The Shade staggered beneath the flicker of a dying streetlamp.
Its movements were wrong. Stiff. Like joints that didn't quite belong to it. Beneath sagging gray skin, a faint red shimmer pulsed at its chest.
Blood Essence.
Warm. Alive.
The hunger hit.
My gums throbbed. My teeth ached like they were shifting in my jaw. My vision narrowed until the Shade was the only thing left in the world.
Consume.
The word landed in my mind and didn't leave.
Rain hammered the rooftop. Wind hissed through broken glass. But all I heard was the weak, uneven beat inside the creature's chest. A sound I needed.
—Leap, Host, the Whisper said. —Tear. Feed. You are a leaking vessel. Only violence buys you time.
I swallowed hard. Tried to picture Elara's face. Pale. Trusting. Afraid. I meant for the memory to hold me steady.
Instead, it made the hunger worse.
If I didn't feed, I wouldn't reach her.
I crouched. My muscles tightened. The motion felt natural, too natural, like my body already knew what to do.
Lightning split the sky. For a moment, the Waking Grave stood clear—crooked buildings, impossible angles, streets that dropped into black nothing.
I jumped.
The fall blurred. I landed behind the Shade. The impact rolled cleanly through my legs. No pain. No strain.
The creature turned.
Too slow.
I lunged. My hand drove into its chest. Flesh parted. Bone cracked. Something warm spilled over my fingers, thick and pulsing.
The Shade shrieked. A warped, metallic sound. Then its body started to collapse in on itself.
I didn't choose to move forward.
Instinct dragged me.
I drank.
The essence hit my tongue and everything sharpened. My muscles tightened. My skin warmed. The cold rain didn't bite anymore. My heartbeat steadied.
When the last of it flowed into me, the Shade dropped. Just gray skin and slack limbs. Empty.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my wrist.
My hand was shaking.
SYSTEM UPDATE
Essence absorbed: 12
Current reserve: 24
Stability window: nearly twelve hours
I drew in a slow breath.
Twelve hours. One kill had doubled my time. The clock wasn't just counting down anymore. It could be filled.
I looked at my hand. Rain washed the gray residue away. But the feeling stayed. The power under my skin. Quiet. Waiting.
And I liked it.
—Yes, Host, the Whisper murmured. This is your evolution. Strength will lead you to her.
"Stop talking about her," I said. My voice sounded rough. Lower.
—But she is why you feed. Not cruelty. Love.
The tone was gentle. Almost kind.
It made me angry that part of me wanted to believe it.
I stepped out of the alley.
The city stretched ahead. Twisted streets. Leaning towers. Voids where roads should be. Somewhere below, something screamed. Not like the Shade.
Human. Or close to it.
Current reserve: 24
Status: HUNGRY
A growl rolled through the ground. Heavy. Close.
Not prey.
A predator.
—Ah, the Whisper said. A stronger resource approaches. Be cautious, Host. But do not run. Weakness has no place here.
My heart beat hard against my ribs.
The Shade had been a test.
This next thing was a hunt.
I stepped into the rain. The trial had begun.
And deep in the back of my mind, the parasite wasn't just whispering anymore.
It was smiling.