The Demon's Awakening

Draven's lifeless body lay cold under the twisted trees of the Shinmori Forest, his blood staining the dirt. The wind howled through the branches as if mourning his death, but beneath the silence, something began to stir within him.

Thump. Thump.

His heart, still for so long, suddenly beat again, slowly at first but growing stronger with each pulse. Dark energy began to seep through his veins, and his body twitched. His eyes snapped open no longer just red, but glowing with an otherworldly fire.

A deep, primal power awakened inside him, something far beyond human.

Inside his mind, a voice smooth and dark—

echoed.

"It's time, Draven. No more hiding, no more weakness. You've always been one of us."

Draven's fists clenched, the sharp pain of his injuries fading away. "Who... are you?" he whispered inside his head.

The voice laughed. "I am you. The darkness you've suppressed. The demon you were always meant to become. Let me show you... your true power."

Draven could feel memories flashes of battles long forgotten, blood-soaked fields, and endless rage. This darkness wasn't just new it had always been there, waiting for this moment.

He was no longer just Draven, the boy they tried to kill. He was something far more terrifying.

His body surged with power as black flames burst around him, engulfing the ground beneath his feet. The once-quiet forest roared to life, trees swaying violently as the wind around him grew stronger....

_ _ _ _ _

Back in the village, the sect elder and his men were still celebrating their victory, unaware of the storm brewing in the forest.

Kai, the boy who had mocked Draven, sat nearby, smirking. "He was weak, just like his mother. No one stands against the Iron Serpent Sect and survives."

The sect elder grinned, his arms crossed. "We crushed him, and now this land belongs to us."

Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, a violent quake that sent the men stumbling. A distant roar echoed through the trees, sending chills down their spines.

"What... what is that?" one of the men stammered, his face turning pale

The laughter died in their throats as Draven's figure emerged from the shadows, his cloak billowing in the wind, his eyes glowing with demonic fire.

His entire body radiated dark energy, and the ground cracked with each step he took.

Kai's smirk disappeared instantly, his eyes widening in horror. "No... it can't be... He's supposed to be dead!"

Draven's voice was low and cold, dripping with malice. "You killed me once." His gaze landed on Kai, the flames around him growing hotter. "But now, it's my turn."

Kai scrambled to his feet, terror flooding his veins. "Elder! Save me!" he screamed, rushing behind the sect elder for protection.

The sect elder's eyes narrowed, fury replacing the fear on his face. "So, you survived." He drew his sword, the blade gleaming under the moonlight.

"No matter. I'll kill you again, and this time, you won't come back."

With a fast movement, the elder charged at Draven, his sword aimed straight for Draven's heart. But before the blade could even reach him, Draven unleashed a wave of black energy that sent the elder flying back into a tree.

"You don't understand, do you?" Draven said, his voice eerily calm as he stepped forward. "I'm no longer the boy you killed. I am something far worse."

The elder, coughing up blood, stood shakily to his feet, but it was too late. Draven's power surged once again, his hand raised toward the sky as dark lightning crackled around him.

The ground beneath the village shook violently as black flames shot up from the earth, surrounding Draven like a demonic aura.

The elder tried to fight back, swinging his sword with all his might, but Draven was too fast. In one swift motion, Draven appeared behind him, his hand piercing through the elder's chest.

Blood spurted from the wound as the elder gasped, his life slipping away in an instant.

Draven leaned in close, whispering in his ear. "This is for my mom."

With a flick of his wrist, Draven tossed the elder's lifeless body to the side like a broken doll.

Kai, shaking with fear, stumbled backward as Draven turned his attention to him. "Please, Draven... I didn't mean it. It was all just a joke!"

Draven's eyes blazed, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "A joke? Was it funny when you watched my mom die?"

Kai fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry!" he cried, his voice breaking.

But Draven's mercy was gone. The demon inside him roared for vengeance, and he would not be denied. With a flick of his hand, a black flame engulfed Kai's body. The boy screamed in agony as the flames consumed him, his skin blistering and burning away until nothing but ash remained.

As the last of the villagers lay dead, their bodies scattered across the ground, Draven stood at the center of the chaos, his chest heaving. The power within him had awakened, and there was no turning back.

But as the adrenaline faded, the reality of what he had done began to sink in. The demon inside him may have craved blood, but the part of him that was still human... it wept.

Draven walked to the forest where his mother's body still lay. Kneeling beside her, he gently lifted her in his arms, tears streaming down his bloodied face.

"I couldn't protect you, Mom," he whispered, his voice shaking. "But I swear... no one will ever hurt me again

With trembling hands, Draven buried her beneath the tallest tree in the forest, marking her grave with the same stone he had once promised would keep them safe...

.

.

As the first light of dawn broke through the trees, Draven stood before his mother's grave, his heart heavy with sorrow and rage. The village was gone, destroyed by his own hands, but it was not the end.

This was only the beginning.

"I will become something this world fears," Draven murmured, his eyes glowing with determination. "My journey is far from over."

With one final glance at his mother's grave, Draven turned and walked into the distance, the shadows of the forest wrapping around him like a cloak....