Proposition

< How pathetic. >

A voice echoes in my head.

Not from the creature.

Not from anywhere around me.

Am I hallucinating?

Blood is still warm against my skin, and my body can barely move. Maybe this is what happens when you’re close to death.

Your mind starts creating things that aren’t there.

But this voice…

I don’t recognize it.

It’s a woman’s voice.

Low.

Clear.

And strangely authoritative.

No hesitation.

No uncertainty.

Every word carries the weight of an order.

It’s the kind of voice that doesn’t ask to be heard.

< Do you truly wish to die in such a pathetic manner? >

“Huh?”

There it is again.

The voice doesn’t come from my ears.

It comes from somewhere deeper.

Inside my skull.

I can almost feel each word vibrating through my bones.

Who is this?

What is happening to me?

< ANSWER ME WHEN I SPEAK. >

The voice suddenly explodes inside my head.

“ARRGH!”

My hands fly to my temples.

Pain tears through my skull.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

“Stop!”

My vision flashes white.

For a moment, I can’t even tell whether I’m still on the ground.

< STAND! >

My body suddenly jerks.

“Wha—”

My hands press against the ground.

I didn’t tell them to move.

“No!”

I try to resist, but my body ignores me.

Every muscle in my body contracts against my will.

My palms scrape against the rough ground as my arms force me upward.

< I refuse to talk to a mutt, so stand on your two feet. >

My legs begin to move.

My knees force themselves under me.

I can feel them trembling.

CRACK

“AAAGH!”

Pain shoots through my legs.

My teeth clench as my body continues rising.

I don’t want to stand.

I shouldn’t be able to stand.

But my legs straighten anyway.

Every part of me is being forced into place.

I’m being made to stand.

My legs quiver.

I try to move them.

Nothing.

They remain firmly planted against the ground.

“Move…”

I force myself to bend my knees.

They don’t.

My body won’t listen to me.

< Good.>

The woman’s voice returns.

It sounds closer this time.

Almost as if she is standing right beside me.

< Now, face the creature >

“NO!”

My neck twists toward the creature.

I try to look away.

I can’t.

My eyes meet its gaze.

It hasn’t moved.

It’s still staring at me.

< Pathetic. >

The woman sounds almost disgusted.

< I cannot comprehend this. >

I don’t understand.

Who is she?

Why can she control my body?

< This is enough to make you tremble? >

I can’t answer.

My throat feels completely dry.

< Look at it. >

I don’t want to.

But my eyes remain fixed on the creature.

It hasn’t moved.

Not even a little.

Its body is still frozen in place.

Everything is completely still.

< Why do you continue to cower in fear? >

My breathing becomes heavier.

I try to pull my eyes away again.

Nothing.

I can’t even close them.

“Who are you…?”

For the first time, there is silence.

Then—

< You dare ask for my name? >

Her voice rings through my head again.

“ARRGH!”

< I do believe that it was I who had asked a question first. >

< It would be in your best interest to answer me. >

< IMMEDIATELY. >

Her voice gets even louder.

It’s as if she is shouting from within my head.

I try to answer.

But my voice is weak.

My throat tastes like blood.

I can’t even utter a single word.

< … >

The woman falls silent.

Then suddenly…

snap

My entire body freezes.

“Huh?”

A strange warmth spreads through my chest.

The pain disappears.

My breathing steadies.

The pain in my legs is gone.

The wound in my stomach…

I look down.

The blood has stopped.

I touch the wound with a trembling hand .

There’s nothing.

No blood. No open wound. Not even a scar.

“What…?”

I can breathe properly.

I can feel my body again.

< There. >

Her voice returns.

< Now you may speak properly. >

I stare at my hands.

I don’t understand.

“How did you…?”

< That is irrelevant. >

Her voice carries the same authority as before.

< I asked you a question. >

I swallow.

“Who are you?”

< Hm. >

She seems to consider my question.

< You are quite persistent for someone who was moments away from death. >

< You continue to defy me despite the favor I had so graciously bestowed upon you. >

“Sorry, I—”

< Tell me. >

Her voice becomes quieter.

< Are you satisfied with this? >

“What?”

< This weakness of yours. >

My body goes still.

< Crawling on the ground. >

< Unable to fight. >

< Unable to protect yourself. >

Her words sink deeper than they should.

< Unable to protect the one you care about. >

I clench my fists.

“You don’t know anything.”

< Do you feel no shame? >

The woman’s voice echoes through my head.

< How long do you intend to remain like this? >

I don’t answer.

