Reawakened

Circe had been apprehensive, furious and in disbelief at Machia's judgment. Even if she hadn't revealed it, she had been brimming with negative emotions. A week alongside the cruel prince had proved too much for her. 

But right now, at this moment, she couldn't help but revel in his fascinating performance. 

Dodging amidst the tirade of the three creatures, Machia created a breathtaking scene. Currently, he faced off against three of the largest, nastiest creatures they had met on their travels. 

He jumped back from a thick, rigid black leg that looked intricately carved and invincible, at least to a human. Simultaneously, he swung his arm like a sword with immense technique. A shadow-like sword extended past his hand and cleaved into the creature's leg to make up the distance between them.

It reeled back in shock, scuttling away from him. Its leg was as thick as a tree trunk, yet it had been cleaved to such an extent that it hung off loosely. Its black body was protected by a large rock covering its head and body. This would have made it an easy target as the mundane rock would not have held up against the strength of a blessed or even the durability of most fiends.

However, the rock protruded thick black veins that covered it in its entirety. Circe didn't need to inform Machia. He was well aware that any of his means couldn't cut through it, so he focused on countering the legs that attacked him. 

This meant his attention was primarily drawn to the other two beasts. Firstly, there was the flying insect monster they had seen earlier. Typically, flying beasts were Machia's easiest target. In order to stay airborne, they lacked the necessary durability to defend against his greatest weapon. However, this one was different.

Its thin stick-like frame and long limbs allowed it to maintain its distance. Its movement was also erratic and unstable, making it incredibly hard to target. Not to mention, the creature's ominous black tongue that it used to lash out at Machia was faster than he was. This was unaccounted for. Nothing they had met so far could match Machia's phenomenal speed. There was no way around it. That one would have to die first and fast.

Last but not least, a sturdy horned beast relentlessly rampaged around the battleground. Its body was covered in thick, curved armour. Again, its black body was accompanied by veins. These veins were different, though large, thick violet Veins stretched across the creature's body, forming a strange pattern. The one constant factor was that each one connected to the bright purple horn that sprung from its head.

It was strong. Machia had never been intimidated by a creature like this before. He could genuinely not imagine a situation where he could harm the beast. He could only run, dodge and avoid. 

The three creatures were overwhelming him. Circe could only watch in apprehension. If Machia were to fall right now, the 'kingdom' as they knew it would likely be lost. Recognizing this, Circe thought about Hectate for the first time. She had avoided considering this hence far, but seeing her journey come to a fatal close reminded her of the girl she had left all alone. It was not hard for her to imagine the tirade of corrupted fiends slaughtering her daughter. 

With a new desperation smeared across her face, she raised her hands, prepared to cast a spell. With shaky hands, she switched between pointing at the rock creature, the purple horn and the flying creature. With shaky breath, she began her spell. 

But something changed. The largest creature dove straight at Machia with its violet horn, but Machia did not move. With a look of extreme reluctance mixed with excitement, he took the blow head-on. The large horn was met with an equally large black greatsword that struck it. 

The heavy sword did not damage the even thicker purple horn, but by some inexplicable miracle, the beast slid past Machia, narrowly missing him. Just then, a thick black claw aimed at Machia's back froze. The instant before he was cleaved in half, the rhino creature staggered and rammed into the shelled fiend. Its thick black shell shattered upon impact, and it was launched backwards as its claws flailed helplessly. 

He had parried it.

With the horned fiend staggered and the shelled fiend out of commission, Machia, one last time, managed to slip out of the way of the long black tongue that stabbed the ground next to him. Still startled, a mad, fearful grin stretched onto his face as the sun stared into his eyes. With a grin, two sharp, thin shadows manifested from the ground and shot up. The creature rose into the air as it clumsily fluttered about whilst the shadows chased it. 

The two shadows missed the creature. "Tchh". Machia looked deeply annoyed by this. Despite his reaction, the thin shadows quickly circled around and crossed each other right in front of the winged beast. The shadows looped around the beast like a rope. The moment its weak frame flew into the crossed shadows, its entire body was bisected. It fell to the ground in pieces. 

