As the sheriff listened to Erick's account, he became increasingly convinced that Erick had known all along. He had suspected this outcome from the very beginning but was curious how Erick could hold such a belief while everyone else dismissed it as mere myth. "Can you explain?" the sheriff asked.
Erick nodded, confirming the sheriff's suspicions. "When I was a young boy, an Overwhelm saved my life. From that moment, I dedicated my life to uncovering more about their kind. I knew there were many out there." He continued, revealing that during his investigations, he discovered even more special cases individuals who harnessed the strongest forces of nature, known as the Big Five, Fear, Rage, Pain, Hate, and Love.
Generally, Fear was considered the weakest of the Big Five, however, the weight of horror one bore determined its rank among them. He illuminated the fact that, despite being the shakiest of the Big Five, Fear could effortlessly immobilize an entire nation with dread. The more fear one felt, the more fear they projected. He explained that the horrifying presence they sensed around the station the previous day was indeed Fear itself.
Erick elaborated that Overwhelm holders were revered as gods, which is why they were named after the emotions they embodied. He cited John as an example, noting that his last name, "Jaloux," was a French term meaning "jealous," indicating that the monster he wielded was undoubtedly fuelled by jealousy.
These were the details Erick had managed to gather, though much remained a mystery. He emphasized that they wielded devastating powers and that even nuclear weapons had proven ineffective against them. This led people to believe they were invincible until they witnessed one being's head being effortlessly severed. Yet they still posed a grave threat to humanity.
The sheriff, still grappling with the situation, felt a sense of hopelessness. "After risking all that, I can believe we're back to nothing," he said, lowering his voice as he rubbed his thumb across his forehead, resting his elbow on the table while fixating on John's picture on the computer. "It's not nothing," Erick countered. "At least now we know they can be killed." He looked at them both, swinging his head slowly. "Now that you mention it, the legend also spoke of one who did not share their ideals."
"They called him the Blind One," the sheriff interjected. "The Blind One?" Annika inquired, intrigued. "Murmurs had it that he was the one who made the coexistence treaty possible; otherwise, they could have wiped us all out," the sheriff replied.
"What does he look like?" Annika asked. "Big, terrifying, with an eyeless skull covering his face," Erick described. Annika quickly envisioned Guion's Overwhelm but lost her voice in disbelief. "Knowing that is futile; he is the rarest of the rare. You will never find him," the sheriff said. "But we already have," Erick said with a smirk, leaving Annika confused. "You don't think that was him, do you?" the sheriff asked, skepticism lacing his tone. Erick smiled, giving the impression that he had a deeper understanding. "Who could that possibly be?" he challenged.
Erick then elucidated in a way that made undeniable sense, describing the qualities worthy of the Blind One, "A heart as soft as it is strong. A man who wouldn't hesitate to take a bullet for anyone, regardless of their status. Someone who would rather die alongside you than abandon you in your time of need."
As he spoke, Annika recalled her memories of someone familiar. "Good evening, Ms. Geo," and "Coffee, Ms. Geo?" She remembered how Guion had taken a speeding piece of debris straight to the face to protect her, and it all clicked into place. "Strangely enough, you just reminded me of Guion," she said. "Where is he, by the way?" the sheriff asked. "Guion isn't coming back.
They saw him turn and called him a monster. He's too ashamed to ever return," Erick replied. "What! Guion is one of them?" the sheriff exclaimed. "Guion is the Blind One," Erick confirmed.
Before long, nearly every officer submitted their resignation letters, stating they could no longer continue working knowing that someone among them could transform into an Overwhelm at any moment.
The thought of multiple Overwhelm terrors terrified them to the point of abandoning their posts. Witnessing so many good officers quit demoralized the sheriff deeply. With great discontent, he announced his decision to step back from the investigation. "As sheriff, I can't risk anyone's life for a hopeless case.
It's my job to protect this city," he said, apologizing to Erick for having brought him there. He lamented that they were far too outmatched and powerless against the Overwhelm, even with the help of the Blind One, and he was not open to negotiation.
They left his office as he closed the discussion, but Erick lingered in the station, sifting through personnel files, hoping to find something that would aid their case while contemplating ways to fight back. He knew for certain that another confrontation was imminent. Annika stayed behind, pretending to assist him until the place became deserted, every officer having left.
She had questions that needed answers, she believed she had misjudged the Overwhelm and felt remorse for calling Guion a monster. "When he turned, you weren't even surprised; instead, you cheered him on. What is going on?" she asked. "I did tell you that an Overwhelm saved my life once. It was Guion," he said, recalling the entire story as he explained.
That day, Guion had just turned eight years old. He was excited to have finally caught up to Erick and suggested they walk home, ignoring the school bus. As usual, Erick agreed, and they set off, wandering the streets of California alone. One moment they were laughing and talking, and the next, Erick found himself on the ground, beneath the foot of an immense humanoid creature.
It stood three meters tall, muscular, with pale skin, three eyes devoid of pupils, and four other upper bodies protruding from its back, all wearing sorrowful expressions one of them a woman with long black hair. Its arms extended into vast wings with long, white claws. "It was Sorrow," he said, his voice heavy with the weight of memory.