Ryou stumbled through the desolate expanse of the Exiled Plain, his feet dragging through the thick, sticky black sand. A foul wind howled, sweeping the air with a strange electric hum that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. The wasteland stretched endlessly before him, a barren landscape with jagged black rocks, strange twisted trees, and an atmosphere so oppressive it seemed to weigh down on his very soul.
The angel had left him here, telling him that if he wished to survive, he must prove his worth. She had vanished, leaving nothing behind but the ominous stillness of the Plain. Ryou shivered, rubbing his wrists where the celestial chains had once been, now broken into fragments scattered on the ground.
"Great," he muttered to himself, clenching his fists. "What now? A wasteland with no end, no sign of civilization... and no idea where to go."
Ryou took a deep breath, forcing himself to move forward. The power inside him stirred, a dark, hungry force, reminding him of what had happened when he unleashed it back in the Celestial Hold. His tentacles twitched under his cloak, their presence always felt, always waiting to be called upon. But he knew better than to rely on them carelessly. They were powerful, yes, but they came at a price. They drained him, slowly, relentlessly.
As he walked deeper into the Plain, the ground beneath him seemed to pulse with strange energy. Every step felt like he was sinking into the very fabric of the world. The air was thick with magic, and Ryou could sense it—the power in the air was like a drug, intoxicating and dangerous. He knew there was something about this place, something ancient and powerful, but he couldn't yet understand it.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed from the shadows, and Ryou froze. The hairs on his arms stood on end. From the darkness, a massive shape emerged—a monstrous creature with glowing red eyes and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. Its body was covered in dark scales, and its wings were tattered, like those of a bat.
Ryou's heart raced. He reached for his power, feeling it surge within him as his tentacles unfurled from his back, their tips crackling with dark energy. But the creature didn't charge. Instead, it stopped just a few feet away from him, its eyes narrowing, almost... curious.
"You are not like the others," the creature rumbled, its voice deep and guttural. "I can feel it. You carry the power of both demons and gods within you."
Ryou clenched his teeth. "And who exactly are you?"
The creature let out a low, raspy laugh. "I am one of the Exiled. You will find that in this place, survival is not guaranteed. You will have to fight for your life."
Ryou took a cautious step back, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not here to fight you."
The creature's eyes flashed. "You don't have a choice."
Before Ryou could react, the creature lunged at him, claws outstretched. But just as quickly, Ryou reacted, using his tentacles to push himself out of the way, narrowly dodging the beast's deadly swipe. The tentacles lashed out at the creature, striking its armored hide with a resounding thud, but the creature barely flinched.
"You'll need more than that to defeat me," the Exiled growled, its eyes gleaming with malice.
Ryou gritted his teeth, calling on all his strength. The dark energy inside him surged, pushing through his veins as his body became a conduit for destruction. His tentacles whipped out again, this time striking the creature's wings, tearing through the fragile membranes like paper. The beast howled in pain, staggering back, but Ryou wasn't done. He launched himself forward, his fists glowing with the same black energy that powered his tendrils. The Exiled stumbled as Ryou's punch landed squarely on its chest, sending it crashing to the ground with a deafening thud.
As the creature lay motionless, Ryou took a step back, panting heavily. His power flickered inside him, urging him to push further, but he forced himself to take a breath and reign it in. There was no time to waste.