Chapter 53: Unleashing the Beast
Kazuki's body trembled as he sat beside the dying campfire, his hands clenched into fists. The Grizzly's voice echoed in his mind, taunting and relentless.
"You think you're in control, Kazuki? You're nothing without me."
Kazuki gritted his teeth, his jaw aching. "Shut up."
Tara and Elara were asleep nearby, their faces serene and peaceful. Kazuki envied them, wished he could find that same peace.
"They don't know what you really are," the Grizzly whispered, its tone silky and dangerous. "They don't know the monster you're becoming."
Kazuki's fists trembled. "I'm not a monster."
"Not yet," the Grizzly said, a dark laugh rumbling through Kazuki's mind. "But you will be."
Kazuki squeezed his eyes shut, forcing the voice back down. But the darkness was closing in, its icy tendrils wrapping around his mind.
Morning came too soon. The sky was overcast, clouds hanging low and heavy. Kazuki packed his things in silence, his eyes hollow.
"Are you okay?" Elara asked, her brow furrowed.
Kazuki forced a smile. "Yeah. Just tired."
"You're lying," Tara said bluntly, her arms crossed. "You barely slept last night."
"I said I'm fine," Kazuki snapped, harsher than he intended.
Tara's eyes narrowed, her jaw clenching. But she said nothing, turning away.
"We need to keep moving," Kazuki said, his voice flat. "The Oracle said we're running out of time."
Elara and Tara exchanged a look, but neither said a word. They could feel it — the tension hanging heavy in the air, the darkness swirling around Kazuki like a storm cloud.
They walked for hours, the silence oppressive. The forest grew thicker, the air colder. Shadows loomed from every corner, branches clawing at them like skeletal hands.
"Something's wrong," Tara muttered, her eyes darting around. "I can feel it."
Kazuki's hand moved to the hilt of his sword, his pulse quickening. "Stay close."
A low growl echoed through the trees. Kazuki's heart skipped a beat. The Grizzly's voice echoed in his mind, dark and hungry.
"Let me out, Kazuki. Let me protect you."
Kazuki swallowed, his grip tightening on his sword. "Not now."
"You don't have a choice," the Grizzly purred. "They're coming."
Suddenly, the ground trembled. Shadows burst forth from the trees, a pack of monstrous wolves, their eyes glowing red, their fangs dripping with saliva.
"Kazuki!" Elara screamed, her staff glowing with magic.
Kazuki drew his sword, but the Grizzly's power surged within him, dark and overwhelming.
"Let me out, Kazuki," the Grizzly snarled. "Let me protect them."
Kazuki's vision blurred, his breaths coming in short, ragged bursts. The wolves closed in, their snarls echoing through the forest.
"Kazuki!" Tara shouted, her daggers flashing as she lunged at one of the wolves. But there were too many of them.
Elara fired a blast of fire, but a wolf leaped through the flames, its claws slashing at her. She screamed, blood spraying across the ground.
Kazuki's vision darkened, the Grizzly's voice growing louder, more insistent.
"You're going to lose them, Kazuki," the Grizzly said, its tone dripping with malice. "Unless you let me out."
Kazuki's fists clenched, his jaw aching. "Fine."
And then, everything went black.
When Kazuki opened his eyes, the ground was soaked in blood. The wolves lay dead, their bodies torn apart. Elara and Tara stared at him, their eyes wide with horror.
Kazuki's breath came in ragged gasps, his hands dripping with blood. The Grizzly's dark, triumphant laughter echoed in his mind.
"You did well, Kazuki," it purred. "Now, wasn't that fun?"