10 minutes.
He had flatlined for ten minutes. Technically speaking, he had died.
Of course, he offered his praise to the doctors who technically brought him back. To everyone else, it seemed like he had just been resuscitated with a few hits of the deliberator. Kilian obviously knew this wasn't the case. He was chosen, and now had a job bigger than what he initially figured it would be.
Not that he was one to shy away from a challenge. Especially not when he knew he had the tools to overcome it. The newly made hero had passed out after the shock, his body giving out after the ordeal it went through.
Apparently, this wasn't the norm. A bit of research revealed that for most preservers who received their power for the first time, they were able to use it immediately without too much issue.
"Our contract is a special case." A woman's voice, the same one he had heard before in his weird mindscape place. While he laid in his hospital bed on his phone, Kilian would look up to see that woman leaning against the wall in front of him.
"Other entities usually aren't as direct with their preservers. Power is certainly given, but in this instance, you became the vessel for our entire being. A minuscule chance of death was present, but it was necessary."
Confused at this, he'd look at his hand and clench it. Everything felt different, and just in this act was he able to feel how much stronger he was now.
"Why?" A simple question, yet a simple answer was given.
"It keeps our Prescence masked. My kind don't know that we're back, and the element of surprise is a weapon we can make use of."
It was clear there was definitively some history he wasn't aware of. Though, he imagined such things would come in time. If there was something he needed to know, he'd be told. For now, he just needed to worry about getting used to...everything.
Honestly, he didn't even need to be in bed still. Though, doctors insisted that since he flatlined that long they had to monitor him in case of brain damage.
Kilian was a bit antsy having to sit still, but he didn't want to worry his grandfather.
Seeing him sitting next to him when he woke up, it really made him think. If he messed things up and got himself killed, that old man would be left all alone.
Another reason why failure wasn't an option.
"Question."
He snapped out of his own thoughts, looking back at apparently someone who was going to be in his head from now on. She wouldn't respond, so he just asked away.
"What...do I call you?"
There was silence again, before she got off the wall and aimlessly walked around the room.
"You aren't currently talking to us in our completed state. If we manifested and appeared like this in the front of your mind, your brain could very well melt."
"M-Melt?"
An awkward chuckle escaped him. She...had to be joking, right?
"You're exaggerating. I might get like, a headache. Maybe pass out?"
Her head would shake.
"The physical brain residing in your skull would turn into mush, possibly leaking from the many orifices you have."
Kilian would rub his temple, as if imaging what that would both look and feel like. Just what did he put inside himself?
"Of course, you can think of me as a small piece of us that shall act as a middleman."
Nodding, he'd lean a bit back in his hospital bed. His eyes would wander, looking over the white painted walls. This room was definitely nicer than what his grandpa could afford. Luckily, hospital visits and surgeries needed due to monster attacks are paid for by the government. It wasn't like he knew the specifics of it, but that much was luckily explained when he awoke.
But, back to business.
"It'll be easier for me if you have a name, then. Let's see...." He'd start going through a collection of names he looked up on his phone.
"Jenny....Amber...Euri?"
He glanced over at her, who was currently just mindlessly gazing out the window with an unchanging expression.
"I think Euri works...and I doubt you care too much, right?"
Nodding, it seemed like she didn't mind it.
Another thing taken care of.
Holding out his hand, he'd focus on it and watch as a chain manifested around his forearm. It ended hanging from his hand, the weird pendant attached at the end. It was the same as the stone one that was in the exhibit, though it was clean.
It reflected the sunlight coming in from the window gently, Kilian casually feeling it sway as he scrolled through his phone. Once he had woken up and got his bearings, he tried learning a bit more of what happened.
It wasn't like he had the numbers of anybody at school.
That was when he'd get a knock at the door. The pendant would vanish, and he'd try to look normal. Or at least, as normal as a person who almost got crushed could be.
"Come in."
The door opened, and he looked to see who it was. His eyes would quickly dart to the window, where he saw Euri still staring out of it. He panicked, trying to act fast. The sudden panic made him nearly fall out of bed.
"Please don't forget that we're only in your head." She said calmly. Yet, for some reason it felt more condescending if anything else.
"Ah-" Adeline would scurry over to him, seeing him partly off of the bed. Holding onto his arm as he adjusted back onto bed. "Sorry, did I wake you up or something?"
Kilian would wave her off. "I just slipped while I was adjusted a bit, it's fine. Why are you here though...."
Another problem presented itself. He still didn't know her name.
"Athel?"
"Adeline."
There was a bit of a silence, Kilian awkwardly shifting in his bed.
"Yeah, sorry. My memory is fuzzy after.... dying."
Maybe that wasn't the right thing to bring up. Adelines face soured slightly at that, the girl stepping back after seeing he was fine.
"About that. I was visiting a friend and heard your voice....I never was able to thank you properly after everything."
Kilian was a bit confused, not really seeing what happened being worthy of thanks.
"It's fine. Everything turned out relatively alright."
"If you don't count the people who died."
It was Kilian's turn to sour, the room going quiet for a moment. Euri would glance away from the window for a moment.
"You both could use some work in your conservation skills."
Unfortunately, he wasn't in a position to retort with Adeline right there.
"There was also another thing..." She said, having a bit of trouble forming the right words.
He'd look back at his visitor, trying not to seem too crazy for just randomly looking at a different part of the room.
There was a bit of a shift in her demeanor. Adeline was certainly more on the timid side, but a sense of excitement became notable as she spoke. She glanced at the door, and figuring the coast was clear...
"When did you become a Preserver?!"
He had forgotten about this. Kilian would have the expected reaction to someone knowing your identity before you even started your journey as a hero.
"Shit..." He'd mutter.