The Beast of Amon's eyes glowed brighter, its body pulsing with dark energy as it responded to Lira's call. It was clear now—Lira had manipulated Drex, not for the sake of restoring balance, but for her own gain. The bond between them had been twisted, just like everything else in this cursed world.
"You never understood what it took to control the Beasts," Lira continued, her voice venomous with bitterness. "You were always weak, Drex. You believed in ideals. I believed in power. And now, that power will be mine."
The truth cut deeper than any physical wound could. Drex had trusted Lira, but now he saw her for what she truly was—a player in a game he had never understood.
"Lira," Drex said, stepping forward, a mixture of anger and sorrow in his eyes. "You betrayed everything we stood for. Everything I fought for. We could've changed the world together, but you chose to follow this path."
She smiled coldly, stepping closer to the Beast. "You never saw it, did you? You're nothing but a pawn, Drex. You always were."
Before Drex could react, the Beast lunged. Korrak moved instantly, intercepting the blow and knocking the Beast back, but it was clear that even Korrak, with all his strength, could barely hold his own against the Alpha's power.
But Drex's mind wasn't on the battle. It was on Lira. The realization was suffocating. He had been manipulated all along—by her, by the magic of the ancient pact. She had been pulling the strings, pushing him toward the Beast's awakening, using him as a tool in her twisted vision of the world.
The beast's roar shook Drex from his thoughts, and he turned just in time to see Korrak stagger, wounded, blood dripping from a gash across his side. Drex's heart clenched.
"No...!" He leapt forward, but the pain in his chest was suffocating. The Beast of Amon was no mere adversary. It was a living embodiment of everything Drex had feared—a force beyond his comprehension. The question was no longer about whether he could defeat it, but whether he could survive it.