're right where they belong—on center stage. But don't worry; the finale hasn't started yet. There's still time... if you can find them."

The mirrors shimmered, the corridor splitting into multiple paths. Shadow Milk Cookie's laugh echoed as his form dissolved into the air.

"Let the game continue, little hero. I'm curious to see if you'll make it in time."