Chapter 16: Monster Energy
Otto sat behind his desk, his hands clasped tightly as if holding back the weight of his thoughts. Before him, Asher leaned forward, his attention sharp despite the ache in his neck and the heaviness in his limbs. Otto's voice, low and measured, broke the silence.
"You've heard of spirits—ghosts, wraiths, shadows. But do you know what an evil spirit truly is?"
Asher shook his head, and Otto exhaled slowly, as if bracing himself. "Evil spirits are the most dangerous of their kind. While shadows and wraiths are born of fleeting emotions—vengeance, injustice, loss—evil spirits are the remnants of something far more profound. They are often what remains of High Sequence Beyonders after death."
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant. "When a High Sequence Beyonder dies, their soul undergoes a mutation. Their psyche, infused with divinity and immense power, can persist long after their body has failed. If their will remains unbroken—if they carry obsession, hatred, or some unresolved desire—they become something that defies natural order."
Otto paused, his voice growing heavier. "These spirits linger, drawing strength from the spirit world or the Underworld, corrupting their surroundings to sustain themselves. Most are bound to their place of death, but given enough time and power, they can escape—often by possessing the living. Ordinary humans rarely survive such possession; their bodies are drained of spirituality and warmth in moments."
Asher shivered, the memory of the spectral bear flashing in his mind. "So... the bear... it's one of these spirits?"
Otto's jaw tightened, and he hesitated. His usual sternness gave way to something softer—something wounded. "Sort of," he admitted. "The bear is a sealed artifact, yes. But unlike most, it holds... an evil spirit."
Otto's hands gripped the edge of the desk as though anchoring himself. "The spirit is that of an old colleague. A friend, once. Before the madness consumed her."
His words faltered, and for a moment, the weight of his grief threatened to overwhelm him. He looked away, his eyes glistening in the dim light. "I don't want to burden you with an old bat's foolish tale," he said finally, his voice rough. "It's not something you need to carry."
Asher opened his mouth to press further, but Otto raised a hand, cutting him off. "No more questions about the bear. Not now." His tone was firm, though the cracks in his resolve were evident.
After taking a moment to collect himself, Otto continued, his voice steadier but still tinged with weariness.
"I hope that clarifies some of what you saw with the bear yesterday. We keep artifacts with... complications like that one down in the basement for safekeeping."
He paused, his gaze briefly drifting toward the door as if he could still sense the presence of what lay below. "As for the truly dangerous ones—the kind that could threaten an entire city or even a nation—those are secured in the main cathedrals. I'd be surprised if even a deity could breach those vaults."
After a moment of lampooning, he shifted his attention fully to Asher. "But enough about artifacts for now. We should talk about you."
"Me?" Asher asked, startled. His pulse quickened as Otto's dark eyes seemed to weigh him, studying him as though searching for something hidden just below the surface.
"Yes. Your Sequence. You're most likely a Sequence 9 of the Wheel of Fortune pathway, referred to—rather bluntly—as a Monster." Otto allowed the word to hang in the air before continuing. "It's a pathway I'm not particularly familiar with. I've only met a Sequence 7 of your pathway once, decades ago. They were called a Lucky One."
"What were they like?" Asher asked, leaning forward, curious.
Otto's lips pressed into a thin line, as though the memory wasn't one he particularly enjoyed revisiting. "Let's just say they had a talent for making things work out in their favor. They could gamble away a fortune and still walk away a winner. But their luck... it was erratic, unpredictable. It wasn't something they could depend on, and when it failed them—" He stopped, shaking his head. "That's a story for another day."
Asher frowned. "And a Sequence 9? A Monster? What does that mean?"
Otto leaned back, rubbing his temples as if trying to summon details from the recesses of his mind. "I don't know much, only fragments of information and speculation. But I can tell you this: your pathway is deeply tied to fate, probability, and luck. At Sequence 9, a Monster begins to sense the threads of destiny, though they may not understand what they're seeing or feeling."
He began ticking off points on his fingers. "You've likely experienced prophetic dreams—vague, cryptic visions of the future. If interpreted correctly, they can guide you to favorable outcomes. But more often than not, they're riddles, frustrating and incomplete."
Asher's heart skipped. The blood-red moon from his dream flashed in his memory, its fractured surface vivid and unsettling. He nodded slowly but didn't interrupt.
"You'll also notice a heightened sense of intuition," Otto continued. "Monsters are said to instinctively navigate danger, avoid traps, and uncover hidden things—a needle in a hay stack, an escape route in a dire moment. It's a combination of the Spirit World and River of Fate."
"That doesn't sound so bad," Asher said cautiously.
"Perhaps not," Otto admitted. "But there's more. At pivotal moments, you may experience debilitating headaches or even black out briefly. In those moments, you'll utter cryptic mutterings—warnings, insights, or fragments of the near future. These words can be significant, but they come at a cost of leaving you paralyzed, thus vulnerable."
