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T he ensuing silence was deafening.

The beast’s growl returned, low and triumphant. It surged

forward in my mind, its power filling the void left by Elara’s absence.

“ See ?” it hissed. “ Even your light is a lie .”

“No,” I whispered, although the word felt empty.

“You are mine now, Kaelen. You have always been mine.”

The weight of the beast’s presence overwhelmed me, and

I sensed the final remnants of my will fading away. Without Elara, without that delicate hope, I had nothing to ground me. The shadows encroached, and I felt my body transform, the

beast entirely consuming me. My claws flexed, my vision dimming as the power surged through me like molten fire.

In the distance, I heard voices, the council, their smug satisfaction resonating through the forest.

“He’s ours now,” Withers said, his tone brimming with pride. “The perfect weapon.”

“Indeed,” another voice responded. “The monster has finally awoken.”

Their words were fuel for the beast, which roared in response, its hunger and rage devouring every thought, every emotion.

Yet, deep within the darkness, a faint flicker endured, a memory, a whisper of Elara’s voice. You are capable of so much more than this, Kaelen. I have faith in you.

It wasn’t sufficient to halt the beast. Not yet. But it was sufficient to remind me that, even in the depths of despair, the struggle wasn’t over.

Not while even a fragment of me remained.

The transformation was complete. The beast, no, I towered in the moonlit clearing, my shadow stretching grotesquely across the ground.

Every muscle in my body thrummed with unnatural strength, every sense heightened to a razor’s edge.

The world was a tapestry of sounds and scents: the faint crackle of Withers’ robes brushing against the foliage, the metallic tang of blood lingering in the air, and the muted heartbeats of the council as they encircled me like vultures.

I turned my head towards them, my glowing eyes narrowing. Their faces displayed a mixture of awe and trepidation, as though they had finally succeeded in summoning a force they were not entirely certain they could control.

“Kaelen,” Withers began, his voice smooth yet cautious, “or should I refer to you as... something else now?”

The beast within me laughed, a guttural sound that shook the ground beneath my feet. “You think you can command me, Withers?” I rumbled, my voice layered with a growl. “You think you can leash what you’ve unleashed?”

He smiled thinly, yet I could see the flicker of unease in his eyes. “I believe you misunderstand, my dear Kaelen. You are not our prisoner. You are our weapon, a force the world has never witnessed, crafted to restore balance to a realm descending into chaos.”

The others nodded, their cloaks shifting like dark waves in the darkness.

“Balance?” I echoed, my voice laced with disdain. “Is tha t

what you term your tyranny? Your deceit? I’ve witnessed your balance, Withers, and it rests upon the bones of the innocent.” Withers’ expression darkened, his facade cracking. “Be

cautious, Kaelen. You are on the brink of greatness. Do not allow your emotions to obscure the gift we have bestowed upon you.”

“Gift?” I let out a laugh, the sound harsh and guttural. “This is no gift. It’s a curse. And you’re nothing more than cowards concealing yourselves behind masks of righteousness.”

But Withers stood his ground, stepping closer. “You speak of curses, Kaelen, yet look at what you’ve become. You are power incarnate. Unstoppable. Unmatched. The creature within you is the solution to everything this realm needs. And it obeys but one master: the strongest will.”

His words slithered through my mind, and for a moment, I felt the beast stir in agreement. It craved domination and revelled in the promise of unchecked power.

But then, like a distant echo, I heard her voice once more.

You are more than this, Kaelen. I believe in you.

The flicker of light inside me glowed a little brighter, enough to stave off the beast’s hunger.

“You believe you’ve crafted me into a weapon,” I said, my voice low and menacing. “But even weapons can turn against their makers.”

Withers’ smirk faded, and he raised a hand, signalling the council to pull back slightly. “Take care now,” he cautioned. “Your path has been determined, Kaelen. Resisting it will only

result in ruin.”

I stepped forward, the ground cracking beneath my claws.

“You think you hold the leash, Withers? You’re mistaken.” The beast surged within me, and this time, I didn’t resist it. I allowed its power to flow through me, not to obey them but

to demonstrate what they had truly created.

With a roar that shook the skies, I unleashed a wave of energ y

that sent the council scattering like leaves in a tempest. Trees splintered, the ground erupted, and the air itself crackled with fury.

For a moment, I stood there, breathing heavily as the dust settled. The council members scrambled to their feet, their expressions no longer smug or self-assured.

“You’ve made your mistake,” I growled, my voice resonating in the silence that ensued. “Now, you shall face the conse- quences.”

Withers’ eyes blazed with fury, yet fear lingered there too. “You cannot escape what you are, Kaelen. The beast will fully consume you, and when it does, you will come crawling back

tous.”

“Perhaps,” I said, a grim smile curling on my lips. “But if that

day arrives, I shan’t come crawling.”

I turned and strode into the woods, the beast’s laughter

reverberating in my mind.

The council would not cease pursuing me. The beast would

not stop murmuring its promises of power.

And Elara... Elara had vanished, a figment of my shattered

mind.

But even now, as I strolled into the night, her voice lingered

like a delicate thread in the darkness.

“You are more than this.”

It was sufficient for the time being.

I dropped to my knees, gazing into the abyss below. “Am I?” I whispered, the question lingering in the air.

The beast’s laughter faded into silence, leaving me alone

with nothing but the sound of my heartbeat and the lingering memory of a voice that had never been real.

I didn’t know how long I had sat there, trapped between the man I once was and the monster I had become. However, as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, I made a vow.

If I could not save myself, I would save this realm from what the council has unleashed. Even if it meant destroying everything, including myself.

The fight was not over. Not yet.