Chapter 254: O Paradise
The Silent Forest was aptly named. A thick mist clung to the world and shrouded everything in an impenetrable gray veil. The air was still, almost suffocating, and no sound seemed to penetrate the fog. Without Qi Sense, without one’s full senses, it was as though the world that wasn’t ahead of you ceased to exist. The echo of one’s own breath and the rhythmic pounding of the heart were the sole reminders of life.
Dasha walked, his hand pressed tightly against his temple, fingers digging into his skin as though he could physically tear away the pain. His head throbbed with relentless intensity, flashes of memories—memories that weren’t his—battering his mind. His normally calm, emotionless expression was marred by a grimace as he gritted his teeth, trying to fight through the confusion.
Jack the Ripper.
’You think you can take control? Because you believe I am weak?’
"You are not worthy."
He could feel Jack’s thoughts bleeding into his own, disorienting and maddening. His own sense of self was being smothered under the weight of another’s life—flashes of blood-streaked streets, cold knives, and sinister, whispered conversations.
As the pain reached a fever pitch, Dasha collapsed against the trunk of a massive redwood. The rough bark bit into his back, but he hardly noticed. Sliding down into a seated position, he pressed both hands to his head, trying to still the storm of foreign memories. His breath came in ragged gasps, but he forced himself to calm down.
He crossed his legs, his hands folded together, and he closed his eyes. Meditation. He needed control. Focus.
The memories washed over him, and he let them, allowing the flood to run its course. And as the pain receded, the visions became clearer, more organized, as if they sensed his willingness to confront them. A conversation emerged, clear as day in his mind.
***
A bright, lavish room. A large marble table dominated the center, its surface polished to a mirror-like sheen. At the head of the table sat a male in a suit, skinny and boney.