The days that followed Saamu's unleashing of his power were a blur of destruction. The once-quiet forest where he had sought solace became his training ground, a place where he tested the full extent of the river goddess's power. His training was brutal. The beast within him demanded more, always more, pushing Saamu to the brink of exhaustion and beyond.
He could feel the power surging through him, his strength was boundless, and his senses were sharper than ever. The world around him responded to his every command. The river obeyed, the wind bent to his will, and even the earth trembled when he moved. Saamu could feel himself changing, not just in body, but in mind. The boy he had once been, the son of a soldier, the child of a blind mother, seemed like a distant memory, as if he were becoming something else entirely. Something darker.
"Embrace the power," the river goddess whispered to him every night. Her voice was a constant presence in his mind, like a siren's call, promising him everything he had ever wanted. "You are destined to rule, Saamu. You are a king, and no one will dare to challenge you."
But with each passing day, Saamu could feel a gnawing emptiness growing inside him. The power was intoxicating, yes, but the cost was beginning to weigh on him. His heart felt cold, as if the warmth that had once existed in his soul was being drained, replaced by a hunger he could not name. He could feel the beast's presence inside him which is always there, always hungry, always pushing for more.
One night, as Saamu sat by the river, his hands resting on the cool water, the man who had been guiding him appeared again. He had not seen him for days, and Saamu's thoughts had been too consumed by the river goddess to notice his absence.
"You've come far, Saamu," the man said, his voice low and weary. His eyes scanned Saamu, the once youthful boy now a force of nature, his eyes burning with the glow of raw power. "But the path you are walking is dangerous. The beast you've unleashed it's not something you can control easily."
Saamu stood slowly, his eyes never leaving the man. "You warned me," he said, his voice like gravel. "You warned me about the cost of this power. But I didn't listen. And now, I don't know if I can stop it."
The man's gaze softened. "You still have a choice, Saamu. The power is yours to command, but it will destroy you if you let it. It's not too late to turn back, to find balance again before the darkness consumes you."
Saamu clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "Balance? You want me to turn away from what I've become? After everything I've lost? After everything I've done?"
The man stepped forward, his face full of both sorrow and resolve. "No, Saamu. I want you to find yourself again. The king you are meant to be is not one ruled by bloodshed and destruction. It's one who commands with wisdom and restraint."
Saamu looked away, unable to meet the man's gaze. His mind was torn between the desire to listen and the raw, raging power that pulsed through him. He felt alive with the river goddess's power, and yet, deep down, a part of him was afraid. Afraid of what he was becoming, and even more afraid of what he might lose in the process.
"I can't go back," Saamu muttered. "I've already crossed that line. The beast is inside me now. I've seen what I can do, and I won't be weak anymore."
The man's expression hardened. "Then prepare yourself, Saamu. Because once you embrace the beast fully, there will be no turning back. The kingdom you seek will be built on the ashes of everything you once loved. And when the power finally consumes you, you'll have nothing left."
Saamu's breath quickened, his chest tightening as the man's words echoed in his mind. The beast. The hunger. The power. Everything he had ever wanted was within his grasp, but at what cost?
Before he could respond, the ground trembled beneath their feet. The sound of hooves reached Saamu's ears, and the wind picked up, swirling around them. He turned, his eyes narrowing as a group of riders appeared on the horizon, silhouetted against the darkening sky. They were soldiers, more invaders. But these were different. They wore the insignia of a distant kingdom, one that had long resisted Saamu's conquest.
"They've come to challenge me," Saamu muttered, his voice a mix of anger and anticipation.
The man looked grim, but he didn't stop Saamu as he stepped forward, his hands crackling with energy. "Don't let the beast take over. You still have a choice."
But Saamu didn't hear him. His eyes had already turned cold, his heart hardened. The power surged inside him, an uncontrollable force that pushed him to act. The river goddess's voice was louder than ever now, urging him to destroy, to conquer, to show them all who ruled this land.
The riders, unaware of the force they were about to face, approached the clearing, their horses' hooves pounding against the earth. They came to a stop as they saw Saamu standing there, his body surrounded by an aura of raw power. Their leader was a tall man with a heavy sword at his side spoke first, his voice laced with arrogance.
"You must be the one they call the Lord of Beasts," he sneered, his eyes studying Saamu with disdain. "I've heard tales of your power, but I don't believe them."
Saamu's lips curled into a dark smile, and the river goddess's power began to swirl around him, coiling like serpents in the air. He raised his hand, and the water from the nearby river surged toward him, wrapping around his arms, twisting into shapes that defied logic.
The soldiers backed away, their faces filled with fear. The leader's expression shifted to one of caution. "What do you want, boy?"
"What I want," Saamu said, his voice dark and low, "is for you to kneel before me. You'll bend to my will, or you'll be crushed beneath it."
With a flick of his wrist, Saamu sent a blast of water toward the riders. It crashed into their ranks, throwing them from their horses like rag dolls. The leader tried to draw his sword, but it was too late. Saamu's power was too great.
The water twisted around him, turning into a massive serpent that lunged at the leader, pinning him to the ground. The soldiers screamed, but Saamu barely heard them. His mind was clouded, consumed by the power coursing through him. He could feel the beast inside him roaring, demanding more.
"Do not resist, Saamu," the river goddess whispered. "You are a king now. Show them your power."
The leader of the soldiers, his face pale with fear, trembled beneath the weight of Saamu's power. "Please," he begged, "spare us. We are not your enemies."
But Saamu's eyes were dark, and the hunger in his heart refused to relent. "You are my enemies," he said, his voice cold. "And you will serve me, or you will die."
With a final command, Saamu released the serpent, sending it crashing into the earth beneath the soldiers. The air was thick with the smell of blood and defeat, and Saamu stood tall, his chest heaving with the satisfaction of victory.
But as the last soldier fell to the ground, a single thought pierced his mind that this was truly what he wanted? To rule through bloodshed? To become the monster the river goddess promised he would be?
He turned to the man, who stood silently behind him, watching the carnage unfold. The man's expression was unreadable, but his eyes held something Saamu couldn't place. Disappointment? Regret? Or perhaps just the understanding that the boy he had once been had already slipped away.
Saamu didn't know the answer. But he knew one thing for sure: the path he was on was one of no return.
He was the Lord of All Beasts. And now, the world would bow before him.