Ch 5: Alter Ego pt-2

Kali's head pounds as if a thousand voices are screaming within him, each one desperate to be heard. His body is tense, every muscle straining against the flood of emotions crashing over him. He can't breathe; the weight of the images, of the memories, threatens to suffocate him. His chest aches with the force of it all, the throbbing pain from Nishachara's blow still lingering deep within him, a reminder of the battle he can't quite remember.

He tries to focus, but his thoughts are like shards of glass—fractured, sharp, cutting into him. The pain from the shock is unbearable, like his mind is being torn apart.

Kali (desperately, almost a whisper):

I need to remember… I need to know why…

His eyes snap open as a voice rings through the chaos in his head. Not a voice from the outside world, but a voice from within—something primal, something angry. A force that has been growing, waiting, deep inside him.

Voice (cold, powerful):

You want to know? You want to remember? Then face the truth. The truth that you've been running from.

Kali's breath catches in his throat. The voice... it's not his own, yet it feels like it is. It's as if someone—or something—has taken root within him, feeding on his pain, his anger, all of the emotions he can't seem to control. A red-hot fury surges through his veins, and his eyes flash open wide.

Kali (gasping, clenching his fists):

What... What are you?

The room around him begins to shift. The sterile walls of the hospital blur, fading into a place that is neither here nor there. The floor beneath him turns to dark water, stretching out into an endless void. The light in the sky flickers, shifting in color, casting shadows that seem to move of their own accord. Kali's heart races. He's no longer in the hospital. He's somewhere else—somewhere he doesn't understand.

He looks around in confusion, trying to make sense of the world around him, but then he feels it. A presence. It stands before him, solid, unwavering. And there, in front of him, is... himself.

Kali blinks, his mind struggling to comprehend what he's seeing. The figure before him is exactly like him—same features, same posture, but something is different. The figure is surrounded by an aura, a deep red energy that pulses and crackles with raw power. It's as if the very air around it is charged with rage.

Kali (shocked, voice trembling):

What is this? Who are you?

Alter Ego (smiling darkly):

I am you. The part of you that you've tried to bury. The part you've locked away, hoping it would stay hidden. But I'm always here. Waiting.

Kali takes a step back, his mind racing. He can feel the anger, the heat, radiating from this... version of himself. His heart pounds, a mix of fear and anger building inside him. He wants to run, to escape, but his feet are rooted to the ground. He's trapped.

Kali (voice cracking):

No... This isn't real. I'm not like this.

Alter Ego (laughing softly):

You are. You always have been. You think you've forgotten everything, but it's all still here. The pain. The rage. The loss. You've bottled it all up, but I... I am the truth you refuse to face.

Kali's chest tightens, the weight of the words crushing him. He wants to fight it, to deny it, but deep down, he knows—he knows this is a part of him. The darkness that lingers within, waiting for its chance to take control.

Kali clenched his fists, anger flaring inside him. His body was still recovering from the aftershocks of the battle with Nishachara, but his mind was clouded with rage. He had enough. The anger that he had suppressed for so long now surged to the surface.

Kali (gritting his teeth):

I won't be controlled by you. I won't let you take over.

His alter ego stepped forward, his movements smooth and calculated. The air around him shimmered with a dark red aura, the embodiment of Kali's pent-up frustrations and pain.

Alter Ego (mocking):

Control? You think you have control? Look at you. You've always been a slave to your emotions, to your pain. And now, you're nothing but a reflection of your own weakness.

Kali's chest tightened. His alter ego was right in one way—the emotions Kali had tried to suppress were now his torment. The truth stung, but it only fueled his anger.

Without warning, Kali lunged at his alter ego, his body fueled by a wave of fury. He threw a powerful punch, but the alter ego effortlessly dodged, his movements fluid and precise, as if he had already predicted Kali's every move.

Alter Ego (smiling wickedly):

Is that all you've got? How pathetic. You're so weak, even your anger is useless.

Kali's teeth ground together, and with a roar, he charged again, his fists flying in rapid succession. Each punch was more desperate than the last. But his alter ego was always one step ahead, easily blocking, dodging, or redirecting his strikes with eerie precision.

Kali (panting, frustrated):

Stop dodging! Stand still and fight me!

The alter ego didn't need to speak. He was already moving, stepping into Kali's space with such speed that Kali barely had time to react. The alter ego threw a punch of his own—fast, unrelenting, and full of power. The impact was bone-crushing, sending Kali stumbling backward, pain coursing through his body.

Alter Ego (coldly):

You're weak, Kali. Your body is broken. Your spirit is shattered. You'll never be able to defeat me.

Kali fell to the ground, gasping for breath. The pain from his chest, the remnants of the fight with Nishachara, intensified with each moment. But he refused to stay down. He pushed himself up, determination flaring in his chest, mixing with the storm of emotions inside him.

Kali (through gritted teeth):

I don't care about your power. I'm not you!

His voice was thick with defiance as he took a fighting stance, his anger burning brighter than ever. He charged once again, more focused this time, every movement born from the raw fury inside him. But his alter ego wasn't going to make it easy.

The alter ego stepped forward with lightning speed, grabbing Kali's wrist mid-punch and twisting it violently. Kali cried out in pain, but he refused to let go. With a scream, he used his free hand to land a solid blow to his alter ego's stomach.

The force of the punch sent a shockwave through the air, but the alter ego barely flinched. Instead, he pushed Kali off, sending him crashing to the ground once more.

Alter Ego (with disdain):

You're pathetic. You can't even land a single punch without collapsing.

Kali's body burned with exhaustion, his limbs heavy. But he refused to quit. The fight had only begun, and the storm inside him was far from over. He grit his teeth, summoning the last reserves of his strength.

Kali (through labored breaths):

I am not you. I'll never be you.

The alter ego's smile twisted into something darker, more menacing. His red aura flared around him, radiating waves of power that made the air around them hum with tension.

Alter Ego (mocking):

Keep telling yourself that. You are me. We are the same. The sooner you accept it, the sooner this will end.

Kali's vision blurred with rage. He couldn't accept it. He wouldn't. His fists clenched once more, and this time, he wasn't thinking. He was acting purely on instinct.

His body surged forward, his movements faster than ever before. His fist slammed into his alter ego's jaw, the force of the punch sending the figure staggering back. Kali barely had time to catch his breath before he launched himself forward again, this time with a spinning kick that connected with the alter ego's chest.

The impact shook the very air, and Kali's alter ego flew backward, crashing into the ground with an earth-shattering thud. Kali stood over him, chest heaving with exhaustion, but his eyes burned with unrelenting determination.

But his alter ego wasn't done. With a roar of fury, the figure charged once more, his movements a blur of red fury. Kali braced himself, but before he could react, the alter ego grabbed his arm and twisted, throwing him violently into the air.

Kali was momentarily suspended in the air, the world spinning around him. But as he fell, he tightened his core, flipping mid-air, and landing perfectly on his feet. His rage and determination burned brighter than ever, and without thinking, he rushed at his alter ego, moving faster than he ever had before.

Kali (with a roar):

I WILL NOT BE YOU!

In an instant, Kali blurred forward with the speed of lightning. His fists struck his alter ego's face with devastating force, the impact shaking the very foundation of their surroundings. The figure was thrown back, his red aura flickering and fading.

Kali stood still, chest heaving, his body aching, but his heart burning with the realization that he had done what his alter ego could never do..

.