An Altered.
The word alone could strike fear even in the bravest of men.
When these people first emerged after the destruction, they were seen as a source of hope.
A select group of individuals with power that transcended all forms of logic.
They were supposed to be the pillars of mankind, and they were… at the start.
But then, things changed.
I guess the famous quote, "With great power comes great responsibility," didn't quite resonate with them.
They began acting on their own accord, hoarding resources, forcing people into slavery, and committing other disgusting acts that drove the rest of the world into deep fear and hatred.
Not all of them became evil, of course.
Some still stood by humanity and fought for our rights.
By the fourth year, the government had developed a way to gain an upper hand in the fight, pushing the corrupt Altered into hiding while the good ones remained as soldiers.
Still, it didn't change the fact that they were one of the most hated and feared groups of people on the planet.
So you can understand why I couldn't help but think, 'I'm definitely screwed,' after looking up to find everyone staring at me with strange, wary looks in their eyes.
******
In an underground room with little to no lighting, Ashen sat hunched over, dispirited.
He had no idea what was happening.
Ever since yesterday's incident with the orb, nothing had felt right.
He had been trying to avoid thinking about it for his and his sister's sake, but he couldn't deny the harsh reality anymore.
Something was terribly wrong with him.
The only question was whether it was a bad thing or a good thing.
Ashen's head snapped up with a frantic jerk.
His eyes darted around the oppressive room, but he was alone.
Yet, he'd heard it clearly—a voice.
'Am I hallucinating now?'
'Yeah, definitely hallucinating.'
"…"
Silence.
Ashen remained frozen, refusing to acknowledge the madness.
Ashen remained silent.
Ashen remained stone-still as the unknown voice rattled off intimate details of his life—things only he should know.
<...Never been in a relationship, still a—>
'Okay, okay, I get it, that's enough!' The words burst from Ashen's mind before he could stop them, his voice echoing a little too loudly in the confined space.
Ashen squeezed his eyes shut, forcing a ragged breath to calm the frantic drumbeat in his chest.
Then, with desperate clarity, he formed the most pressing question in his mind.
'What are you, and more importantly, where are you?'
A cold dread seeped into Ashen's bones. He didn't respond.
'So you're the weird orb from yesterday.'
'Okay, what exactly do you want from me?' Ashen pushed.
Ashen's fists clenched under the table, his knuckles turning white. The words were a sharp, painful jab.
'You're not supposed to know any of that stuff.'
'Okay, if I'm so stupid, an idiot, ignorant, and whatever the hell you think I am, why are you in me if I can't offer you anything? Why didn't you just kill me like the others yesterday?'
At his outburst, the voice fell silent.
For a long, uncomfortable moment, only Ashen's own ragged breathing filled the oppressive quiet.
Then, when Nexis finally spoke, the energetic, playful tone was gone, replaced by an almost-whisper, laced with something akin to… confusion.
'I don't know?'
'…Um, no, I don't know.'
'Well? Don't leave me hanging, what happened yesterday?'
'So you're saying after moving into me yesterday your hunger suddenly vanished?'
'Yep, I'm definitely screwed.'