Mark of the Beast :Destiny Awakening

The sky above them was no longer blue. It was a fiery, molten abyss, swirling with dark clouds and streaks of crimson. The dragon, now fully descended, spread its wings wide, casting a shadow that covered the battlefield. Its immense form hovered just above the ground, its body crackling with dark, destructive energy. The air around it was thick with heat, warping the very fabric of reality.

Ryu staggered to his feet, still feeling the residual burn of the Judicator's dark energy. His body ached from the effort of defeating the stone titan, and his sword, though still glowing faintly, felt heavier than ever before. But it wasn't the exhaustion that sent a chill down his spine—it was the dragon.

Its eyes locked onto him, twin pools of fire that seemed to burn through the very depths of his soul. There was no mistaking it—the creature saw him as its prey.

"You think you've won?" The dragon's voice reverberated through the air, a deep, guttural growl that made the ground tremble beneath them. Its words weren't spoken aloud, but Ryu felt them in his mind, as if the creature was speaking directly to him. "You've merely set the stage for your destruction."

The other warriors stood, eyes fixed on the beast. The red-haired warrior, fiery and unafraid, was the first to move. "We've fought beasts like you before," he shouted, his voice filled with confidence. "Your roar is nothing. Let's see how you handle fire!"

Without another word, he dashed forward, his blade trailing a trail of flame behind him. His movements were swift and precise, the flames around him growing brighter with each step. The air crackled as his sword slashed through the air, a barrage of fiery strikes aimed directly at the dragon.

The dragon responded with a terrifying roar, its maw opening wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth. It inhaled deeply, and before anyone could react, it unleashed a torrent of fiery breath that collided with the red-haired warrior's fiery assault. The two forces clashed midair, sending shockwaves that rippled through the battlefield. The red-haired warrior was thrown back, his body skidding across the ground, but he quickly rolled to his feet, unfazed.

"Damn!" the red-haired warrior muttered under his breath, wiping blood from his mouth. "That was close."

The golden-haired woman raised her staff, the energy within it glowing brighter, and a protective barrier of radiant light expanded around the group. She shouted something to the others, her voice calm but urgent. "Focus! We need to stay coordinated! The dragon is too powerful to fight individually."

The man with the obsidian spear moved into position, his eyes sharp as ever. He muttered under his breath, and a pulse of violet light surrounded him, crackling with power. "Ryu, stay close. This is where you'll need to focus. You've awakened the Mark, but it's still untamed. We need you to channel it properly."

Ryu nodded, though his heart hammered in his chest. The sheer size of the dragon was overwhelming. His senses screamed at him to flee, but deep inside, he knew he couldn't—he wouldn't. The power of the Mark coursed through him, and his sword, still in his hand, seemed to hum with energy. He had to push forward, but he had no idea how.

The dark-haired woman, standing at the edge of the battlefield, her body surrounded by the shadows she controlled, turned to him. "Listen, Ryu. You've felt the power of the Mark. But you're only scratching the surface." Her eyes narrowed. "You need to channel that power. Don't fight it."

Ryu turned to her, confusion filling his mind. "What do you mean?"

"The Mark is a part of you." Her voice was low, almost a whisper, as she spoke, her eyes glowing faintly. "It's not something you control—it's something you become. You can't win this battle by fighting it. The dragon—everything here—is a reflection of what you are. To defeat it, you must accept the power within you."

Ryu's breath caught in his throat. He had felt the Mark before, the power it granted him, but it was always a struggle. It felt like something foreign—something that he wasn't meant to wield. How could he simply "become" it?

Before he could question her further, the dragon's voice rumbled again, loud and deafening.

"So this is how it ends? The boy thinks he can challenge me?" The dragon's fiery gaze shifted to Ryu, and it seemed to smirk, its mouth curling in a sinister way. "You are nothing. Your power is fleeting. Do you not see the futility of your fight?"

Ryu's grip on his sword tightened. He could feel the Mark surging within him again, a wave of power that was almost too much to control. It raged inside him like a storm, clawing at the edges of his mind, demanding to be unleashed. The dragon's taunts only fueled that storm, and for a moment, Ryu felt a strange calm wash over him.

Become it.

The words echoed in his mind, and something shifted. His body felt lighter, yet heavier at the same time. The Mark pulsed in his chest like a second heartbeat, and his vision blurred with a flash of pure energy.

Without thinking, he raised his sword.

The sword gleamed brighter than ever before, its light cutting through the darkness around them. Ryu felt the Mark wrap around him, enveloping him in a warm embrace. He was the sword. He was the power.

The air around him trembled.

"Now, Ryu!" the red-haired warrior shouted from across the battlefield. "Strike with everything you have!"

Ryu surged forward, faster than he ever thought possible. His body was a blur of motion as he closed the distance between himself and the dragon. The Mark was no longer something separate from him—it was him. He could feel it inside him, its power surging in perfect harmony with his own will.

The dragon saw him coming and opened its mouth to release another fiery breath, but Ryu was already there. With a single, devastating strike, he plunged his sword deep into the dragon's chest.

Time seemed to slow.

For a split second, Ryu could feel the pulse of energy between them—the power of the Mark crashing against the dragon's might, a cataclysmic clash that reverberated through the air. The dragon let out a deafening roar of pain, its entire form shaking as Ryu's sword sank deeper. The light of the Mark flared, blindingly bright, as the dragon's dark scales began to crack, the creature's body writhing in agony.

But just as Ryu thought he had won, the dragon let out one final, horrific cry, its body surging with dark energy. Its wings flapped, sending a shockwave across the battlefield. The force was so powerful that it knocked Ryu and his allies off their feet, sending them sprawling across the ground.

The dragon's form flickered, and for a moment, Ryu thought he saw something in its eyes—something almost human.

And then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the dragon vanished into a cloud of smoke, leaving nothing behind but the acrid scent of burnt air.

The battlefield was silent.

Ryu's breath came in ragged gasps as he tried to steady himself. His sword still burned with energy, but the dragon's form was gone. Had he done it? Was it truly over?

But then, as he looked around, he noticed something that made his blood run cold.

The ground beneath their feet was shifting. Cracks began to form in the earth, and a low rumble echoed through the air. From the depths of the earth, a dark shape began to rise—a massive, obsidian altar, covered in runes.

Ryu felt a shiver run down his spine. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.