The sun peeked through the curtains of Zazm's room, casting a warm glow that danced across the cluttered floor. Jahanox awoke with a jolt, excitement coursing through his veins.
Today was the day he would discover the true extent of his mark. He quickly dressed, his heart racing as he thought about what lay ahead. 'Lets hurry up to that idiot.'
After a quick breakfast, he dashed out of his house, the cool morning air invigorating him. He could hardly contain his anticipation as he made his way to Zazm's place.
The streets were quiet, the world still waking up, but Jahanox felt like he was on the brink of something monumental.
When he arrived at Zazm's house, he knocked eagerly on the door. It swung open to reveal Zazm, his hair tousled and a sleepy smile on his face.
"You're early, way too early...." he said, rubbing his eyes. "I was just about to have breakfast."
"Breakfast? You can't eat now! We have to start!" Jahanox exclaimed, "Hurry up man, tell me what cool things I can do."
Zazm chuckled, stepping aside to let Jahanox in. "Alright, alright. But I need to fuel up first. You can wait a few minutes, can't you?"
Jahanox sighed dramatically, plopping down on the couch. "Fine, but make it quick! I'm too excited to sit still."
Zazm disappeared into the kitchen, and Jahanox could hear the clinking of dishes and the soft hiss of the kettle. He glanced around the room, his eyes landing on the scattered books and papers that seemed to tell stories of their own.
The anticipation was palpable, and he could hardly contain his thoughts about the powers he was about to unlock. He was a little hesitant about these sudden marks a few days ago but now he was to excited to know about his.
A few minutes later, Zazm returned, a plate of toast in one hand and a steaming cup of tea in the other. "Here, eat this. We'll start right after," he said, taking a seat across from Jahanox.
Jahanox grabbed a piece of toast, but his mind was racing. "How long do you think this will take?"
Zazm took a bite of his toast, chewing thoughtfully. "It could take a while. I'll be looking into your threads, and that requires a lot of focus. If I don't wake up in the next two to three hours, just wake me up, okay?"
Jahanox raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that? you going to fall asleep or something?"
Zazm shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You'll understand."
Jahanox felt a flutter of anxiety in his stomach but pushed it aside. "Alright, I'll wake you up if you're not back in a few hours. But you better not fall asleep on me!"
Zazm smirked, finishing his breakfast. "I'll try my best."
After Zazm finished eating, he stood up and gestured for Jahanox to follow him to the center of the room. "Sit down, cross-legged, just like we did yesterday."
Jahanox complied, excitement bubbling within him. Zazm sat down in front of him, legs crossed, and closed his eyes.
The room fell silent, the only sound being the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. Jahanox watched as Zazm's mark began to glow faintly, a soft light illuminating the space around them.
Minutes turned into an hour, and Jahanox began to feel restless. Zazm hadn't moved a muscle, his face serene but completely still. Jahanox tried to speak several times, but each time, Zazm remained silent, as if he were in a deep trance.
"Zazm?" Jahanox called softly, but there was no response. He shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the clock again. It had been over an hour, and the silence was starting to feel oppressive.
"Did he really fell asleep?" Jahanox waved his hand infront of Zazm's eyes, "My legs hurt, I think I shouldn't move."
He looked down at his own mark, which had begun to glow as well. "What the—?" he muttered, shock coursing through him. He had never seen it glow like this before.
As the minutes dragged on, Jahanox's anxiety grew. It had been more than 2 hours now. He was about to shake Zazm awake when suddenly, Zazm's eyes shot open.
They were bloodshot, and his entire body was drenched in sweat, he looked as if he had just taken a bath but in sweat. He leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.
"Zazm! Are you okay?" Jahanox exclaimed, rushing to his friend's side. He grabbed a glass of water from the table and handed it to him.
Zazm took a few sips, his hands trembling slightly. "I'm fine… just a bit exhausted," he managed to say, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I was so close to the fabric of spacetime… it took a toll on me."
"What did you find out?" Jahanox asked
Zazm took a deep breath, his eyes still wide with the remnants of the experience. "Your powers..." Zazm paused creating a tension in the air. He saw his friend getting a little nervous and a slight smile appeared on his face.
"They are connected to the mind," he explained, his voice hoarse. Jahanox's heart raced with excitement. "So, what can I do? Can I use my powers now?"
"Calm down." Zazm shot him up with a straight answer and continued, "Before that, I have something to tell you."
Jahanox took a deep breath for some reason now Zazm looked extremely deep in thought, he sat back down and calmed his excitement, "What is it?"
Zazm pointed to his mark, Jahanox's gaze followed him, "While it is true that your mark is connected to mind....but that's not all."
