**Chapter 10: Revelations, Part 3**
When the sparks of green light cleared, the figure stood there, his cloak torn and tattered, almost completely destroyed and soaked with hot, dark emerald blood. His body wasn't in much better shape. His tall, muscular frame, once dominant and imposing, was now covered in the same hot dark emerald blood, with numerous wounds bleeding all over. 'It seems the royal family got this bastard. Maybe the Royal Guards? But even then, this snake managed to escape.' A smirk spread across my lips. 'Well, it's better this way. At least I will be the one to kill him.'
"I didn't expect your mastery of dark magic to be this strong. Even after your presence has been gone for a long period, your influence still remains strong in the royal family," he said, his dark green eyes gleaming with unconcealed anger. "It seems I was wrong to keep you alive this long. You have even managed to free yourself in the short time I've been gone. You're too much of a danger to be left alive any longer. It's time to kill you."
Suddenly, it was like my senses were on overdrive, my very instincts screaming at me to move. Before I knew it, I jumped over the table. Emerald green chains wrapped around my previous location a second later. He didn't give me a moment to catch my breath, dashing towards me with his massive fist coated in a dark green aura, energy crackling around it. My instincts screamed again, and just as his fist was about to hit my face, I sidestepped, delivering a roundhouse kick to his jaw.
'What the hell is going on with my body? It's like I'm not even doing anything; my body is reacting all by itself.' I took a deep breath. 'Well, whatever it is, I'll use it to kill the bastard,' I thought. Clutching the silver daggers in my hands, I dashed towards the figure, my muscles rippling with power. He quickly recovered from my earlier attack, spitting out a mouthful of dark green blood before meeting my clash head-on. We exchanged blows, my daggers slashing and cutting his already wounded flesh. Despite his condition, he was still keeping up with me. But thanks to my newly acquired instincts, he couldn't lay a hand on me. I was the one doing all the damage.
With a frustrated roar, he jumped back, taking a moment to catch his breath. "You damn brat! You will pay for this!" he screamed, rage dancing in his dark green eyes.
"I have to ask you, do you have a split personality disorder or something? One minute you're cool and calm, and the next minute you're all screamy. I think you should see a doctor; maybe you're having a midlife crisis or something," I quipped, an uncontrollable smirk spreading across my face. Surprisingly, there was no angry rebuttal from him. He just stood there, his dark emerald eyes crackling with rage.
"What n-" Just as I was about to let out another remark, my newly enhanced senses screamed at me to run. The figure's body began glowing with a bright emerald green aura. The whole room began shaking, the dust-covered walls and ground cracking, releasing beams of sunlight into the dimly lit room from the immense power he was radiating. Despite the situation, a psychopathic smile spread across my face, my facial muscles stretching painfully to their limit, showing my pearly white teeth. A shiver of excitement ran down my spine. I wanted to kill him, but I also wanted to test the power in my veins, and this was a perfect opportunity to do so.
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With a simple hand sign from him, a bolt of electric blue lightning struck down, approaching my head at an ungodly speed. I closed my eyes, relying on my instincts to guide me. I reached out my hand, grabbing the surprisingly warm lightning out of midair, and with a move that surprised even myself, I ate it. Eating lightning was weird, to say the least. It had a chewy texture, like eating chicken but many times more electric and salty. I opened my eyes, a shocked expression on my face. "Did I just eat lightning like I'm Tom and Jerry?" A chuckle escaped my lips. The figure, who had a "what the fuck just happened" expression on his face, stood there for a moment, his dark green energy crackling around him like bolts of lightning. His shocked expression soon transformed into one of rage, the energy crackling around him more intensely, doing even further damage to the surroundings.
"Why you... you dare mock me!" With a hand sign, he sent several bolts of lightning towards me. With another hand sign, the solid, hard walkable ground transformed into a muddy brown, boiling, steaming hot liquid at a visible pace, leaving only the part of the ground he was standing on solid. Just as the numerous lightning bolts were about to make contact with my body and the ground beneath my feet was turning into a muddy swamp, I took a breath, keeping my eyes open this time, and let my instincts guide me once again. A strange sensation enveloped me as my body was illuminated by a golden glow. I felt like I was disconnected from this world, like I was no longer a part of it. My body felt intangible, like I was no longer a physical entity but a spiritual one. The lightning came in contact with my body, and the solid ground beneath my feet turned to liquid mush. "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" The numerous bolts of lightning made contact with the wall behind me as they simply passed through my body as if I was not there. As soon as the barrage of lightning bolts ended, my body became corporeal again, landing on the now liquid ground with a thud. Despite the bubbling hot temperature of the now liquid ground, when my feet came in contact with it, it felt warm and relaxing. It was like I was at a spa, getting a nice steaming hot massage. Just like when I was in my soul space, an invisible force was holding me up, allowing me to walk on the liquid like it was solid ground.
"Seems like you gotta try harder, old man." I walked towards him, my feet leaving footprints on the muddy swamp. The figure let out a blood-curdling scream. "WHY YOU!" He created numerous clones of himself, some blasting elemental attacks like fireballs, water blades, and giant balls of earth. Others were casting various magical spells. On instinct alone, my body became incorporeal, and I simply walked through the attacks while taking a bite of the occasional spell, filling my body with more power. Soon enough, I came face-to-face with the figure. I dropped my daggers in the swamp. Wanting to make this bastard suffer with my own two hands, I coated my arms in magic, golden energy crackling around my hands. Punch after punch made contact with his already bruised and beaten body. Blood was spilled, and bones cracked. Each punch, each kick, gave my soul satisfaction. I was finally giving back to the bastard everything he gave me tenfold.
"Alright, I've had my fun. It's time for me to end this." I looked down at the figure, his once proud body broken and covered in blood beyond recognition. Even in this state, I could still feel the hate this man had for me. His one good eye struggled to remain open as he looked up at me, fury dancing in his emerald green pupil. "You will pay for this, shadowspawn." I raised my fist, ready to deliver the finishing blow when...
"AHHH!" I let out a blood-curdling scream as pain worse than I had ever felt, even when being tortured, rippled through my body. All the strength I had previously felt disappeared like money in the wind. My muscles once again filled with weakness. I fell to my knees. "What the fuck is going on?" I coughed out a mouthful of dark purple blood. The figure that was just on the verge of death struggled to his feet before lifting me by my throat. "Well, it seems all that power comes with a cost." A smirk spread across his face, his one remaining eye gleaming with amusement. "You have come far, Drûshak, but this is your end." His hand wrapped tightly around my throat, strangling me. I could feel my life force ebbing away.
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