Chapter 4: A Lesson in Madness
I kept my eyes closed. The commotion was going on, as always. Voices bickering, arguing, debating the nature of existence or whatever the hell they did when they weren't hijacking my body.
But for once, I wasn't paying attention to them.
Instead, I had one, very pressing thought circling in my head:
Am I not taking this too lightly?
I mean, really—think about it. I was just a kid. A kid who had been thrown into brutal events back-to-back, like life had decided, yeah, this one, let's see how much trauma he can handle before breaking.
And now, on top of all of that, I'd just learned that my entire world—scratch that, the entire universe—was on the verge of some insane evolutionary shift.
I should have been panicking. Screaming. Maybe having a full-blown breakdown.
But instead?
I was just sitting here, letting them lecture me like this was some kind of after-school special.
It was time to take this seriously.
So, for the first time since this madness started, I made my voice firm. Serious. No jokes, no sarcasm.
"This is too light of an explanation," I said. "Mind explaining more?"
There was a pause. Then—
"I agree," Asher said, nodding. "He's felt too much already. A half-explanation would be poison for him." He turned to Solace. "You know what to do, right?"
Solace, who usually had that smug, entertained expression like he was enjoying watching me suffer, actually seemed… thoughtful.
"I agree," he said, mirroring Asher's words. "The fun part is over. Now, we have to be serious about this."
Well. That was terrifying.
When Solace—the guy who treated everything like a game—was saying things were serious, you knew things were bad.
He crossed his arms. "First of all, let's clear something up. We are not the evolution Asher was talking about. We are not some kind of power, and we are not a gift from some mystical force."
I raised an eyebrow. "Could've fooled me."
Solace ignored that. "We can't just take over whenever we want. I mean, technically, we can, but that would take a ridiculous amount of power. For reference? It took eleven years of absorbing your potential just for three of us to take over for a few minutes."
That was… concerning.
"So, what, you can't show up unless I let you?"
"Not exactly." Solace tilted his head. "We can come out without a power requirement, but only when you meet a certain condition."
I frowned. "Condition?"
He nodded. "Each of us takes over based on compatibility—whatever side of you matches the situation best."
Great. More vague explanations.
"Alright," I said, crossing my arms. "What's the second thing?"
Solace's gaze darkened. "You need to improve."
That actually caught me off guard.
"…What?"
"You're a child," he said bluntly. "And from now on, you're going to be fighting adults."
I opened my mouth, closed it, and then ran that sentence through my brain again just to make sure I'd heard it right.
"Wait, wait, what?!"
"You heard me." Solace's tone was completely serious. "Right now, you're weak. But six months from now? It won't just be adults you'll have to worry about."
My stomach twisted.
That sounded bad.
"…Six months?" I repeated.
"That's the time limit," Asher confirmed. "That's when everything changes."
Oh, fantastic. No pressure.
I exhaled. "Alright. Fine. What's the third thing?"
Solace nodded, like he was glad I was keeping up. "The third thing is about the power I mentioned earlier."
"You mean the 'mixing with possibilities' thing?"
"Yeah. Call it whatever you want," Solace said. "But we seven call it Compatibility."
I tilted my head. "Compatibility?"
"Everyone has it," he continued. "And they always will. Even after the shift in six months. The only difference?" He smirked. "It's going to increase. To a level that's completely incomparable to before."
I processed that. "So… you're saying everyone's going to become superpowered?"
"Sometimes," Solace admitted. "But there's more to it than that."
He glanced at Asher before continuing.
"Then there are cases where Compatibility goes beyond what makes sense. A doctor who can diagnose an illness just by looking at someone. A gambler who instinctively knows when the odds will shift. A soldier who can react to danger before it even happens. Things that shouldn't be possible… but are."
"Alright," I said. "That actually sounds useful. But what does this have to do with me?"
Solace's expression darkened.
"Your case is different."
Of course it was.
"Your Compatibility isn't tied to a single talent or skill. It's tied to us."
I blinked. "…What?"
"Your ability isn't about enhancing what you already have. It's about who you can become."
I frowned. "That's not an explanation."
Solace sighed. "Your Compatibility allows you to shift between different aspects of yourself. Most people only have one core personality, so their Compatibility focuses on one thing. But you? You have seven of us. Each with our own strengths, weaknesses, and specialties."
I processed that for a second.
Then another second.
Then another.
And then, finally, I said what any reasonable person would say in this situation:
"That's complete bullshit."
Asher rolled his eyes. "You keep saying that, but reality doesn't care whether you believe it or not."
"Okay, then prove it," I challenged.
Solace smirked. "You've already felt it, haven't you? When Fang took over? That was Compatibility in action."
I wanted to argue. I really did. But the more I thought about it…
He wasn't wrong.
I had felt it.
That surge of instinct. That unnatural clarity. That shift in control.
It wasn't possession. It wasn't something taking me over.
It was me.
A different part of me.
Solace must have seen the realization on my face, because his smirk widened.
"Now you get it," he said. "And in six months, everyone will have a shift like that. Some subtle. Some extreme. Some…" He trailed off. "…won't even remain human."
I immediately zeroed in on that last part.
"Wait. What the hell do you mean by that?"
Solace didn't answer.