< How long will you continue to run? >

My fists tighten even more.

< How long will you allow yourself to remain weak? >

“...Stop.”

< You hate being powerless, do you not? >

My breathing grows heavier.

She knows.

Somehow, she knows.

“There’s nothing I can do.”

< Giving up so quickly.>

< Pathetic doesn’t even begin to describe it. >

“Even if I wanted to do something. I can’t.”

< You cannot? >

Her voice is quiet.

Almost mocking.

< Or you simply refuse to try? >

I grit my teeth.

“That’s not it.”

< Then what is it? >

I don’t answer.

< You wish to protect those dear to you. >

My fists tighten.

< Yet you possess nothing with which to do so. >

“...”

< No strength. >

< No courage. >

< Nothing. >

Her words linger in my head.

< And still, you believe yourself incapable of doing anything. >

I lower my head.

“...What am I supposed to do?”

There is a brief silence.

Then—

< I have a proposition for you. >

< Do you desire power? >

“...Power?”

< Yes. >

Her voice is calm.

Almost as if the answer should be obvious.

< The strength to stand on your own. >

< The strength to protect what belongs to you. >

< I can offer it to you. >

“Why?”

< Hm? >

“Why would you give me something like that?”

< I do not have to answer to you. >

“So you expect me to just accept it?”

< You desire power, do you not? >

“...Yes.”

< Then take it. >

I hesitate.

Something about this feels wrong.

She saved me.

She healed me.

And now she’s offering me exactly what I’ve always wanted.

It should feel like a miracle.

But it doesn’t.

“What do you want from me?”

< … >

< You ask too many questions. >

“Because everything is too suspicious. I don’t even know who you are.”

< This is exactly why you continue to remain weak. >

< Unable to act when an opportunity presents itself right in front of you. >

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

< It means that I have offered you the strength you so desperately desire. >

< Yet you continue to hesitate. >

“Because I don’t know what you’re going to do to me.”

< Very well. >

Her voice suddenly becomes cold.

< Then refuse. >

“...What?”

< I shall leave you to your fate. >

< And when I am gone, I shall release the creature. >

My eyes widen.

I look toward it.

It still hasn’t moved.

“You can’t be serious.”

< I assure you, I am very serious. >

< You have wasted enough of my time already. >

“Wait.”

< Decide. >

“You’d really leave me here to die?”

< You said you wanted to know what I want from you. >

< I want you to make a choice. >

< Accept my offer… >

< Or death. >

I swallow hard.

My mind races.

I don’t know who she is.

I don’t know what accepting her offer will cost me.

But I know what will happen if I refuse.

I look at the creature once again.

My hands quiver.

“...You’ll actually give me power?”

< Yes. >

“And I’ll still be in control of myself?”

< Naturally. >

“And my life?”

< I have gone to considerable trouble to preserve it. >

“Why?”

< … >

< You truly ask too many questions. >

“But—”

< ENOUGH. >

My body flinches.

< MAKE YOUR DECISION. >

Her voice shakes through my skull.

< Accept my offer… >

< Or I shall leave you to die. >

My body trembles, but not from the creature.

The space around me seems to shake.

No more questions.

I still don’t fully trust her.

But I don’t have another choice.

“...Fine.”

My hands slowly curl into fists.

“I’ll accept.”

< Excellent. >

Her voice sounds almost satisfied.

< Then let us begin. >

“Begin what?”

< Your initiation. >

“Initiation?”

< You wished for power. >

< There is a process to receiving it. >

“I thought you were just going to give it to me.”

< I am. >

< But you must first open yourself to it. >

“How?”

< Close your eyes. >

I hesitate.

< Did I not make myself clear? >

“...Right.”

I close my eyes.

For a moment, nothing happens.

…

THUMP

My heart suddenly pounds against my chest.

“What was—”

< Silence. >

The voice feels distant now.

< Do not resist. >

“Resist what?”

A strange warmth spreads through my body.

It starts in my chest.

Then it moves through my arms.

My fingers twitch.

My breathing becomes heavier.

I tense up.

< I said do not resist. >

The warmth grows stronger.

My hands begin to tremble.

“What is happening to me…?”

< You are about to find out. >

The warmth suddenly surges through me.

It feels like something is moving through my veins.

My entire body begins to shake.

“AAAGH!”

I grit my teeth as the sensation continues to spread through me.

It’s overwhelming.

I can barely stay on my feet.

< You asked for this. >

My vision turns completely white.

Something is changing.