It was too much. The weight of it all. The words, the slaps, the crushing truth—Zen could feel it breaking him apart from the inside.
He clenched his fists. His whole body trembled. Then, he threw his head back and screamed.
"AAAHHHHHH!"
The sound tore through the room, raw and desperate. But then—he laughed. A deep, twisted laugh, as if something inside him had finally snapped. He ran his hands down his face, swept his damp hair back. His chest rose and fell in ragged breaths.
Then it spoke.
You piece of shit.
The voice wasn't his. It growled, low and vicious, echoing inside his skull.
Zen wasn't speaking anymore.
His pupils darkened, swallowing the whites of his eyes. His fingertips blackened, nails lengthening into sharp claws. A presence loomed around him—something ancient, something terrifying.
How lowly do you think of me?
The room felt colder.
Do you not know who I am?
Zen stomped the ground. The entire room trembled. The Knight flinched, frozen in place, his face a mask of shock.
Muki, however, barely blinked.
And just as quickly as it came, it was gone.
Zen gasped, stumbling back. His vision cleared. His hands—normal again. His breath—his own.
"What... the hell was that?" he whispered. He looked at Muki who gave him a sweet Meow in return.
"Come on Muki, we need to leave," Zen said as he ran past the Knight who was still in shock.
Zen ran, his legs carrying him away, weaving through the maze of buildings. His breath was ragged, and his mind was confused and afraid.
What the hell just happened?
His hands still trembled, his body tingling with a strange energy he couldn't understand. It wasn't just exhaustion—it was something else, something wrong.
He couldn't go back to the old man. If they find me there, they'll kill him too.
The thought clenched around his chest like a vice. He had nowhere to go.
As he passed by a glass window, his reflection caught his eye. He barely recognized himself. Hair wild, eyes hollow, clothes filthy—he looked no better than the day he first arrived. Back to square one.
Zen let out a bitter chuckle. Great. All that effort, all that struggle… and here I am, looking like a stray dog.
He reached into his pocket. Some money. Not much, but enough to clean up, and buy fresh clothes. Maybe even a meal.
But then what?
The Astral Knight wouldn't just let him go. He'd find him. And this time, there wouldn't be an escape.
Zen stopped dead in his tracks, his breath sharp and uneven.
Whereareyourunning, boyyyy?
The voice slithered into his mind, smooth, taunting. Zen whipped his head around, scanning the empty alley. Nothing. Just the wind and the distant hum of the city.
WhyrunfromthatKnight?I amhere… withyou. Iwillgiveyoupower.
Zen stiffened. His fingers twitched.
"Power?" he scoffed, still looking around. "Yeah? And what's the catch? Do I have to sell my soul or just sign up for a lifetime of bad decisions?"
The voice chuckled. It was deep, amused, like it was watching an idiot try to put out a fire with bare hands.
Yoursoul?Please. IfI wantedthat, I wouldhavetakenit already.
Zen frowned. That wasn't exactly comforting.
"Great. So you're just generous?"
Youcouldsaythat. Or… youcouldstopaskingstupidquestionsandlisten. Youfeltit, didn'tyou?Theshift. Thehunger. Thepowerscratchingattheedgesofyourmind.
Zen swallowed. He had felt it—that overwhelming surge, the split-second loss of control, the way his body had moved like it wasn't even his. And the look on the Knight's face…
"Oh, that," Zen muttered, feigning nonchalance. "Yeah, not creepy at all. Having my body hijacked by some voice in my head? Totally normal Tuesday for me."
Youwillgetusedtoit.
"That's really not reassuring."
Youareweak. Powerless. Yousawityourself—patheticlittleslapsandcheapinsults, andyoustoodtherelikeabeatendog. Youwantthattohappenagain?
Zen clenched his jaw. His cheek still burned, not just from the slap, but from the humiliation.
Icanchangethat.
The words slithered into him, wrapping around his ribs like vines.
Zen exhaled slowly, forcing a smirk. "Right. And all I have to do is… what? Let you take over? Lose myself completely? Sounds like a fantastic deal."
You'realreadylosing. Atleastthisway, you'llwin.
Zen hesitated. His fingers curled into fists. The voice had a point—he was losing. And if the Astral Knight found him again, there wouldn't be another escape.
But trusting some disembodied voice? That was a whole new level of stupid.
"…You want me to listen? Then start making some damn sense," Zen muttered, narrowing his eyes. "What are you? And what do you really want?"
Zen looked up towards his right as he walked hastily, his eyes fell on the building. The man stood at the top wearing nothing but black, his cloak waving in air.
"YOU", Zen screamed.