Markus charged at the beast, his crimson eyes locked onto its glowing green ones. The creature snarled, lowering itself closer to the ground as it prepared to strike. Its massive claws lashed out with blinding speed, aiming for Markus's left side.
"Not today!" Markus shouted, dropping low just in time. He slid across the dirt, narrowly dodging the deadly swipe. As he passed under the beast's hulking frame, his knife slashed at its underbelly. The blade scraped against its tough scales, drawing thin streaks of blood but failing to deliver any real damage.
The beast reared back, roaring in fury. Its deep, guttural scream echoed through the forest, shaking leaves from the trees. Markus rolled to his feet, his gaze sharp as he grabbed one of the spears that had fallen from its body earlier.
The creature's massive tail swept toward him without warning, cutting through the air like a whip.
Markus's ears twitched. He moved on instinct, leaping into a backflip just as the tail slammed into the ground where he had been standing. Dirt and debris exploded into the air. Mid-flip, Markus adjusted his grip on the spear and hurled it at the beast's head.
"Take this!"
The spear struck true, embedding itself just above the beast's eye. The creature roared again, stumbling back as it clawed at its face.
But the attack only made it angrier. It stomped forward with renewed ferocity, each step shaking the ground beneath them. The beast's glowing eyes burned with rage as it swung its claws wildly, tearing through the trees in its path.
Markus darted around its attacks, his movements fluid and precise. Each time the beast swiped at him, he dodged just in time, slashing at its legs with his knife whenever an opening appeared. His blade drew blood, but the cuts were shallow—he needed more.
The creature growled low, crouching as its muscles coiled with tension. Markus barely had time to react before it lunged, jaws snapping open wide in an attempt to swallow him whole.
For a split second, the forest seemed to go silent.
Markus didn't flinch. His stance shifted as the ground beneath him cracked slightly, his legs tensing like a coiled spring.
"Let's finish this!" he roared.
Instead of retreating, Markus jumped straight into the beast's mouth. The jaws snapped shut around him, but he was already moving. His knife flashed in the darkness, slashing furiously at the flesh and muscle around him. Blood sprayed in every direction as he hacked his way through the creature's throat.
The beast roared in agony, thrashing wildly as it tried to dislodge him. Its claws raked at the ground, tearing through the earth in desperation.
Markus didn't stop. With one final, powerful slash, he tore through the other side of its neck and burst out into the open air. He landed heavily on the ground, rolling to absorb the impact. Blood dripped from his knife, his clothes, and his hair, but his crimson eyes remained locked on the beast.
The creature staggered, its movements slow and unsteady. Blood poured from the gaping wound in its neck, pooling on the forest floor. Its glowing eyes dimmed slightly as it let out a weak, choking cry.
Markus tightened his grip on the knife, forcing his trembling legs to move. He darted forward one last time, his gaze steady.
"This ends now!"
With a precise strike, he severed the beast's spinal cord.
The creature let out one final, guttural groan before collapsing to the ground with a thunderous crash. Its massive body twitched once, then stilled as its life faded away.
Markus stood over the fallen beast, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. His body trembled with exhaustion, his knife hanging loosely in his hand.
"It's over…" he muttered, his voice barely audible.
His knees gave out, and he stumbled back, landing heavily on the ground. He leaned against a nearby tree, staring up at the canopy above.
The forest was silent now, save for the faint rustling of leaves in the wind.
Markus clenched his fist, his frustration boiling over. With a loud growl, he slammed his hand into the dirt, cracking the ground beneath him.
"Damn it!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty forest. "When will I get out of this damn forest?!"
He sat there for a moment, his breathing heavy and uneven. As his anger began to fade, his gaze wandered.
Something in the distance caught his eye.
A mountain loomed on the horizon, its jagged peaks reaching high into the sky. Between the mountains was a narrow crevasse—a clear path cutting through to the other side.
Markus stared at it, his crimson eyes wide with disbelief. For the first time in what felt like forever, hope flickered in his chest.
A dry laugh escaped his lips, soft at first but growing louder with each passing second.
"So that's… it," he said, his voice trembling as relief and exhaustion washed over him.
Still chuckling softly, he pushed himself to his feet, his legs shaky but steady. He wiped the blood from his face, his expression hardening with determination.
"I wonder what everyone else went through," he muttered to himself.
With one last glance at the fallen beast, Markus turned his gaze back to the mountain.
The forest behind him was still, but the path ahead was clear.
