Deviant: No Longer Human

One drop...

A second drop...

The haunting sound continued its eternal echo, a rhythmic cadence that defied the bounds of time.

Within the heart of the pool, Wang Xiao lay in a profound slumber, his stillness undisturbed by breath or movement.

Each droplet of water cascaded directly onto his forehead, a gentle descent in the midst of the ageless symphony, as if nature itself was weaving a lullaby for the enigmatic sleeper.

In this surreal amalgamation of sound and stillness, the mysteries of the underground realm unfolded, obscured by the perpetual darkness and the quiet presence of Wang Xiao at its center.

Amidst the echoing droplets and the profound silence, Wang Xiao stirred.

His eyes slowly opened to a world shrouded in darkness. Disoriented, he attempted to sit up, feeling the cold surface beneath him.

Panic flickered in his chest as he realized he couldn\'t discern any shapes or forms in the obsidian void that enveloped him.

A sense of isolation settled in, and he called out, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

No response. Only the sound of his own voice echoed back at him, dissipating into the darkness.

As Wang Xiao strained to make sense of his surroundings, a distant glimmer caught his attention. A faint red ball of gas, like a distant star, floated towards him from afar. It emanated an otherworldly glow, casting an eerie crimson hue across the void.

Wang Xiao, still adjusting to the darkness, continued to scan his surroundings. "What is this place?" he muttered to himself, the echo of his own voice bouncing off unseen walls.

The distant red orb continued its slow approach, casting an otherworldly glow that barely illuminated the emptiness around him.

As the crimson light intensified, Wang Xiao\'s eyes began to discern shapes and contours.

The darkness seemed to morph into a surreal landscape, vast and indefinite. "Is this a dream?" he wondered aloud, his voice carrying a mix of awe and confusion.

The red orb drew nearer, revealing a labyrinth of ethereal pathways and floating structures, suspended in the void.

Wang Xiao, both intrigued and apprehensive, couldn\'t shake the feeling that this place held profound significance.

With each step toward the mysterious sphere, he found fragments of memories beginning to surface.

A sense of purpose and destiny whispered in the recesses of his mind. "Why am I here?" he questioned, his inner monologue colliding with the mysteries of the cosmic realm unfolding before him.

In the midst of his uncertainty, a voice echoed through the void, distant yet distinct. "Welcome, Wang Xiao."

Startled, Wang Xiao turned in the direction of the voice. The obsidian expanse seemed to absorb his every movement. "Who\'s there? Where am I?"

The voice, soothing and mysterious, resonated through the emptiness. "You are in the space between realms, Wang Xiao. A place where possibilities converge."

Wang Xiao\'s mind raced with questions, and he hesitated before asking, "What do you want from me?"

The voice subtly shifted, now directly emanating from the luminous orb that hovered before him. "I don\'t want anything, but you have badly damaged your brain and are about to die if not for me."

Wang Xiao\'s eyes narrowed, the crimson glow from the orb casting shadows on his puzzled expression. "You want me to be grateful for you to save me?"

The orb shook, its luminous glow flickering in an otherworldly dance that seemed to echo with spectral laughter. "No... But we both are trapped here, and it\'s all thanks to you."

"Me?" Wang Xiao uttered, his voice a perplexed echo in the cosmic void.

The orb\'s radiance intensified, revealing intricate patterns of light that swirled and danced around its spherical form. "The shadows you saw were woven by the delicate threads of your own mind, pushing the boundaries until it overwhelmed itself. By the time I found your body, your brain was already weakened.

Even if you hadn\'t experienced that accident, a slow descent into madness awaited you, with the mental hospital as your final sanctuary."

"You found me? Who the hell are you?" Wang Xiao squinted his eyes, the brilliance of the orb casting an enigmatic glow across his features.

The cosmic space seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the revelation of the entity that held the key to Wang Xiao\'s fate.

The radiant glow from the orb dimmed, casting an eerie shadow over its once-vibrant luminosity. "I come from a place of eternal damnation, which you humans refer to as — hell. There was a small crack in dimensions, around one year ago, that allowed many of us spirits to escape."

Wang Xiao, suspended in the cosmic void, stood in stunned silence, his eyes fixated on the now-muted orb.

The hell spirit continued, its voice resonating with an otherworldly quality. "You have been told lies about heaven and hell, and the truth of it, but I know you don\'t care about it. So, let\'s start with you. I infiltrated your brain, deeming it an easy target for control and possession. Yet, in my attempts, I\'ve made a mess of it.

Your relentless struggle against me has only further burdened your consciousness."

Wang Xiao, his voice cutting through the cosmic stillness, questioned, "So you didn\'t come from that weird forest."

The orb shook with a spectral laughter, its glow pulsating with ethereal amusement, casting a shifting pattern of shadows across Wang Xiao\'s bewildered expression. "No, in fact, I was inside you for quite a long time. But I could never make any contact due to your fragmented consciousness. Now, in your weakened state, I can finally have a talk with you."

Wang Xiao, his skepticism etched in the furrow of his brow, asked, "So... Now you can control me."

The orb fell silent briefly, the dimming glow creating an eerie pause before it responded, "I hoped that was the case, but apparently, it isn\'t possible anymore. However, I can fix your consciousness, but it would bind us together, and we both can survive."

Wang Xiao, cautiously examining the luminous entity before him, questioned, "And what\'s in it for you?"