Chapter 27: The Darkness Within

Chapter 27: The Darkness Within

Myles lay in bed, his eyes closed as he slept. In his dream, he found himself surrounded by nothing but darkness. It was an endless expanse that stretched out as far as the eye could see, and there was no sign of light or life anywhere.

Myles's heart started to race as he realized he was not alone in the darkness. There was a monster, a completely white entity that moved towards him, and he could feel the weight of his fears and anxiety. The creature was a mass of shadows and sharp teeth, a monster that seemed to have no form or shape. Its white eyes seemed to stare directly into Myles's soul, and the closer it got, the more Myles' panic grew.

Myles turned and tried to run, but the creature was too fast. He could hear the monster's footsteps behind him, getting closer and closer with every passing second. He could feel its breath on the back of his neck, hot and fetid, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before the creature caught him.

The tension in the nightmare was almost unbearable, and Myles's fear was palpable. The darkness seemed to be closing in on him, and he knew that he was trapped, with no escape in sight. The creature's voice echoed in his head, a cold and emotionless voice that spoke of destruction and pain.

Suddenly, Myles's eyes snapped open, and he gasped for air as he woke up on a bed in STAR labs. He looked around, disoriented, and realized that he had been dreaming. His heart still pounding, he took a moment to catch his breath and calm himself down.

Myles couldn't shake the feeling that the nightmare was more than just a dream. It felt too real, too terrifying to be just his imagination. But he pushed the thought away and got out of bed, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

Myles gets out of his guest room and immediately feels a difference in his body. He feels stronger, more powerful, but also weak as if his body is barely containing something. As he steps out of the room, he notices that something is different. The walls are scorched, and the ceiling is cracked. There are scratches and gouges all over the place. It's as if something had torn through the room, wreaking havoc on everything in its path.

Myles takes a few steps forward, his eyes were wide with shock as he takes in the destruction. He notices something strange about the walls, something he hadn't seen before. There are words written all over them, words that seem to have been carved into the very structure of the building. The words read 'fake' and 'imposter' in bold, jagged letters as if they had been carved with claws.

Myles feels a chill run down his spine as he reads the words. He doesn't know why, but they fill him with a sense of dread, a feeling that he's not where he's supposed to be. He tries to shake off the feeling, but it lingers, growing stronger with every passing moment.

Myles stumbles backward, his breath coming in short gasps as he tries to make sense of what's happening. He doesn't understand why the room is destroyed, or why there are words carved into the walls. All he knows is that something is wrong, something is very, very wrong.

Suddenly, a voice interrupts his thoughts. "You're finally awake," says Harrison Wells, who's standing in the doorway. Myles turns to him, his eyes wide with shock as he takes in the ruined room. "What happened here?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

Harrison shakes his head. "I don't know," he says, "but we need to figure it out. We think something inside you caused this, something that's trying to break free."

Myles nods, still in shock as he tries to process what's happening. He feels something inside him, something primal and powerful, trying to claw its way out. He doesn't know what it is or where it came from, but he knows one thing for sure: it's not something he wants to face alone.

The duo went into Harrison's lab, Myles still feeling the residual effects of his nightmare. Harrison asks how he's feeling. Myles responds that he feels stronger, but also weaker, as if his body is barely containing something. Harrison looks at him with concern and pulls up a recording on his screen.

"Myles, we need to talk about your condition," Harrison says gravely.

Myles watches the recording with horror as he sees himself sleeping, surrounded by a dome of crackling electricity. He sees the electricity hit the walls, causing them to crack and burn. Suddenly, claw marks start appearing everywhere, tearing through the walls as if something was trying to get out.

"What the hell is happening to me?" Myles asks, fear creeping into his voice.

Harrison replies, "You've been emitting high-concentration dark matter energies for the last 24 hours. We don't know why or how, but it's causing your body to react in unpredictable ways."

Myles looks at Harrison, his eyes wide with fear. "What does this mean?"

Harrison sighs heavily. "It means that if we can't control these energies, they could destroy you and everything around you."

Myles feels a sense of dread wash over him as he realizes the gravity of the situation. "What can we do?"

Harrison responds, "I've been working on a device that might be able to stabilize your energy output, but it's not ready yet. We need to keep monitoring your condition and hope that we find a solution before it's too late."

Myles nods silently, knowing that his fate is now out of his hands. As he leaves the lab, he can't shake the feeling that something terrible is about to happen.

___________________________

Myles sits on a bench in Central City, his head throbbing with a sudden and intense headache. He tries to calm himself, taking deep breaths and closing his eyes, but the pain persists. As he opens his eyes, he sees the people around him, but they all seem to fade away into a mist. Suddenly, he sees the white demon from his nightmare, approaching him from the mist with a twisted grin.

