Hello, good morning, afternoon or evening, before you start reading, I'd like to say that this story is a collaboration between Wattpad user Jetstream56 and myself. Give him due credit and thanks as well.

Happy reading to you!

Chapter 1 - Forced Symbiosis

How long has it been? How many centuries? How many of us are still sane? Did the project we worked on so much didn't work? Was there a problem with the Grimoires? On the other hand, would it be a problem with the original Gestalt? Where are the supervisors?

All these questions ran through my mind as I walked through this sewer, my footsteps echoing down the long stone corridor as the dirty water ran beside me, luckily I am unable to smell, an advantage of not having a body.

As I walked, I saw others like me, hiding from the sunlight, using this grimy place as home, I try to talk to them occasionally, but their minds have long since degraded, they let out meaningless mutterings, or snatches of memories from the past.

"I am… I am… AAAHHH!"

"Honey, where are you?"

"Why… Because I…"

"Mom… Mom is you?"

Some huddled in corners, waiting for the end to come, others would head-butt the walls in frustration and then there were those who went crazy, using pieces of pipes, bricks, and other objects they found, attacking everyone ahead.

I saw a group of them passing, I hid in a crevice in the wall and waited for them to go away, when I saw them disappear, I breathed a sigh of relief and returned to my walk.

I kept walking until I reached a metal door, opening this door I entered a room, my room, an old metal bed in front of me, on the left, a table with a chair, on top of the table, a pile of trinkets that I stole through the city.

Books, vases, toys, figurines, coins, keys, and much more, it's amazing how their culture has developed, it wasn't planned by us at all, I wonder if it's an unforeseen result or intentionally done by someone.

But what was on the other side of the room was what caught the most attention, my weapon, the weapon I stole from a blacksmith, sometimes some of us escaped from the sewers and caused trouble around town, I found a group attacking an old blacksmith, I took one of his weapons and chased the group away, but when I turned around, the blacksmith had fled.

It was a big ax with a twisted red handle, with engravings on the bottom area and a metallic thorn on the tip, the ax had a strange design, two worn blades protruding from one side, you had the area of old and worn metal, one blade, the other metal area, then a larger blade.

I took the axe, it was moderately heavy in my hand, and I took a few swings in the air, a dark aura covered the weapon, the inhabitants of this world call it magic. Hump! If only they knew the truth behind it, the MASO we've studied for decades reduced to simple magic.

I sat on my bed, lost in thought, or what little I could think, my mind was getting lighter every day, I was relapsing, the result of centuries without a body, I'd say a year from now I'd be no different from others who live here. Maybe I should throw the ax away so when they find me I'll be easy to kill.

Well, I guess that's it, I have nothing else to do, let's try to get some sleep, maybe tomorrow I'll wake up to find it was all a dream. As if, that was ever going to happen. I lay down and closed my eyes.

"Did you really think you could rob us and get away with it?!"

Someone screaming and the sound of something being hit awakened me.

"AAAHHH!"

I jumped out of bed when I heard the scream.

"You must think you're very smart, don't you? You fucking thief!"

"AAAHHH!"

"Now give back what you stole!"

I approached the small hole that was on the wall of my room, it was for draining rainwater, fortunately, it was in an alley, preventing sunlight from entering, I approached and observed what was happening.

I could see three pairs of feet surrounding a young man lying on the ground, he must be about eighteen and he was hugging something against his chest, the three pairs of feet kicked him repeatedly, I saw blood running from his nose and mouth, one of his eyes was swollen, then I heard a pop.

CRACK!

"AAAHHH!"

One of the kicks must have broken a rib, normally I wouldn't interfere, my presence would only cause trouble, but the men didn't stop, they were going to kill the young man, I let out a sigh, maybe I can do something good before I turn into a monster.

Grabbing the ax and sliding through the hole, my body and weapon moving like water, I reformed behind one of the men.

"I will repeat it one more time! Give it back… what?"

I put a hand on the man's shoulder, getting his attention, the man looked at my hand, his eyes widened and fear appeared on his face, the man turned and looked at me. I had a top view of the man; I was tall, taller than a human being and others like me.

Probably due to my rationality, I manage to maintain a larger and more stable shape.

"Enough." I said it politely, but my voice must have come out as a distorted scream, it's not as if they could understand me.

"SHA… SHA… SHA…" The man stammered, backing up until his back hit the wall.

"Hey, what's the matter?" The second man asked, turning to his friend, he had the same expression as the first one to see me.

