"According to the normal course of the timeline, I would eventually take that Dark Force, not because I needed it, but because the mysterious presence peering into my mind knew where it was. I could feel his Greed."
"Before, I had no other powers. I could only delay things by firmly refusing to satisfy his wishes. But after I awakened the Speed Force, I thought it could restrain that power, so I took it to keep those monsters from rushing in and detonating the energy."
"But I had only just gained the Speed Force then, and my control over it was unstable. That power gradually fused with my Speed Force, but I didn't notice—or rather, even if I had, I couldn't have stopped it. Its corrosive nature was astonishingly strong."
"Later, the dark energy completely became part of the Speed Force I could control. When I ran, my world was black. Whenever I dragged anyone else into the black lightning, they couldn't escape, and they would gradually be consumed by darkness."
Schiller looked into his eyes. From the youth's evasive gaze, he understood that he must have done exactly that before, but his conscience had kept him from telling anyone.
"Were they enemies?"
"What?"
"Were the people you consumed enemies?"
"Of course!" The Flash blushed as though he had been insulted. "Who else would they be?!"
"Then I don't think you're suited to see that psychologist. He might call you stupid for feeling guilty about consuming enemies, then spend roughly six hours explaining why it was necessary to lower your moral standards."
The Flash stared at him in shock, then said somewhat frantically, "I was only trying to protect myself back then... Forget it, that's not the point."
"You said you lose control. Under what circumstances?"
"When I experience extreme