In a blur of motion, Doc’s tendrils coiled around Kain’s arms, locking him in place. A grotesque smile spread across Doc’s face as he tightened his grip, his twisted body reforming, surging with renewed strength. “You really think you’re a match for me, Kain?” Doc sneered, his voice a low, menacing growl. “I’ve taken powers beyond your wildest dreams. You’re nothing but a bug beneath my boot.”

With a sickening crunch, Doc’s tendrils tightened, crushing Kain’s ribs, the jagged ends piercing his skin. Kain gasped, choking on blood, his vision blurring as the pain threatened to drag him under. He tried to struggle, but his strength was fading, the raw power he’d tapped into flickering like a dying ember.

As darkness closed in around him, he felt Doc’s twisted form beginning to envelop him, the horrifying realization settling in—he was being absorbed, his very essence being drained, pulled into Doc’s monstrous form. The last remnants of his strength ebbed away, and for a moment, Kain felt a cold, crushing despair. He was losing. It was over.

Then, like a whisper in the void, he heard her voice.

Kain…

He forced his eyes open, the world around him a haze of shadows and pain. There, standing beside him, was Lily—her form ethereal, bathed in a soft, golden light. Her eyes, filled with warmth and sorrow, met his, and for a fleeting moment, the pain faded.

I’m here, Kain. I’m with you.

He could feel her energy, wrapping around him, intertwining with his own, like a gentle flame rekindling the fire within him. And with her came another presence—a powerful, primal force that surged through him, filling the hollow spaces with a strength that felt ancient, unbreakable.

Hold on, kid. Another voice, deep and rough, echoed in his mind. He turned, and there, beside Lily, stood a towering figure—a man with fierce, golden eyes, his form wreathed in a shadowy aura that rippled with power. Name’s Belmont. You and me, we’re not done yet.

Kain’s vision sharpened, the pain receding as he felt the combined strength of Lily and Belmont flooding his veins. He gritted his teeth, a new resolve blazing within him as he looked up at Doc, who still held him in a death grip.

“You think you’re gonna absorb me, you twisted freak?” Kain snarled, his voice laced with venom. “Here’s the thing… I don’t go down that easy.”

A blinding light erupted from Kain’s body, a surge of energy that shattered Doc’s hold, forcing him to stagger back, momentarily disoriented. Kain felt his wounds healing, his strength returning tenfold, the combined essence of Lily and Belmont empowering him, transforming him.

Doc’s face twisted in rage as he steadied himself, his monstrous form shifting, tendrils lashing out with a renewed fury. “No! This power is mine! You’re nothing but fuel for the fire!” he screamed, charging at Kain, his form a whirlwind of shadows and claws.

Kain braced himself, drawing on the newfound abilities now surging through him. He could feel Lily’s energy—a crackling, electric force, sparking through his veins, enhancing his reflexes, heightening his senses. And beneath that, Belmont’s power—a raw, primal strength that connected him to something deeper, something wild and untamed.

As Doc lunged, Kain moved with a fluid precision, sidestepping the attack, his movements faster than he’d ever thought possible. He struck out, his fist connecting with Doc’s side, a burst of electricity arcing from his hand, searing through Doc’s flesh. Doc howled, recoiling, but Kain didn’t let up. He drove forward, each punch fueled by the combined might of Lily and Belmont, the very air around them crackling with energy.

But despite the power coursing through him, Doc’s strength was relentless. He fought back with a ferocity that threatened to overwhelm Kain, his monstrous form regenerating with each blow, his tendrils reforming, tightening around Kain once more.

Kain struggled, the weight of Doc’s monstrous energy pressing down on him, threatening to crush him. He could feel his strength waning, his vision blurring as Doc’s claws sank deeper, draining his life force.

Kain, Lily’s voice whispered, gentle and sorrowful. This is where I leave you.

He felt a pang of fear, a desperation he hadn’t allowed himself to feel. “No, Lily… don’t—”

It’s okay, she said, her voice a soothing balm over his fraying nerves. You’re stronger than you know. You have everything you need now.

Her presence grew faint, like a fading ember, but before she disappeared, he felt her essence flare one last time, a final surge of power flooding into him, wrapping him in a warmth that felt like a last goodbye.

I’ll see you again, Kain. In another life.

He could feel her energy wrapping around him, filling the empty spaces in his soul as her voice grew faint.

Kain slumped to his knees, chest heaving. A hollow ache settled into his bones, and he clenched his fists, a raw scream caught in his throat. For a moment, he was back in her arms, years ago, laughing at something forgotten now. He could still see her smile, her hand reaching out, only to slip through his fingers as reality crashed back around him. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to his feet.

“This isn’t over,” he whispered, his words a vow as much to himself as to her memory. He turned back to Doc, his fists crackling with the energy she left him, a last gift—her final goodbye.

Kain felt a deep sorrow settle in his chest, but it was quickly followed by an explosive surge of strength, an energy that roared through him like wildfire. With a guttural shout, he ripped free from Doc’s grasp, his fists blazing with the combined power of Lily and Belmont.

Doc stumbled back, his monstrous form flickering, his eyes wide with a dawning horror. “No… this isn’t possible…”

“Oh, it’s possible, alright,” Kain growled, his voice a low, deadly whisper. “And it’s about to get a whole lot worse for you.”

Channeling the last of Lily’s energy, Kain shot forward, delivering a devastating blow to Doc’s chest, his fist crackling with electric force that sent Doc reeling, his form disintegrating, shadowy tendrils falling away, consumed by the light.

But even as Doc faded, his twisted essence tried to cling to Kain, tendrils of dark energy reaching out, attempting to merge, to drag him down into the abyss.

Now, boy, Belmont’s voice echoed, fierce and commanding. Take it. All of it.

Kain closed his eyes, focusing inward, feeling the pull of Doc’s remaining power, the dark energy trying to invade his mind, his soul. But with Belmont’s guidance, he turned it inward, channeling it, consuming it, absorbing the twisted remnants of Doc’s essence, feeling it dissolve, merge, become part of him.

When he opened his eyes, the room was silent. Doc was gone, his monstrous form reduced to nothing but ash and shadow. Kain stood alone, the lingering presence of Belmont still at the edge of his consciousness, a steady, grounding force.

Kain exhaled, his chest heavy with grief and anger, his mind reeling from the loss of Lily and the reality of what he’d become. But beneath it all, a new resolve burned—a fierce, unbreakable determination.

“Thanks, Belmont,” he murmured, feeling the spirit of the Lupus warrior settle within him, like a guiding flame.

Don’t thank me yet, kid, Belmont replied, his voice a gravelly echo in Kain’s mind. We’ve still got a lot of work to do.

Kain stumbled out of the wreckage, his breathing ragged. The taste of ash lingered in his mouth, and the electric hum of power pulsed through his veins in a way that felt both alien and exhilarating. His hands shook, though he wasn’t sure if it was from fear or the adrenaline still crashing through him. The faint, static crackle of energy coursed along his skin, dissipating only when he forced himself to unclench his fists.

He let out a shaky laugh. “Holy… hell,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “What the fuck just happened?”