The desert winds roared like a dying god, carrying with them sand, ash, and something far darker. Kiel stood on a cliff overlooking the Valley of Howlscar, his blood tendrils rippling like a cloak in the storm. The Crimson Host had changed him—his body felt lighter, faster, but always hungry. Beneath his calm expression, a war raged between control and bloodlust.
Behind him, Myra struggled to keep up, her coat whipped by the gale. "You're moving differently," she noted, narrowing her eyes.
Kiel didn't turn. "I see everything… clearer now. It's like the world slowed down to match me."
She didn't respond immediately. "That thing inside you… it won't stop with just power, will it?"
"No. It feeds on conquest. On fear."
He paused as a notification pinged in his vision:
[Crimson Resonance Detected. Predator-Class Entity nearby.]
[Warning: You are being hunted.]
He smirked. "Let it come."
Moments later, the earth beneath them trembled. Rocks split, and a massive serpentine beast slithered from the valley below—scaled in obsidian armor, crowned with a glowing crest. Its eyes locked on Kiel.
[Predator-Class Detected: 'Thal'Zuur the Eater of Wills' – Level 78.]
[Engage or Evade?]
Kiel stepped forward. "Engage."
Thal'Zuur lunged. The ground shattered beneath its weight as it struck, jaws wide. Kiel's blood responded before his muscles could. Twin spears of sentient crimson burst from his palms, catching the beast's mouth mid-snap and forcing it aside. He spun, slashing a glowing arc across its eye.
Myra stood frozen, watching the impossible unfold. Kiel didn't fight like before—there was no hesitation. Every move was fluid, precise, deadly.
But Thal'Zuur wasn't done. The serpent screeched, unleashing a psychic blast that cracked the rocks. Kiel staggered, nose bleeding. Voices whispered in his mind.
"Feed me…"
"Let me take over…"
"Let us devour…"
His vision blurred—red on black. But then, Myra's voice cut through the noise.
"Kiel! Don't let it win!"
Clarity returned. He bit his lip, drawing blood. "You're mine to command," he growled at the parasite. "Not the other way around."
With a roar, Kiel charged. His blood wrapped around his legs like armor, launching him upward. He landed on Thal'Zuur's back, plunging both arms into its spine. His blood surged inward—searching, devouring, replicating.
The beast shrieked… then collapsed.
[Predator-Class Terminated.]
[Genetic Core Extracted.]
[Ability Absorbed: Mind Pierce – Bypass psychic defenses and inject hallucinations.]
Kiel fell to one knee, panting.
Myra approached cautiously. "You… you just absorbed a Predator."
He looked up, face pale, eyes blazing. "I didn't absorb it. I consumed it."
She stepped back slightly. "What's happening to you?"
Kiel stood slowly. "I don't know. But every kill makes the hunger louder."
He turned to her. "That's why I need you to keep me grounded."
Myra nodded slowly. "If you fall, I'll be the one to end you."
Kiel smiled faintly. "That's why I trust you."
They looked out over the valley. The winds were still, for now—but Kiel knew: stronger predators were watching. And he was ready.
Not just to survive…
But to ascend.