The Shift

The first chapter, a bit confusing, but worth it once figured out, but not too confusing. Pronceations Vel-grr

     "They call it the shift."

     How, how am I speaking, my lips won't move.

     I am speaking, I'm sorry, sometimes the past remains for a time, it will end for you soon.

     Dead?

     Yes, and no, shifted, I'll continue, you'll be gone soon.

     Did it hurt?

     I'm sorry, I can't remember, goodbye.

     Everything burned and turned red.

     I blink a few times, my eyes feel dry, my body hot, I stumbled and fell back. I landed on something soft, I look down and see a cushion, I smiled. I hear footsteps and look up, a man walks into the room. I got up quickly.

     "Who the hell are you, and where is Velger?"

      "Velger?"

     The man drew a sword and stepped towards me.

     "Uh...wait a second...a man was here a moment ago, he paid me to exchange clothes."

     He seemed to relax a bit.

      "Where did he go?"

     "The right...he went right...I don't know after, I just sat here after...thought it was a bit odd, is...was he dangerous?"

     "Very...your...you nearly got me."

     "What?"

     He pointed the blade at me, I backed away and hit the wall.

     "What gave me away?"

     "Your neck."

     I looked down and saw my necklace.

     "Ah...well then...hello again."

     "You're Velger?"

     "How do I look this time?"

     "How are you different...I know illusion, know how to detect it...I don't with you."

     "They call it the shift."

     How, how am I speaking, my lips won't move.

     I am speaking, I'm sorry, sometimes the past remains for a time, it will end for you soon.

      Dead?

     Yes and no, shifted, I'll continue, you'll be gone soon.

     Did it hurt?

     I'm sorry, I can't remember, goodbye.

     "Are you listening to me?"

     "What?"

     "So no?"

     "No...what was it you were saying?"

     A sense of relief spread through my body, my muscles relaxed and I smiled.

     Ready then, may have to...hopefully not.

     "Why are you smiling? AND ANSWER ME!"

     "Sorry...I...am velger, but not him."

     "Very helpful."

     "Have you heard of the potion the shift?"

     "The poison?"

     "Potion or poison, both do the same thing, expect one you get stabbed by it instead of ingesting it, though you can drink the poi...not the point, it causes a person to shift...a biologic process occurs where at the point of brain death you shift and return."

     "Immortality?"

     "In some senses."

     "Where is the family's money?"

     "Don't have it, spent it. helped a few people, I'm not technically the Velger that borrowed it though...though I am in some senses...look you can let me go, and no one would realize."

     "Except if I fail again without compensation I'll be shot."

     "Ah...well I don't have the money."

     "Money or your head."

     "I don't feel like shifting again, so I'd rather not."

     "You can...change again?"

     "Yes...the shift can occur many times...without limit."

     "So immortality...the potion, poison is a myth that gives immortality."

      "I really....its not immortality...but in a sense yes, it is."

     "Is it or not?"

     "Yes...the shift is immortality, you change physically like you see, but besides that you're the same."

     "All?"

     "Yes all the same."

     "Give me it."

     I nodded, I reached into my pocket, he pointed the blade at me.

     "The potion is in my pocket."

     "Get it out slowly."

     "Okay."

     I slowly pulled out the vial of the shift, it was red in color, the vial had outlines of black at the edges, I stared at it for a few seconds and nodded. I held it out towards him, he slowly approached and grabbed it from my hand, he backed away and downed it. I felt the power surge through the room, he smiled and then collapsed to his knees.

     "LIER!"

     "The shift, potion or poison, causes the shift immediately once inside the system."

     "NO...NO!"

     "Don't worry...you're fate will be much worse than that...its not just the physical change, your mind is changed as well, memories fuzzed out, for a while, then they're back...but in that time you can change...new personality traits sneak their way in, and over the centuries you just give into it, and overhal it is you, but you change a bit."

     "No, please."

     His hands were glowing and he was doubled over. I reached into my pocket and pulled out another vial, golden in color, and with a red outline around the edges. I nodded.

     "Okay then...I can't let the shift fall into the wrong hands...so I'll help you out, but not in the way you like. You see this potion here?"

     He looked up and nodded, still clutching his stomach.

     "This is the potion that destroys the shift, it's the only way we can die, permanently."

     "No, NO, please just make it stop."

     "I am."

     "NO...NO...PLEASE!"

    He dragged himself to the doorway, I walked over and picked him up and slammed him onto the ground a few feet away from the door, I opened the vial and poured it on him. I backed away quickly, he screamed and golden light engulfed him, it began to spread, I backed away and found the doorway and ran out into the hall, I ran a few feet away from the door and a loud pop sounded and the entire building shook.

Author's Note

I'm drunk, so expect mistakes, any suggestions, or questions, or reviews are welcomed.