The demon's voice echoes in Myles' mind, calling him a fake with a mocking tone. Myles can feel his heart racing as the demon gets closer and closer, its voice growing angrier with each step.

"You're not real," the demon says, its voice distorted and menacing. "You're just a weak imitation of what you could be."

Myles can feel himself being consumed by fear and anxiety as the demon continues to speak, its words like sharp claws digging into his mind. He tries to stand up, but his legs feel weak and unsteady.

The demon moves closer, its twisted grin widening as it continues to taunt Myles. Myles can feel his breath becoming shallow, and his vision blurring.

As suddenly as it appeared, the demon disappears, leaving Myles gasping for air and shaking with fear. He looks around, disoriented, and realizes that he's still in Central City.

_____________________

Myles sat at the bar, looking like a man on the verge of collapse. His once-sturdy frame was now hunched over, and his eyes were bloodshot, giving him a haunted look. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was unkempt. His clothes were wrinkled, and he seemed like he hadn't slept in days.

The bartender, a middle-aged man with a friendly face, approached him. "Hey, buddy, are you alright?" he asked.

Myles forced a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little tired."

The bartender nodded, but he didn't look convinced. "You know, you're a hero. You saved Central City. You deserve a drink on the house."

Myles shook his head. "No, thank you. I don't drink."

The bartender looked at him skeptically. "Well, how about a glass of water? You look like you need it."

Myles nodded and took the glass, taking a long drink. He tried to calm himself, to focus on something else besides the nightmare and the voices in his head, but it was difficult. His headache was growing worse, and the vision of the white demon was getting closer.

The bartender interrupted his thoughts. "Hey, buddy, I'm sorry to say, but I'll be closing the bar soon. You'll have to finish up."

Myles looked up at him, and then at his watch. "Could you give me a few more minutes?"

The bartender nodded and left to tend to other customers. Myles took a deep breath and tried to push the fear away. He needed to get out of his head, to find a way to stop the nightmares and the visions.

Myles continued to drink his booze, seemingly unaware of the darkness slowly consuming the bar around him. He held the glass up to his face, staring into it as if the answers to his problems lay at the bottom. As he inspected his drink, he noticed a stranger had taken a seat beside him, and he hadn't even heard him approach.

Myles felt a sudden jolt of anxiety and tension rise up in him as he tried to keep himself calm. He turned his head slowly to look at the stranger beside him, his guard immediately up. The stranger greeted Myles in a friendly manner, acting like a fanboy trying to get his autograph, but Myles noticed that it was a picture with his face crossed. The tension between the two grew as they had a staredown.

Myles thought that the stranger was just another metahuman who wanted to beat him. He remained silent, watching the stranger closely as he began to speak. "I'm a fan of yours," the stranger said. "You're a real hero. You know, it takes guts to do what you do."

Myles continued to stare at the stranger, his guard still up. He wasn't sure what the stranger wanted from him, but he knew it couldn't be good. "What do you want?" Myles asked, his voice low and guarded.

The stranger laughed, a deep and mocking sound. "I don't want anything from you," he said, still smiling. "I just wanted to meet you, to see the hero up close."

Myles felt the tension in the air between them growing thicker, and he couldn't shake the feeling that the stranger was up to something. He took a long swig of his drink, hoping to calm his nerves. "Well, you've seen me," he said, his tone clipped.

The stranger's smile never faltered. "Yes, I have," he said, his eyes never leaving Myles'. "And now I can see that you're nothing but a fucking disappointment."

Myles felt a sudden surge of anger and fear to rise up in him, and he clenched his fists under the table. "What the hell are you talking about?" he spat.

The stranger leaned in closer, his voice low and menacing. "You're a fraud, Myles," he whispered. "And I'm going to prove it."

Myles scoffed at the stranger's claim and gave him a subtle warning, "I don't know who you think you are, but I've dealt with enough metahuman wannabes to know when someone is looking for a fight."

The stranger responded with an eye-roll before taking a drink, "And here I thought you were the humble type, Myles. But I guess I was wrong. You're just as cocky as the rumors say."

Myles felt his anger building up at the stranger's words, and he suddenly attacked without warning. But to his surprise, he found himself facing the ceiling, confused and in pain.

The stranger had redirected Myles' momentum and judo slammed him on the ground. Myles couldn't understand how the stranger had reacted in time to his super-speed attack. He struggled to get up as he coughed in pain, still in shock and confusion.

"What the hell? How did you...?" Myles trailed off, trying to understand how the stranger had managed to take him down so easily.

The stranger stood over him, and Myles could see the mocking grin on his face. "You're too predictable, Myles. You're always charging in without thinking things through. It's no wonder you're such a disappointment. You think your smart? Oh please the majority of your victories are either because your fast or plain luck."

Myles groaned as he got up from the ground, his frustration mounting with each passing moment. He charged at the stranger again, throwing punches and kicks with all his might. But the stranger continued to dodge his attacks with ease, all the while taunting him.

