Chapter 20: The Beastlord

Elias stood at the edge of the clearing, every nerve in his body screaming in anticipation. The Beastlands had tested him in ways he could not have imagined. He had faced beasts of all sizes -ferocious, monstrous creatures that stalked him at every turn. But this this was different. This was a god.

From the trees, a monstrous figure emerged. A massive chimera, with the head of a lion, a goat, and a serpent, stood towering before Elias. The earth trembled beneath the weight of the Beastlord, Kaelis. His golden eyes gleamed with divine arrogance.

"You have come far, mortal," Kaelis boomed, his voice reverberating through the air like a thunderstorm. "But do not think you can challenge me. I am a god. I command the beasts of this world."

Elias clenched his fists, feeling the magic coursing through his veins. He had absorbed the power of so many of the creatures in this trial-every beast, every foe had become a part of him. And now, he would unleash that power.

"I'm not here to die, Beastlord," Elias said, his voice hard with resolve. "I'm here to take what's mine."

With a roar, Kaelis charged. His lion head opened its massive jaws, snapping at Elias as the serpent's tail whipped through the air, aiming to strike. The speed of the chimera was impossible to follow, but Elias had no time to hesitate. He pivoted, dodging to the side just as Kaelis's claws slashed at him. The sheer force of the attack sent gusts of wind in all directions.

Elias's heart pounded in his chest. He could feel the energy inside him building, surging as his anger grew. He was no longer the boy who had arrived at the Trial. He was something more-stronger, more dangerous.

"Divine Judgement!" Elias roared, his hands outstretched toward Kaelis.

A bolt of raw, lightning-infused magic crackled to life in his palms. The energy was pure, burning with a blinding radiance, as if the very heavens themselves had been summoned to his aid. The bolt shot forward, a streak of violent electricity that tore through the air, hitting Kaelis square in the chest.

The chimera screamed in agony as the power coursed through him. His fur burned, his body crackling as the magic seared through him. But Kaelis was no ordinary beast. He staggered back but quickly regained his footing, his eyes blazing with rage.

"Is that all you have?" Kaelis growled, shaking off the electrical surge. "You will pay for your insolence!"

The Beastlord leaped into the air, his massive form hurtling toward Elias with terrifying speed. The lion head lunged for him, its fangs glinting in the sunlight, while the serpent tail aimed to strike from behind.

Elias's instincts kicked in. He ducked under the lion's fangs and rolled to the side just as the serpent's tail smashed into the ground where he had been. The earth shattered beneath the impact, sending shockwaves through the air.

He didn't have time to waste. He had to end this now.

Elias's palms burned with power, a searing light. emanating from his body as he focused

everything into his next attack. He slammed his hands together, and a massive surge of electricity erupted from him-a vortex of lightning that crackled in every direction, filling the air with the roar of thunder.

Kaelis tried to block it with his claws, but the attack was too powerful. The lightning wrapped around his body, coursing through him, tearing through his defenses. The chimera let out a scream, his body convulsing as the magic ravaged him.

With one final, desperate lunge, Elias launched himself at the chimera, thrusting his hands forward one last time. A concentrated blast of Divine Judgement shot straight into Kaelis's chest, and the Beastlord's roar turned into a

shriek of pain as the lightning tore through him, shredding his divine flesh.

Kaelis staggered backward, smoke rising from his body, before collapsing to the ground with a massive crash. His massive form twitched for a moment before going still, the light in his eyes fading. The Beastlord was no more.

Elias stood over the fallen god, panting, his body still crackling with the aftereffects of the battle. His heart hammered in his chest, but the exhilaration of victory surged through him. He had done it. He had defeated a god.

As Kaelis's body began to dissipate into nothingness, Elias felt the power flood through him. The strength of the Beastlord, his primal magic, and the raw ferocity of his attacks became a part of him. Elias's body surged with new abilities. The mark of the Beastlord appeared on his skin, an emblem of his conquest.

Suddenly, without warning, Elias felt a pull-a force beyond his control that yanked him from the battlefield. His surroundings blurred, and in an instant, he was standing in front of the gate once again.

The gatekeeper, a silent observer through Elias's trials, nodded in approval. "You have defeated the Beastlord. Rest now, mortal. Greater challenges lie ahead."

Elias's breath slowed as he took in the words. He had won, but there was no time to relax. The next challenge was waiting, and he had to be ready. As his body regained its strength, he knew the journey was far from over.

But for now, he could rest. The next Trial would be even harder, and he would need every ounce of strength and power to face it.