The world was fire and shadow.
Alexis fell through it — a storm of memories, fear, and power. The whispers rose again, no longer distant but crashing over him like a tidal wave.
"Blood of two worlds…"
The words seared through his mind. Faces flickered in the dark — his mother's desperate eyes, the Inquisitors' cold sneers, the bodies of the fallen. But behind it all, something deeper stirred — older, wilder, and far more dangerous.
"Abomination… or savior?"
And then there was silence.
When Alexis opened his eyes, the world had shifted. The forest was still, the scent of blood heavy in the air. The coppery tang mixed with the scorched scent of burning wood, and the wind carried the distant echoes of battle. But there was something else now — a pulse beneath his skin, a heat rising with every breath. He felt… strong. Stronger than he ever had before.
Power level: 12 (Stabilized)
Physical stats fully restored.
New ability detected… Analysis in progress.
Alexis clenched his fists, feeling the energy coil through his veins. The weakness was gone, and in its place was something fierce and untamed. It hummed just below the surface, like a predator waiting to strike.
"Are you still with us, or did you finally slip into madness?"
The scarred man's voice dragged him back. Alexis turned slowly, his crimson eyes locking onto the other prisoner. The man's expression was guarded, but his eyes held a glint of something else — curiosity, and maybe fear.
"I'm fine," Alexis said, though his voice felt different — rougher, like the fire inside was starting to bleed through.
"Good." The man's gaze swept over the battlefield — the broken bodies, the blood-streaked dirt. "Because we've got company."
The forest rustled ahead. The underbrush shook violently, twigs snapping and leaves crunching under heavy boots. Figures emerged from the trees — more raiders, a dozen at least. Their armor was mismatched and battered, their weapons crude but deadly. Their eyes gleamed with greed as they took in the wreckage and the lone boy standing amid the bodies.
"Looks like we missed the fun," one of them sneered, stepping forward. "But no worries — we'll take what's left."
>Enemy assessment:
Raiders' power levels: 9-11 (Elite units detected)
Threat level: Moderate
Alexis didn't wait for them to strike. He moved.
Shff! His boots scraped against the dirt as he launched forward like a shadow. The first raider's eyes barely had time to widen before Alexis was on him. A single punch — THWACK! — shattered the man's jaw, sending him sprawling with a dull thud. Teeth and blood sprayed from his mouth as he hit the ground hard.
The others surged forward.
"Kill him!"
Shing! A blade flashed toward him. Alexis twisted, the sword hissing through the air just inches from his face. He felt the cold wind of its passage, but it never touched him. His foot snapped out — CRACK! — connecting with a kneecap. The raider's leg bent backward with an unnatural angle, and he collapsed with a shriek of pain.
Another attacker lunged from the side — WHOOSH! — a spear stabbing toward his ribs. Alexis sidestepped, his movements fluid and precise. He caught the shaft of the spear, yanked the man forward — and drove his knee up.
CRUNCH!
The raider's nose exploded in a spray of blood. He crumpled like a rag doll, the spear falling from his limp fingers.
Steel whistled behind him. Shing! CLANG! Alexis spun, his hand catching the edge of a descending sword. Pain flared as the blade bit into his palm, but he didn't let go. With a savage twist, he wrenched the weapon free — and turned it against its wielder.
SCHLK!
The blade sank deep into the raider's chest. The man's eyes went wide, his mouth opening in a soundless gasp before he slumped to the ground.
He was fast. Faster than they could track. The system guided his movements, highlighting weaknesses, predicting attacks.
>Power level advantage: 3:1. Outcome: Certain victory.
But the fire inside him wanted more.
Another raider swung a massive axe — WHOOSH! — but Alexis was already moving. He ducked low, his muscles coiling like a spring. The air hummed with tension — and then he struck.
BOOM!
His fist drove into the raider's gut, the impact rippling outward with a sound like a thunderclap. The man's feet left the ground, his body folding around the blow before he was hurled backward into a tree with a sickening CRASH!. Bark splintered and the trunk shuddered from the force.
The last two raiders hesitated, their weapons trembling.
"Y-you—" one began, his voice cracking.
Alexis didn't let him finish. He closed the distance in a blink — WHAM! — his palm slammed into the man's chest, lifting him off his feet and sending him skidding across the dirt.
The final raider stumbled back, his face pale with terror. His sword clattered to the ground as his hands shook uncontrollably. "M-monster…"
Alexis took a step forward. The man turned to run — and the fire surged.
He moved without thinking. One moment he stood still; the next, his hand was around the raider's throat, lifting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing.
"Please…" the man choked, his feet kicking helplessly.
For a heartbeat, the darkness whispered again.
"Show us."
Alexis's grip tightened. He could feel the man's heartbeat — frantic and weak. The fire inside him roared, demanding release. It would be so easy… just one squeeze…
But then his mother's face flashed through his mind — her gentle smile, the warmth in her eyes. The fire dimmed.
He let go.
The raider hit the ground in a heap, gasping and scrambling backward like a wounded animal.
"Tell your friends," Alexis said, his voice cold and calm. "If they come for me, they die."
The man didn't need to be told twice. He turned and ran, crashing through the underbrush like a terrified beast.
Silence fell once more. The scarred man watched Alexis with something close to respect — and fear. He wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes never leaving Alexis.
"You're full of surprises," he said after a moment. "What exactly are you?"
Alexis didn't answer. His crimson gaze turned north, where the distant glow of fire still stained the horizon. The smoke twisted upward like a beacon — or a warning.
"I need to find my friends."
The man shrugged. "Then you'd better move fast. The Church won't let this slide."
>New objective: Locate Elara and the survivors.
Estimated distance: 20 miles north.
Enemy pursuit: Likely.
Alexis started walking, his footsteps quiet but purposeful. The weight of his newfound strength coiled inside him like a sleeping beast. The forest around him crackled with distant flames, and the scent of ash filled the air.
Behind him, the world burned — and the abyss stirred.