"You're nothing but a fake, a pile of disappointment," the stranger said with a smirk, which only added fuel to Myles' rage.

SLOW

WEAK

SLOPPY

SAD

PATHETIC

FAILURE

DISAPPOINTMENT

Myles' attacks became sloppier as he tried to hit the stranger, but the speedster kept dodging them effortlessly. Finally, in a fit of anger, Myles threw a wild punch that missed entirely, causing him to stumble forward.

With lightning-fast reflexes, the stranger grabbed Myles by his arm and threw him out of the bar, sending him flying through the air.

Myles landed on the pavement with a loud thud, groaning in pain as he tried to get up. As he looked up at the stranger, he realized that he too was a speedster, just like him.

"What's the matter, hero? Can't handle someone as fast as you?" the stranger taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.

Myles gritted his teeth, his mind racing as he tried to figure out how to beat this guy. But the stranger seemed to know what he was thinking, as he just scoffed and continued to watch him with a smug expression on his face.

Myles was desperate. He couldn't keep up with this stranger's pace, and his usual tactics were not working. As the stranger taunted him, Myles took a deep breath, and in a flash, he was everywhere at once, using his speed mirage technique.

To Myles' surprise, the stranger seemed unimpressed. With lightning-fast reflexes, the stranger elbowed Myles, causing his mirages to disappear. Before Myles could react, the stranger had already unleashed a flurry of blows that left him reeling.

Myles felt helpless as the stranger pummeled him mercilessly. The stranger seemed to know all of Myles' moves and countered them with ease. Myles felt every punch and kick, but he refused to give up.

Suddenly, the stranger stops and backs away, looking satisfied. Myles struggles to stand up, his body battered and bruised. The stranger then kicks Myles so hard that he flies through several buildings, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

As Myles crashes through the buildings, debris falls around him, and the sounds of glass shattering and steel bending fill the air. He lands hard on the pavement, groaning in pain. Blood trickles from his mouth, and his vision is blurry.

The stranger walks towards Myles, looking down at him with a smug grin. Myles tries to get up, but his body won't obey him. The stranger then kneels beside him, whispering, "You're not as tough as they say you are."

Myles looks up at the stranger, anger, and confusion mixed in his eyes. "Who... who are you?" he manages to say.

The stranger chuckles, "I'm the one who's going to make you pay for what you did."

Myles tries to say something, but before he can, the stranger vanishes into thin air. He gets up again looking for the stranger until he feels his cheekbones getting crushed.

Myles feels the impact of the stranger's punch and is sent spinning through the air. He struggles to get up, but his body is battered and bruised. The stranger is still enjoying the pain he is inflicting on Myles, and with a twisted smile, he grabs Myles by the arm and takes off in a blur of speed.

Myles is dragged along the ground at impossible speeds, barely able to keep his eyes open as the world becomes a blur around him. He feels every hit and kicks the stranger lands, and he can't even scream as the pain overwhelms him.

The stranger drags Myles around the world, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Buildings crumble, cars are overturned, and people run screaming in terror as s the two speedsters battle it out.

Myles is completely helpless, unable to even defend himself as he's thrown around like a ragdoll. The stranger is having the time of his life, taunting Myles as he delivers blow after blow.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the stranger throws Myles to the ground with a sickening thud. Myles lies there, battered and broken, struggling to even breathe. The stranger stands over him, his smile replaced with a look of satisfaction as if he's accomplished what he set out to do.

Myles slowly got up, his eyes locked on the stranger who had beaten him senselessly. He felt the pain all over his body, but his mind was more focused on the stranger's face. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, his voice filled with anger and confusion.

The stranger let out a mocking laugh. "You already forgot about me? That's a bit disappointing, Myles." As he spoke, his face began to twist and contort, and his body began to change.

Myles watched in horror as the stranger's skin turned white, his eyes became completely black, and his body grew larger and more muscular. Within moments, the stranger was no longer there, and in his place stood the white demon.

Myles felt his heart racing as the demon towered over him. The demon then lifted Myles into the air effortlessly, its grip like a vice around his throat. "Do you remember now?" the demon asked in a deep, menacing voice.

Myles struggled to speak, his breaths coming in short gasps. "What...what do you want?" he managed to croak out.

The demon sneered at him. "You are a fake, Myles. Created to weaken my vessel. You have no purpose other than to be discarded like the trash that you are."

However, the demon's body began to spark as if its body was losing stability. It clicks its tongue before looking at Myles with a grin. "I'll be back soon."

Myles was left confused and beaten, his mind reeling from the demon's words. He didn't understand what the demon meant by "fake" or "vessel," but he knew that he had just faced something far beyond his understanding. As the demon disappeared into thin air, Myles collapsed to the ground, feeling more lost and alone than ever before.