The battlefield was soaked in blood. The air smelled of iron and death. Steel clashed as the fight dragged on.
Alex stood in the middle of it. His body had fully changed.
Power ran through him, strong, heavy, but unstable. It didn't feel right. It felt like something he couldn't control yet.
Nearby, Jack, Ciara, and Pete were struggling. They weren't trying to win anymore. Just survive.
Their ki flared in short bursts. Jack's movements slowed, his foresight lagging. Ciara's breathing broke, her arms shaking with every strike. Pete's aura flickered, weak and unstable.
Jack saw it coming. "You're burning out. Stop using ki."
Too late.
The beast lunged at Ciara. She barely dodged, but the force sent her sliding across the ground.
"Is that all?" the beast said. "You can't even protect yourselves."
It moved faster.
Jack tried to follow, but his body didn't keep up. The beast struck. He dodged, but not fully. The impact dropped him to one knee. His vision blurred.
Pete fired a blast. The beast stepped aside. It missed.
Ciara forced herself up and charged. The beast was already there. Its claws tore across her chest. She hit the ground hard.
Jack tried to reach her, but the beast moved first.
Alex saw it.
He rushed forward and threw a full-force punch. The beast stepped aside easily. Its counter slammed into Alex's ribs and sent him flying. He hit the ground and slid, pain tearing through his chest.
"Pathetic," the beast said.
Alex forced himself up and attacked again. Faster this time.
Still not enough.
The beast struck him down again. Blood filled his mouth as he hit the ground. He had power, but no control.
"I am the end," the beast said. "You can't win."
Alex barely heard it.
He noticed the blood around him. It pooled near his body, slowly spreading.
With each heartbeat, something changed. His strength grew.
The beast noticed, but ignored it. It turned back to Ciara.
That was enough.
"Don't touch her," Alex screamed.
Pain hit instantly. His vision broke apart.
Everything went black.
Alex collapsed.
Across the field, Jack staggered. The beast appeared in front of him and bit into his shoulder, breaking through the armour. Jack shouted, trying to pull away, but it held him in place.
"Now you'll understand"
It stopped.
The beast froze. It sensed something.
At the edge of the battlefield, the Goddess of Death stood in the shadows, watching Alex.
For a moment, her expression changed.
Then she turned and disappeared.