The second man tapped the third on the shoulder, and he was the one who realized the gravity of the situation.

"SHADE!" The third screamed.

"Hump! It took long enough." I swung my fist, hitting the first man in the side of the head, knocking him away; he only stopped when he hit a wall at the end of the alley.

The second froze, I walked over and raised my axe, swinging the weapon, I slammed the flat part into the man's head, probably killing him, the sound of breaking bone echoing through the alley.

The third, realizing the situation, tried to run away, I pulled my arm back, then pushed it forward, my arm stretched out, I grabbed the man by the leg in the middle of his run, I pulled him towards me.

The man fell to the ground, dragging his fingers, trying to hold on to something, when he got close to me, I held him upside down, and I kicked him in the face, leaving him unconscious, I threw him to the side and I approached the young man.

He was seriously injured, being lynched for a long time, broken bones, internal damage, blood running from his mouth and nose, he stared at me with his good eye, I saw fear in his eyes, the young man shook with fear, trying to get up, but seeing that he wasn't going to make it, he closed his eyes.

Hm… What should I do? I could make noise, getting someone's attention to help the young man. I could walk away pretending nothing happened. Alternatively,… I looked at my hand, a hand made of yellow energy with clawed fingers connected to an arm made of darkness. Or… I could get a body.

It would be beneficial for both of us, I would be stabilized and the young man's life saved, I just hope he doesn't panic when he finds out, I changed into my 'liquid' form and crawled into his body, now all that's left is to fix the damage and wait.

XXXXXX

I don't know how much time passed, I must have slept at some point, but when my vision returned, "I" was standing, in fact, it was the completely healed young man, it's strange, I have a three hundred and sixty degree view of the world around me, with that person as the central point.

"Hm… What happened? What happened to them?" The young man asked, looking around confusedly at his unconscious pursuers, but from his stance, he looked ready to run.

The young man looked at himself and felt his body in search of injuries "I don't feel any pain. How is this possible?"

One of his hands went towards his eye, which was previously swollen "Nothing. And where did SHADE go? Was it a hallucination? It mustn't have been, who else would have taken these guys down? But if it was SHADE, then why am I alive?"

The young man took a step down the alley, but his foot bumped into something, looking down, he saw the thing he had stolen, giving a smile, he took the object wrapped in a cloth.

"Know what! The important thing is that I'm alive!" The young man ran out of the alley, hugging the object tightly, he ran through the white tiled streets, dodging and pushing people in his path.

I laughed a little with the joy of the young man, how I would like to have that energy, to return to the time when nothing was wrong, on the way, I enjoyed the landscape, I saw the blue sea, its waves rising and falling with a calming noise, the golden sand where children played, how I wish I could feel the earth under my feet again, and looking up I saw the sun. I almost cried to be able to be in its presence without burning to death.

I shifted my focus to the city, houses of the most varied sizes, built with wood and white stone, men, women and children walking the streets, stalls with merchants set up along the way, sailors and fishermen entering their ships, blacksmiths working in their forges, I saw the blacksmith I had saved.

Seafront is what the locals called the place, too bad I can't get closer and ask more about their culture, my workmates would have been impressed, but like every society, there was an ugly side.

The streets got dirty, the voice of the commerce got lower, the houses looked more run down, the people I met were thinner and wore more worn clothes, it wasn't total poverty, but I saw that the people here were less favored.

The young man ran through the streets and alleys until he reached a white stone house, opening the old wooden door, the young man threw the object on top of a table and threw himself into a wooden chair, leaning back and letting out a long Sigh.

"That was close, for a moment I thought I was going to die."

"Well, you can thank me."

"Who said that?!" The young man asked, jumping out of the chair, seeing that there was no one there, he sat down again, with a hand on his face and laughing.

"HAHAHA! I must be stressed from almost dying; a glass of water should calm me down." The young man got up, approached a kitchen, took a pitcher, filled a glass with water, and drank.

"Believe me, the stress you are feeling right now is nothing compared to what is to come."

"PPPSSHHH!" The young man spit out the water upon hearing my voice.

"Who's there?!" The young man asked, running towards the table and picking up the object wrapped in cloths.

"It would not be a good idea to reveal myself."

"You better do this, I'm armed!" The young man replied, taking the cloths from the object and revealing a sword, it was a short sword, adorned in gold, and with the face of a lion at the base.

