Within his chrysalis, Colin felt himself being pulled deeply inward. The tiny world within pulled at him and try as he might to resist, it dragged him closer until there was nothing but darkness.

  He floated there for what felt like several minutes before the spark of light pulsed awake and the vast well of power returned. The pulse was far larger and closer than the last time Colin was here. Unlike last time, Colin didn’t attempt to reach out to it. It was an intruder in Colin’s peaceful center and he wanted it gone.

  The light started to wash over Colin, but he resisted and for a brief moment, held it at bay. In that moment, there was a feeling of confusion that came from the light, then an attention locked onto Colin and something beyond Colin’s understanding stared into his being. It pushed and the light washed over Colin regardless of his resistance. When the light progressed, the attention on him disappeared and Colin was left with a feeling of severe helplessness.

  It was like he was in the middle of the ocean and a massive shadow passed underneath him. There was nothing he could do against something like that.

  The only comfort he could find was that even with the being’s full attention, Colin didn’t lose himself, he’d only lost the fight and even after losing the fight, Colin was not harmed.

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  It did little to calm the tremors of fear that rang through his soul at feeling so helpless, so insignificant against the thing, but it was all he had. The six pulses called out as they washed over him, but with an influence that seemed even lessened. The Obey pulse was nearly an invisible whisper, it was so faint now, that Colin felt no worry of losing control to the pulses at all.

  Next to the pulse of Obey, the other pulses of Consume, Grow, Hibernate, Assimilate, and Control were far more powerful, but even so, Colin felt their influence fading compared to his last experience with them. He had to wonder if it was a side effect of encountering the attention of the vast being he’d just felt, but he had no way of knowing. It could simply be the plateau he was progressing beyond granting him more autonomy.

  Either way, Colin was gaining power to protect his family. He distracted himself with whatever thoughts he could, but in the back of his mind, there was an ever present seed of fear for the incomprehensible monster that had gazed on him for a brief moment.

  When he emerged from the deepness and back into his typical chrysalis state, Colin felt overwhelming relief. That shadow was still in the water, but he was now on the shore. He could breathe again.

  He felt a pulses of affection coming from Kristy and occasionally from Jenny and he savored those moments like a lifeline. Everything would be okay. That monster would never come near this reality. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.