With the most offensively threatening beast finally dealt with, Machia couldn't help but let out a sigh. 

"Behind-"

Before Machia could react to the sudden shout, a purple horn pierced through his gut; his luck was immense. Despite the gigantic size of the horn, it had only managed to gouge out a large chunk of his side, missing most of his vitals. But that was not all.

Flying. Machia flew through the air. The tremendous force that had displaced him shattered bone after bone. His entire back, including his spine, was a mangled mess. Although the exact damage was not visible, Machia didn't hold any expectation he would survive the landing.

Flying back, he crashed into the ground. A bloody puddle was formed every time he slammed into the sandy ground as the momentum continued to carry his body. 

Eventually, he stopped. He could feel a slight wetness on his head, with almost no skeletal structure for him to rely on, a small shadow manifested from the remains of his conscience. A small black horse looked upon its master with disdain, disappointment and weariness as it scanned his condition. 

Through its eyes, he could see the horned beast a great distance away. Even further still was Circe's distant figure. But what really caught his attention was what was behind him. His head lay in the shallow depths of the sea as the ensuing waves threatened to drown him.

The blood had gathered a crowd. Through his shadow horse, he was able to see their shadowy forms clamour together amidst the depths. Their eyes stared hungrily at the shore's surface. All of them shared one key characteristic. Gigantic, even in his current state, he could discern just that one detail: the entities that waited in the ocean were above any of the foes he had faced on land. 

As he lay bleeding out, though, he felt strangely comforted by their presence. In fact, it reminded him of someone that he had desired so desperately.

The reason he was here, the reason he fought and had trained so long. Night after night, he would train tirelessly. Left alone by the one he cherished, he would find comfort amongst the sleeping blessed.

That sanctuary, how many times had he sat in this darkness? How long had he waited for someone to save him? But no longer, these harrowing beasts were the real deal. Night after night, the king had forced him to search these very same depths. Perhaps he would even recognise some. But this overwhelming threat, it reminded him, that she still needed protecting, and so he could keep going, even now. 

Interrupted, Machia's horse turned to face the rampaging noise. He heard a distant screaming, yet all he could see was the stampeding dash of the horned fiend as it kicked up vast dust in its wake. He would be crushed. 

Behind the creature, he saw a figure running fruitlessly towards him. In the strange light, his view of the figure became distorted. What he saw was the figure of an elegant, beautiful woman with wild green hair that flew about in the wind. 

Machia shared a bitter smile with himself and his delusions and turned his attention back to the impending threat. With his eyes closed, a terrible deranged grin swallowed his face, followed by a feverish mad laughter as he gurgled on his own blood. Using whatever blood remained in his wrists, he flicked them up. 

Moments before the beast trampled him beneath its feet, it was hoisted into the air. Dark shadows stabbed into the creature's abdomen. They did pierce its armour, but only barely. But it was enough. Slowly, the beast was hoisted into the air as more and more shadows shot up from the ground, stabbing into the creature's softer underbelly. 

Even the horned beast's weaker underbelly was too thick for Machia's shadows. With an agonizing yell, Machia continued to lift the creature higher. It turbulently thrashed around as a swarm of thick black tendrils carried it.

Eventually, it fell. For such a sturdy beast, a small drop was insignificant, but as it fell, it got one frightful look at the ocean it fell towards

It landed in the water with an immense splash, where there was only silence. Nothing could hear its animalistic cries. These creatures were not like their fellow land fiends. It was clear they could not differentiate it from prey as their beady pale silhouettes stared at the surface. Before it was feasted on, it took one last look at the sun through the surface's water. It was pitch black.

Machia grinned as he struggled to move his neck to look at his shaky hand. This new strength was precisely what he needed, how it had come about. He'd think about it later. Now, all he had to do was live.

A figure reached him in a hurried motion. However, he was in no condition to exchange words. The last thing he saw before falling unconscious was a yellow hue that surrounded him.