chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Descent Begins

Pod stood alone, the world around him a blur of distorted sensations. Ever since his confrontation with the strange figure in the alley, everything felt... sharper. His senses had been heightened to the point of overwhelming clarity. Every sound, every scent, every shift in the air—it all screamed for his attention. It was like the world had become a vast, intricate web, and he was now aware of every tremor, every ripple.

At first, the sensation had been exhilarating. He could hear conversations happening blocks away, the flutter of a bird's wings, even the rustle of leaves from trees far off in the distance. His vision was equally intense, colors too vibrant, details too precise. He could see things he had never noticed before—the faint patterns in the sky, the fine cracks in the walls of buildings, even the barely perceptible shimmer of heat rising from the pavement.

But it was becoming too much.

The more he tuned into his surroundings, the harder it became to tune them out. His head throbbed with the endless flood of stimuli, his mind struggling to process the overload of information. And beneath it all, something dark stirred within him. A feeling he couldn't quite place—like a shadow lurking just at the edge of his consciousness, waiting to take hold.

Pod found himself wandering the streets of Shigatsu, the familiar city now a cacophony of overwhelming sights and sounds. He had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. Mika had been avoiding him, and he couldn't blame her. After that accident, after the day his power had lashed out, things hadn't been the same. He had hurt her—unintentionally, but the damage was done.

As he passed by the crowds, Pod noticed how people unconsciously kept their distance from him. They couldn't possibly know what he had become, and yet, they seemed to sense something was wrong. He could hear their whispers, the way their heartbeats quickened when they glanced his way. They were afraid.

Pod felt a knot tighten in his chest. He hadn't asked for this. He hadn't asked to become a Choujin, to bear the weight of power he barely understood. Yet, here he was—his senses twisted into tools he couldn't control, his humanity slowly slipping away.

He needed answers. He needed to understand what was happening to him before it was too late.

But where could he go? Who could he trust?

His mind drifted back to the old stories, the myths of the Severers—Choujin who had managed to break free from the darkness that consumed them. They were legends, tales whispered among those desperate for hope. Pod had never believed in them, not until now. If the Severers were real, if they could sever the bond between him and the darkness growing inside him, maybe they were his only chance.

But finding them wouldn't be easy.

Pod knew of only one place where he might get the answers he sought—The Midnight Sun Church. It was the largest and most influential of the churches in Shigatsu, led by a Choujin named Morgan, a man known for his power to manipulate space. If anyone knew of the Severers or how to control the darkness, it would be him.

The thought of confronting someone like Morgan sent a shiver down Pod's spine. The churches were dangerous, each one vying for power and control. Approaching them meant risking everything, but Pod was running out of options.

As night fell, Pod made his decision. He would go to the Midnight Sun Church. He would confront Morgan and demand answers. It was a gamble, but it was better than letting the darkness swallow him whole.

The streets were eerily quiet as Pod made his way toward the massive cathedral that loomed over the city. Its towering spires reached up into the sky, casting long, foreboding shadows. The building seemed to pulse with power, a reminder of the influence the church held over Shigatsu.

Pod hesitated at the entrance, the weight of what he was about to do pressing down on him. He could feel the eyes of the church's guards on him, their gazes sharp and suspicious. They were Choujin too, no doubt, and they could sense the change in him.

Swallowing his fear, Pod stepped forward, his senses screaming as the sheer intensity of the church's aura washed over him. The air was thick with power, the very walls humming with an unnatural energy.

A voice echoed from the shadows. "What brings you here, boy?"

Pod turned to see a man step out from the darkness. He was tall, muscular, with a squared face and cold, calculating eyes. Pod recognized him instantly—Morgan, the leader of the Midnight Sun.

"I need answers," Pod said, his voice steady despite the storm of fear building inside him. "I need to know how to control this... this power."

Morgan's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing through Pod as though he could see into the very depths of his soul. For a long moment, there was only silence, the tension between them thick and suffocating.

"And why," Morgan asked, his voice low and dangerous, "would I help someone like you?"

Pod clenched his fists, his heightened senses picking up every small shift in Morgan's posture, every slight change in the air. He knew he was outmatched here, but he had no other choice.

"Because if you don't," Pod said, "I'll become a threat to everything. And if you really care about the balance in this city, you won't let that happen."

Morgan studied him for a moment, then smiled—a cold, calculating smile. "Interesting. You're not the first to come here looking for answers. But let me warn you, boy. Power doesn't come without a price. If you want to understand what you've become, you'll have to be prepared to face the truth. And I'm not sure you're ready for that."

Pod swallowed hard, but he didn't back down. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Morgan's smile widened, and for a moment, Pod could see something dark and dangerous flicker in the man's eyes.

"Very well," Morgan said. "Come inside. Let's see just how far you're willing to go".