The Monochrome Gaze [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter II: Shot in the Dark

Arcanum - an intangible substance that flows through an individual's body. Depending on the person's affinity to Arcanum, they might be able to control it.

Arcanum flows out of a person's eyes and into the world around them. I suspect that I'm not the only individual that can see them, but as of now I haven't been able to find anyone else.

Blue eyes signify Ego-type Arcanum, which affects the person's body. Ex. Adrian Mosse, who can regenerate his body at high speeds.

Pink eyes signify Psyche-type Arcanum, which allows the individual to see and control the spirit of another. Ex. Myself, Caleb Galland, who can see the Arcanum of others.

Green eyes signify Matter-type Arcanum, which allows an individual to manipulate atoms. Ex. Seriyah Cael, who can turn liquids into any of its three states at will.

Purple eyes signify Abstract-type Arcanum, a rare subset that allows an individual to control nonmatter. Ex. 'Ghost', a convict who terrorized early Asphodel with their powers of refracting light, severely blinding his victims. Even those considered low-risk still have the potential to cause significant damage, so be wary.

The intensity of the iris's glow depends on either the individual's mastery of Arcanum, or its inherent strength.

Gray eyes—

Gray eyes signify—

When an individual has grayish irises—

Ex. Hesper Asche, who ????

?????

?????

Caleb's mind raced as mentally went through his notes over and over and over again. There must be something his Gift could tell him. Any sort of clue that could explain what he was seeing. Maybe he was mistaken. He kept staring into Hesper's eyes, which were watching him curiously.

He waited for a hint of color to appear.

Even just a bit.

He didn't even care if it turned out to be purple.

He just wanted something familiar.

"I warned you."

Hesper's voice felt all the more overwhelming, like a knife digging into his head.

"It happens when your Arcanum is confused. It doesn't know how to make sense of what it's seeing, so it blames you for it."

The dull pain in Caleb's temple seemed to throb with every word spoken. "What do you mean, 'it'?" he strained.

"You think you're fully in control of your Gift? You're terribly wrong. The puppets here are us."

Caleb felt as if he was going to pass out on the spot. He didn't believe anything that Hesper said. He was talking as if Arcanum was alive?

"Here, let me help you. Just try to stay still," Hesper told him.

Caleb couldn't look up but could somehow feel the other man's gaze on him. Slowly, his headache started to subside. He wiped sweat off his face with his shirt and looked up at Hesper, who was smiling at him curiously.

"You're welcome."

Caleb gripped the edge of the seat for support as he collected himself. "Your Arcanum, it's—"

"Strange? I know. But you'll soon figure it out."

"I felt as if my Arcanum was being forced into a ball in my chest...was that you?"