Nick's head darted left to right, eyes wide, as his Shadow's bellowing created pools of red-black energy to well into existence around them. "Wh-What the fuck is that?!" He inquired, not at anybody in particular, but more in shock. "I hate this place!" He cried out. 

"Of course you do!" The monstrous Shadow called back, arms wide in a challenge. "You can't stand anything more than surface-level introspection!" Despite its size and appearance, this thing was at least somewhat eloquent. It wasn't, wrong, though, and that was the worst part. Almost as if to punctuate the verbal assault, it grabbed another chunk of drywall and tossed it Nick's way, ignoring the sneaking Caelum. 

[i]Well, far be it from me to ignore a sign like that,[/i] Nick mused. [i]Just gotta keep this guy distracted a minute[/i]. Spindle had said it was up to him, but Nick couldn't imagine a way to stop this thing. The hammer he'd grabbed was wishful thinking more than anything, but maybe if Caelum got that rebar into its side, he'd have a chance to go for its knees or something. Nick wasn't one to fight fair, after all. That thought in mind, he took a deep breath and called back to the monster that came from inside him.

"I'm trying, man! It's hard to change who you are, hard to dig down and look at what's wrong with you, then do something about it!" The Shadow replied with a derisive chuckle. 

"You'd have a point if you ever [i]tried[/i]!" Timing another toss of house, this time a stud from the wall, with his mocking, the Shadow used its bludgeon arm to break more of the house while pointing with one of its normal arms. "You won't even try and fight me! Just letting others-"

A bright light, too bright to be natural, interrupted the Shadow, forcing it to cover its eyes with one oversized arm as the flare crashed into it, burning into its shin before being reflexively kicked away into a corner. "You little prick!" The Shadow roared, still blinking spots out of its eyes.

And that was when Caelum stroke, with the perfect dramatic timing. 

The rebar he thrusted pierced into the Shadow's side, and the boy managed to duck away from the creature's retaliatory swing as it collapsed in pain for a moment, roaring. 

Already prepared, Nick charged in with a burst of speed, lifting the sad, average-sized hammer and making a running strike against the Shadow's jaw, having changed targets on his way in. The Shadow's head jerked to the side, Nick already following up with the originally planned swing against its knees, only to be knocked back as it backhanded him with the spear-like arm. "I'd be impressed if you weren't just taking advantage of an opportunity somebody else gave you." It sounded actually disappointed. "But that's what you were always like. Too sad to actually do anything of your own initiative. Always coasting by without direction, relying on others to show you what to do." 

Reaching down to pick Nick up, the Shadow snarled. "I'll make better use of your pathetic life than you ever could." He struggled, kicked and tried to pry himself free, desperate to live, to fight, to not die in this place, when a voice sounded in its head. 

[i]Well. You tried.[/i] Nick paused for a moment as time seemed to slow, taking in the Shadow letting out a laugh. [i]Unfortunately, it looks like it just wasn't enough.[/i] 

"No!" Nick shouted, both at the Shadow about to kill him and the voice in his head. 

[i]Oh? But you look like you're about to get crushed like a tomato by that thing. Barely even fighting back.[/i] The voice was calm, like it wasn't involved in this situation, merely observing from afar. Like the outcome made no difference to it.

"It's too much!" He cried.

[i]Is it? Or are you just underestimating yourself again? Calling the battle before the last bullet's fired?[/i] There was a bit of emotion now, like it was trying to coax him to the right answer. 

"I don't have what it takes to do this anymore!" Nick sobbed, tears stinging at his eyes. 

[i]I think you do. I think, deep down, you want this. You want to be what this thing is telling you to be. But not like how it wants you to be.[/i] Nick groaned as he felt the Shadow squeeze harder, mocking him. 

"You're done." 

[i]Reach in and show yourself that you can do this. We're both you. You have this kind of power inside you, but you never let yourself use it because you're afraid.[/i]

"I'll finally get to leave this place!"

[i]Afraid of the monster your parents made you think you'd become every time you look at them.[/i]

"You'll finally be somebody! It won't be you anymore, but it's not like anybody will care."

[i]You just have to be willing to try.[/i]

"Stop!" Nick yelled, head almost splitting between the pain, the two versions of himself talking to him, and the stress. "I just wanna live!" 

[i]Then stand up and show the world you're worth letting live.[/i] The familiar voice guided, a hint of pride underlying its tone. [i]Take my hand, so to speak, and stand up for yourself in a way you can live with yourself after.[/i]

"Okay." Nick breathed out, hands suddenly full rather than desperately trying to pry himself free of the monster's grip. In one hand, the hammer he'd been holding was transformed. It was longer, though still able to fit in one hand and be used. The wood handle now had a long, riveted metal bar attached to it, which blossomed into a vicious head, with a curved spike coming out of the back where the construction tool once had a claw, the head itself now much larger and focused into four points, and a straight spike protruding from the top. [url=https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/031/966/466/large/alexey-moiseev-screenshot008.jpg?1605102408] A warhammer.[/url]

In the other, a familiar weapon to anybody who main'd SMG's in any modern Call of Duty game: the [url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/P90--.png]P90.[/url]

His clothes had changed, as well. Gone was his familiar and favorite jacket, replaced by a half-zipped black bomber jacket. Underneath, unseen to Nick in his current state, was a simple olive t-shirt. His pants were now tan military trousers, though they lacked any camouflage pattern. His sneakers were now polished, shiny black boots, and he could feel the gray military cap atop his head.

"What?" Nick and his Shadow questioned in unison. The latter, in a panic, tried to squeeze harder again, while the former raised the firearm he now found himself with and pulled the trigger, desperately sending a spray of bullets into the wall, its arm, and one of its many eyes, causing the monster to drop him as it cried in pain. 

"I'll end you!" It roared, but Nick was already running to the far end of the room, gun up in one hand while the other held onto the hammer awkwardly. 

[i]Drop it,[/i] the voice from before advised, [i]for it will return when you will it to do so.[/i] Following its instructions, Nick dropped the hammer, which faded into darkness. 

"I could get used to that." Nick breathed. "Guys, let's do this!" Nick yelled, not having noticed the newcomer to the fight. 

"LIKE I'D LET YOU!" The Shadow bellowed, charging after Nick, moving further into the ruined home.