The Other Side
Alex's eyes snapped open, and he found himself in a strange place. The world around him was a twisted version of reality, nothing seemed to look like the world he knew. He stood in the middle of what appeared to be a battlefield—his surroundings torn apart by chaos and destruction, with the air thick with smoke and the ground cracked and burning.
"Where am I?" he muttered, his voice echoed through darkness
"You're where you belong," a voice called out, cold and familiar. "The other side of the core."
Alex turned sharply, and there stood the shadowy figure, its form more solid now, less like a ghost and more like a man. Its eyes were exactly like his own, a burning silver, filled with the same confusion and defiance he'd felt before.
"Why do you look like me?" Alex demanded, his fists clenched, power still thrumming under his skin.
"Why do you look like me?" the figure countered, a mocking smile spreading across its face. "You still haven't figured it out, have you? All this power at your fingertips, and you're still blind to the truth."
"Stop with the games!" Alex shouted, his anger flaring. "Tell me who you are!"
"I'm your mirror, Alex. Your shadow," the figure said, its smile fading into something colder, more sinister. "I'm everything you refuse to acknowledge about yourself. The darkness that you keep buried, the power you're too afraid to unleash."
Everything felt strange,unreal and yet real.
Alex took a step back, confusion twisting in his mind. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"I am you," the shadowy figure said. "Or rather, I'm what you could become if you let go of your humanity. If you stopped holding back and accepted the chaos within. I don't know why you have decided to side with the world you despise so much when you could have this world. You have the power to make it happen so why are you holding back?"
"And why would I want my world destroyed? You're lying," Alex hissed, shaking his head. "You're nothing like me."
"Oh, but I am," the figure said, stepping closer. "I'm the part of you that's willing to do whatever it takes to survive. To embrace the chaos and bend it to your will. You felt it, didn't you? When you destroyed the hound—it was easy. It felt good."
Alex's mind raced, memories flashing of the overwhelming power he had unleashed, the thrill of its raw, unstoppable force. He couldn't deny it; in that moment, something inside him had awakened, something that scared him.
"Face it, Alex," the shadow said, circling him like a predator. "You want this. You crave the power to change your fate. To never feel weak again. And that's exactly what the core can give you."
Alex's mind raced,he remembered how he had been bullied at work and how each time he wished he could destroy the world and create his own world. Was this his doing?
"No," Alex whispered, his voice barely audible. "I won't become like you. I won't lose myself."
"Then you're a fool," the figure sneered. "Because if you don't take control of this power, it will consume you—and everyone you care about. The core doesn't wait for anyone."
Before Alex could respond, the ground beneath them trembled violently. The darkness around them began to crack like glass, revealing glimpses of the real world beyond—a world under siege. He could see Mira fighting off monstrous creatures that poured out of the dungeon, her magic flaring as she desperately tried to hold the line.
"Mira!" Alex shouted, instinctively reaching out, but his hand only touched the darkness.
"She's fighting for her life while you're stuck here playing hero," the shadow taunted. "But you could help her, Alex. All you have to do is reach out and take the power. Unleash it. Become what you were meant to be. Become a Dark Awakener."
Alex hesitated, his mind torn between fear and desperation. He knew he couldn't stand by and watch Mira be overwhelmed, but he also feared what would happen if he truly gave in to the chaos. What if he lost himself forever?
"Make your choice," the shadow said, holding out its hand as if offering a pact. "Save her, or stay trapped in your weakness. The clock is ticking."
Just then, the vision of Mira grew sharper, clearer. She was surrounded by creatures, her magic faltering as she stumbled, exhaustion etched on her face. One of the monsters lunged at her, claws ready to strike.
"No!" Alex roared, his hands sparking with the same chaotic energy from before. Without thinking, he grabbed the shadow's hand, and the world exploded into light.
The power flowed through him like a rushing wave, stronger than before, threatening to tear him apart from the inside. His mind screamed, the energy flooding every cell in his body, twisting and bending his very essence. But this time, he didn't fight it. He let the chaos in, let it fill him completely.
When the light faded, Alex stood up again, this time in the real world. Mira was on the ground, bloodied and bruised, but alive. The monsters that had surrounded her were now frozen in place, their eyes locked on Alex with a mixture of fear and recognition.
"Alex?" Mira gasped, looking up at him in shock. "What have you done?"
"I've made my choice," Alex said, his voice different—deeper, filled with something darker. The monsters began to tremble, backing away slowly, and then, as if on command, they all disintegrated into dust.
Mira's eyes widened, filled with both relief and horror. "That power... it's not the same as before. It's... it's consuming you."
Alex looked at his hands, seeing the dark energy pulsing just beneath the surface he was deriving more power from the chao he was supposed to destroy . He knew she was right. He was different—changed. And the worst part was, a part of him liked it.
The shadowy figure's laughter echoed in his mind. "Welcome to the other side, Alex. There's no turning back now."
And as Alex stood there, staring into Mira's fearful eyes, he realized that the battle was far from over. The real fight was just beginning—not with the monsters outside, but with the darkness within.