?


    The battle had been a monstrous ordeal, the atmosphere choked with the sickening stench of sulfur and spilled blood.


    Panting heavily, we stood amidst the havoc, trying to regain our strength.


    Doru''s eyes that were usually serene, were now bright with a wild excitement and a trace of anxiety.


    With a trembling hand, he unfurled an ancient scroll he had discovered.


    ''This is…'' I stopped for a moment.


    "What is that?" My voice seemed foreign to my ears, strained and hoarse from shoutingmands and curses in the chaos.


    This couldn''t be… ''He already had it?''


    Doru gulped, gripping the scroll tighter. "It''s something I''ve been hiding from the family for years."


    The soil beneath us in this ursed ce felt dense and unyielding, like a b of cold, hard iron.


    The mere act of standing felt like a battle in itself, the pressure as if a thousand needles were puncturing our feet every passing second.


    "Listen up, everyone!" Doru''s voice cut through the heavy air.


    I couldn''t help but roll my eyes. I knew about this scroll. Nothing, not even the weirdest revtion, would surprise me in this godforsaken ce.


    But it pushed me out of my bnce, why here and why now?


    All I wished for was to y the demon lord, before he yed us. But Doru was insistent.


    The scroll spoke of the "Amulet of Elemental Unity," a mythical artifact rumored to harness the raw wrath of the elements, offering unimaginable power to its destined wielder. Intrigued by the prospect of brandishing such an artifact against the demons, I wanted to have it.


    Dante, however, looked skeptical. His eyes that were usually filled with the light of determination, now was just reflecting uncertainty.


    He had always been wary of the darker sides of magic. The thought of wielding such an immensely powerful amulet, and the seductive temptation it might bring, intimidated him.


    "What if this amulet is nothing more than a myth?" he questioned, "What if we''re risking our lives for a mere fantasy? You don''t even know how to use it!"


    In the face of such dissent, I felt the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders.


    I had to be the sturdy anchor of our team, fostering unity and inspiring my them to persevere.


    "We can''t die here!" I shouted. "Not when we''re so close to ending this nightmare!"


    Even if we had to use this artifact, I wasn''t going to die in the darkness like the old Rowen did.


    No!


    And so, as my friends argued and the tension mounted, I found myself face-to-face with our nemesis.


    The demon that looked twice my side.


    It wasn''t Hector, unfortunately, in all his grotesque glory, towered over me.


    His eyes, burned with a malicious gleam, bore into mine.


    My heart pounded in my chest, the adrenaline coursed through my veins like wildfire.


    I unsheathed my sword, the de was glinting menacingly in the dim light.


    The demonughed, a chilling sound that flew throughout the cavern. But I didn''t falter. I couldn''t.


    We shed, our weapons striking with a fierce intensity that sent sparks flying.


    The demon was strong, his attacks looked relentless.


    ''Fuck you!'' But I matched him, blow for blow, refusing to back down. I had something he didn''t - the will to protect myself, to protect my world from his tyranny and find Hector asap.


    As I fought, I felt their eyes on me - Doru, Dante.


    I knew then that my battle was not just against the demon lord.


    It was also a battle of wills, a demonstration of determination, a beacon of hope for my team which I wasn''t very confident with.


    Summoning all the energy I had left, I made my move.


    ''Here ites…'' I nced down at the fresh wound seeping crimson on my arm.


    As a blood maniptor, it was my weapon, my ally.


    Drawing the blood from the wound, Imanded it to my bidding, shaping it into crimson spikes that glistened with lethal intent.


    For a weird reason, I couldn''t control his. But it didn''t matter now.


    "Die!"


    With a fierce roar, Iunched them at the demon lord.


    He roared in defiance, but the blood spikes found their mark, piercing his grotesque body. "Graaawrl!!!!"


    He howled in pain, a sound that went off the cavern''s walls and sent chills down my spine. But I didn''t let his cries deter me.


    I had a mission toplete.


    As he reeled from the pain, I reached out with my other hand, focusing on the mirror technique.


    It was aplex art, one that required immense concentration and control. But in the face of the demon, I couldn''t afford any mistakes.


    A mirror-like portal rippled into existence, its surface shimmered with otherworldly energy. The demon''s eyes went wide with realization just as I thrust my hand forward, creating a force that pulled him towards the mirror.


    "Rowen…" I heard Doru gasping in the background.


    But With a final, guttural roar, the demon was absorbed into the portal, his monstrous form condensed into a dark silhouette before disappearing entirely.


    "Heh…" I smirked.


    With that, the cavern fell silent. The mirror portal closed with a soft, almost inaudible hum, leaving no trace of the demon in its wake.


    Panting heavily, I let my sword fall to the ground, my body sagged with a sudden wave of exhaustion.


    The amulet quest would have to wait. For now, we had earned a hard-fought victory, and a moment''s respite in this world of chaos.


    As I looked around at my weary but victorious friends, I knew we were ready for whatever came next.


    We might have been disparate souls thrown together by fate, but we had be a bit closer, almost like a team.


    "Rowen…you amaze me every day!" Doru spoke, while lying on the thick ground next to me, putting his amulet into his pocket.


    "I agree. He''s stronger than us, for sure." Dante agreed and justy next to me.


    I looked at Doru and then at Dante, and didn''t know what to say anymore… The people that my drive was to kill, were now lying next to me, they helped me.


    "Okay, but how do we get out of this ce now?"


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