Morning came but Agame didn't feel rested. He dragged himself out of bed, hands shaking. He stared at the card the Reaper gave him last night. It was wet and bent, but the words were clear. "Department of Rift Response — Emergency Unit." There was a number, too. But he didn't call. He didn't even know what to say. "Hi, I glowed red and blasted a ghost. Can I get some help?" Yeah, no.
He stuffed the card in his pocket and left the house. His eyes twitched every time he saw a shadow move. Birds flew past and he flinched. He passed an old lady walking a tiny dog and she looked at him like he was nuts. He couldn't blame her.
At the train station, everything felt… too normal. Crowds, vending machines, people yelling on phones. But Agame kept checking his reflection in the windows. Looking for red eyes. Looking for that weird glass-face thing again. The voice didn't come back. But the feeling in his hand? Still there. Buzzing like a bee under his skin.
When he reached the morgue, he felt sick. Just walking in made him sweat. What if another Reaper body moved again? What if another ghost popped out? What if he exploded the whole room this time?
"Relax," he told himself. "No dead things today. Just files. Boring old files."
But the moment he stepped into the cold room, he froze. The air felt heavier. The lights were dim, flickering just like last time. Then he saw it. Table 4. There was a sheet over the body. But the tag read: UNKNOWN SUBJECT — BLACK ARMOR. His stomach dropped.
He stepped closer. One little peek. That's it. He grabbed the sheet and pulled it back. Nothing. The table was empty.
He stared. "Nope. Nope nope nope!" He turned around fast and bumped into something solid. It was a man in a coat. Dark eyes. Tall. Clean haircut. Boring face. But something about him made Agame's neck sweat.
"You saw the corpse, didn't you?" the man said.
Agame opened his mouth. Closed it. "I… don't know what I saw."
"I'm with the Department," the man said, flashing a badge so fast Agame didn't even catch the name. "Come with me."
"I'm not in trouble, right?"
"Not yet."
They walked through the back hallway. The man didn't talk. Agame didn't breathe much either. When they reached a small room, the man shut the door and dropped a file on the table.
"You touched the Eidolon Core," the man said.
Agame blinked. "It touched me first!"
"Same difference. You activated it. And now…" He slid a photo across the table. It was blurry, black and white, taken from some kind of drone camera. It showed Agame last night, red light blasting from his hand.
Agame's jaw dropped. "You were watching me?!"
"We watch everything. Rift activity is rising. And you just made the chart."
Agame sank into the chair. "Okay… what happens now?"
The man leaned in. "Now we see if you're still human."
Agame's stomach turned. "What does that mean?"
The man handed him a silver band. "Wear this. It monitors Rift corruption. If it turns black, that means you're changing."
Agame stared at it. "Changing into what?"
The man didn't answer. "Go home. Stay quiet. Don't use the power again unless you have no choice. You're being watched."
Agame stumbled out of the room, heart pounding. He stared at the band now on his wrist. It glowed faint blue. That was good, right? Not black. Not red.
But the moment he stepped into the street, the sky above twisted. Clouds spun in slow circles. People stopped walking. Cars paused. A low hum filled the air.
A Rift opened.
It cracked the sky like a wound. A swirling tear of black and purple energy, high above the city. People screamed. Reapers came flying in on bikes and armored gear. Agame stood frozen.
Then something fell out of the Rift. Something big. A creature — all arms and teeth and shadows — crashed onto a nearby building, flattening the top floors.
"RUN!" someone yelled.
Agame didn't move. His hand burned. The mark pulsed.
And then the voice returned.
"Protect or perish."
Agame ran straight toward the danger. He didn't know why. His legs just moved.
A Reaper landed in front of him. "You! Civilian! Back!"
Agame held up the band. "I think I'm not just a civilian anymore!"
The Reaper stared. Then cursed. "Great. Another one."
The creature roared, charging through the street, crushing cars. Reapers shot plasma bolts. They barely scratched it.
Agame saw people trapped in a bus. The monster turned toward them. Without thinking, he sprinted and jumped onto the wrecked vehicle. He raised his glowing hand.
"Don't let me die stupid," he whispered.
Energy burst from his palm. A wave of red light smashed into the creature's face, sending it skidding across the street.
Everyone stared. The Reaper who yelled at him blinked. "Okay… maybe you can help."
Agame grinned. "Told you I'm not normal!"
Another Rift opened above. This one smaller. But more creatures dropped through.
"Too many!" the Reaper shouted. "We need backup!"
Agame's eyes glowed. The voice inside him whispered again. "Let me help."
"No!" Agame said out loud. But his body moved. His arm lifted. His fingers curled like claws.
The red glow turned black.
A blast of dark energy exploded from him, hitting three creatures at once. They didn't get back up.
Reapers pulled him back. "That's enough! You're going unstable!"
Agame collapsed. The silver band blinked. Blue… then purple.
Someone shouted, "Get him out of here! He's changing!"
The last thing Agame saw before blacking out was a figure standing on a rooftop. Watching him.
Wearing the same black armor as the Eidolon.
And it smiled.