THE DEVIL WITHIN ME IS AWAKE

Chapter 1: The Unseen World

The world had changed in ways nobody could predict. The line between human and machine had blurred to the point where it was nearly impossible to distinguish where one ended and the other began. Cities soared into the clouds, towering spires of chrome and glass, with skyways for vehicles that floated like whispers of wind. Technology had advanced, reshaping every aspect of life, but for many, it was a prison. For those who had yet to awaken their true potential, the world was a cage—oppressively suffocating.

Arthur's eyes flickered open to the harsh, dim glow of the artificial lighting in his tiny apartment. The familiar hum of machines filled the silence, but it didn't comfort him anymore. The city outside was alive, moving at the pace of progress. He had never felt more out of place.

He rolled out of bed, his body aching in ways he couldn't explain. It wasn't from the physical labor—he worked a dull, monotonous job in the lower sectors of the city, repairing old drones that no one cared about. It was something deeper, something that gnawed at his insides, clawing at the edges of his mind. There was always this constant sense of not being whole. Of not understanding why his body reacted to things the way it did, or why the world around him felt wrong, as though it was a mask.

After a quick shower, Arthur donned his standard uniform, a dull gray jumpsuit that blended in with the rest of the workers. He stepped out into the corridor, passing the flickering holograms advertising the latest tech upgrades, medical enhancements, and new memory banks for those who could afford them. They all seemed to smile in perfect unison, designed to make him feel small, insignificant.

As he reached the elevator to take him down to the factory floor, a strange sensation washed over him—like a whisper in his mind. He paused, hand hovering over the button. It wasn't a voice, not exactly, but a pull, a presence, like something ancient, stirring from a long sleep. He brushed it off as exhaustion and pressed the button, descending into the depths of the city.

The factory was a cold place, filled with the hum of machinery, the steady rhythm of work. Arthur found his station, a small corner filled with broken drones that needed fixing. His hands moved mechanically, but his mind wandered. It was hard to focus these days. It felt like there was something inside him, something fighting to break free.

It wasn't until the afternoon that things started to change.

Arthur had just finished repairing a drone when he felt it—an electric surge that ran through his veins like fire. His body tensed, and for a brief moment, his vision blurred, as though reality itself was warping. He could see the faint outlines of something beyond the walls of the factory, beyond the layers of technology and concrete. Something... other.

"Hey, Arthur! You alright?" A voice snapped him out of his daze.

He looked up, meeting the concerned eyes of his coworker, Theo. Theo was a friend, one of the few Arthur could trust, though even he didn't understand the depths of what was happening to Arthur.

"I'm fine," Arthur lied, forcing a smile. But as he spoke, a sharp pain shot through his skull. It was the same sensation he'd been feeling for weeks, but now it was worse. The presence—whatever it was—was growing stronger.

Theo looked at him closely, his brow furrowing. "You sure? You've been off lately. I don't know what it is, but—"

Before he could finish, a loud crash echoed through the factory, followed by the screeching sound of machinery failing. The power blinked out, plunging the room into darkness. Panic spread among the workers, but Arthur remained still, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

He could feel it again, stronger this time. A voice—or was it a thought?—inside his mind.

It's time.

Before he could react, the lights flickered back on. But something had changed. The workers around him were frozen, caught in an eerie stillness, their faces locked in expressions of terror. Arthur's hands shook as he tried to move, but his legs wouldn't respond. Something deep within him had awakened, and he felt it—he knew it. His entire body felt... alive in a way he had never experienced before.

Then, the voice returned, clearer than before.

You are the one. You are the key.

The words reverberated through his mind, and without understanding how, Arthur knew that he was no longer just a worker in the factory. He was something more, something dangerous. And the power that had been dormant inside him was now awake.