It tilted its head, the soft glow from its crimson body pulsing faintly. "It took me a while to come back, though. I was completely drained. That's why I wasn't around until now."
Elias's mouth opened, but no sound came out. He stepped back, his gaze darting over the creature as though seeing it might explain things better. The faint twitch of its antennae and the way it floated so effortlessly made his skin prickle. "This has to be some kind of hallucination," he muttered. "I hit my head, or... maybe I'm still passed out."
"Oh, you're passed out," the creature replied casually, tapping its little chin. "Hopefully, you don't get mugged or something. That'd be awkward."
Elias felt his pulse pounding in his ears. "This has to be some kind of dream," he muttered, gripping his head. "I'm losing it."
"Dream? Nah," the creature chirped. "Think of it like... an introduction! I'm here to help. Or, uh, maybe cause problems. We'll see how it goes."
Elias face palmed and thought for a moment, "damn it; Elara was right; could you like wake me up?"
"I can try; I was just so excited to talk to anyone I had to pull you in. It's antenna twitched slightly and a moment later he was back on the floor as an attendant helped him to his feet and the voice said "You're the guy that got shot and stabbed right?"
"Do you need me to call an ambulance? Getting out of the hospital so soon must be hectic," the man asked, giving Elias a concerned glance.
"N-no, that's fine," Elias replied quickly, waving him off with an awkward smile. "I'm good, really." He gave a small nod of thanks and continued walking, his steps steady despite the lingering weight of exhaustion.
As he moved, the air around him felt oddly cold, sharp enough to raise the hair on his arms. Elias stuffed his hands into his pockets and muttered under his breath, "Why did you have to wait until right after she left to tell me you exist? Now I have to track her down and let her know."
A cheerful voice chimed in his head. "I don't know if that's such a great idea."
Elias froze mid-step, his shoulders stiffening. "Wh—what?" His voice came out louder than intended, and he quickly lowered it, glancing around to make sure no one had heard. "Wait... you can hear my thoughts?"
A moment later, the small crimson creature phased through his chest like a ghost, hovering in front of him as he resumed walking. Its antennae twitched in rhythm with its tiny floating movements. "Yep! And I can pop out to chat whenever I want. Though, fun fact—no one else can see me unless they're tuned into soul energy."
"Soul energy?" Elias echoed, his brows furrowing as he tried to wrap his mind around the phrase.
"Pretty much," the creature said with a casual shrug. "It's the energy life runs on. Kinda like the juice in a battery. It's what allowed me to patch up your wounds. Though, let's be clear—that only worked because none of your vital organs were damaged. If your lung had been hit? Yeah, I couldn't have done much about that. So maybe... don't go getting shot again, okay?"
Elias pinched the bridge of his nose as he walked up the steps to his apartment building. "I'm still having a really hard time believing any of this is real. And why shouldn't I trust Elara? I've known her most of my life. She was my best friend growing up, all the way until she joined the military and I... flunked out."
The creature tilted its head, floating closer to Elias's face. "Flunked out? What's that mean?"
Elias sighed, fumbling for his keys as he reached his apartment door. "It means I couldn't keep up," he said, his tone bitter. He paused, letting the key hover over the lock. "Anytime I thought I was making progress, I'd hit a wall. They pushed us hard—physically, mentally—and every time I thought I could handle it, something would happen. I'd collapse during a run, or I'd miss a target by an embarrassing margin. I..." He trailed off, his voice growing quieter. "I guess I just wasn't cut out for it."
The creature hovered closer, its blue eyes softening as it watched him unlock the door. "So you gave up?"
Elias pushed the door open, stepping into his modest apartment. He tossed his keys onto the small kitchen counter and turned to face the creature. "I didn't give up," he said sharply. "I was cut. There's a difference."
"Sure, sure," the creature said, drifting into the room. It twirled in the air, observing the small space. "Anyway, Elara might be your best friend, but I don't think it's a good idea to tell her about me. At least... not yet."
"And why not?" Elias asked, kicking off his shoes and collapsing onto the worn couch. "She's one of the few people I trust. She'd understand."
"I just don't know if—"
The sudden sound sent a jolt of adrenaline through Elias. The light flicked on, and he froze, his breath hitching. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the gleam of polished metal—a slick, metallic revolver pointed directly at his temple.
"Don't move," a gravelly voice ordered.
Elias turned his head slightly, his blood running cold as he recognized the man. It was the robber—the one whose face he'd smeared with blood during the attack. The bruises from the scuffle were still faintly visible on his face, and his eyes were wild with frustration and desperation.