6 The Advent of the Maelstrom!

"This is the Advent of Dual Sentience..."

The abyss around me fell and cracked apart, and from the openings I saw rays of Light pour in once again. I declared to myself once more, "I'm going to show this World my power, and nothing will stand against me!" My vision then became blinded by the Light that distinguished the darkness!

Soon after, my vision came back to me and I felt the limitations of flesh. I then felt the pain of a thousand teeth gnawing all over my body.

"This hurts like living hell!? What the hell is this Other Me! What did you get us into! Damn it doesn't matter anymore, I'm going to finish this!" I focused on all the Power storming in the Gem, if I release this, I can break free from their grasp. The Gem then resonated in a dark bluish color and in one instant, a devastating power burst through!

*BOOOOOM*

All the feral beasts that once latched unto me were sent airborne during the blue explosion! I stood up to my feet slowly and spoke again,

"Hey are you the kiddos that were picking on my little brother? That's going to be the last mistake you are ever going to make."

I lifted my blade for all of them see, soon a fire appeared in my eye and I took a moment to observe my surroundings.

"Hmmm since this is my first time using the body, maybe I should make a flashy debut..?" I thought for a bit then came up with an idea! "Oh I know what to do ehehe..."

Since there is a raging storm spiraling within my Gem, then maybe I should unleash that storm here on the outside! I then focused on the Power in the Gem again, I just need to unleash it like never before. I began to draw out large amounts of essence and the atmosphere around me became heavy with despair and grief. I began to control the flow to circle around me like a pissed off whirlwind, and in a few moments I was within the eye of the storm. It was like a spiral of furious winds that was able to decimate anything it touched. The forest around me began to shake violently and the birds of the air retreated away to safety. The once hostile and feral beast, became deeply afraid and hesitant to even move.

The furious maelstrom was now bursting around me instead of spiraling around in the Gem. The sound of a thousand raging winds and unquenchable fire erupted into the rest of the forest.

"Now this is my True Power, unequaled, and unrivaled. This is Power that sends a message into the hearts of all that stand against me. Power that destroys and decimates everything! This is the Power that will stand above everyone!"

I began to recede the raging whirlwind back into my Gem and walked forward. The furious storm left only blue fire and hazy mist everywhere around me. I could now feel every presence within the bluish haze, I could feel all their movement and all their strength. As I collected the overwhelming storm of spirits, I began to feel empowered like never before. Almost like all restraints on my body were completely lifted! I raised my right hand up and unleashed a sonar wave to see how many beast surrounded me.

*Toooom glink*

I can now see their numbers, it seems like a great many surrounded me still. I noticed something else after I casted the sonar, it feels like there are spirits within the forest itself! I declared loudly, "Well this is going to make things more interesting! Maybe I can consume the battlefield itself!"

I began to focus on the Power again, this time not aiming at the frail beast, but at the trees and plants, I hungered to consume everything that sprouted forth life! I started to feel power unlike I did before, it seems like I can absorb everything that lives. Soon I concentrated on everything that was green and I saw thin blue strings emerge from all around me, I kept drawing them in towards myself, who knows how much power I'm about to steal! I saw all the trees and plants give up their spirits and I proceed to me. Soon I felt the power in the Gem grow ever so slightly and a new strength entered me. The once lively green forest around me started to become wilted and orange. It seems like I'm draining out all the life this forest once had. I then looked at all the feral monsters that surrounded me, I saw a couple of light blue strings coming from them? It seems like their own souls got caught within my soul siphoning ability. They looked as though they were a bit fatigued and some were frozen in fear.

I then realized something that I shouldn't thought of earlier,

"Wait, can't I just use the souls to crush them?"

I stretched out my right hand focused on the thin strings of the creatures, so many things I wanted to try, so little time! I then focused my momentum on them tried to levitate the souls upwards, I slowly closed my fist as if I was trying to grasp them. They became stricken and began to float upwards! It worked, it seems as though I can use a type of psychokinesis on them! I raised around a dozen of them into mid air with the motion of my hand. I then flipped them upside down and with lust for blood, I said unto them,

"Fall..."