"So this is what you stole? A beautiful sword can be sold for a good price, probably enough to get you out of here, isn't it?"

"And?! You won't take that from me! If you want the gold this sword is worth, you'll have to take it from me!"

"Believe me, I could do that easily, but I'd rather not cause trouble."

"Serious? So why don't you show up?"

"Because I don't want you screaming like a frightened child."

"GGRRR! Who do you think I am? I don't know how you found my home, or how you know I stole this sword, but if you don't want to be cut to pieces, come out!"

"Okay, then don't say I didn't warn you." I crawled out of his body, but keeping us connected by a line of darkness that linked his body to mine, I came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"BOO!" I screamed in his ear.

"AAAHHH!" The young man turned quickly, sword in hand, but upon seeing me, his eyes strayed upward towards my face, he had the expected reaction.

In other words, he screamed like crazy.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" The young man threw the sword at me, I leaned to the side, and the weapon embedded itself in the wall.

"Calm down!" I tried to get closer.

"AAAHHHH!" However, he kept screaming.

"I just want to talk!"

"Stay away from me!" The young man threw a chair in my direction.

I leaned unnaturally to the side, it's not like I had any bones "This is getting annoying, I just want to talk!"

"And since when do SHADES talk? You will not steal my body!" The young man ran into another room of the house and locked the door behind him.

I approached the door and knocked lightly on it. "Please let me in, I don't want to hurt you, but I need you to hear what I have to say."

"I will not fall for a monster's tricks!" The young man shouted from the other side.

Monster? I looked at myself, saw my reflection in a window, clenching my fists in irritation, I decided to get this over with.

"Enough! You will hear me, and it will be now!" I grabbed the door, my claws sinking into the old wood, and ripped it off its hinges.

Throwing the door aside, I saw the young man on the floor, as I approached, he crawled away.

"HEL…" Before he could scream any more, I took control of his left arm, making him shut up.

I approached him, part of my body returning into him through the line that connected us, in the end, only my torso was outside, I was eye level with him.

"Listen to what I have to say, and listen well, I'll take the hand away from your mouth, and you won't scream, understand?"

The young man nodded.

"Excellent."

I removed the hand from his mouth.

"HEL…"

I shut him up again because the first thing he did was try to scream.

"You are making my life difficult! Nevertheless, maybe it's partially my fault; I didn't present myself in the best light. My name is J... My name is J..." What is my name? What was my name? Has it been that long? Let's go! Think of a name!

"My name is Jekyll. And you? If you try to scream, I will punch you in the face." I said extending my hand to the young man.

I removed my hand from his mouth and the young man whispered something.

"Could you repeat? I didn't understand."

I heard a murmur, but I still don't understand.

"Come on! Say it louder."

"Hyde! My name is Hyde!" The young man shouted, not accepting the handshake.

"Well, Hyde, it's an honor to meet you, I know we didn't introduce ourselves in the best way. So how about we settle down and talk in the living room." I said to Hyde.

He gave me a nervous wave and hurried out of the room, I followed him, I noticed that Hyde was giving quick glances back in my direction, I shrugged, I can't help the way I look.

In the room, I took one of the chairs that Hyde had thrown and put it in place, I also stretched my arm and pulled the sword from the wall, placing it on top of the table, I sat in the chair and Hyde sat in the other one on the other side of the table.

His gaze shifted between the sword and me, I sighed, "Listen, if I wanted to harm you, I would have done it already."

"And why should I believe in a SHADE?" Hyde asked.

"Because this SHADE is talking to you instead of killing you? And please don't call me SHADE, that's offensive, I prefer to be called G... Ges... Gestalt. Yes! This is the name! Gestalt!"

"Okay, so what does a SHA… Gestalt wants with me? I'm not that important."

"I need your help with something."

"HÁ! As if I would believe that, you're just waiting for the right moment to steal my body!"

"There is a problem with that."

"And what would be?"

"I am already inside you." I cringed at how wrong that sounded.

"What?" Hyde asked confused.

"Look at your legs."

"My legs?" Hyde looked down the table and saw a dark line connecting his body to mine.

"What is that?!" Hyde got up, trying to move away from the line, but the line stretched, following him, so Hyde tried to go sideways, but the line did the same, passing furniture as if they didn't exist.

"This is proof that we are connected, our bodies fused into one being."

"You mean I'm part SHADE now?!"

"Gestalt! And yes, you are, thanks to me. You don't need to thanks."

