Damian turned away from the edge where Ashley’s body had disappeared, his eyes finding the second unconscious form lying in the snow.
He walked toward Admond Ashford’s body, his footsteps crunching the snow underneath.
"How long do you plan on keeping up this act?"
His voice cut across the mountain peak.
Admond’s body remained perfectly still, his breathing even, his face relaxed in apparent unconsciousness.
Damian’s gun rose, the barrel pointing at Admond’s leg.
BAM
The shot cracked across the peak.
Blood sprayed from Admond’s thigh, the bullet tearing through muscle and bone.
And suddenly his body twitched violently, his eyes snapping open, his torso jerking upright.
"Geez, can’t a man take a small nap?" His voice came out light and carefree despite the blood pouring from his leg. "Why be so extreme? That really hurt, you know."
A smile spread across his face, completely at odds with the circumstances.
His head turned, taking in the view around them.
"What a sight..." He whistled appreciatively. "Never thought I’d visit Mount Aeon one day... The peak where it all began."
His eyes tracked across the Eternal Horizon mountain range, the endless peaks stretching into the distance.
"The place where humanity’s rise started, where Desiderius Bloodworth saved millions and changed everything." His smile widened. "Not a bad place for Admond’s life to end, I suppose."
Damian’s eyes narrowed, his gun staying trained on the figure in front of him.
’Something’s wrong.’
The way Admond spoke about himself in third person, the complete disregard for pain, the strange detachment...
But before he could think further–
Thud
Admond’s body collapsed backward into the snow, going completely limp.
’What’s going–’
Purple energy exploded from Admond’s forehead, a blazing stream of power that shot through the air directly toward Damian’s face.
Time slowed to slow down.
Every instinct Damian possessed screamed danger, his body flooding with adrenaline, his mind recognizing threat on a level deeper than conscious thought.
His Mental Barrier snapped into place instantly, walls forming throughout his consciousness.
His Will Strengthening activated simultaneously, reinforcing those walls with the weight of his high Will stat.
But–
CRACK
The purple energy hit his defenses and shattered them like glass.
"Hehe... do you really think these basic mental defense skills will protect your soul from me?"
An old voice echoed directly in Damian’s mind, ancient and amused.
CRACK CRACK
The Mental Barrier collapsed completely, his Will Strengthening crumbling under pressure it couldn’t withstand.
"Who?!"
Damian’s mental voice came out sharp with shock.
"Just a small soul fragment~ Don’t mind me." The old voice carried dark amusement. "I’m just trying to possess you, boy. It’ll only hurt for a moment, then you won’t feel anything ever again~ I promise!"
Goosebumps exploded across Damian’s entire body, his skin crawling with primal terror.
’Soul fragment!’
His thoughts raced, piecing together implications.
’Only SS rank awakeners can create soul fragments! Only those who’ve touched the threshold of laws!’
Understanding crashed down like ice water.
The soul fragment had been possessing Admond Ashford, hiding inside him, and now it was trying to transfer into Damian’s body instead.
"AHHHHH!"
Pain exploded through Damian’s mind, his skull feeling like it was splitting open from the inside.
Thud
He collapsed to his knees, his hands clawing at his head, his vision going white.
’How– How is this possible?!’
His thoughts scattered, unable to focus through the agony.
’My arms– I can’t move my arms! Why can’t I–’
His right hand twitched, fingers curling without his command.
’Admond was under investigation by the SFD Director and the Northern Regional Governor for days! How is it possible for him to be possessed? Didn’t they– Didn’t they find anything?!’
"Hehe... those SS ranks?"
The old voice laughed, reading his thoughts effortlessly.
"Do you think every strong human awakener is like that damn Chairman of yours?!"
’Chairman? What is he–’
Venom entered the voice.
"That motherfucker! Who would’ve thought he managed to walk the path of the law of destruction! Completely annihilated my main soul fragment with just a wave of his hand!"
The pain intensified, Damian’s control over his own body slipping away finger by finger.
’My legs won’t respond! I’m– I’m losing control completely!’
"But thankfully he didn’t know I had one more small fragment hidden in this world. A small insurance policy, just in case."
Damian’s arms went limp, falling to his sides against his will, his body no longer responding to his commands.
’Move! Move, damn it! Why won’t my body–’
"What a vast sea of consciousness! I knew possessing you would be the right choice!"
The voice sounded delighted now, almost giddy.
’He’s taking over. He’s actually taking over my body and I can’t–’
"Thankfully that dragon really did bring me to you! Those Seers weren’t lying after all!"
’S-Seers?’
Damian’s thoughts came fragmented, his mind drowning.
’Wha– what is he talking about? Seers?! What’s– What the fuck is going on here?!’
"Hehe... you want to know what’s going on? But I don’t want to tell you! Variables are so troublesome to deal with!"
The voice became mocking.
"They warned me specifically not to say anything, to just take you over quickly and quietly. Smart people, those Seers. Although, sometimes they are just too damn nosy~"
Then the voice stopped completely.
The soul fragment’s focus shifted entirely, no longer playing with him and no longer mocking.
Just pure and concentrated effort to complete the possession.
Damian felt himself sinking deeper into his own mind, like drowning in dark water, the surface getting further and further away with each passing second.
His consciousness was being pushed down, compressed and squeezed into a smaller and smaller space to make room for the invading presence.
’Variables... the Shadow Council called me a variable as well...’
The thoughts surfaced through the drowning sensation.
’And... those Seers... are they the other side Grandpa mentioned? The one who wants the future to remain unchanged...’
Time kept stretching, each second feeling like an hour.
’All of this... doesn’t matter if I–’
The drowsiness pulled at him harder, his consciousness fading like a candle running out of air.
’I have to do something... Anything. I can’t just–’
His thoughts scattered, unable to hold focus.
’But how?’
The question echoed through his dying consciousness.
’How do I... fight against a soul fragment? I’m just A rank... This is SS rank power.’
His eyelids were closing, becoming impossibly heavy.
’I... don’t have the strength to resist this... Am I really... going to be possessed?’
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