I then smashed them head first into the ground splattering them instantly! As soon as their brains spilled all over the floor, their souls were then released and immediately got pulled into my Gem!

I said aloud, "I don't even have to touch them anymore hahahaha!" I looked around myself, I wonder who's going to be next. Some of the feral beast began to flee immediately, but....

I wasn't going to let that happen....

I immediately reached out my hand again and grabbed hold of their fleeing spirits, soon the whole forest erupted in another small maelstrom and I collected some more of their souls! I then pulled forth all the ones trying to escape, must have been around 14 of them. I pulled them in towards me, they couldn't resist it nor fight it.

"What if I can crush their souls within my grasp? That would be fun!"

I began to close my hand while focusing on the strings attached to them, soon all the feral beast began to let out painful screeches. I saw them shriveling up while letting out agonizing cries, "I wonder what it feels like to have your soul crushed? Must hurt like hell huh?" I said aloud.

I gripped my right hand tightly, as soon as I gripped it, all the feral beasts let out their breath and went limp. Soon they all erupted into a mass of blue haze that wafted towards me. I looked around at all the carnage I created, "Is there even a limit to this power!? Do I literally have the power of enslaved living souls within me!" I saw many frightened and terrorized gazes drilling into me. The blue fog that wafted around the battlefield started to grow faint, I couldn't sense them like earlier either, I guess the density of the haze needs to be reinforced again.

"I wonder what other things I can do?"

There were only a handful of feral monsters remaining, maybe 18 at most. They kept me surrounded and only made growls and grunts. I shouted at them, "You should've ran like the others, at least then you would've kept your own life. Now come, join the rest of your friends in the Storm!" I stretched out my hand focusing on the Power within.

Then I felt it.... Something different... something sinister... something massive..

I looked around immediately, "What is that..? It feels worthy of my attention!" I then used my spirit sonar again, and I felt it catch something clearly behind me. I turned around slowly and saw it's grizzly eyes staring back at me. I called out to it, "You're quite the predator aren't you? Is this why the others aren't fleeing yet?"

Soon a massively large bloodied beast on all fours emerged from the darkness of the forest. The creature gave off the most intimidating aura I have ever felt. His size was at least 5 times larger than the others around him. His mouth was covered in blood and he was full of scars and gashes on his body. His slowly approached me with a fierce hunger in his eyes, I called out to him, "You must be the Alpha Beast... That's perfect.." I gave off a sly smirk and walked towards him.

"Power attracts power it seems. I hope you came prepared to die!" I declared to him.

The Alpha beast stopped firmly in his tracks, and let out a mighty roar!

"RAAARRRRRRGHHHHHHHH!"

His voice shook the very ground I stood on, but I remained unmoved. The other small fry simply stepped back and all howled into the sky. I then raised up my right hand revealing to him the Gem that inhabited it.

I then said unto him, "That power you demonstrated felt amazing! I haven't lived for very long but I can tell you that you're something special! I guess I have to respond..."

I tightened both of my fists and extended out both of my arms then unleashed the Soul Maelstrom once again, I began to feel excited when the winds tore through the forest and ignited the ground in blue flames! I let the furious whirlwind fill the ground with fog for a bit, then I receded it back into the Gem. The forest was now filled with the dense blue haze again, I could now feel his every move, and every emotion. I walked towards the Alpha beast with a confident smile and fire building inside me, I held my blade close to my hip as I approached the hellish figure.

I looked him in the eye and said, "I'm going to show you a fate worse than death.."

I was now standing before the enormous beast, he looked down into my eyes and in one instant, he reached in and tried biting my head! I swiftly jumped back and put my arms up, "Tsk, that was way too damn close! Warn me next time you do that!" I landed and did a backflip to catch my balance, I planted my right foot into the ground and lounged forward,

"Here's one back to you!" I slashed my small blade towards his face, but he quickly saw through it and countered!

He opened his mouth and caught my dagger in his mouth!

"This isn't good!"

