Undead Beast Master: Living Solely for My Desires

Vera stood in silence, observing the clash.

"I knew this was about to happen… but for it to do so suddenly… I guess this is what makes Zaroth so unique. The only one that could challenge the gods. Even when I thought I was guiding him on a certain path, he sensed and broke free…"

A thick smoke rose high in the air, the elven continent burning under Zaroth's wrath and his beasts.

With a long sigh, he rose up, his muscular upper torso visible. During the fight with the Elders, he had been pushed to the limits… but won nonetheless.

"The worst is not over; I can tell what waits beyond the protective barrier of the statue will be much worse."

After observing his core and seeing that he could push further, he glanced at Vera and Ari.

"The imprisoned elven leader." He spoke, pointing at the barrier.

"There is some kind of barrier not allowing access. Can you break it?"

Vera tilted her head to the side, observing with interest.

"It's possible, but it will take a long time."

He shrugged; he had all the time in the world. Witnessing his reaction, the woman nodded and obeyed. Ari went with her to help.

"Zaroth?"

Just as the beast master was waiting, a familiar voice resounded behind him.

Turning, he saw the two figures of familiar elves.

Sira and Night.

"What have you done?" Sira asked, voice cracking.

"You wanted me to kill the elven leader, no? Well, I have reached the place where he is imprisoned."

She gazed at him in silence.

"But… to do so you have decimated such a large part of the elven continent…"

He gazed at her for several seconds. Then he spat, voice emotionless.

"I did, and so what? Are you going to do something because you don't like my methods?"

He rose to his feet slowly, approaching her.

"I don't give a single fuck what you want, think, or whatnot. I do what I desire. And right now, I want this to be over."

"Zaroth." Night stepped forward.

"Whatever the case, thank you. It's our fault for not making our intentions clearer."

Zaroth waved his hand, pointing towards Vera and Ari.

"If you are so thankful, help them break the seal. That way I can kill the leader faster."

The two elves gazed at one another, following his orders.

Hours passed, the lands stopped burning, and the smoke disappeared, clearing the atmosphere.

At that moment, a wave of weight hit Zaroth's back.

He didn't need to ask. He knew that the barrier had been broken.

Rising to his feet, he approached it.

"Zaroth."

Before he stepped fully, Vera's words stopped him.

"Be careful."

Simply nodding, he entered.

*****

'I don't know what I was expecting to find in an ancient statue, but it wasn't that,' he mused.

The sky was familiar, yet it wasn't. Waves of energy were searing in the bright sky, similar to the ones he had seen in his dreams.

Continuing forward across the path, he witnessed a giant rock with a half-carved rune.

"I see…" A slight smirk appeared on his face.

He now knew why he had been having these nightmares.

Using his odachi, he began to carve, completing the rune.

"Anchor indeed…" he mused, continuing forward.

A giant field of crimson flowers… Bloodthorn. Just like Vera had described in her vision.

The vision where he was going to experience the greatest pain there was.

"Well, considering the rune, it makes sense; I should have seen it much sooner."

The crimson flowers swayed in the wind as Zaroth stopped before a figure.

The elven leader.

"Hello." The elf spoke coldly, his voice harsh.

"We have seen each other many times in your dreams. But it's the first to make eye-to-eye contact."

Zaroth summoned his beasts one by one, getting ready for battle.

A second later the eyes of the elf shifted to another color.

"Please run. There is nothing you can do against him."

Zaroth nodded. 'Just as I thought. A part of the sanity of the elf remains, too scared to fight his corrupted version, knowing that he is too powerful.'

"Don't worry." Zaroth reassured.

"I haven't come here to be killed… but to kill."

A second later he added, "But you must have known about that, since you are the one that taught me the rune in my dreams for this day, right?"

A trace of emotion passed over the elf's face.

Relief.

With that, it turned back to its mad version.

There was no need for words anymore as Zaroth, as well as his beasts, lunged towards the elf.

The winds stilled, the Bloodthorns growing deadly still.

A second later Zaroth's head fell from his shoulders. His lifeless body collapsing on the ground.

The crimson blood from his figure went towards the nearby Bloodthorns, causing them to bloom as they drank it.

A great pain resonated through his soul. The pain of death, the pain of not being graced by life anymore.

Now he knew why every beast he had under his control was so loyal to him. Since they had been destined to suffer from such pain for all eternity… Until he saved them.

A few seconds later the rune he had carved over the large rune shone.

Bringing his soul back.

He was back at the same place with his body whole; the few Bloodthorns that had been near him at the time of death bloomed from the blood that they had absorbed from him.

The rune to bring back the dead. The vision Vera had seen. Now it all made sense. He would fight the elf hundreds, maybe thousands of times, dying each time in the process yet unwilling to give up until he won.

It made sense why she had called it the greatest pain: endless death and rebirth all over again.

No one was sane enough to endure it for too long.

Yet again, no one sane was going to plan on going against the gods themselves.

But Zaroth was not sane, undeniably. He was an anomaly that made the impossible possible.

Simply because he desired to do so.

With a flick of his finger, he called forth his loyal beasts once more; they were connected to him, so as long as he lived, they would fight by his side.

He spoke, lunging at the elf once again.

"Let's dance between life and death."