Puchi.

  A searing pain erupted in my shoulder as its fangs sank deep into my flesh. Blood gushed from the wound, warm and slick, soaking through my armor in seconds. The monster’s fangs were still embedded in my flesh, tearing deeper with every second. Its jagged teeth twisted into the muscle and bone, and I could feel every moment as if my nerves were being set on fire.

  “AHHHH!” My scream tore through the chaos, a raw, guttural sound that scraped my throat as I writhed against its grip.

  I desperately channeled Exira, feeling it burn through my veins like molten fire, but it didn’t matter.

  The monster’s blood-red eyes glinted with something almost mocking, its blackened form unaffected by the energy coursing through me. It was as if Exira didn’t even register to this thing—as if I were nothing more than an insect writhing in its jaws.

  “Shit… Fuck!” I spat through gritted teeth, my voice cracking under the strain.

  With a guttural snarl, the creature pushed down hard, its massive weight slamming me to the ground. The force drove the breath from my lungs, leaving me gasping like a fish out of water. Its claws pinned my arms down, razor-sharp talons sinking deep into the meat of my biceps.

  “Fuck—AGHHH!”

  The pain was unbearable, every nerve screaming in protest. I could feel the claws grinding against bone, locking me in place like a crucifixion. Blood oozed from the wounds, slick and hot, soaking the dirt beneath me.

  The monster’s breath was rancid, each exhale filling my senses with decay and rot. Its fangs clamped down harder on my shoulder, and the edges of my vision blurred as the pain threatened to pull me under.

  The Armor was the only thing that saved me from being torn apart, but it’s not going to hold for long…

  Focus. Focus, damn it… haaa… huff… fuck, it hurts.

  A cold chill rippled through my body, emanating from the earrings. It cut through the haze of agony, freezing away all the panic, pain, and emotions.

  The world slowed.

  The pain dulled to a distant hum; my mind shifted into a state of eerie calm. Time itself seemed to freeze, leaving only me and the creature locked in this horrific struggle.

  I assessed my options in the cold void of thought.

  No swords. My hands were pinned, my fingers twitching uselessly against the ground. I couldn’t even flex them properly, let alone reach for a blade.

  Exira… I gritted my teeth, trying to channel the energy again, pushing it to its limits. But the creature didn’t flinch. My strongest attacks, my most desperate attempts, and it shrugged them off like raindrops.

  Maybe due to the nature of the monster… later… these thoughts I don’t have time for.

  There has to be something. Think.

  And then I felt it.

  A dull throb pulsed through my body, a sensation that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. It was faint at first, almost imperceptible, but it grew stronger with each passing moment.

  It wasn’t Exira…

  I grit my teeth, forcing the thought away. But before I could process it further, the monster roared again, a deafening sound that snapped me out of my trance.

  Its fangs twisted cruelly, ripping through muscle and flesh as it growled low and deep. My body arched involuntarily, a choked scream clawing its way out of my throat.

  “ARGHHH!”

  The pain was blinding, and for a moment, I thought I’d black out. But then I felt it again—that creeping sensation of corruption.

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  I looked down, my wide eyes catching the horrifying sight of blackened veins snaking their way across my skin. The corruption was spreading from the bite wound, its tendrils crawling through my body like invasive roots.

  “Shit… no, no, no!” I gasped, my breath hitching as I struggled against the monster’s grip.

  arhhhgh…

  The corruption burned like acid, a vile, searing pain that was somehow worse than the fangs in my shoulder or the claws pinning my arms. I could feel it worming its way into my body, infecting me, changing me.

  Stay calm. Stay in control.

  The chill from the earrings flared again, pushing back against the encroaching darkness. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to keep me grounded.

  The monster’s fangs twisted deeper into my shoulder, tearing through muscle and scraping against bone. Blood poured from the wound in hot, sickening waves, soaking through my armor and pooling beneath me.

  I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

  Its claws still pinned my arms to the ground, talons sunk so deep I could feel them grinding against the bone. The weight of its massive body pressed down on me, crushing the air from my lungs as my vision flickered.

  This is it, a cold, detached voice whispered in the back of my mind. You’re done. It’s over.

