Morgan sat in the dim light, his head swimming with thoughts. Ever since the encounter with the orb and the merging of Elias's voice into his mind, his sense of reality had been hanging by a thread. He'd expected hostility, maybe even madness, but Elias's voice in his head was calm, almost conversational.
"So, are you willing to join me on this journey?" Elias's voice echoed smoothly within Morgan's mind. There was no malice, no manipulation—just a simple question, as if they were discussing a weekend hike and not a quest into the heart of a twisted, ancient world.
Morgan hesitated. He could feel the intensity of his own heartbeat, each beat laced with doubt and the weight of everything that was taken. He thought of Earth, of his friends and the life he'd been torn from, and he wondered: Could the World Stone send them all back? Elias's purpose was clear—save his sister, a purpose that he had pursued with every ounce of his being until his final breath. But Morgan wasn't Elias. His purpose, his end goal, was different. He wanted his world back.
"Look, if you're not interested, I can always switch to another host, I think? You're my first, so I'm kind of new to this whole… parasite thing," Elias's voice continued, a light, almost playful tone to it. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you."
Morgan rubbed his temples, letting out a breath. The strange, surreal conversation felt so absurd that he might have laughed if he wasn't in the middle of it. He had no real reason to help Elias bring his sister back; that cause felt distant, almost intangible to him. But the World Stone's power… If it could bring his world back, if it could give him a way out of this nightmare…
He took a deep breath, staring into the dark stone wall as if it could offer answers. "Elias," he said finally, voice low, "I'll join you. I'll help you find the World Stone."
In the back of his mind, he felt a rush of satisfaction that wasn't his own. Elias's tone softened, a hint of gratitude threading through his words. "I'm glad. I had a feeling you'd see it my way."
Morgan narrowed his eyes. "So, what's the next step?"
Elias hesitated, and Morgan felt a subtle tension, a hint of something he hadn't expected—nervousness. "Well, there's one thing… You're going to have to make a deal with something called Fantasium."
"Fantasium?" Morgan's brow furrowed. The term was as foreign as it was strange. "What is that, some kind of energy?"
A low chuckle echoed in his mind. "Fantasium isn't a force you can grasp, not fully. It's… the very fabric of this world. It's in the air, the water, the trees, the animals. Fantasium is both essence and energy, and it has a will of its own. It governs this place, and it is this place. Fantasium is conscious—a living, breathing force that can grant you power but only at a price."
Morgan swallowed, his throat dry. The weight of Elias's words pressed down on him, making him feel as if he were a pawn in a game he couldn't hope to understand. "So, I just ask this… thing for help, and it gives me power?"
"Not exactly," Elias replied. "The power it grants isn't free. Every deal with Fantasium comes with a clause, a rule that will bind you for life. People have tried to trick Fantasium before, but it's not easily fooled. Those who tried were… burned, for lack of a better word. They've spent eternity trapped, locked in a kind of purgatory."
Morgan's pulse quickened. "And what's your deal with Fantasium?"
"My deal allows me to absorb Astral Energy—what I'll call AE for simplicity—and kinetic energy, which I can redistribute. If I use my own AE, I can amplify that force. It's useful, but even that power has its limitations."
Morgan's mind raced as he absorbed the information. He was standing on the edge of something enormous, a vast power that could either save him or utterly destroy him. He felt a sense of exhilaration but also a creeping dread that clawed at his insides.
Morgan shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Couldn't you explain it a little more simply? This is a lot to take in."
Elias's voice softened, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone. "It's simple. Fantasium gives, but it also takes. Think of it as an ancient, all-powerful being that's willing to make a trade. But unlike anything you've known, Fantasium is fair to the letter. It always keeps its word… and it expects you to do the same."
Morgan bit his lip, his gaze drifting as he considered the implications. The temptation was undeniable. A part of him wanted to reach out, to grasp this power and wield it, to break free of the helplessness that had consumed him since he arrived in this world. But another part of him recoiled, sensing the danger, the cost that would inevitably come with such power.
"So… how do I even make a deal with it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Elias paused, and Morgan sensed his reluctance. "You don't call Fantasium. It's already aware of you, watching. It senses desire, need, and it responds when it chooses. When it does… it will test you."
A shiver ran down Morgan's spine. "And what if I fail?"
"Then you pay the price." Elias's voice was solemn, void of his usual humor. "There's no going back once you've entered into a contract with Fantasium. You either live by the rule, or… well, you don't."
Morgan exhaled slowly, the weight of the decision settling on him like a cloak of lead. But even as fear gnawed at him, he felt a surge of determination. If he was going to survive, if he was going to have any chance of finding a way back home, he needed this power.
"Alright," he said, his voice steady. "Let's get this over with."
Elias's satisfaction pulsed through his mind. "Good. But remember, tread carefully. Fantasium is ancient, older than you or me, older than anything in this realm. It will try to twist your words, find any weakness in your intent. Hold fast to your purpose, and don't let it sense your fear."
As the words left Elias's mind, a change swept over the air. The room grew colder, the shadows deepening until they seemed almost alive, curling along the walls like black flames. Morgan's breath hitched, his heartbeat thundering in his ears as the temperature continued to plummet.
Then he felt it—a presence. It wasn't something he could see, but he could feel it, a vast, formless consciousness pressing down on him from all directions. It was like standing at the edge of a chasm, looking down into an abyss that had no end. His entire body tensed, every instinct screaming at him to run, but he was rooted to the spot.
In the depths of his mind, Elias's voice was barely a whisper. "It's here. Brace yourself."
A deep, resonant voice echoed within the room, each word vibrating in the very air. "You seek a bargain, mortal."
Morgan swallowed, steeling himself. "Yes," he replied, his voice trembling. "I need… power."
The voice was unyielding, almost clinical. "Power demands a price. State your wish."
He steadied himself, his heart racing as he forced his voice to stay steady. "I need the power to turn my imagination into reality. To create what I need from nothing, as I need it."
The silence that followed felt endless, stretching into eternity. Then, the voice returned, its tone darker, almost amused. "Your wish is granted, but with it, you shall carry the weight of your own mind. Each creation shall blur the boundary between thought and reality. Your fears, your memories, your deepest doubts—they shall surface, mingling with the real until you can no longer tell them apart."
Morgan felt his stomach twist. "You mean… I'll see my own thoughts as real?"
"Precisely," the voice replied, unfeeling. "Over time, you will question the line between reality and imagination. Those around you may see your mind unravel, and what you believe is real may become lost within your illusions."
He felt the weight of the condition settling over him like a shroud, an inescapable reminder of the cost of his desire. But he had no choice—if he wanted to survive, he had to accept the price.
"I… accept," he said, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him.
The moment the words left his lips, a shockwave of energy tore through him, a cold searing pain that dug into his bones and left him gasping for air. His vision swam, and for a brief moment, he felt the line between himself and his surroundings fade, the world blurring as if seen through frosted glass. Then, as quickly as it had come, the sensation vanished, leaving him shaken but whole.
Elias's voice returned, calm but tinged with something close to approval. "Welcome to the deal, Morgan. Remember… every choice has its price.