The Silent Hunt

The rain kept battering Solarius mercilessly, turning the streets into rivers of mud and liquid shadows.

Kai curled up in the darkest corner of the abandoned building, breathing slowly, every muscle tense, his head buzzing with the echo of distant sirens. The cold, damp concrete tried to steal all the warmth from his body, but the iridescent core in his chest pulsed harder, restless, almost out of control.

At the beginning of the night, you could still hear the voices of the Union agents outside. They moved in groups, flashlights cutting through the darkness, sensors vibrating at the slightest residue of energy.

Kai held his breath, listening to the muffled sound of boots on asphalt, each step echoing in his bones. Drones flew over the roof, beams of light sweeping broken windows and cracks in the walls.

Zero, calm as always, was a constant presence."High risk of detection. I recommend minimal movement. Adaptation in progress: each use of your abilities causes neurological wear. Emotional stability compromised, but reversible."

Kai forced a nervous smile."Easy for you to say when you don't feel anything."

Zero ignored him."External whispers interfere with the core's pattern. Absorb only what is necessary. Stick to the shadows, avoid direct contact."

It wasn't the first time Kai had heard this. Each time he used his power, his sanity slipped further. His senses mixed—the smell of rain metallic, the sound of drones pulsing with his heart, the feeling that the concrete was breathing with him. Every time he passed through a wall of shadow, a piece of his mind seemed to be left behind.

The minutes stretched. An agent passed so close to Kai that he could smell the sweat mixed with desperation. When the beam of light touched the opposite wall, he let the shadow swallow his body, extremities turning cold, almost air. For a moment, he disappeared, just another crack in the cement.

The agent hesitated, then moved on, cursing the cold and the city.

As soon as the patrol moved away, Kai let himself breathe again. His body ached. His mind wavered between lucidity and hallucination. Sometimes, his own shadow moved without command, undulating on the floor, creating nightmare shapes.

Zero didn't miss a thing."Sensory adaptation in progress. I recommend an energy absorption test. In the east perimeter, there are traces of residual resonance."

Kai closed his eyes. A wave of energy ran along the floor, coming from a spot where maybe an animal had died. He crawled over, hands trembling, feeling the core respond. He touched the dark puddle—a thick liquid mixed with blue moss—and let the power flow.

His whole body tingled, veins burning under the skin. In the shadow, a fragment of what the creature had been started to form. Shapeless, colorless, just an echo, crawling at his will. It wasn't grand, just an impression on the wall—but it was real, controllable, terrifying.

Kai pulled his hand away, feeling a small fissure in his mind.

"I did it," he muttered, voice hoarse.

Zero approved, neutral."Process successful. Recommend moderate use. With each absorption, the risk of personality fragmentation increases. Balance is fundamental."

The night dragged on. Outside, the storm weakened, but the agents kept patrolling, knocking door to door, investigating suspected energy anomalies.

Kai stayed invisible, jumping from shadow to shadow, crossing broken hallways, always guided by that impossible intuition.

In one of the abandoned houses, he tried to create other "echoes." Using residue from dead rodents and insects, he materialized translucent shadows that moved under his command. Imperfect copies, but enough to confuse sensors and mislead drones. Each test brought a price: buzzing in his head, a sensation of emptiness, as if his identity was crumbling a little more.

Deep down, Kai felt a morbid fascination with it all. The fear was real, the pain too, but the raw, unknown power was intoxicating.

Zero cut his thoughts short."The body is a machine, but the mind is still human. Overexposure to power will result in collapse. Accept the pain as part of the process."

The sky began to lighten. The rain weakened. Kai waited for the last drone to pass, listened as the sirens faded, and decided it was safe to go home. His body felt like lead, but his mind was on high alert, eyes catching every suspicious movement in the alleys.

The building where he lived was plunged into post-blackout gloom. He climbed the stairs slowly, footsteps soundless. When he opened the door to the cubicle, he saw Lina at the table, eyes swollen, hands clutching a mug of cold tea. Her face was pure despair.

"Kai, where were you? I was up all night, the agents came here, asked about you, said there was an energy anomaly! What's going on with you? Don't lie to me, I know you..."

Kai tried to respond, but the words got stuck. The core pounded, the shadows behind him trembled restlessly. Lina stood up, tears rolling."I can't take this fear anymore, Kai. You disappeared, you changed, you seem like someone else... I'm afraid of losing you too!"

He broke. The weight of the night, the terror, the guilt of dragging Lina into all of it crashed down at once. Kai fell to his knees, hands covering his face, tears finally breaking through. His whole body shook.

Lina knelt beside him, hugging her brother with all the strength her frail body could muster."It's okay, Kai. I'm here. It doesn't matter what you're turning into. I'm not going to leave you alone."

In the midst of the crying, Kai felt the shadow recede, as if, for an instant, the core and the body found a bit of peace.

He allowed himself to stay there, clinging to his sister, the only anchor keeping him from getting lost forever. The terror still lingered, the fascination with power grew, but in that moment, love and fear blended—and that was all that mattered.