The forest was burning.
The air reeked of smoke, charred earth, and the metallic tang of fresh blood.
Asrial tightened his arms around Theresia, her breathing faint, her body trembling in his grasp. He could feel the warmth of her blood trickling onto his skin, mixing with his own wounds. The shadowy beast loomed before them, its hulking form shifting and reshaping with a sickening, liquid squelch. And behind it, crimson eyes glowed—the black wolf, watching him, stalking him like prey.
There was no time to think. No time to hesitate.
Asrial's rage ignited.
Without a moment's pause, he launched a barrage of fire and earth, molten spears of flame colliding with jagged rocks aimed at the beast. But the attacks passed through as if striking air. The beast dissolved into the shadows, vanishing, only to reform elsewhere like smoke recondensing. The black wolf simply stepped from the shadows of a nearby tree, untouched, unfazed.
A low growl rumbled from the wolf's throat, its crimson gaze locked on him.
Then it howled.
The beast charged.
Asrial gritted his teeth, throwing his body to the side, clutching Theresia tightly as they barely dodged the oncoming attack. Pain surged through his legs. He was moving slower now, his injuries slowing him, his motions increasingly predictable. The beast turned sharply, preparing to strike again.
Suddenly—
A hand landed softly on Asrial's shoulder.
His breath hitched in his throat as he slowly turned his head.
A man stood behind him, tall and cloaked in black, his long dark coat brushing against the grass. His black hair framed sharp features, but it was his eyes—glowing purple, cold, and amused—that paralyzed Asrial.
"You have quite the energy," the man said with a faint, almost entertained smile.
Before Asrial could react, he was slammed into a tree. His vision blurred as his body was pinned—not by ropes, not by steel—but by his own shadow.
The inky tendrils from beneath his feet coiled and hardened like iron, crucifying him against the bark.
Theresia slipped from his grasp, unconscious, her limp body falling to the ground.
The man strolled forward, his hands in his pockets, his voice as calm as if discussing the weather.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Second Bishop of the Church of the Broken God," he said, bowing mockingly. "They call me… the Shadow King."
His smile widened.
"A dear friend of the Crimson Witch. I've come to… finish what she started."
Something inside Asrial snapped.
Rage poured through him like wildfire as he screamed, hurling elemental attacks—fire, wind, shards of ice—spamming them desperately, recklessly.
But the black wolf devoured each attack, its body absorbing the elemental magic like a bottomless pit.
The Shadow King laughed—a low, echoing sound that sent chills down Asrial's spine.
"Tricks born from the false creator's laws… They won't touch me," he said, spreading his arms. "Only a relic gifted by the Broken God himself can pierce me. You're simply not enough."
But Asrial wasn't listening. He couldn't listen. His attacks became more desperate, his heart racing, his breath ragged. Pain suddenly exploded in his chest, raw and suffocating. His soul ached violently, and his vision swam.
What am I doing?
The pain dragged him back—back to the reality of his failing body, his crumbling resolve.
The Shadow King's cold gaze shifted to Theresia's unconscious form. Without hesitation, he lifted her by the hair, her body dangling like a broken doll. The black wolf dissolved into a long black blade and appeared in the Shadow King's hand—a sword with a devouring aura.
The blade rested against Theresia's throat.
"Shall I carve a message onto her skin?" the Shadow King mused, his grin widening. "Perhaps I should return her to Leonhard... in pieces."
SNAP.
A sound erupted—not from the forest, but from within Asrial.
A roar unlike any he had unleashed before tore from his lungs, shaking the ground beneath him. The shadows binding him shattered instantly.
His body transformed, scales like obsidian laced with crimson spread across his skin. A single, jagged wing burst from his back, dripping molten sparks. His eyes blazed with an unearthly light—an amalgamation of fire, water, wind, and earth circling him violently, responding to his will.
The ground beneath him erupted in lava.
The skies screamed with violent storms.
The Shadow King's expression twisted—not in fear, but in thrilled surprise.
"Well now… you weren't supposed to awaken so soon."
In a heartbeat, Asrial disappeared from his sight.
When the Shadow King finally located him—he was already behind him, his arm coiled around Theresia, snatching her from his grasp.
"You—"
BOOM.
The world detonated around them as Asrial unleashed a concentrated blast of pure elemental destruction—a fusion of the four elements compressed into a single devastating blow. The Shadow King's form dissolved into wisps of shadow, his voice lingering as he escaped.
"Astounding… truly astounding… The Queen will be… very interested in this development."
Asrial crashed to the forest floor, clutching Theresia tightly, his body giving out from the exhaustion and the cost of his transformation.
A soft voice echoed in his mind.
Congratulations…
You have unlocked… the Will of the Elemental Dragon.
And then, everything went dark.