A floorboard creaked behind Zeb.
Every instinct screamed: Don't turn around.
But the sensation of being watched pressed upon him. Whatever it was, it was close. Too close. Zeb swallowed hard, mustering the courage. Slowly, he turned.
A little girl stood in the dim hallway, clutching a doll with long blonde hair. Oddly, the doll was a mirror image of her.
"Hey, have you seen a woman and a little girl who live here?" Zeb asked.
She didn't reply. Her eyes locked onto his, unblinking and intense.
Suddenly, her head snapped sideways at an unnatural angle. A grin stretched across her face, revealing razor-sharp teeth.
"Come play with me, Zeb," she whispered, her voice dripping with malice.
His heart pounded in his chest. "Where's my mom and Sera?" he shouted, desperation edging his voice.
The girl remained silent, the sinister smile never fading.
Frustration and fear churned within him. His mother and sister were nowhere to be found. Were they safe? Alive?
A searing pain flared on his neck—the spot where the bug had bitten him earlier. He clutched at it, feeling the heat intensify beneath his fingertips.
"Yes, let your emotions flow," she purred, but her voice had deepened, resonating with a demonic timbre. "Feed me more."
The burning sensation surged, overwhelming his senses. His vision blurred as he collapsed to the floor.
In a dimly lit chamber, Cyrus sat before an array of monitors, each screen flickering with scenes of humans battling grotesque, mutated creatures. Flames licked at shattered cityscapes; screams and chaos echoed from the speakers. His gaze was intense yet troubled, a bead of sweat tracing down his temple.
"Was unleashing the Void Mites truly the right decision?" he whispered, the question barely audible over the hum of machinery.
Beside him, Troy observed silently before speaking. "Perhaps events are unfolding as they must," he said. "It's possible that only at the brink of total annihilation will humanity's true potential reveal itself. Though, I'd wager there's merely a ten percent chance of that happening."
Cyrus exhaled slowly, his gaze distant. "These monitors show nothing but despair. If this continues, they might face extinction without producing anything remarkable."
As he spoke, a particular feed caught his attention. One of the cameras zoomed in on a boy lying amidst the debris of an underground arena. The youth appeared unconscious, his body still. Dark hair framed his face, with two distinct bangs draping over his eyes—one as black as midnight, the other a striking shade of blue.
Initially, Cyrus presumed the boy was another casualty. But data scrolling beside the image indicated stable vital signs. A subtle glow pulsed at the boy's neck.
"Focus on Sector 7, Feed 12," Cyrus commanded.
The image sharpened. Attached to the boy's neck was a small, shadowy creature—its form both delicate and ominous.
"A Void Mite," Troy noted, leaning in. "But not just any kind."
Cyrus accessed the creature's profile from the database:
- Species: Void Mite
- Subtype: Dream Eater
- Description: Dream Eaters infiltrate the subconscious of sleeping hosts, consuming their emotions and memories. As the host's psyche deteriorates, the Void Mite gains control, eventually commandeering the body entirely.
"Fascinating," Cyrus murmured. "These Void Mites exhibit a range of abilities we've yet to fully understand. Yet, the higher echelons remain inactive."
"Perhaps they're awaiting a catalyst," Troy suggested. "The emergence of someone exceptional among the humans."
Cyrus considered this, his eyes never leaving the screen. The boy's peaceful expression contrasted starkly with the surrounding devastation. "Do you think he could be the one?"
"Statistically unlikely," Troy replied. "But not impossible."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Cyrus's mouth. "In a sea of improbabilities, even a single spark can ignite change."
He zoomed out to observe the broader area. Mutated creatures roamed the arena, but none approached the boy. It was as if an unseen barrier protected him.
"Curious," Cyrus noted. "The creatures are avoiding him."
"Perhaps the Void Mite's influence," Troy speculated.
"Or perhaps something else entirely."
Silence settled between them, filled only by the distant sounds of destruction filtering through the speakers. Cyrus tapped his fingers thoughtfully.
"Monitor him closely," he instructed. "If there's even a sliver of a chance he could tip the scales, we need to be ready."
Troy nodded. "I'll set up a dedicated feed and run continuous analyses."
Cyrus leaned back in his chair, the weight of uncertainty pressing upon him. "Time is not on our side. The Absolute Being's decree won't wait for us to find a solution."
"Understood."
As Troy moved to implement the new directives, Cyrus allowed himself a moment of introspection. The path they had chosen was fraught with peril, but hesitation now would seal their fate.
His gaze drifted back to the boy on the screen. Amidst the chaos, the youth lay untouched—a solitary figure who might hold the key to their universe's survival.
Zeb lay sprawled on the floor of Sera's room, his body paralyzed as if bound by invisible chains. The soft glow of moonlight seeped through the partially drawn curtains, casting long, eerie shadows that danced across the walls. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing like a drum in the oppressive silence. He tried to move, to wiggle a finger or toe, but his limbs refused to obey.