Instead, Asher spoke, his voice low.
"The evolution isn't just about getting stronger. It's about survival. Some people will adapt. Some will lose themselves in the process. And some… won't be human anymore."
I stared at him. "You're saying some people are going to turn into monsters?"
"Not exactly. But close enough."
Great. Fantastic. Absolutely wonderful.
I ran a hand down my face. "And let me guess—if I don't get stronger, I won't be able to do anything about it?"
Solace nodded. "Exactly. Which is why you need to start taking this seriously."
I let out the longest sigh of my life.
"Yeah. I got that part loud and clear."
Solace clapped his hands together. "Good. Then let's get to work."
Chapter 4, Part 2: The Art of Not Dying Horribly
Now, let me ask you a question.
What do you think was going to happen next?
Escape? A grand chase? Some earth-shattering revelation?
Wrong.
It was a training arc.
And not just any training arc. Not the standard push-ups, sit-ups, and a healthy dose of suffering variety. No, this was something entirely different. Something I was absolutely not prepared for.
And the worst part? Neither were the voices.
Step One: Digest the Impossible
Before we even got to the whole "training" part, Solace decided to drop yet another bombshell on me.
"Fang is done," he announced. "He ate enough that you can last a month without food."
I blinked. "A month's worth of food is inside my stomach right now?"
"Yes," Solace confirmed.
I looked down at myself. My stomach was still… normal? No distended belly, no feeling of being absurdly full. Just the same vaguely underfed frame I'd been rocking since childhood.
I frowned. "Are you guys finally going insane?"
"Not this time," Asher said. "Your body adapted. You have small buffs—nothing ridiculous, but it's a step forward."
"Small buffs," I repeated. "As in, I just casually store food like a camel now?"
Solace shrugged. "Apparently."
I opened my mouth, then closed it. Then opened it again.
I had nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
At this point, questioning reality felt like wasted effort.
---
Step Two: Find a City, Find a Plan
"Alright," I said, forcing my focus back. "Exactly how am I supposed to get stronger?"
Asher was the first to respond. "First, we have to get out of here."
That… was a good point.
I suddenly realized I had no idea where we even were.
I looked around at the dimly lit alley, the damp concrete, and the overwhelming smell of questionable decisions.
"Where is here?" I asked.
Riven sighed. "Ask that to the person who brought you here."
Everyone's head tilted toward a certain figure.
Cue dramatic reveal.
A deep, demonic voice rumbled, laced with just enough menace to send shivers down my spine.
"...What?"
Oh.
Fang.
"I just went in search of food," he growled. "You better not blame me for this."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "So you're telling me we're in some back-alley trash heap because you wanted a snack?"
"Correct."
Solace sighed. "Who else would we blame?"
Fang let out a low, annoyed growl. "If you want to leave, I saw a city about ten minutes from here."
"Great," Solace said. "Then get moving."
I rolled my eyes. "I know that already."
And with that, I took control of my body again.
Step Three: Adapt or Get Mocked to Death
What do you think I did after regaining control?
Heroic escape? Tactical planning?
No.
I spent ten whole minutes listening to Solace nag me to death while I ran tirelessly through the streets.
And here's the weirdest part—
I wasn't tired.
Not even a little.
It was like my body had forgotten what exhaustion was. My legs moved effortlessly, my breathing remained steady, and my heart barely registered the effort.
It should have felt amazing.
Instead, I was terrified.
This wasn't normal.
But before I could freak out too much, I saw something familiar—a supermarket.
I skidded to a stop. "There's a store here."
The decision was instant. I walked inside.
And immediately regretted it.
Because the moment I stepped through the doors, something became painfully clear.
I stunk.
Not "I forgot to shower today" stunk. Not even "I ran a marathon and forgot deodorant" stunk.
No.
This was "I have been living in a dumpster and might actually qualify as biohazardous waste" levels of stink.
People were staring.
Solace, never one to miss an opportunity, snorted. "What else did you expect, you walking health violation?"
I didn't even argue. I just turned to the nearest employee and asked, "Where's the restroom?"
They pointed. I practically sprinted there.
Step Four: The Mirror Never Lies
I walked into the restroom, shut the door, and finally—finally—looked at myself.
And let me tell you—
I was not prepared.
The person staring back at me?
That was not me.
I mean, technically, sure, it was me. But this version of me? This was an entirely different species of attractive.
I didn't look like an adult, but I didn't quite look like a kid anymore either. Late teens, maybe. Still young, but just enough maturity to be dangerously appealing.
And the features.
I wasn't just good-looking—I was unfairly good-looking.
The kind of face that belonged on magazine covers. The kind of face that got away with murder because the jury couldn't believe someone this gorgeous could be guilty.
Three words slipped out before I could stop them.
"Is this me?"
There was a pause.
Then Asher, ever the wise mentor, said, "That's your reward for enduring your pain. Enjoy it."
I should have been happy.
I should have been ecstatic.
Instead, I felt deeply, deeply unsettled.
Because this wasn't just a glow-up.
This was a transformation.
And if my body could change this much…
What else was going to change?
Solace hummed. "I guess charm does come in handy when manipulating someone."
I turned away from the mirror.
Yeah.
This was just the beginning.
And I had a feeling things were about to get much, much weirder.