Jason awoke with a usual jolt, eyes widened in their usual shocked way. But something wasn't right. The room was pure white. Nothing else, nothing more. Curiously, Jason removed himself from the bed, and found himself floating. As he drifted, a blue crack in space appeared in front of him, enlarging until it resembled a body. Black tendrils began to leak out of the cracks, fully filling out the shape of the figure. Jason looked on confusedly.
"...Erebus? What is going on? How can I see you?" He asked
"Simple kid. You're still dreaming." He replied simply.
"And you can talk now?!"
"I've always been able to talk. I've been the voice of your conscience. And continuing my job, I've decided to approach you in your dreams to tell you something. You've heard about the Keyholder that went crazy and turned into a beast?"
"Yeah, I remember him."
"Well, that's because his Key was beginning to fed on his emotions, especially his anger. His Key fed on the anger, until it fully consumed him, using his armor to transform him into a beast. That same thing is happening to you. See this? Erebus pointed to a spot on his face. It was a crack that was in a zig-zag shape.
"Yeah, what about it?" Jason asked.
"This crack grows whenever you get angry. You can't this crack grow any further. Let's just say, shit will hit the fan if that happens."
"So what do you want me to do about it?"
"Don't get angry. Keep composure when you're fighting, and don't get worked up over little things."
"But why are you telling me this? Wouldn't you want to feed on my anger?"
"Yeah I would, but what would happen after you become the beast? I wouldn't be in control, and you won't revert back to normal. You'll die. And I live in this body too y'know. And besides, you're still young. You still have a full life ahead of you, you're surrounded by friends, and you got a pretty girlfriend. And I can't bring myself between that."
"Ummm, wow Ere. Thanks."
"Yeah whatevs. But this'll be my only warning. I'll still be with you mentally, but this'll be my first and last time approaching you this way. Okay?"
Jason nodded before waking up. He looked around the dimly lit room before looking over to Katie, who was still asleep. As gently as he could, he got out of bed, trying his best not to wake her.
"He's right. If I wanna live, I'm gonna have to make some changes." He said to himself as he walked out the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
