Soren woke up feeling… wrong.
Not sick.
Not tired.
Not cursed—well, he was always cursed, but this was extra cursed.
He sat up slowly, clutching the fox. "Buddy… something feels off."
The fox chirped.
Kael looked up from sharpening his spear. "What's wrong."
"I DON'T KNOW. I FEEL… WEIRD."
Aldric snorted. "You always feel weird."
Soren threw a pillow at him. "STOP TALKING."
Lira peeked over her blanket. "What kind of weird?"
Soren clutched his chest. "Like… like I'm not alone in here."
Kael frowned. "You're never alone in there."
"I KNOW. THAT'S THE PROBLEM."
The symbol on Soren's chest pulsed.
Softly.
Slowly.
Like it was waking up.
Soren screamed. "NO. NO. GO BACK TO SLEEP. I'M NOT READY."
The fox nuzzled him.
The First Slip Happens Before Breakfast
They headed toward the dining hall.
Soren walked stiffly, like a man trying not to think about the ancient entity sharing his soul.
Kael walked beside him.
Lira walked behind him.
Aldric walked like he was waiting for Soren to trip so he could laugh.
Students stared.
Whispered.
Pointed.
One whispered, "He looks possessed."
Another said, "He looks like he's going to cry."
A third added, "He looks like he hasn't slept in a week."
Soren shouted, "I'M FINE."
He was not fine.
The symbol pulsed.
Soren froze mid‑step.
Kael grabbed his arm. "Soren?"
Soren blinked. "I… don't know what that was."
Lira frowned. "What did you feel?"
Soren whispered, "Like someone grabbed my thoughts and shook them."
Aldric muttered, "That's new."
Soren threw a pebble at him. "STOP TALKING."
The Second Slip Happens During Breakfast
Soren sat at the table, staring at his food.
He wasn't hungry.
He wasn't anything.
He was… blank.
Kael nudged him. "Eat."
"I DON'T WANT TO."
"You need to."
"I DON'T."
"You do."
"I DON'T."
Aldric muttered, "Both of you stop."
Lira placed a hand on Soren's arm. "Soren… what's wrong."
Soren opened his mouth to answer—
But the voice answered first.
"Hunger."
Soren jerked violently. "NO. NO. STOP. GET OUT OF MY MOUTH."
Kael stiffened. "He spoke through you?"
Soren screamed. "YES. I'M A PUPPET. I'M A MAGICAL PUPPET. I HATE THIS PLACE."
Aldric blinked. "That's… actually concerning."
Soren threw a spoon at him. "STOP TALKING."
The fox hopped into Soren's lap, glowing anxiously.
The symbol pulsed again.
Harder.
Soren clutched his chest. "NO. NO. STOP. I'M NOT DOING THIS IN PUBLIC."
The Third Slip Happens in Front of Everyone
A group of older students approached.
One smirked. "Hey, core‑boy. Heard you screamed in training again."
Soren opened his mouth to yell back—
But something else moved first.
His hand.
His fist.
His entire arm.
Soren punched the student.
Hard.
The entire dining hall went silent.
Soren stared at his own hand in horror. "NO. NO. I DIDN'T DO THAT. I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT. I'M SORRY. I'M SO SORRY. I'M POSSESSED. I'M HAUNTED. I'M—"
The symbol pulsed.
The voice whispered:
"Threat."
Soren screamed. "NO. HE WASN'T A THREAT. HE WAS JUST ANNOYING."
Kael grabbed him. "Soren. Look at me."
"I CAN'T. I'M HAVING A SPIRITUAL CRISIS."
Lira held his hand. "It wasn't you."
Aldric muttered, "It was definitely him."
Soren threw a fork at him. "STOP TALKING."
The fox growled softly.
The Instructors Arrive (Soren Suffers Immediately)
Seraphine stormed into the hall, phoenix blazing. "WHAT HAPPENED."
Soren pointed at himself. "I HAPPENED. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T MEAN TO. I'M POSSESSED. I'M HAUNTED. I'M CURSED. I HATE THIS PLACE."
Veylan appeared beside her, nightmare‑wolf snarling. "Explain."
Soren wailed. "I DIDN'T DO IT. HE DID IT. THE ANCIENT EVIL IN MY CHEST DID IT."
Arcturus entered last, cloak billowing like a storm cloud. "Vale."
Soren squeaked. "Yes?"
Arcturus's voice was calm. Too calm. "Did Rhyxos influence your actions."
Soren nodded violently. "YES. HE USED MY ARM LIKE A RENTAL CART."
Kael added, "It wasn't him. It was Rhyxos."
Lira nodded. "He didn't mean to."
Aldric shrugged. "He kind of did."
Soren threw a napkin at him. "STOP TALKING."
The Aftermath
Arcturus placed a hand on Soren's shoulder.
Soren froze. "Please don't kill me."
Arcturus blinked. "We are not going to kill you."
"Please don't let me explode."
"That is the goal."
"Please don't let him drive my body again."
Arcturus paused.
Soren screamed. "WHY DID YOU PAUSE."
Seraphine sighed. "Vale… this is the first sign of Level Three Influence."
Soren screamed louder. "NO. NO. I DON'T WANT LEVEL THREE. I CAN'T EVEN HANDLE LEVEL ONE."
Veylan added, "If he can move your body once, he can do it again."
Soren wailed. "I HATE THIS PLACE."
The fox pressed its head to Soren's cheek.
The symbol pulsed.
Softly.
Like it was amused.
Soren groaned. "STOP BEING AMUSED. I'M NOT FUNNY."