Chapter 26: Cipher 2.0
I was locked in my own mind, my thoughts the only tether to reality.
Then, it appeared.
A fluffy white cloud materialized before me, impossibly soft and glowing with an otherworldly sheen.
“Sorry,” it said, its voice unnervingly calm. “I just finished severing from you. I’m still adjusting to the new environment.”
I blinked.
I thought I was dreaming, but my senses were too sharp—too present. The weight of the moment, the clarity of each breath... no, this was real.
Something was in my head.
And I was standing face-to-face with it.
“What’s going on here? Who are you?” I asked, staring at the floating cloud.
It said nothing.
“How... where did you come from?” I pressed, my voice trembling with urgency.
Then, without warning, the cloud began to shift—warping, stretching, and solidifying until it took on my form. But not quite. The figure that stood before me had my build, my features... yet his eyes burned a piercing blue. My Solid State—reflected back at me.