Darkness Within

As Fang Xuan's fists hit the ground repeatedly, something strange started happening.

The veins in his arms turned from their usual color to a deep black.

Followed was his skin also turning darker by the second, the eggshell object merging completely with his body. 

The pain intensified, so he kept punching the ground to maintain his focus.

All he could think about was revenge, driving his survival instinct to an all-time high. 

At first, he felt that his knuckles would be broken to pieces from too much force.

Strangely, the more he bled, the faster the wounds healed, leaving no trace of damage.

His body was being tempered, and his knuckles grew harder with each cycle of healing.

The pain faded, replaced by an numbness spreading through his limbs. He sensed something shifting inside him, something powerful and unnatural.

The transformation terrified him, but he couldn't stop.

Anger and grief had taken control.

"ARRRGGGG!" 

With a final roar, he stood up and threw himself at the cellar wall, his fists clenched for a punch.

BOOM!

The wall crumbled, leaving a gaping hole behind.

Looking at his now completely dark hands, he felt intoxicated by power. 

'What have I become? What was this strange new strength?'

Suddenly, his vision darkened, as if even light feared what he had unleashed. 

But amidst the fear, a strange exhilaration surged through him. For the first time, he felt truly felt alive.

'Mother !' he exclaimed. 

He remembered her after he had calm down. He rushed back to her side, his enhanced senses guiding him through the darkness and obstacles despite his impaired vision. 

Reaching her, he saw her motionless body, and fear filled him. He knew he had to save her, no matter the cost. 

'What can I do?' 

Though the bleeding had stopped because of the clotting ,she was still unconscious and weak. 

Then an idea struck him. Looking at his blackened arms, he saw tiny, dust-like objects moving beneath his skin.

Somehow, he felt they could help her.

'Please work,' 

He placed his hands over her wounds. 

A surge of energy flowed from him to her, the dark material followed his will as it cycled through her body before returning to him.

Her body convulsed, and fear gripped him. But thankfully, her breathing steadied after a minute. 

She was still unconscious, but he could sense her condition improving.

'I need to get her home,' he muttered, and gently lifted her into his arms.

She felt weightless like a feather, now that he was stronger. 

Wasting no time, he ran towards their home, each step quicker than the last.

***

***

***

Inside their home, he carefully laid his adoptive mother in her bed. Her clothes were bloodied and torn, so he gently undressed her.

In that moment, he noticed how young and innocent she looked. He found himself looking at her in a way he never had before. 

His transformation seemed to have affected more than just his body; something in his mind had shifted too. 

Whether it was good or bad remained to be seen.

Pushing aside these strange thoughts, he focused on cleaning her, wiping away dried blood. 

He carefully checked her wounded tongue, relieved to find the bleeding had stopped.

"REVENGE!"

The familiar, unified sound returned, but this time he no longer feared it. He accepted the unsettling truth that he had descended into madness.

"KILL THEM!"

Another wave of voices urged him on.

"I will," he replied, his green eyes now back to normal.

But to any onlooker, his appearance was unsettling—a far cry from that of a sane person. 

He would do anything to protect her, even if it meant embracing the darkness that now lived within him.