Asher shifted uncomfortably. The memory of collapsing in the library and muttering about a doll flashed in his mind. "That's already happened," he murmured.
Otto's expression darkened, his gaze sharpening. "Then you've already begun tapping into the pathway's potential. But your abilities come with risks. A Monster's heightened spirituality is a double-edged sword. It lets you perceive the unseen—spirits, mystical auras, even the emotions of those around you—but without proper control, it can overwhelm you."
Asher felt a shiver run down his spine. "So... what am I supposed to do?"
Otto sighed, leaning forward. "Learn. Observe. Survive. You're at the very bottom of a dangerous ladder, and every step forward demands sacrifice. You'll need guidance—guidance I can offer only in part, as this is not my path to walk. Kaspar might be of some help; their intuition for machines shares similarities with the cryptic nature of your abilities. But tread carefully. The Wheel of Fortune is fickle, and fate does not take kindly to arrogance."
Breaking the weight of the moment, Asher yawned, which seemed to pull Otto back into the present. With a faint chuckle, Otto said, "The last lesson for today is Spirit Vision."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting to one of quiet intensity. "You'll start noticing the spiritual auras of people and objects. These auras reflect their emotional state, health, and vitality. As your vision sharpens with practice, you'll begin to see these spiritual signatures more clearly. But it's not automatic—it takes focus. You'll need to separate these auras from the physical distractions around you."
Asher nodded thoughtfully, trying to absorb the meaning of Otto's words. "So... it's like seeing a hidden world?"
"Exactly," Otto said, his voice gaining a trace of enthusiasm. "You'll see beneath the surface, a world layered over the physical one. With enough training, you may even be able to sense the past and future."
Asher's curiosity piqued, but Otto's expression grew more serious as he leaned closer. "But be careful, Asher. The stronger your spirituality grows, the clearer your vision will become. Without control, it can overwhelm you. And you... you have a great deal of spirituality. It will come with its own challenges."
Asher felt a weight settle on his shoulders, but there was also a strange sense of potential. "How do I start?"
Otto's voice softened, guiding him step by step. "First, calm your mind. Take slow, deep breaths, and clear away all distractions. Focus only on the present moment, then focus on one thing— something that doesn't exist. Be it a day without financial burden or a collage of multiple objects. Don't rush. Let the vision come to you."
Asher closed his eyes briefly, taking in a slow breath and exhaling just as deliberately. He allowed the world to quiet around him, focusing on his own inner rhythm.
The air in the room felt different, thicker somehow, and he could sense a faint pulse in the world around him—a strange but subtle energy, like the whisper of something just out of reach.
Otto's voice broke the silence. "Good. Now, expand your focus. Don't force it. In time, you'll begin to see the outlines of those auras, like halos surrounding everything."
Asher followed Otto's instructions, his mind stretching beyond the confines of his body. Slowly, the world around him began to shift. At first, the change was almost imperceptible—until it flashed. Even with his eyes closed, the entire room seemed to pulse with unseen life.
It was overwhelming.
The auras were everywhere, constantly shifting and overlapping. Asher felt a tightness in his head, a dull ache creeping up his skull as the flood of sensations overwhelmed him. His eyes darted around, seeking something to anchor him, but the sheer volume of the spiritual world was too much to bear.
Focus. Focus on just one thing amidst the thousands.
He turned his attention to Otto, grounding himself in the one steady presence in this storm of lights and colors. Slowly, the chaos started to settle. He saw a slurry of colors representing Otto's emotions.
But then something caught his eye—a strange, greenish glow beneath Otto's mechanical arm. It was as if the veins themselves pulsed with a life force, an eerie, faint green glow that seemed to be alive, stretching and contracting as though it were breathing.
The headache grew more intense, as if the pain was a consequence of seeing something too intricate. But Otto's voice sliced through the overwhelming sensation.
"Focus, Asher. Control your vision."
Asher squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, grounding himself again, feeling Otto tap his forehead.
He then opened his eyes slowly.
The overwhelming flood of colors and energy began to recede, retreating into the background. Otto's mechanical arm was just a normal, solid thing again, its once-vibrant aura now invisible.
"That was... a lot," Asher said, his voice breathless, the strain still fresh in his mind. "It's like... switching it on and off."
Otto's faint smile returned, and he nodded with approval. "Exactly. With time and practice, you'll learn to control it—when to see, when to shut it out. But it's not something to rush."
"Well done," Otto added quietly, his voice filled with quiet pride. Asher wasn't sure whether the compliment was for his skill or Otto's teaching, but either way, it felt reassuring.
(Three Asterisks)
Authors Note: Hope the exposition dump wasn't too odd, also there likely wont be a chapter for a day or two after this, procrastination at school's catching up.