I tried ripping my dagger from his mouth, but he wouldn't let go of it! I then packed a bunch of souls into my free hand, I felt an overwhelming power within it! I then did a soul powered uppercut! The monster jaw then crushed my blade and completely broke it!!!

"Damn it!!! That had the opposite effect!!" I shouted back while evading back. The Alpha beast took a few steps back, it seemed to be in shock from the massive blow. I thought within myself, "I don't have a weapon anymore! I have no choice but to destroy him with my Power!"

I then focused the Power of the Gem onto my fists and legs, I soon saw a strange phenomena pouring out from me...

A black goo began to ooze from the Gem and form around my arms and legs! I shouted at myself, "What the actual hell is going on now!? What is this stuff!?" The black goo began to harden like a rock, it felt off and peculiar, almost like it was alive itself! The black goo had faint traces of the souls that were in the Gem? "What the hell is this stuff?" The large Alpha beast shook his head off and looked in my direction, I said aloud, "Oh damn! I wasted all my time!" The Alpha beast leaned back, then rushed forward without warning! The black goo kept caking onto my arms and legs and hardened at the same time! Soon the Alpha beast was close and we were about to impact! I planted my foot into the ground and readied my punch!

Soon the Alpha opened his mouth for the bite, I then shouted at him, "If you want to eat something, then eat this!" I then released my punch with all the force I had in my body!! My arm went into his mouth and he chomped down!! Then I heard a loud cracking noise that echoed in my ears!

*CRAAAAACK!*

Half of my arm was in the beasts mouth, but then I saw a stream of blood pour out of his mouth. However, it wasn't my blood!!

I pulled out my arm with everything I had, and then ripped out some of his carnivorous teeth with it! I looked at my right arm and saw large teeth sticking out of the hardened black goo. The Alpha beast began to screech and wail in absolute misery!

"RAAAAAAAAAGHHHHH aaaAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!!"

He was throwing himself around everywhere, I without a moments hesitation jumped in with my fists ready! I soon reached him and began to unleash a flurry of punches in rapid succession!

*PAPAPAPAPAPAPAAPAPAPAPAPAPA*

The punches made a painful pop each hit! I focused my punches into his skull and kept firing away!

The Alpha kept pushing back by my flurry, I then became a little fatigued because of the constant hitting! I soon jumped back to regain my footing. As I landed, I began to pant softly, I felt a little fatigued. The Alpha beast staggered around for a bit, am I getting him? He still felt as powerful as he was in the beginning, his power hasn't faded yet like the others did while I was slaughtering them. Just then I heard a strange but gentle voice call out to me...

"Hey can you hear me out there?"

The voice that called out to me was a familiar one. I was wondering if he was still around...

I called out to the Voice, "Other Me is that you?"

The Voice replied, "Yes, it seems as though our roles have swapped for now. Now I know what you mean about the strange Gem."

I answered him saying, "Yeah I told you, anyways we have a bigger problem out here. Can you sense that enormous power?"

He replied, "Yes I can feel it, but it's not as powerful as the Thing at the center of the Gem.."

I became puzzled, I asked him, "What do you mean by Thing at the center of the Gem? Isn't there only souls and spirits in there?"

He replied to me, "What? You don't know about it? It's quite powerful and feels different than the souls! It's disturbing as hell!"

I quickly asked him, "Well what is it? I can't feel anything other than that huge beast I'm killing!"

The Other Me can feel another presence inside of the Gem, when I was in his place, I could only feel the Maelstrom of Souls but he can feel something else in there, and specifically at the center of the Gem! Could this be a hint to what the Gem's purpose is? I guess we have to find out..

I then asked my Other Self, "Hey do you know what that thing is? Is it possible to draw it out?"

He replied to me, "I will do what I can, for now focus on killing the Alpha beast with what you have!" I nodded my head, "You got it little brother! I'm counting on you! Whatever you do, don't let the Gem go berserk!"

He replied, "Other Me I'm going to say this once and don't be mad either.."

I became slightly concerned, "What are you going to do...?"

What he said next immediately took my breath away,

"I'm heading inside of the Gem... Wish me luck!"