  “No…” I croaked, my voice a broken rasp. My head swam, my thoughts unraveling as the edges of my vision grew darker. “Not… like this…”

  The corruption in my veins spread further, its tendrils snaking outward from the bite wound and crawling up my neck, down my chest. I could feel it burning through me, trying to take me, to turn me into something… else.

  The monster’s red eyes glowed brighter, its growl rumbling through my chest as if it could sense my resistance.

  I had to act.

  Through the haze of pain, I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to push aside the agony. My thoughts were fractured, erratic—panicked, but one thing was clear: if I didn’t do something, I was dead.

  As I felt my consciousness slipping away, the throbbing in my chest intensified, a dull, insistent pulse that drew my attention like a beacon.

  The corruption’s spread halted, not because I stopped it, but because something within me seemed to absorb it, devour it.

  huh… yes… work…

  My vision blurred, the monster’s snarling face filling my gaze as its fangs twisted again.

  I reached inward, toward the essence that beckoned me. It wasn’t a conscious decision—it was a last resort as I was on the verge of blacking out.

  The change was immediate.

  Puchi.

  A sharp, tearing sound echoed from my chest as something burst outward. My body convulsed violently; my back arched against the ground as I let out a choked scream.

  “ARGHHH!”

  Bones.

  Long, jagged bones erupted from my chest, slick with dark, viscous liquid. They pierced through the monster’s side, stabbing deep into its writhing, shadowy flesh.

  roawrrrrr

  The beast let out a guttural roar, its body jerking as the bones tore into it. The claws pinning my arms slackened just slightly, and its grip on my shoulder faltered.

  But the pain didn’t stop.

  The bones protruding from my chest sent waves of agony rippling through me, the sensation so intense it nearly drove me into unconsciousness. My vision swam, my grip on reality slipping as my body twisted unnaturally beneath the monster’s weight.

  I couldn’t hold on.

  And I let go, trusting my instincts…

  My head jerked forward, and I felt my jaw shift, stretching impossibly wide. The joints cracked and popped as my teeth elongated into jagged, monstrous fangs.

  And then I bit.

  CRUNCH!

  My fangs sank deep into the monster’s face, piercing through its shadowy flesh. Its blackened ichor sprayed everywhere, the foul liquid splattering across my face and chest.

  The taste was vile, burning my tongue and throat like acid, but I didn’t stop. I bit down harder, my teeth tearing into the creature’s hide as it thrashed and roared.

  “FUCK YOU!” I snarled, my voice distorted and inhuman, muffled by the flesh between my jaws.

  The monster’s head jerked back, its roar filled with rage and pain. Its claws flailed wildly, one swiping across my side and tearing through my armor like paper.

  The pain barely registered.

  My bones twisted further, extending from my chest and driving deeper into the creature’s torso. It bucked and writhed, its massive body convulsing as dark liquid poured from its wounds.

  The corruption around us seemed to intensify; the air grew heavier with each passing second. The ground beneath us cracked and splintered, jagged veins of violet energy spreading outward in chaotic patterns.

  I didn’t care.

  I didn’t think.

  All that mattered was survival.

  The monster let out another deafening roar, its claws finally releasing my arms as it struggled to free itself from my bite. The moment my hands were free, I lashed out, my fingers digging into its writhing flesh with a strength I didn’t know I had.

  Its red eyes glared down at me, burning with a hatred so intense it felt like it would tear me apart. But I met its gaze with my own, my vision clouded with a haze of crimson.

  "Ha ha," I grinned.

  The beast roared again, its massive body shuddering as the black ichor continued to pour from its wounds.

  I bit down harder.

  My jaw clenched with inhuman strength, my teeth sinking deeper into its flesh. The taste of its blood filled my mouth, acrid and burning, but I didn’t stop.

  I wouldn’t stop.

  The monster thrashed violently, its claws and tail lashing out in every direction. One swipe struck me across the face, sending a burst of pain through my skull, but I held on. This was no longer a fight for control. This was survival. I could feel the corruption within me shifting, melding with the essence I had called upon. It was no longer trying to consume me—it was mine.

  And I would use it to end this.

  HOUSE OF END DISCORD

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