Apophis

The air around them felt thick, almost suffocating, as Apophis, Finn, and Cyrus pushed deeper into the heart of the forest. Shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally, and the once vibrant trees stood twisted and broken, as though the land itself had been scarred by something terrible.

Finn's nose twitched as he sniffed the air, his golden fur bristling with unease. "He's close... too close," the fox muttered, his voice low and tense.

Apophis scanned the surroundings, his instincts sharper than ever since his encounter with Luphar’s power. "Who are we up against?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Cyrus, the massive croc, growled deeply. “Luphar. He wasn’t always like this… used to protect this place. But now? He’s just a beast, no better than a rabid animal.”

Apophis raised a brow. “Luphar? Wasn’t he supposed to be the guardian of this forest? What the hell happened to him?”

Finn’s ears flicked back, his tail stiff. “Rakar happened,” he spat bitterly. “He forced Luphar to consume something—something that twisted him from the inside. Whatever that thing was, it’s turned him into a monster. Luphar gained power, sure, but lost his mind in the process. He’s barely even the Luphar we knew. Now, he only knows destruction.”

A chill ran down Apophis’ spine as he processed Finn’s words. Rakar, always in the shadows, pulling strings, corrupting those who stood in his way. What could have driven Luphar, a once-noble guardian, to succumb to such evil?

As if summoned by their words, a heavy growl echoed through the trees. Branches snapped under the weight of something massive approaching. The ground beneath them trembled with each footstep.

From the mist, a towering figure emerged.

It was Luphar.

But not the Luphar from stories of a proud, noble protector of the forest. This creature was grotesque, twisted beyond recognition. His once-lustrous green fur was now matted and stained, blackened symbols crawled across his body like parasites. His eyes, once calm and wise, glowed with an unnatural, blood-red intensity. His breathing was ragged, filled with barely contained fury.

“You... again.” Luphar's voice was a low snarl, vibrating with menace. “Haven’t you learned? This forest belongs to the strong. The weak deserve to be crushed.”

Apophis stepped forward, fists clenched. “Luphar, this isn’t you. You used to defend this place. What happened to you?”

For a moment, something like confusion flickered in Luphar's eyes. His lips curled, but the snarl remained. “That Luphar is gone. Rakar gave me power. True power. Now... now I see what I was meant to be.”

“You don’t see anything!” Finn barked, stepping beside Apophis, his sharp eyes locking onto Luphar. “Rakar poisoned your mind. You think this is what real power looks like? You’re a puppet—nothing more.”

Luphar’s snarl grew into a full-throated roar, his body trembling with barely contained rage. “Power is all that matters! The strong rise, the weak die!”

Cyrus, standing tall with a fierce grin, slammed his tail into the ground, shaking the earth. “Enough talk. Let’s just take him down. Fuck all the rest.”

Apophis couldn't help but smirk at Cyrus’ brutish confidence, but his eyes remained locked on Luphar. The tiger-beast was far gone, corrupted beyond reason, but a part of him wondered if anything of the old guardian remained.

The ground shook as Luphar lunged, his massive claws swiping toward them. Apophis dodged nimbly, narrowly avoiding a blow that would have torn him apart. Behind him, Finn darted forward, his movements swift and graceful, attempting to distract Luphar.

Cyrus roared, charging straight at the fallen guardian. “Time to show this bastard what real power looks like!” His massive body collided with Luphar, the force enough to send shockwaves through the ground. But Luphar didn't falter. He grabbed Cyrus by the arm and, with a terrifying strength, hurled the croc into a nearby tree with a sickening crash.

Apophis cursed under his breath. Luphar was stronger than he expected.

As Finn darted around Luphar, trying to find an opening, Apophis concentrated, feeling the surge of dark energy within him. His scales shimmered with a faint purple glow, a reminder of the abyssal power he'd begun to tap into. He couldn’t let Luphar continue this madness.

“I don’t care what Rakar did to you!” Apophis shouted, his voice ringing out. “You were the guardian of this place, Luphar! You don’t have to let his control break you!”

But Luphar wasn’t listening. With a roar, he charged toward Apophis, eyes wild with bloodlust. Apophis raised his arm, and a dark, shimmering barrier appeared just in time, blocking Luphar’s savage strike. The impact sent a shockwave through his body, but he held firm.

Cyrus staggered to his feet, shaking off the impact. “That’s it, no more games!” He charged back into the fray, his massive jaws snapping at Luphar’s legs.

Finn, ever the strategist, called out, “We can’t beat him in a head-on brawl! We need to work together. Apophis, distract him! Cyrus, we hit him from the sides!”

“Fuck it, let’s just take him apart,” Cyrus grinned, clearly ready to unleash everything.

Apophis could feel the tension in the air, the rising storm of violence, but something else lingered in the back of his mind—a question. What had Rakar planned with this? Corrupting Luphar was one thing, but what for? There had to be more. There was always more.

For now, though, there was no time for questions. There was only the fight.