Chapter Eleven – Fragments of the Mind
The nightmares didn't stop. Every night, Kai found himself standing in the same void—endless darkness, chains crawling up his limbs like living things. The whispering voice of the Overmind seeped into his bones, cold and venomous.
"You grow stronger, Ascendant. But you still fear yourself."
When he woke, sweat drenched his sheets, and his breathing came in ragged bursts. Sophie was always the first to notice. She'd bring him tea, her soft smile hiding the worry in her eyes. Mira would roll her eyes but linger near his room longer than she admitted. Zara just trained harder, muttering about keeping up with him.
Kai's powers had started to evolve again. He could sense the energy of monsters long before they appeared. The world itself seemed to breathe through him. But the more he absorbed, the more alien his own mind felt. At times, he heard whispers that weren't his.
During a training session, Lira watched him silently. When he unleashed a burst of energy that shook the ground, she didn't cheer—she frowned.
"That power," she said quietly, "it's not just growing. It's changing you."
Kai hesitated, the glow fading from his hands. "I can handle it."
Lira shook her head. "Power that feeds on power… always takes something in return."
That night, he couldn't sleep. He stood by the fire, staring at his reflection in the blade of his sword. For a fleeting second, the reflection wasn't his own. A golden eye stared back at him.