Chapter 37: Breaking the Chains
Darkness enveloped Kazuki. He floated in the void, the crimson aura that once surged through him now reduced to faint, flickering embers. His limbs felt heavy, as if weighed down by invisible chains.
[Warning. Alpha Command critical. Power levels unstable.]
Kazuki's eyes fluttered open. The world around him was a hazy, shadowy landscape, filled with echoing whispers and distant, haunting roars. His body ached, his skin burned, and his mind throbbed with the residual power of Alpha Command.
"Where... am I?" Kazuki's voice echoed in the void, sounding hollow and far away.
[You are within your own subconscious. The power of Alpha Command has destabilized, threatening to consume you. You must regain control.]
Kazuki's jaw clenched. "Regain control? How?"
[Identify the source of instability. Find the core and stabilize it. Otherwise, your mind will be devoured by your own power.]
Kazuki swallowed, his heart pounding. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. As he did, the void shifted, and a dark path appeared before him, leading deeper into the shadowy expanse.
Kazuki took a step forward, then another. Each step echoed, the whispers growing louder. As he walked, the landscape morphed, and dark, towering figures emerged — shadowy beasts with eyes of burning crimson, snarling and snapping at him.
"You don't control us!" one of the shadow beasts growled, its fangs bared. "We control you!"
Kazuki gritted his teeth. "No... I am the Alpha!"
He raised his hand, willing the power to surge forth. But instead of obeying him, the crimson aura lashed out like a wild beast, slashing at his skin, drawing blood.
[Warning. Power at 95% instability. Host integrity compromised.]
Kazuki fell to his knees, gasping for breath. The beasts circled him, their eyes glowing with hunger. They lunged, and Kazuki braced himself — but a sudden, blinding light erupted before him, forcing the beasts to recoil.
"Kazuki!" a familiar voice echoed through the void. "Fight it!"
Kazuki's eyes widened. "Elara?"
The light solidified, taking the shape of Elara. She stepped forward, her emerald eyes glowing with determination.
"You're stronger than this," she said, her voice firm. "This power doesn't control you. You control it."
Kazuki swallowed, his fists clenching. "But... it's too much. It's tearing me apart."
Elara knelt before him, placing a hand on his cheek. Her touch was warm, soothing, and Kazuki felt his racing heart begin to calm.
"Remember why you're fighting," Elara said softly. "Not for power. Not for control. But for those you care about."
Kazuki's eyes flickered. Images of Tara, Elara, and even the wolves flashed through his mind. Their smiles, their laughter, their unwavering support.
"You're right," Kazuki said, his voice steadier now. "This power is mine. And I will control it."
The void trembled as Kazuki stood, his crimson aura reigniting around him. The shadow beasts snarled, their forms growing more twisted and monstrous. But Kazuki's eyes blazed, the crimson light burning away the shadows.
"I am the Alpha!" Kazuki roared, his voice echoing through the void. "And I will not be controlled!"
The shadow beasts charged at him, but Kazuki met them head-on, his aura expanding like a tidal wave, consuming them in a storm of crimson light.
[Alpha Command stabilized. Power levels restored.]
The void shattered, and Kazuki's eyes snapped open. He was back in the forest, lying on the ground, Elara and Tara kneeling beside him. Lady Arwen stood a few meters away, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Kazuki sat up, his body now pulsing with a steady, controlled crimson aura. He rose to his feet, his gaze locking onto Lady Arwen.
"Now," Kazuki said, his voice calm yet powerful. "Let's finish this."