Episode 47 : Denouement

"Your wife and child died in the explosion before they could escape while we were in court over your sins—the betrayal of Israhell. You and I were caught in that explosion, Zawaq! The explosion came from the rockets of the Arab nations you love and fight for so much!" David said to Zawaq.

"Shut up, you devil!" Zawaq shouted angrily.

Zawaq leaped high into the air, spinning continuously while keeping his right leg extended. His two eyes emitted a bright yellow light, shining like a blazing sun.

David sped backward to evade Zawaq's attack. Zawaq landed on the cracked ground, using the impact to propel himself forward.

Zawaq's body launched toward David. Unprepared for Zawaq's sudden movement, David couldn't block or dodge in time. Zawaq's punch struck David's abdomen, forcing him to vomit nothing but emptiness.

Zawaq briefly stepped back before lunging forward again. David crossed his arms just in time to block Zawaq's kick. Zawaq struck David with both feet.

David was sent flying several meters backward, rolling down a deep slope. Zawaq's footsteps pounded the ground like galloping hooves.

David looked up at the sky. Zawaq was mid-air, descending fast. He landed and kicked David in the chest. David's back crashed into the hard rocky hill behind him, embedding him into the stone.

The hill behind David cracked and crumbled, causing large chunks of rock and earth to fall around Zawaq and David.

David coughed up a large amount of blood. His ribs were shattered, some piercing through his lungs and heart with their sharp, broken edges.

David swiped at Zawaq's leg, then landed a punch on Zawaq's stomach. Though David was weakened, his strength remained as if he wasn't injured at all.

David's eyes glowed even brighter than before. Meanwhile, Zawaq's eyes flickered, alternating between a fiery red and a bright yellow glow.

"Killing me won't change anything. Your family, your wife, and child will never return," David said, standing in a battle-ready position.

"My heart will be at peace when I get my revenge by killing you," Zawaq replied.

David threw a barrage of punches at Zawaq. Zawaq responded in kind. He unleashed all his emotions, power, strength, and energy into his strikes.

A single punch landed on David's face, knocking him down. David collapsed against the rock wall behind him, weakened.

Zawaq drove his hand into David's chest. His right hand wrapped around David's heart. Zawaq ripped the heart from David's body.

David vomited blood, coughing violently. Zawaq severed the arteries and veins connected to David's heart. Blood spurted and gushed from the severed vessels.

"Your evil ends now," Zawaq declared to David.

Blood poured from the gaping hole in David's chest. He grinned before falling over onto his side, lifeless. His soul had left his body. Zawaq dropped David's heart to the ground.

With one stomp, Zawaq crushed David's heart into pieces. Now, David was nothing more than a lifeless corpse lying on the battlefield, executed by Zawaq.

Zawaq looked around. Arab soldiers observed him from afar using binoculars. They cheered the moment they saw David motionless, dead at Zawaq's hands.

Even though they were hundreds of meters away, Zawaq could see and hear them clearly due to his extraordinary abilities. Minutes later, the Arab soldiers approached Zawaq.

"Zawaq! You did it!" one of the Arab soldiers exclaimed.

"Thank God. I thought you were all still fighting," Zawaq replied.

"The battle has paused for now," another Arab soldier said.

"No war?" Zawaq asked in disbelief.

"You could say the war is postponed," another soldier answered loudly, sitting atop a nearby tank.

"We will never give up on liberating the holy land of Palestine, even if the war is temporarily halted," said another Arab soldier standing before Zawaq.

"Enough. Go home. Spend time with your families first. Serve your parents. If fate allows, if guidance comes, God will call you back to the battlefield for the liberation of the holy land," Zawaq told them.

"The war will not end until the Day of Judgment," a mysterious voice said from afar. Only Zawaq recognized the voice.

All the Arab soldiers raised their rifles toward the source of the voice. The heavy machine guns mounted on every military truck were aimed at the unknown figure.

Tanks redirected their turrets, locking onto the man standing before them. Zawaq was shocked to see Alen standing there in a disheveled state. His clothes were torn, dirty, and tattered.

"Lower your weapons! He's my friend!" Zawaq shouted to the soldiers.

Alen looked troubled. Something seemed to be disturbing him, making him restless.

"Alen, are you okay?" Zawaq asked as he approached him.

"You need to kill me, Zawaq. Israhell will use me. They are hunting me down to kill me, then they will use my corpse to create experimental soldiers far stronger than anything we've ever made," Alen said to Zawaq.

"Alen, I will destroy Israhell with my own hands! I will crush them! I will never forgive them for taking the people I loved! You're all I have left, Alen. My friend. My mentor," Zawaq responded, placing both hands on Alen's shoulders.

"That's impossible—unless you kill me first. I can't control myself. Everyone will die at my hands," Alen said weakly.

"Why, Alen? What's wrong? I will heal you," Zawaq insisted.

"Kill me, or I will kill everyone. Argh!!!" Alen screamed in pain, clutching his head.

Something moved beneath Alen's skin, visible to everyone watching. His body rippled and bulged unnaturally.

Slowly, Alen became more muscular. His face contorted and changed. His entire body grew larger. His muscles swelled. His height surpassed everyone around him.

Alen's eyes turned completely red—no more black pupils. His teeth became sharp and pointed.