Zami sat cross-legged in the dim light of his cavern, the fire's warmth reaching out but barely touching the chill that settled deep in his bones. His katana rested against the wall, cleaned and ready for the next battle, though his body was far from prepared. His injuries ached with every breath, but his mind refused to rest. Too many questions swirled in his head, questions he had avoided for years.
He closed his eyes, focusing inward. The familiar presence stirred, coiled tightly in the depths of his consciousness. It was always there, watching, waiting, and whispering when it chose.
"You," Zami started, his voice firm but low. "It's time for answers."
The creature's voice slithered into his thoughts, calm and unbothered.
"You've never demanded answers before. What's changed?"
"I've been living in this nightmare for too long without understanding why," Zami replied. "Why did you enter me? What are you hiding? What were those meteors? These creatures? Where do they come from? I want the truth."
There was a long silence, broken only by the crackle of the fire. Finally, the creature spoke, its tone cautious.
"I entered you because I had no choice. I was dying, and you were... compatible. Strong enough to endure me. Strong enough to survive this place."
"That's not good enough," Zami snapped. "What's your name? Or do you even have one?"
Another pause.
"You may call me Karesh."
"Karesh," Zami repeated, tasting the unfamiliar name on his tongue. "Fine. Now tell me what you're hiding. You always speak in riddles, giving me just enough to keep me alive. Why?"
Karesh's voice shifted, a hint of frustration creeping in.
"Because you wouldn't understand the full truth. Not yet. The knowledge I hold is... dangerous. Knowing too much could destroy you."
"Try me," Zami said coldly. "I've survived everything this place has thrown at me. I can handle the truth."
Karesh sighed, a sound that echoed like wind through a hollow cave.
"The meteors. They weren't just rocks falling from the sky. They were vessels, carrying... entities. Beings that devour and corrupt. The creatures you fight are their offspring, their servants. They were sent here to consume this world, to break it apart and reshape it into something unrecognizable."
"And you?" Zami asked, his voice hard. "What were you doing in one of those meteors?"
"I was their weapon," Karesh admitted. "A tool of destruction. But I rebelled. I broke free and came to this place to hide, to escape their control. When I found you, I saw a chance to survive—and perhaps a chance to fight back."
Zami's hands tightened into fists. "You used me."
"I saved you," Karesh countered. "Without me, you would have died with the rest of your clan. Without me, you wouldn't have the strength to survive here. Everything you've become, everything you've achieved, is because of me."
Zami's jaw clenched, anger simmering beneath the surface. "And these creatures? The ones from the meteors. Are they what destroyed my clan?"
"Yes," Karesh said simply. "They spread like a plague, corrupting everything they touch. Your world is just one of many they've invaded."
Zami's mind raced, piecing together the fragments of information. The shards, the meteors, the creatures—all connected. And Karesh, the being inside him, was at the center of it all.
"What about the shards?" Zami asked, his voice quieter now. "The one on the throne, the one I threw away. What are they?"
"Fragments of their power," Karesh said. "When the meteors fell, they carried objects imbued with their energy. The creatures worship them because they amplify their strength. But they're also dangerous. If too many shards come together, they could awaken something far worse than anything you've faced."
Zami leaned back against the wall, his thoughts a storm of confusion and anger. "So, what do I do now? Keep running? Keep fighting? What's the point if I'm just delaying the inevitable?"
"The point," Karesh said, his voice softening, "is survival. And perhaps, finding a way to stop them. You're stronger than you know, Zami. You've survived this long for a reason."
Zami closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath. Karesh's words offered little comfort, but they were all he had. For now, he would focus on healing, on preparing for whatever came next.
But deep down, a new resolve began to take shape. If he was going to survive this nightmare, he needed more than strength. He needed answers, and he needed a plan.
And he would stop at nothing to find them.