Jahanox brows furrowed but before he could speak his friend continued, "Your mark it's far more complex than mine... they are something more to it... Something I can't figure out."
"What does that mean? Is it dangerous?" Jahanox looked nervous his excitement now turned into worry. Zazm noticed it and leaned forward, "Nah, no worries. You can use your powers and stuff like normal. I've successfully taken out the essence of your power."
Zazm wiped his sweat from his shirt and spoke in a mocking tone, "Oh and trust me it was hard as hell, I knew it wouldn't be easy but to think it was this hard. You owe me dinner."
Jahanox let out a chuckle before speaking in his casual tone, "I'll take you to a 5-Star restaurant if you want. But leave that, about my powers. By mind do you mean like...." He paused his tone barely above a whisper, "mind control?"
Zazm nodded slowly, a tired smile creeping onto his face. "Yes, or that's what I think, you can manipulate minds. But it's not just mind control. You can manipulate thoughts, and even wipe memories or create false ones."
Jahanox's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, I can wipe memories? Like, erase them completely?"
"Yes," Zazm confirmed, leaning back against the wall, clearly exhausted. "But there are still some things I couldn't fully grasp. As I said,
Your mark has something greater within it that I can't quite figure out yet. I'll need to understand my own mark more before I can fully comprehend yours."
Jahanox felt a mix of exhilaration and apprehension. "What do you mean by 'something greater? It's the second time you said this? It seems like it really is dangerous."
Zazm shook his head. "I don't think it's dangerous, but it's definitely powerful. We'll need to explore it together. But first, I need to recover."
Jahanox nodded, still buzzing with energy. "Why did you ask me to wake you up in two to three hours? You looked like you were about to pass out!"
Zazm chuckled weakly. "I was worried that if I lost my consciousness while connected to the fabric of spacetime, I might not come back. It's a delicate balance, and I was teetering on the edge."
"That sounds terrifying," Jahanox said, his voice laced with concern. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'll be fine," Zazm assured him, though his pallor suggested otherwise. "Just give me a moment."
Jahanox glanced at the clock again, realizing how late it had gotten. "Hey, do you want to grab some lunch? You need to eat something."
Zazm waved a hand dismissively. "It's too late for lunch. Let's just go out for a snack. I need to take a shower and change first."
"Alright, but hurry up!" Jahanox replied, bouncing on his feet. "I'm starving!"
Zazm disappeared into the bathroom, and Jahanox took a moment to collect his thoughts.
'Something greater? For that I'll need Zazm healed, better feed the chicken before I devour it.' He laughed at his own thoughts. He put his hand on his head, "The hell am I even thinking?"
The idea of having powers was exhilarating, but the weight of responsibility loomed over him. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were stepping into something far greater than they could comprehend.
A few minutes later, Zazm emerged from the bathroom, looking refreshed but still wearing his usual black attire.
Jahanox couldn't help but tease him. "You know, you really shouldn't wear so much black. The only color difference is your skin! You look like a walking shadow."
Zazm smirked, running a hand through his slightly long black hair. "Black is a classic. It gives me a cool vibe."
"Cool vibe? More like a 'I'm about to rob a bank' vibe," Jahanox shot back, laughing. Zazm also let out a laugh, "I'm already rich, my account has more money than a bank... Probably."
"Tch... Spoiled rich kids with rich parents." They both laughed and exited the house. They stepped out into the bustling streets, the sun shining brightly overhead.
The aroma of street food wafted through the air, and Jahanox's stomach growled in response. They made their way to a nearby food stall, where they grabbed some snacks and settled on a bench to eat.
As they munched on their food, Jahanox couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie. "So, what's the plan now?"
Zazm raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Actually, I was thinking we could find someone to test your powers on."
Jahanox nearly choked on his food. "What? You want to use my powers on a random person? That sounds dangerous!"
Zazm shrugged, his expression serious. "We need to understand the limits of your abilities. It's better to test them in a controlled environment."
"Controlled environment? You mean like a dark alley?" Jahanox asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Exactly!" Zazm replied, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Let's find a suitable targ--" Zazm paused for a second, "Oh and look we even found a target."
Jahanox felt a mix of apprehension and thrill. "Wait.... I was joking." He saw Zazm smiling like a maniac and he knew, "You're insane, you know that?" He isn't getting out now.
"Insane? Or just adventurous?" Zazm countered, a playful glint in his eyes.
After finishing their snacks, they wandered through the streets, Zazm scanning the area for potential targets. Suddenly, he stopped in front of a dark alley, glancing around cautiously. "This looks promising."
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