Roman charged at Neato with all the strength and fury he could muster, his katana slicing through the air with deadly precision. Each strike aimed to cut down the dark lord, yet Neato moved with an almost ethereal grace, silently dodging each blow with ease. His expression was unreadable, his focus intense as he analyzed Roman's every move, searching for weaknesses.
Roman's attacks became more frenzied, his frustration growing as Neato continued to evade him effortlessly. The battlefield was filled with the sound of clashing steel and the whooshing of air as Roman's strikes missed their mark. Despite the relentless assault, Neato remained quiet, his calm demeanor only adding to the tension.
Meanwhile, Nina stood beside Astron, her eyes fixed on the battle. She couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as she watched Neato's calm and calculating movements. "Looks like your darkened one is having a hard time," Nina remarked, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Shouldn't you assist him?"
Astron giggled, a haunting sound that echoed through the desolate landscape. Blood dripped from her vacant eyes as she smiled, then, without warning, she dropped to her knees and began to pray. Her voice was soft but filled with an eerie conviction as she recited an ancient chant:
"When the moon falls, all that is living shall perish, and darkness shall roam free. Beneath the crimson sky where darkness falls, eternal night consumes them all. In a sea of dread where hope is lost, their souls are bound, forever lost."
As Astron's words filled the air, a sense of impending doom settled over the world. Unbeknownst to Roman and Nina, at that very moment, the last human on the planet drew their final breath, leaving the earth utterly devoid of life. Billions of souls extinguished, and with their deaths, rivers of blood began to flow across the barren land, converging toward Neato.
Roman and Nina watched in horror as the blood surged toward Neato, who stood still, absorbing the crimson tide into his body. Astron, still on her knees, raised her bloodied eyes to the sky and whispered, "Awaken, darkened one."
The blood continued to pour into Neato, and with each drop, his body began to change. A deafening scream tore from his throat, echoing across the landscape as the moon rose in the sky, its surface turning a deep, ominous red. The blood surrounding Neato formed a cocoon, enveloping him in a swirling mass of darkness.
As the metamorphosis reached its climax, the blood cocoon exploded, sending shockwaves across the battlefield. Roman shielded his eyes from the blast, his heart pounding as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. When the dust settled, his gaze fell upon Neato, and his blood ran cold.
Neato's form was a grotesque mockery of his previous self. His skin had turned pitch black, stretched so thin over his bones that they jutted out in sharp points. His face was a horrifying sight, with no eyes to speak of, only a mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth that seemed to grin menacingly. He had four arms, each adorned with red pearls that hung just below his wrists, adding an almost ceremonial touch to his monstrous appearance. A long, sinewy tail swayed behind him, completing the terrifying transformation.
Roman's voice caught in his throat as he stared at the creature before him. "What in the—"
Before he could finish, Neato moved with blinding speed, disappearing and reappearing right in front of Roman in the blink of an eye. The sheer speed of the movement left Roman momentarily stunned, his mind racing to process what had just happened.
END OF CHAPTER 53