Antrasite

Nate sat at his desk, staring at the glowing surface of the mirror in his room. His reflection was no longer just his own. A faint, dark silhouette hovered behind him, its outline shifting and shimmering like smoke. The jinn's voice echoed in his mind, calm yet commanding.

"You've been calling yourself Antrasite, Nate," the voice said, its tone laced with a subtle amusement. "But I think it's time you understood something fundamental."

Nate frowned, his arms crossed tightly. "What do you mean? You're inside me. Doesn't that make me Antrasite?"

The shadow in the mirror seemed to shake its head. "No, child. I am Antrasite. That is my name, my essence. You are my host, nothing more, nothing less. Together, we are a force, but we are not the same."

Nate leaned closer to the mirror, his expression shifting from confusion to realization. "So… I'm not some kind of… chosen one? I'm just the guy you ended up with because of a freak accident?"

Antrasite chuckled, the sound resonating in Nate's mind like distant thunder. "Fate is never an accident. The circumstances of my imprisonment within your mother and my eventual transfer into you were set into motion long before you were born. You, Nate, are not insignificant. You are my vessel because you are strong enough to carry me. Few could endure what you have without breaking."

Nate was silent for a moment, processing the weight of Antrasite's words. "So… what does this mean for us? Are we partners? Or are you just using me?"

The jinn's form shifted, growing larger in the mirror. "That depends on you. I could have consumed you entirely, taken full control. But I didn't. I allowed you to remain because I see potential in you. Together, we can do more than survive. We can thrive. You wish to save your city, don't you? To rid it of the monsters left in the wake of the wave?"

Nate nodded, his resolve strengthening. "Yeah. And if you're going to help me, we need to be on the same page. No more secrets. No more games."

"Agreed," Antrasite replied. "But remember, Nate, there is a balance to maintain. I am not your ally out of charity. If we falter, if you lose control… I will not hesitate to take over."

Nate met the shadow's gaze in the mirror, his jaw tightening. "Then I'll make sure that doesn't happen. Let's figure out how to make this work."

For the first time, the shadow in the mirror seemed to smile. It wasn't warm, but it wasn't malicious either. "Good. Let's begin."

As the connection between them deepened, Nate felt a strange sense of empowerment and unease. He wasn't just a boy with a jinn inside him anymore—he was a force to be reckoned with. But at what cost?