THE DEVIL WITHIN ME IS AWAKE

Chapter 6: The Awakening

Arthur couldn't shake the feeling that the world was shifting beneath his feet. The power inside him, the dark force that had slowly begun to twist his reality, now felt like an undeniable presence. It wasn't just his mind playing tricks on him—he could feel it, like a shadow coiled deep inside his chest. And with it came a terrifying sense of inevitability.

The streets of the city seemed like another world now. The buildings, once familiar, now felt like tombstones, reminders of a life he no longer belonged to. As he walked through the empty streets, the wind howled like a warning, carrying with it whispers of forgotten secrets.

It had been days since his encounter with the mysterious figure in the warehouse. Days since Selene had left him. He didn't know where she had gone, only that she had vanished as quickly as she had come. His heart ached with the emptiness of her absence, but deeper still was the ever-growing sense of power within him. The force that had first risen during his confrontation with the armored figure was now a constant presence, a hunger gnawing at his every thought.

But it wasn't just the power that plagued him. It was the memories—fragments of a past he couldn't remember, images of gods and devils that felt like they were his birthright. He didn't know what to make of it. Was this the life he had been destined to live? Was he truly the key to the awakening of something much older and far darker than himself?

Arthur stumbled into the ruins of an old church on the edge of the city. The place was forgotten by most, a relic of a time when faith had still been a part of people's lives. But now, it stood as a hollow monument, consumed by decay. As he stepped inside, the air felt thick with energy, and for the first time in days, he felt a sense of quietude. It was as though the world had taken a step back and allowed him a moment of peace.

He walked slowly to the altar, the stone cold beneath his feet. The faint glow from the cracks in the ceiling above seemed to highlight something on the altar. He knelt, his hands reaching for the surface. There, etched into the stone, was a symbol—the same symbol from his dreams. The one that had appeared every time he had tapped into his power.

Suddenly, the stone beneath him trembled, and a low hum filled the room. The air turned icy as the shadows around him deepened, swirling into a shape. A figure emerged from the darkness, not quite human, its form both formless and yet unmistakably real.

"Arthur…" The voice was a low growl, reverberating through the room. "The time has come."

He sprang to his feet, but the figure only stepped closer, its presence filling the room. There was something familiar about the voice, something haunting in the way it called his name.

"I have been waiting for you," the figure said, its voice like a thousand whispers. "You've awakened the power, and now the world must be reshaped."

Arthur's heart raced. "Who are you?"

The figure's form became clearer, its body cloaked in shadows, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. "I am a fragment of what you are becoming," it replied. "The power inside you is only a fraction of the truth. But soon, you will understand what it means to wield it."

The figure stretched a hand toward Arthur, and before he could react, a wave of energy surged through him. He gasped, his knees buckling under the weight of it. The world seemed to spin as visions flashed before his eyes. He saw cities burning, oceans swallowing entire lands, and a sky darkened with the wings of creatures beyond comprehension.

He saw himself—no longer just Arthur, but something more. He was standing on a battlefield, surrounded by fallen enemies, the weight of unimaginable power in his hands. The world bowed before him.

"Do you understand now?" the figure asked, its voice like a final breath.

Arthur fought to stay conscious, his hands gripping the stone beneath him. "No… I don't want this."

The figure laughed, the sound like a storm. "You never had a choice."

Before Arthur could protest, the figure dissipated into the shadows, leaving him alone in the church. The power inside him had surged, thrumming against his veins, and for a moment, Arthur could feel its presence wrapping around him like chains.