"Mason!"
The sound of his friends' voices pulled him back. He'd been caught in the woman's eyes, stuck there like a man in a dream, unable to move the longer he looked.
As soon as their voices broke the silence, the woman vanished—gone in an instant, as if she had never been there at all.
He blinked over and over, struggling to understand what was unfolding around him.
"That's it, we're taking you home before you kill any of us!"
"Alright alright."
______________________________________
The journey from school back to their homes was a short one, as they lived just five streets away, well within close proximity to the school.
It didn't take long for them to arrive back at Mason's house.
"I know you're a bit shakened and all, but y'all couldn't at least assist me in getting back? My head feels like I just received the most dangerous right cross."
"No offense Mason, but carrying you back to your house almost got us killed."
"We definitely not doing that again."
"Hmph, bunch of wimps."
They rang the doorbell, drawing the attention of Mason's mother, who was busy preparing lunch in anticipation of his return.
"Coming!" Her angelic voice sent a warm feeling down the chest of the two boys, they felt their blood becoming hotter, almost as if it was boiling from the inside.
As she opened the door, their mouth dropped at an astonishing scenery they had always prayed for.
"Welcome back boys, how was school?"
A smile flickered at the corners of her lips as she rested her right hand on her hip, the gesture both casual and confident. She wore a transparent white shirt, the fabric cinched at the waist into a knot, transforming it into a casual crop top that teased the edge of her midriff.
It revealed her black brassiere, which cupped her large breasts, beneath her waist, she wore a black pencil skirt, its sleek fabric hugging her curves and accentuating the smooth line of her waist with every step she took.
"What the hell are you wearing mom?"
"Oh this? I just came back from work so I decided to fix lunch before you got back, and I got too hot in the kitchen so I had to take some clothes off."
"You damn right you hot." Peters mumbled.
"What was that?"
"I mean, ahem, good afternoon Mrs Harris, you look as radiant as ever."
"Oh my, what a gentleman, thank you." She giggled softly as Mason's palm met his forehead with a dramatic thud, his expression a mix of disbelief and frustration.
"Alright alright, thanks for excorting me back home guys." He rushed in, his hand gripping the door handle tightly as he carefully eased it shut behind him.
"Wait, can't your friends join us for lunch? They are more than welcome to stay as long as they like."
"Yeah Mason, we'd love to join you and your beau-, mother for lunch."
"Sorry mom, but we have a project due tomorrow so they have to get started right away. Thanks for stopping by guys!"
"Wait!"
THUD!
He slammed the door behind him with a resounding thud, exhaling a soft sigh of relief.
"Where are you going? Lunch will be ready in a few minutes, aren't you hungry?"
"I am, but I need a few minutes to wash up."
Hurriedly, he dashed to his bedroom, his mind racing to understand what was happening to him.
He was desperate to share the news of his spirit awakening with his mom, yet something held him back, two reasons, to be exact, kept him from speaking.
The first reason was rooted in the painful memory of his father's disappearance around the time of his birth.
No trace of him had been found in all these years, and with no other explanation to cling to, his mother had come to accept the harsh truth.
He abandoned them, left them behind, choosing to chase his ambitions as a Spirit Caster rather than stay with his own family.
In short, she did not want him to become a Spirit Caster.
In short, she never wanted him to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Spirit Caster. The very thought of it filled her with dread, a fear born from all the years of abandonment and unanswered questions his father left them.
The second reason? He had no idea what was happening to him. He'd heard about the stories of spiritual awakenings of other casters—how they felt, the clarity and power they brought—but hallucinations weren't part of the tale.
What he was experiencing didn't fit the story.
stepped into the bathroom and leaned over the sink, splashing cold water onto his face again and again, as if trying to jolt himself awake—if, that is, he wasn't already dreaming.
As he dried his face with a towel, a flicker of movement in the mirror drew his gaze. He froze.
His reflection stared back at him, familiar, yet altered. His jawline had sharpened, the softness of his cheeks gone, replaced by a leaner, more structured visage. It was still him… but not quite.
His muscles were no exception, they were no longer scrawny or underdeveloped, they now appeared defined and toned, each contour more pronounced than he'd ever seen. Even his posture felt different, straighter, stronger.
He also felt father away from the ground than usual, almost like he had grown taller.
"Well I'll be damned, good lord I'm handsome."
[Reboot in 3.....2.....1]
Another holographic interface popped up.
"Huh?"
[The Harem Incubus System is now fully operational!]
[Welcome to the Harem Incubus System Master Mason!]
His mouth fell open in silent shock. Although no sound reached his ears, the glowing inscriptions on the mysterious interface pulsed with intent—as if they were speaking directly to him.
"It's that same panel from before, is it referring to me?"
[Yes.]
He blinked, completely stunned. Did the interface just respond to his question? The symbols shifted subtly, rearranging themselves with purpose, as if acknowledging his thought, reading them, even.
"It can communicate? Okay, first of all who are you? What are you?"
[I am the accumulation of your hereditary, brought to life by your untimely spirit awakening. I am the Harem Incubus system, manifested by your subconscious to assist in your complete awakening, the awakening of your Incubus bloodline.]
"My what!?"