"And why should I thank you?! I'm a monster and it's all your fault!" Hyde stepped forward, picked up the sword from the table, and pointed it at me.

"Calm down."

"Undo it now!"

"Let me explain."

"Now!"

"Okay, but don't forget you asked for it."

I cut our connection, separating our bodies, immediately Hyde trembled and weakened, dropping the sword and his legs giving up, Hyde fell to the ground, coughing up blood.

I returned to Hyde's body, his wounds had healed; he looked full of life now.

Leaving Hyde's body, I sat down in the chair, the line connecting us again.

"What was that?" Hyde asked, catching his breath and returning to his seat.

"This is what will happen if we get separated. Do you think it was a miracle that you survived that beating? It was me, I healed you and I am the one keeping you alive, if we part we will both die, though your death will come sooner than mine."

"Shit! Does that mean I'll be stuck with a SHADE for the rest of my life?"

"Gestalt! And no, that doesn't have to happen, but you'll have to help me."

"What?"

"Hyde, if you help me, we will both save all mankind."

Hyde leaned back in his chair "HAHAHA! A SHADE wanting to save humanity? You are crazy! SHADES only kill and destroy! I will not stand here and listen to you talking nonsense!"

Hyde got up, wrapped the sword in cloths and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To sell that thing and get the hell out of this place!"

"I will go with you."

"No, you stay here!"

"You don't have a choice, where you go, I'll go, except if you want to die."

Hyde grunted in irritation and slammed the door, young people these days are always in a hurry, I changed shape and slid under the door and back to Hyde's body.

"You're too hasty; you haven't even heard what I have to say."

"You are a SHADE, nothing you say is true."

"Wow that hurt."

"I hope so."

We walked through the streets of the poor area of Seafront, passing houses with clotheslines hanging from the windows, children playing in the streets with a small ball, small shops and stalls here and there, it wasn't that bad, until we reached a specific street.

In a street there were people huddled in corners, covered from head to toe in pieces of fabric, some coughing, others scratching their bodies fervently, and others lying on the ground without moving.

Hyde walked along this street towards his objective, until one of these people stopped him.

"Would you have any alms to donate to this poor man?" The man lifted his head and looked at Hyde.

I caught a glimpse of his face, his face was covered in dark letter-like marks, he was relapsing, and he wouldn't last long.

Hyde hesitated for a moment, looking around to see if anyone was watching, Hyde took a bronze coin from his pocket and handed it to the sick man.

"Thank you very much, sir!" The man thanked him.

Hyde gave a little wave and continued on his way, so he's not all bad.

"You know, I can help with that."

"What?"

"The disease that man has, curing this disease is part of my goal, but I need your help."

"You're lying; you're saying what I want to hear."

Hyde stopped in front of a shop.

"What place is this?"

"That's where I'll get my ticket out of here."

Hyde entered the store, there was a large wooden counter in front of us with shelves full of antiques, behind the counter was an old man, he smiled when he saw Hyde.

"So, what did you bring me today?" the old man asked.

"Take a look at this." Hyde laid the sword on the counter.

The old man was surprised and analyzed the weapon.

"Serious? Leaving this place is more important than getting a cure for the disease?"

"Black Scrawl is incurable and spreads more every day, with the sword's money, I will move far away, to a disease-free place."

"Hm! If it's money you care about, I know where to get more."

"How much?" This got Hyde's attention.

"Gold, more gold than you can carry, if I show you where the gold is, will you listen?"

"Let me hear what the old man has to say first. Hey old man! How much is the sword worth?"

"I would say, twenty gold coins."

"Only twenty? I almost died to get this thing! It must be worth more than that!"

"Twenty and period, take it or leave it." The old man crossed his arms.

Frustrated, Hyde took the sword and left the shop.

"That sword is worth a lot more than, isn't it?"

"You can bet it is, the merchant I stole from was filthy rich, that's certainly worth more."

"Have you thought about my offer?"

"I accept, take me to the gold and I will hear what you have to say."

"You weren't genuine, there's a chance you won't do anything after getting the gold."

"And there's a chance you're lying to me."

"Fair."

We walked in silence for a few minutes.

"Then? Will you tell me where the gold is?"

"Will you help me?"

"FINE! I WILL HELP YOU!" Hyde screamed, immediately people in the street jumped in fright at Hyde's outburst, Hyde blushed with embarrassment and ran away.

"I'm glad you agreed, but we'll have to leave Seafront for that and you'd better take that sword, we'll encounter Gestalts on our way."

