The Awakening Of The Shadows
Chapter 33: A Conversation With Myself

Chapter 33: A Conversation With Myself

Lian was floating in an endless darkness. Before he could think about what was happening, he began falling into that bottomless abyss. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, gasping for air.

Lian started to calm down and looked around in surprise. "My... house?" he muttered. That place, that bed, everything was familiar to him. It was the very place where he had spent his entire life. "What is this... this place should be destroyed." At that moment, Lian didn’t know what to think. His memories were muddled, and he couldn’t remember what had happened.

Lian got out of bed and looked around his room, and everything was just as he remembered. "Could this all have been a dream?" Lian was deeply confused, but if it was a dream, or rather a nightmare, then his family would still be alive. He decided to go downstairs. As he descended the stairs, he saw someone sitting at the dining table, drinking coffee.

The sight of that person startled Lian because that person... was him.

Seeing himself, Lian became even more confused and upset that it wasn’t his family sitting there. However, Lian wanted to clear up his doubts immediately.

"Who are you?" Lian asked nervously. This wasn’t normal. That person was identical to him.

Taking another sip of coffee, the man looked at Lian calmly and said, "Sit down, Lian. We need to talk."

Lian sat down across from the man, his expression serious. "This place should be destroyed. Where am I? Who are you? Why do you look exactly like me?" Lian bombarded him with questions, the confusion on his face unmistakable. Despite this, the man continued drinking his coffee, seemingly unbothered. "Answer me!" Lian shouted, slamming the table.

The man let out a small sigh. "That’s why I’m here. Come with me, Lian. I’ll explain everything." The man spoke as he headed toward the door. Lian followed him, still feeling suspicious. When the man opened the door, they weren’t in the streets of the small town of Verniel but standing in front of a sinister stone castle. The atmosphere around the place was unnerving.

"Where are we?" Lian asked, awestruck by the sight of the castle but feeling the heavy aura emanating from it.

"We are in your mind, Lian." Lian was alarmed by this revelation. It was impossible for this to be just a dream, and if he really was in his subconscious, that was likely not a good sign. After that, the man began walking toward the castle.

They entered the castle and kept moving forward. Lian tried speaking to the man, but he simply ignored him. After a while, Lian gave up trying and just followed him.

"We’ve arrived." They stopped in front of a large iron gate secured by multiple chains. Some of the chains were worn out, while others looked new. Lian tried to peer through the bars to see what was inside and spotted a human figure sitting on the ground. The figure suddenly looked up at Lian, his face filled with hatred. But what truly shocked Lian was that this man also looked exactly like him.

"Now will you explain what’s going on?" Lian asked, his voice tinged with worry as many strange things were happening in his mind.

The man looked into Lian’s eyes and began to explain. "The day our family died was a trauma so intense that our mind collapsed. After that, other versions of you were created, me and... him," he said, nodding toward the Lian behind the gate. "Let’s just say I am your logical side, and he is all the hatred, fury, and violence within you."

Lian began to grasp what was happening, but one question lingered in his mind. "But if you’re both parts of me, why is he imprisoned, and you’re not?"

"I don’t know. I wasn’t the one who locked him up here. But there are times when he manages to unleash his rage from this prison, and when that happens, this place turns into chaos. You should know that."

"I do. Once, during a simulation at the academy, I lost control," Lian admitted, recalling the sensation from that day.

"I see. You don’t remember."

"Remember what?" Before Lian could finish his sentence, the man placed a finger on his forehead.

Lian found himself in the forest where he had been taking a lesson. Elios stood in front of him with a terrified expression. Lian didn’t know why Elios looked so afraid until he saw himself charging at Elios, not as if it were a fight, but like a predator attacking its prey. When he saw himself nearly taking his friend’s life, he collapsed to his knees.

He was devastated. With a trembling voice, he asked, "D-Did I really do that?"

"Yes, you did," the man replied. Lian began to cry after hearing this. "I’m not here to console you. I don’t understand feelings, but unless you tame that guy, it won’t just be these tears you’ll be shedding."

Lian looked at his other version, who grinned like a psychopath, seemingly delighted by Lian’s suffering. Lian stood up and wiped away his tears. "How can I get rid of him?" he asked firmly, staring at the psychotic version of himself.

"You can’t get rid of him, just like you can’t get rid of me. We’re already parts of who you are." Lian seemed frustrated by this answer. "However, if you manage to take full control of your mind, you won’t be his prisoner anymore, he’ll become your weapon."

Lian now had a new goal in his life: to ensure that hatred never took over his body. Suddenly, Lian started hearing voices, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying.

"It seems our time is up. I hope you manage to overcome this, Lian. Good luck." After that, his vision grew blurry until everything faded. Then Lian opened his eyes.

"You took longer than usual to come back this time, Lian." When he looked to his side, he saw a familiar face, always with a loving smile.

"Hi, Vida."