Lucia's scream echoed through the room, a primal wail of despair as she slammed her fists into Mark's chest. "Get up, Mark! Get up!" she pleaded, her voice cracking with emotion.
But Mark's body remained still, his eyes frozen in a permanent stare. Lucia's screams grew louder, more frantic, as she begged him to come back to her.
That was when Absalom and his demons burst into the room, their faces twisted in horror as they realized what they had done. They watched in terror as the cursed mark of Cain began to appear on their skin, its dark power spreading like wildfire.
The demons fell to the ground, their bodies contorting in agony as the curse took hold. Lucia's screams were drowned out by their wails of pain, her eyes fixed on Mark's lifeless body.
With one final, desperate blow, Lucia struck Mark's chest. And then, something miraculous happened. The power of the Death Marksman surged out of her, its energy coursing like lightning into Mark.
The Soul Blade, lying on the ground beside her, suddenly rose into the air, its blade shimmering with an otherworldly light.
It hovered over Mark's body, its tip touching his chest. And then, in a burst of light and energy, the blade fused with Mark's body.
Mark's form began to levitate, his body glowing with an ethereal light.
He transformed into the perfect persona of the Grim Reaper, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. For one moment, he was the embodiment of death itself.
And then, he returned to his human form, his levitating body landing gracefully on the ground. His eyes opened, and he gazed at Lucia with a warm, gentle smile.
"I always believed you could pull it off," he said, his voice low and husky. He knelt down beside her, his fingers brushing away the tears from her cheeks,"But come on,did you really have to cry.Its a bit too dramatic,don't you think."
Lucia's eyes locked on his, her heart overflowing with joy and relief. And then, Mark turned to face Absalom, Ahab, and the rest of the demons in the room. His eyes blazed with a fierce determination, his voice dripping with menace.
"Now that am back in shape, which one of you demons wanna die first," he growled, his fists clenched at his sides.
Mark's eyes blazed with a fierce intensity as he raised his hand, his fingers splayed in a graceful gesture. The air seemed to vibrate with energy as he summoned his power.He was about to show them why they called him the Death Marksman.
The demons, still writhing in agony from the cursed mark, were suddenly lifted off the ground, suspended in mid-air by an invisible force.
Absalom, his face twisted in desperation, tried to reason with Mark. "Wait, Mark! Don't do this! We all bear the cursed mark now. We're not your enemies."
Mark's smile was a cold, calculating thing, his eyes glinting with a malevolent light. "Ah, Absalom. I almost forgot about that." He paused, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thank you for reminding me."
Absalom's eyes widened in horror as Mark's smile grew wider. "But I think I'll pass on the whole 'killing' thing. Instead, I'll just bury you alive."
Mark's hand pointed to the ground, his fingers flexing in a sudden motion. The concrete seemed to liquefy, its surface rippling like water.
The demons, still suspended in mid-air, were suddenly sent hurtling towards the ground, their bodies disappearing into the concrete as if it were a living, breathing entity.
The concrete swallowed them whole, its surface smoothing out as if nothing had ever disturbed it. The demons were still alive, their screams muffled by the thick concrete. But they would never see the light of day again, trapped in a living tomb of Mark's creation.
The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and concrete, the only sound was the faint whisper of the demons screaming.
Mark's eyes gleamed with a fierce satisfaction, his chest heaving with a slow, deliberate breath.He had shown the demons the true extent of his power, and they would never forget it.
Exhaustion etched on their faces, Mark and Lucia stumbled into the damaged motel room, their bodies screaming for respite. The night's events had left them drained, their minds reeling from the battle's intensity. Without a word, they collapsed onto the bed, their eyes shutting tight as they surrendered to sleep.
The next morning, they emerged from the room, blinking in the bright sunlight. The motel's hall and parking lot were a testament to the previous night's chaos - shattered glass, crumpled metal, and splintered wood littered the ground.
Mark and Lucia walked through the debris, surveying the damage. Their footsteps echoed through the deserted parking lot, the only sound in the still morning air.
Once they entered the motel again, they approached the reception desk.A grim sight awaited them, the motel manager lay motionless, his body slumped across the counter.
Mark's eyes narrowed, his jaw set in determination as he attempted to bring him back to life. He reached out, his hand hovering above the manager's chest. A surge of energy pulsed through the air, as the manager's body jerked, his eyes flickering open.
But he remained unconscious, his breathing shallow. Mark and Lucia exchanged a concerned glance before Mark scooped up the manager's limp form, cradling him in his arms. They hastened to a nearby clinic, the morning sun casting long shadows behind them.
As they waited in the clinic's lobby, Mark pulled out his phone, his fingers flying across the screen.He needed to give his Crusaders a call.
"Hey, it's me," Mark said, his voice low and urgent. "I need you to send a team to repair a motel that got wrecked during my intense fight with a bunch of demons. The owner will be back soon, and I don't want him to see the state it's in."
The voice on the other end was laced with relief. "Mark! We've been trying to reach you for ages. What happened? You just disappeared -"
Mark's laugh was dry, his eyes clouding over. "It's a long story, brother. Let's just say I've been busy."
The call ended abruptly, Mark's gaze drifting to Lucia. She smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Crazy night, huh?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Mark's grin was slow, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "They have no idea."