"I'm already regretting trusting you. And don't just call it a sword; call a weapon by its name, Beastbain, that's the name of the sword."

"You seem to have an interest in weapons."

"It's a hobby of mine. But enough talk, take me to the gold."

"If you insist, but better keep your end of the bargain."

"Same to you."

So Hyde and I left the Seafront, through green fields, with the animal and the occasional Gestalt, I led Hyde to where the gold was.

TIMESKIP

"What happened here?" Hyde asked.

"This is the result of a disaster that occurred millennia ago." I answered as we walked through the city.

We were in the ruins of a modern 21st century city, we passed markets, office buildings, apartments and much more, rusty cars were in the streets, vegetation covered the buildings.

"And how do you know that?"

"I was there; I was a sci... a sci... I can't remember, my memory is not what it used to be."

"Then you must be quite old."

"More than you imagine."

We kept walking until we reached a large building, the letters in front of it faded, but it was still possible to read what was written "Bank."

"We arrived."

"So this is where the gold is?"

"Yes, just go in and get the gold, but be careful of the ones you call SHADE."

"I know how to take care of myself."

We walked through the bank's glass door and immediately they arrived, SHADES or Gestalts, call it what you want, their shapes distorted, looking like humanoid clouds of smoke.

With a distorted scream they charged forward, but Hyde didn't act, he was shaking, he was afraid.

"Hyde! Don't just stand there!"

This snapped him out of his trance, with a scream, Hyde swung his sword carelessly, but it hit first SHADE in the chest, blood spurting from the wound as a large gash was created.

"How… how did I do that?" Hyde asked in surprise.

"That would be thanks to me, not only did I heal your wounds, but our fusion made us stronger, we are both superhuman now, so fight without worry."

Hyde was nervous, but my words encouraged him a little, the SHADE cut in the chest advanced again, swinging his arm, trying to hit Hyde in the chest, Hyde bent down and slashed at SHADE's waist, then slashed it in the chest again.

"HAHA! I did it!"

SLASH!

Hyde turned and saw a SHADE split in two on the ground.

"How?"

"It was me." I left Hyde's body and reformed holding my axe.

"Do you have a weapon?"

"Yes, the Vile Axe, focus on the fight, I won't be able to protect your back all the time."

A mad SHADE approached me, raising both arms trying to crush me.

"I am really sorry." I told the SHADE; I moved out of the way of the blow and raised the axe, slamming it into SHADE's arms, slicing them off in a spray of blood, and then decapitating SHADE, his body disappearing in smoke.

I saw Hyde fighting another SHADE, he slashed SHADE on the shoulder, letting out a scream of rage, SHADE swung its arm, hitting Hyde in the chest, making him roll across the floor, SHADE approached, trying to step on Hyde's head, Hyde rolled out of the way and getting up, slashed SHADE in the leg then in the waist.

The SHADE disappeared too.

A SHADE jumped on top of a table and then towards me, I swung my ax like a bat, throwing it against a marble pillar, approaching the SHADE, I cut off his head before he got up.

With it all over, I approached Hyde "Are you okay?"

Hyde glared at me, distrust still between us, he gave a simple nod.

"So where is the gold?"

"There." I pointed to a vault door.

"Serious? Behind that door! It will take years to open!"

"You are quick to jump to conclusions. Approach the door."

Hyde did as I said.

"And now?"

"Now I do my part." I returned to Hyde's body and took control of his arms.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving you a hand." I grabbed the edge of the vault door and pulled it, it should be worn by time, with our strength, it should be easy to open.

Hyde looked down at his arms, now dark and covered in yellow lines; eventually the vault door gave way and opened.

"How is this possible?" Hyde asked in surprise.

"This is what we can achieve if we work together, and as I promised, there's your gold."

Hyde's jaw dropped as he saw the treasure in front of him, perfectly stacked bars of gold, gleaming like the sun.

"What is all this gold doing here?"

"When disaster struck, money lost its value, gold is of no use when everyone is dying."

Hyde was silent.

"You were speaking the truth."

"Yes. And now are you going to listen?"

"Yes. I will listen to any crazy things you have to say." Hyde smiled to the gold.

"Perfect! And Hyde?"

"Yes."

"Call me Jekyll."

"Fine, Jekyll."

END OF CHAPTER

Well, what did you think? Leave your comments about the story, criticism and suggestions are welcome, until the next chapter.