As Markus stepped out of the forest's suffocating embrace, his feet sank into a soft bed of grass. The cool breeze brushed against his face, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he could breathe freely.
He collapsed onto the grass, staring at the sky above. The horizon stretched endlessly, and in the distance, he could see the glimmering spires of Mars's capital city.
"I'm done," he whispered, his voice hoarse from exhaustion.
For a while, he just lay there, letting the tension drain from his aching body. His mind, however, offered no peace. Images of his family flashed through his head—faces he would never see again, laughter that had been silenced too soon.
His chest tightened as he bit back tears.
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. "Don't worry," he muttered, his voice low but sharp. "I'm going to make them pay... I'll make them all pay."
The sound of rustling nearby made him snap his eyes open, his body instantly alert.
Malrik Crowne stood over him, a smug grin plastered across his face.
"Congratulations!" Crowne declared, throwing his arms up dramatically. "You survived! I knew you would make it... Probably."
Markus's expression darkened. Without a second thought, he lashed out with his knife, aiming straight for Crowne's chest.
But Crowne was already gone. His form shimmered and reappeared a few feet away, still grinning.
"Must you keep pestering me?" Markus growled, his crimson eyes burning with fury.
Crowne chuckled, tilting his head. "What could you possibly mean?"
"Damn you," Markus spat, gripping his knife tighter. "You're the worst."
Crowne gasped in mock horror, clutching his chest. "Hey! You hurt my feelings." He pretended to wipe away a tear, sniffling. "Fake crying is harder than it looks, you know."
Markus glared at him, his patience wearing thin.
"Anyway!" Crowne's demeanor shifted instantly, his playful tone dropping into something more serious. "Let's not waste time. Tell me—what have you learned?"
Markus's jaw tightened. "That you must be a demon."
Crowne wagged his finger. "No, no! I taught you how to survive with little to no information. In the most hellish way possible, I might add."
Markus couldn't argue with that, as much as he hated to admit it. "I hate that you make so much sense."
Crowne smirked, raising an eyebrow. "So, what's next for you?"
"You want me to quit?" Markus shot back, standing up straight despite his exhaustion.
Crowne's grin widened. "Not even close. I knew you'd stick with it. After all, war is a hundred times worse than anything you've faced in that forest."
Markus stared at him, his crimson eyes narrowing. "You understand that better than anyone, don't you?"
Crowne's expression softened—just for a moment. Then he smiled again, though it seemed less mocking this time. "You're starting to get it. Let me give you some advice."
He stepped closer, his tone dropping to a near whisper. "Any morals you're clinging to? They'll only get in your way."
Markus's ears twitched at the words. He straightened his posture, his voice steady. "But my morals are what make me strong."
Crowne threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing across the open field. "My goodness! You're just like me when I was younger."
Markus's grip on his knife tightened. "You mean before you went crazy?"
Crowne shrugged. "Twas a side effect," he said casually, waving his hand. "But here's the thing—your enemy won't care about your strength or your morals. They're willing to slaughter everything in their path to get what they want. Like an animal, you need to charge head-on with the same ferocity. Whoever's the strongest wins. That's it."
Markus frowned, his gaze lowering to the ground. He thought of his family again. If only he had been stronger... If only he had been ready...
Crowne snapped his fingers, breaking Markus's thoughts. "Well, no time to dwell. It's time for your weapons training!"
Markus blinked, caught off guard. "Weapons training?"
Crowne grinned as he waved his hand. A shimmering light appeared before them, and from it, a sleek, black sniper rifle materialized. Its surface glowed faintly, magical runes etched into its design.
"How about this beauty? Sniper rifles are all the rage these days," Crowne said, holding it out.
Markus shook his head, unimpressed. "No."
Crowne frowned, snapping his fingers again. The rifle disappeared, replaced by a sword and a pistol—both radiating a faint, magical aura.
"Better?" Crowne asked, his tone light but expectant.
Markus reached out, his fingers brushing against the hilt of the sword. He could feel the power humming through it, raw and untamed. His gaze shifted to the pistol, its design sleek and efficient.
"Good," Crowne said, his grin widening. "Because I'm going to force you to master all of these!"
"All of these?" Markus asked, raising an eyebrow.
Crowne nodded enthusiastically. "I'm going to mold you into the perfect soldier. Someone who's comfortable in every part of the battlefield."
Markus smirked, gripping the sword tightly. "Sounds... perfect."
Crowne's grin remained as he stepped back, watching Markus with a glint of approval.
"Then let's get started," he said, his tone as sharp as the weapons Markus now held.