Khaliq and Iblis watched Atenzi change in Bloodmire. The cosmic brothers couldn't believe their eyes.
"This isn't what I planned," Khaliq said, frowning. His golden eyes looked troubled.
Iblis, on the other hand, was thrilled. His smoky form shimmered with excitement. "Oh, come on, brother," he chuckled. "You've got to admit, this is way more fun than your boring old plan."
"We pushed him too far," Khaliq worried. He ran a hand through his shining hair. "We might have broken him for good."
Iblis burst out laughing. The sound shook the cosmos. "Broken him? Ha! We've set him free! Your wild card is crazier than I ever dreamed!"
Khaliq's face got serious. "And that doesn't worry you? The balance-"
"Balance?" Iblis cut in. His eyes sparkled with mischief. "Where's the fun in that? This is perfect. Your creation's gone dark. It's like poetry, I'm telling you."
"This isn't a game, Iblis," Khaliq warned. His voice was low and dangerous.
Iblis just grinned wider. "It's always been a game, brother. You're just mad 'cause the pieces aren't moving how you wanted."
As they turned back to watch the mortal world, Iblis added softly, "I wonder, brother... when all's said and done, will your precious Atenzi thank you for this gift? Or curse your name forever?"
Khaliq didn't answer. He just stared at the world below, his face a mask of worry.
Down in Bloodmire, Báthory's castle was decked out for a big feast. The hall was huge, with high ceilings lost in shadow. Creepy chandeliers cast flickering light over the guests. Vampire nobles in fancy clothes mixed with monsters that looked like they crawled out of nightmares.
At the head table sat Báthory. She looked like a queen of darkness. Next to her was Atenzi - or rather, Oni no Atenzi. He was a far cry from the young ruler who first came to Bloodmire.
Atenzi's hair was wild and matted. His golden eyes, now ringed with red, darted around the room like a predator's. He looked uncomfortable in his fancy clothes, like he'd rather be in battle gear.
As servants brought out huge platters of food, Báthory leaned close to Atenzi. Her cold breath tickled his ear. "Eat up, my champion," she purred. "You've more than earned this feast."
Atenzi growled in response. The sound made nearby guests shiver. Without any manners, he attacked the food like a wild animal. He tore into meat with his bare hands and gulped down dark drinks in one go.
Báthory watched him, fascinated. She ran her pale hand down his back. Atenzi's muscles were coiled tight, ready to spring. "That's it," she whispered. "Show them what you've become."
Further down the table, Musashi watched with a worried look. When Atenzi took a break from eating, Musashi spoke up. "Your fighting in the maze was incredible," he said. His calm voice carried easily over the noise. "It reminded me of Hattori Hanzo's style, but wilder. More... instinctive."
Atenzi's head snapped up at the ninja's name. For a second, he looked more like his old self. "Hanzo?" he said. His voice was rough from not talking. "Yeah, I studied that stuff back on Earth. Never used it much. Didn't seem... fair."
He barked out a laugh. It sounded harsh and empty. "Fairness. What a joke that seems now."
Musashi nodded slowly. "You mixed those moves with what I taught you. You made something new."
Atenzi's eyes narrowed. "The old ways weren't enough," he growled. He waved his hand, taking in the whole room. "Out there, you've got to be the hunter, not the prey."
"Is that what you've become?" Musashi asked quietly. "A hunter?"
Atenzi was quiet for a long moment. Then, suddenly, he slammed his fist on the table. The crash made everyone jump. Plates and cups went flying.
"I've become what I needed to become," Atenzi snarled. His voice filled the whole room. "What Naaim needed me to become. Someone strong enough to take on gods and demons."
He stood up. He seemed to fill the whole hall with his presence. Every eye was on him. The vampires and monsters looked scared and amazed at the same time.
"I am Oni no Atenzi," he declared. His voice boomed with power. "Unbeatable under the heavens. And I'm going to reshape this world, no matter what it costs."
The room went dead quiet. Even Báthory looked taken aback. Then, slowly, people started clapping and cheering. The sound built to a roar.
As Atenzi sat back down, Anzar leaned over to Musashi. "By all the gods," the old sailor muttered, "what have we created?"
Musashi's face was grim. He'd come to guide and protect Atenzi. Now, looking at what his student had become, he wondered if he'd failed in the worst way possible.
The party went on late into the night. Atenzi kept switching between eating like crazy and brooding silently. Báthory never left his side. She looked at him like he was her prized possession.
As things started winding down, Atenzi suddenly got serious. The wild energy that had filled him since the maze seemed to focus. It got sharp, like a blade.
He stood up again. This time, the room went quiet right away.
"Enough," he said. His voice was soft but steel-hard. "We've had our fun. Now it's time for business."
He turned to Báthory. His eyes burned into hers. "We've got three days before Genghis Khan's army gets here. Three days to get ready, to plan, to turn this war around before it even starts."
Báthory's smile was all fangs. "Indeed, my champion," she purred. "Shall we go to the war room? I think it's time we showed the great Khan that Bloodmire isn't to be messed with."
As everyone started leaving, some to join the war meeting and others to spread stories about the night, Musashi and Anzar shared a worried look.
The next few days would decide the fate of Bloodmire.
And at the center of it all was Oni no Atenzi, impossibly ingenious and impossible to predict.
Only time would tell if he'd be the savior of Naaim and humanity... or the one to destroy it all.