Jude clenched his teeth, forcing the pain down. He had felt this before, but never this strongly. He had always assumed the entity had no will of its own, that it was simply a force inside him. But this, this was something else.
The figure stepped forward, its presence pressing against him. "It cannot remain with you forever. It will return to its source, whether you will it or not."
Jude straightened, his breathing still heavy. He ignored the pain, ignored the way his body ached with the strain of holding the entity in place. He wasn't ready to let it go. He didn't even know what it truly was. But one thing was clear, there were forces in this city that did know, and they wanted it back.
"Then I guess I don't have a choice," Jude muttered, more to himself than to the figure.
The figure did not respond, but the air around it shifted, the weight of its presence growing lighter. It was waiting for him to move, waiting for him to make a decision.