Footsteps, light and almost imperceptible, tapped against the wooden floorboards. The little girl approached Zeb with a slow, deliberate grace, kneeling beside his head. Her cold fingers traced the contours of his face, sending a chill down his spine.
"Don't worry, Zeb," she whispered, her voice sweet yet dripping with malice. "You're very precious to me. Once I take over your body, I'll make sure to find your mom and Sera and take good care of them." She giggled, a sound that started light but descended into a hollow echo. "Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. I know they'll taste absolutely delicious."
A sinister smile spread across her face, revealing teeth that were unnaturally sharp and gleamed like polished knives. Panic surged within Zeb. Summoning every ounce of willpower, he managed to utter in a strained voice, "What... what are you?"
She tilted her head, her eyes never leaving his. "What am I?" she echoed, feigning innocence. "Well, since you're about to disappear forever, I suppose it won't hurt to tell you." Her expression darkened, and the room seemed to grow colder. "I belong to the Void Mite race. We're parasitic creatures that conquer other species by taking over their bodies, annihilating their kind, and merging them into our own collective."
She leaned in closer, her face inches from his. "I am part of the Dream Eater family, but you can call me Zax," she continued, her voice lowering to a chilling whisper. "Not that it matters—you'll cease to exist in just a few moments."
Zax placed a delicate hand on Zeb's forehead. Immediately, a numbing cold seeped into his skull, and he felt a tugging sensation deep within his mind. Memories flickered and began to fade—the sound of his mother's laughter, Sera's smile as they played in the park, the aroma of home-cooked meals—all started to unravel like threads pulled from a tapestry.
I can't die here, Zeb thought desperately. I have to find a way to escape. His mind raced, searching for a lifeline. She said she's a Dream Eater... which means I'm dreaming. But how do I wake up? When did I even fall asleep?
Amidst the encroaching darkness in his mind, a distant memory surfaced. On days when Zeb wouldn't wake up, his mother would sit by his bedside and hum a gentle lullaby. The melody always filled him with warmth, stirring his senses and waking him up.
Clinging to that memory, Zeb summoned the last bit of his strength and began to hum the tune aloud. His voice was weak at first, barely more than a breath, but as he persisted, the notes grew clearer and more resonant.
Zax's eyes narrowed, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. "Is this really what you want to hear before you die?" she sneered. "You humans are such foolish creatures."
But something was changing. The fog clouding Zeb's mind began to lift, and the numbness in his limbs receded ever so slightly. He could feel a tingling in his fingertips, a spark igniting within him.
Noticing the shift, Zax's expression twisted into one of disbelief. "What? How are you doing that?" she hissed. "You shouldn't be able to resist!"
A surge of energy coursed through Zeb's body. With a sudden burst of movement, he rolled away from her and knocked her hand off his forehead. Gasping for air, he pushed himself up onto his knees.
"Impossible!" Zax shrieked, her voice losing its childish lilt and taking on a harsher, more monstrous tone. "You cannot defy me!"
I need to fully wake up, Zeb realized. The song helped, but it's not enough. His eyes darted around the room, landing on the window where pale moonlight filtered through the glass.
It's risky, but it's the only way.
Ignoring the burning sensation spreading from the bite on his neck, Zeb staggered to his feet and stumbled toward the window. Behind him, Zax's footsteps pounded against the floor as she pursued him.
"There's nowhere to run, Zeb!" she taunted, her voice echoing unnaturally. "This is my domain! I'll always find you!"
Reaching the window, he drew a deep breath and clenched his fist. With all his might, he punched the glass. The pane shattered, shards exploding outward and raining onto the floor. Pain shot through his hand, sharp and immediate, but the shock jolted his senses further awake.
Blood dripped from his knuckles, but he didn't waver. He picked up a sizable piece of the broken glass, its edge glinting menacingly in the moonlight.
Zax halted a few feet away, her eyes wide with a mix of anger and fear. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, her voice layered with a guttural growl.
Zeb turned to face her, holding the glass tightly. His gaze was steady, resolute. "I'm not running," he said quietly.
A malevolent grin spread across her face. "Then you're a bigger fool than I thought. Ending your life here only makes it easier for me to claim your body."
He shook his head slowly. "You might control this dream, but you don't control me."
Without another word, Zeb pressed the jagged edge of the glass to his own throat. Time seemed to slow as he felt the cold touch of the shard against his skin.
"Stop!" Zax screamed, lunging forward. But she was too late.
With a swift motion, Zeb slashed the glass across his neck. A searing pain tore through him, and warmth spilled down his chest. The world around him began to fracture—the walls cracking like shattered mirrors, the floor dissolving beneath his feet.
As darkness enveloped him, he heard Zax's enraged howl echoing in the void.