Chương 24: The Beast Within
Valkas lunged, its massive claws ripping through the air with the weight of a collapsing mountain. Orin barely rolled out of the way in time, the claws raking across the ground where he'd been standing. The force of the attack sent a shockwave through the ruins, scattering debris in all directions.
"Orin, stay back!" Zeela shouted, her voice sharp and commanding. She flung another gravity well toward Valkas, slamming the beast sideways. The creature stumbled, its jagged scales glinting in the pale light, but the attack seemed to only enrage it further.
Wake circled the beast, his fists blazing. "Over here, you ugly bastard!" he yelled, throwing a torrent of fire into Valkas's side. The flames engulfed part of the creature, and for a moment, it screeched in pain. But then its shadows surged, snuffing out the fire like a storm extinguishing a spark.
"It's learning," Hiroshi muttered, darting in with his daggers. His strikes were quick and precise, aimed at the joints in Valkas's legs. The blades connected, drawing a spurt of dark ichor, but the wounds closed almost instantly as the shadows reformed.
"We can't keep this up," Zeela said, her gravity wells pulsing as she tried to slow the creature's movements. "It's too strong!"
Orin stood frozen, his blade trembling in his hand. The whispers in his mind were deafening now, the beast inside him snarling and clawing for control.
*Let me out,* it growled. *You're wasting time. They'll die if you keep holding back.*
"No," Orin muttered, shaking his head. "Not yet."
Valkas roared again, its glowing red eyes locking onto him. It surged forward, barreling through the squad like a force of nature. Hiroshi dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast's massive claws, while Wake was thrown back by the sheer force of its charge.
"Orin, move!" Zeela yelled, but Valkas was already upon him.
The creature's claw slammed into Orin, sending him crashing into a crumbling wall. Pain flared through his body, but it was nothing compared to the cold fury surging inside him. As he pushed himself to his feet, he felt the line between himself and the beast growing thinner.
Valkas growled, its shadowy form shifting. Dark tendrils erupted from its body, weaving together like sinews and forming a second, bulkier layer of jagged armor. Its claws extended, dripping with a dark, viscous energy that hissed as it hit the ground.
"It's evolving," Hiroshi said, his voice tight. "We've pissed it off."
Wake grimaced, flames reigniting around his fists. "Great. Just what we needed."
Valkas roared, the sound echoing across the ruins, and charged again. This time, it was faster, its movements unnaturally fluid for something so massive. Orin raised his blade to block, but the beast's enhanced claws tore through the steel like paper, leaving him defenseless.
The beast inside him laughed, its voice a low growl. *You're nothing without me.*
Orin clenched his fists, the whispers pounding in his skull. "Fine," he muttered, his voice trembling. "Take it."
The transformation was instantaneous. A roar tore from his throat as his body contorted, dark veins glowing orange as they spread across his arms and chest. His hands twisted into razor-sharp claws, his teeth lengthening into fangs. The world sharpened, every sound and movement magnified to an almost unbearable degree.
When he opened his eyes, Valkas was already lunging at him. But this time, Orin didn't dodge. He met the creature head-on, his claws slashing through its shadowy armor with terrifying speed. The impact sent a shockwave through the ruins, and for the first time, Valkas recoiled.
Orin didn't relent. He moved like a predator, his strikes precise and brutal. His claws raked across Valkas's chest, tearing through the second layer of armor and exposing the glowing core beneath. The beast screeched in pain, its shadows flaring as it tried to regenerate, but Orin was faster.
The core pulsed erratically, the light within it dimming with each strike. But Valkas wasn't finished. The creature roared, its body convulsing as it unleashed a massive wave of shadow energy. Orin was thrown back, his claws digging into the ground to steady himself.
Valkas's form shifted again, its armor cracking as dark tendrils erupted from its back, forming jagged, blade-like wings. It took to the air, its glowing eyes burning with rage as it dove toward Orin.
Orin crouched low, his claws flexing. The beast inside him roared, its voice merging with his own as he launched himself into the air. The two collided mid-flight, their impact shattering the remains of the ruins beneath them.
Valkas lashed out with its tendrils, each strike aimed to kill, but Orin was relentless. He dodged and countered, his claws carving deep into the creature's flesh. Ichor sprayed across the battlefield, and the core's light flickered dangerously.
The beast inside Orin urged him forward, its whispers a frenzy of violence and fury. *Finish it. Take what's yours.*
With a final, guttural roar, Orin drove his claws into the core. The glowing sphere cracked, its light surging wildly before shattering completely. Valkas let out one last ear-splitting screech before its body collapsed, dissolving into a pool of shadows and ichor.
The battlefield fell silent, the oppressive energy dissipating. Orin stood over the remains of the Monari, his chest heaving, his claws still extended. The beast inside him growled softly, satisfied.
But it wasn't done.
Drawn by instinct—or something darker—Orin crouched over Valkas's remains. His claws tore into the carcass, ripping free chunks of flesh and swallowing them whole. The taste was metallic and bitter, but he didn't stop. He consumed the creature's shadowy essence, his body trembling with every bite.
Finally, his claws closed around the shattered core. The light within it flickered weakly, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. Without thinking, Orin brought it to his mouth and consumed it.
A surge of energy ripped through him, more intense than anything he'd felt before. His body convulsed, his veins glowing brighter as the power of Valkas's essence merged with his own. He could feel his muscles strengthening, his senses sharpening, his mind expanding—but the beast's whispers grew louder, darker.
When the surge subsided, Orin collapsed to his knees, his body trembling. His claws retracted, his veins dimming as the transformation receded. He looked up to see his squad staring at him, their expressions a mix of awe and horror.
"What… did you just do?" Zeela asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Orin wiped the ichor from his mouth, his gaze distant. "I don't know," he said, his voice hollow. "But I think… I've changed."
The ruins were silent once more, but the power within Orin still simmered, an unspoken promise of what was to come.
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