The first thing I noticed… was the silence.
Not the kind that comes when people stop talking.
This was different.
Heavy.
Like the world itself was holding its breath.
They hadn't moved.
All three of them stood frozen, staring at me as if I had just crawled out of a grave.
Maybe I had.
I flexed my fingers slowly. There was no pain. No stiffness. No weakness.
That alone should have been impossible.
Just minutes ago, I couldn't even breathe properly.
Now…
I felt lighter.
Stronger.
Wrong.
"You—" one of them finally spoke, his voice shaking despite himself. "You were dead. I saw it. Your heart stopped."
I tilted my head slightly.
"Did it?"
The words came out calm. Too calm.
That wasn't how I used to talk.
I used to hesitate. Think. Doubt.
Now, it felt like those things were… gone.
Like someone had taken them out of me piece by piece.
"You're not human anymore," another one whispered.
For a moment, I considered his words.
Not human.
I looked down at my hands.
They looked the same.
No visible change.
No cracks, no shadows crawling under my skin.
But something inside me… had shifted.
And deep down, I knew he wasn't completely wrong.
A strange sensation spread through my chest. Not pain.
Something else.
Awareness.
It was like I could feel everything around me.
The heat from the burning ruins.
The subtle movements of air.
Even their heartbeats.
Fast. Uneven.
Afraid.
That realization should've shocked me.
But it didn't.
Instead…
It made sense.
"You're scared," I said quietly.
They flinched.
"I can hear it."
Silence again.
This time, it wasn't heavy.
It was fragile.
Like one wrong move would shatter everything.
"Stay back," the one in front said, raising his weapon. His grip was tight, but I could see it in his eyes.
Hesitation.
Good.
I took a step forward.
The ground beneath my feet cracked slightly.
That… wasn't normal.
I paused.
Not because I was afraid.
Because I was curious.
"What did you do to me?" I asked.
No one answered.
Because they didn't know.
And somehow… that made this worse.
A faint whisper echoed in the back of my mind.
Not words.
Not yet.
Just… presence.
Watching.
Waiting.
I ignored it.
For now.
"Answer me," I said, my voice dropping just slightly.
The air grew heavier.
I could feel it.
Like pressure building before a storm.
"I told you already," the leader snapped, forcing confidence into his tone. "You weren't supposed to survive. That power— it was never meant for you."
Power.
So that's what this was.
I looked at my hand again.
Slowly… I clenched it.
Something responded.
Not outside.
Inside.
Like a sleeping beast opening one eye.
A pulse of energy surged through my arm.
Dark.
Cold.
Controlled.
The air around my hand distorted for a brief second.
Then—
A sharp crack echoed.
One of them stumbled back.
"What the hell was that?!"
I didn't answer.
Because I was too busy understanding something important.
This power…
It wasn't wild.
It wasn't unstable.
It was listening to me.
Following my intent.
Like it had always been there.
Waiting.
A strange thought crossed my mind.
Was this really new?
Or had I just… unlocked it?
"You're dangerous now," the leader said, his voice finally steady. "We can't let you walk away."
I looked at him.
Really looked.
And for the first time…
I felt something.
Not anger.
Not hatred.
Disappointment.
"You already tried to kill me," I said. "What more do you want?"
"To finish it."
No hesitation this time.
Good.
At least he was honest.
The others moved, spreading out slightly, trying to surround me.
Old habit.
Team formation.
I remembered practicing this with them.
Perfecting it.
Trusting it.
Funny.
I almost smiled.
"You think this will work again?" I asked.
No reply.
Just action.
They attacked.
Fast.
Precise.
Coordinated.
If this had been before…
I would've struggled.
Maybe even lost.
But now—
Everything felt slow.
I saw the movement before it happened.
Felt the intent before the strike.
The first blade came from the left.
I moved without thinking.
My body shifted slightly, just enough for the attack to miss.
Too easy.
The second came from behind.
I turned, catching his wrist mid-swing.
His eyes widened.
"You're—"
I tightened my grip.
A sickening crack echoed as his wrist bent the wrong way.
His scream cut through the air.
I let go.
He collapsed.
The third hesitated.
That was his mistake.
I stepped forward.
Just one step.
And suddenly, I was right in front of him.
His pupils shrank.
"Wait—"
Too late.
I raised my hand.
For a brief second… I paused.
A memory flashed.
His laughter.
A stupid joke.
A moment that used to mean something.
Then it disappeared.
Like it never existed.
My hand came down.
Everything went quiet again.
Only one remained.
The leader.
He stood there, breathing heavily, staring at the others on the ground.
Then back at me.
"You…" his voice cracked. "What are you?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Because I didn't know.
Not completely.
But I was starting to understand.
"I'm still me," I said.
That part was true.
At least… I hoped it was.
"But I'm not the same anymore."
That part was also true.
He tightened his grip on his weapon.
"You think this changes anything?" he said. "You're still alone."
Alone.
The word lingered.
Once… that would've hurt.
Now…
It felt irrelevant.
"I was always alone," I replied.
And for the first time…
I realized I meant it.
The ground beneath us trembled slightly.
Not from him.
From me.
The presence inside me stirred again.
Stronger this time.
Closer.
Almost… awake.
I frowned slightly.
Something wasn't right.
This power—
It wasn't just mine.
"Looks like even you don't understand it," he said, noticing my pause.
He smirked.
Wrong move.
"You're right," I said.
Then I took a step forward.
The air around us darkened slightly.
"But I don't need to understand it…"
Another step.
"…to use it."
His confidence shattered.
I could see it clearly now.
Fear.
Real fear.
He raised his weapon.
But his hands were shaking.
Too slow.
Everything was too slow.
I moved.
And in that moment—
The voice returned.
Clear this time.
Sharp.
Cold.
"Good."
I froze for half a second.
That wasn't my thought.
"Let go."
A chill ran through me.
For the first time since I stood up…
I hesitated.
Not because of him.
Because of that voice.
"What… are you?" I whispered under my breath.
No answer.
Just silence.
Then—
A soft laugh.
Not mine.
My grip tightened.
Something inside me shifted again.
Deeper.
Darker.
And for the first time since all this started…
I felt it.
Not fear.
But something close.
If I let go…
What would be left of me?
The man in front of me charged.
Desperate.
Last attempt.
I raised my hand.
The power surged again.
Stronger than before.
Uncontrolled.
The voice whispered one last time—
"Become."
And everything… went black.