Cherreads

Chapter 15 - Chapter 15

The blood soaked ground pulsed beneath Kael as his boots crushed the skull of the last malformed demon still twitching in the ash his crimson eyes narrowed as the black mist thickened around him feeding off the carnage like a parasite hungry for more Kael did not flinch as the shadows clung tighter around his arms his veins burning with the mark of the pact he had carved into his own flesh

From the far edge of the ruined cathedral walls a new sound rose bone scraping against stone low guttural breath rising and falling with unnatural rhythm out of the collapsing arches crawled a hulking figure its back twisted and bent with layers of fused flesh horns growing sideways out of its neck a grotesque hybrid of war beast and sorcerer eyes hollow glowing with green runes pulsing like dying embers

Kael did not wait

His foot dug into the dirt and he launched forward his blade humming with hunger the runes along its edge flaring bright red the air warped as his body blurred toward the monstrosity the creature raised one bloated arm its claws dripping with black venom as it swung downward but Kael twisted midair landing behind it in a single flash his blade tore across the creature's back blood sprayed like rain

The beast roared and slammed its fists into the earth the impact sending cracks through the stone floor beneath them the shockwave flung Kael backwards into a shattered pillar but he stood immediately blood dripping down his brow he looked at his own blood then licked it with a cold smile

You are not worthy to live he muttered and charged again

Three blades of cursed fire erupted from his hands and shot toward the beast each one spinning like a wheel of hell slicing into the limbs and leaving trails of scorched meat behind the creature staggered howled and from its ribs emerged small clawed worms screaming as they leapt toward Kael

He welcomed them

His body spun in a deadly spiral and his cloak shredded through the air slicing through worm after worm until nothing remained but broken meat he landed again crouched his hand gripped the earth and the shadows beneath him erupted spears of darkness piercing the main beast from below pinning its limbs in place

A portal ripped open behind the beast without warning and from it emerged a new enemy tall as a tower its body like stitched iron flesh wrapped in rusted chains mouths sewn shut eyes filled with flame Kael felt it the pressure the weight of ancient hatred

A war general of the demon lords

Perfect

Kael smiled without warmth

The beast broke free from the shadow spears but its limbs were weakened the war general lifted a giant cleaver and pointed it toward Kael as if to mark him

So you come to die too

Kael whispered not in fear but in delight his aura exploding in all directions red lightning crackling along his arms as the power inside him twisted further he did not care for the pain or the way his skin began to darken he welcomed it

Both enemies charged

Kael moved first

He disappeared and reappeared above them spinning in the air dozens of swords made of light and flame surrounding him each one bound by his rage and command he brought them down like a storm the sky turned red the earth shook the tower behind him collapsed and the world became blood

He landed again breathing heavy but his eyes burning even brighter as he stepped over the remains only to find another dozen enemies crawling from the dark tunnels below malformed hounds flaming skeletons cursed monks bound in chains and chanting even as their mouths bled

Kael lifted his hand and unleashed poison wind blades through them the enemies collapsed as skin melted from bone

More

He whispered

His XP bar surged again the mark on his back grew hotter the system pulsing with unreadable glyphs

He felt the next level coming

And he wanted it

Because with each level he tore further from who he was and became what the world feared most

A true demon reborn in human flesh

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