Amy's body lay unconscious on the cold floor, a testament to Einar's ruthless efficiency.
Besides her were the ashes of her fallen comrade Ray, who had met his end at Einar's hands.
As he walked over Amy, his movements were marked by a grace and elegance that belied the brutality he was capable of. His eyes locked onto Maxwell, and his expression nullified, revealing no hints of fear, remorse, or doubt.
It was as though he had already resigned himself to the outcome, and Maxwell's demise was merely a foregone conclusion.
The air was heavy with hostility and bloodlust as the two enemies faced off. Maxwell stood tall, his body trembling slightly, but his facial expression remained calm, betraying the fear that was evident in his eyes.
"I don't fancy you a killer," Maxwell said, a smile curling up on his face as he summoned his crimson blood blade.
Einar's head tilted slightly, a hint of confusion flickering in his eyes. "Is that your weapon?" he asked, his tone dripping with mockery. A benevolent smile spread across his face as he uttered, "It's small..." The words had barely left his lips when Maxwell thrust forward, moving at an incredible speed.
One slash of his blade was enough to split apart one half of the arena, sending dust and debris flying everywhere. The grounds were now more ruined than before, covered in a thick, heavy dust. Maxwell smirked, reveling in his perceived victory, truly believing himself to be unrivaled.
Einar's response was immediate. With a swing of his hand, he cleared the dust, revealing the devastation Maxwell had wrought. He turned his back to survey the damage, and a low, menacing chuckle rumbled from his throat. What he found amusing, I couldn't fathom, but it was clear that Einar had changed. He looked the same, talked the same, but his personality was that of a completely different person.
In the blink of an eye, Einar had already sent Maxwell flying into the air. He disappeared and reappeared right above Maxwell, mid-air, grabbing him by the face and sending them both crashing down onto the arena. The impact was tremendous, causing them to fall at least four feet deeper into the ground.
What followed was a brutal and one-sided assault. Einar toyed with Maxwell, using his body as a mere plaything, tossing him from left to right and up and down. It was more of an assault rather than a battle, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Maxwell, the strongest member of the student council, second only to Lady Katherine, was being beaten like a mere toy.
After pummeling Maxwell to the brink of death, Einar grabbed him by the neck, raising him slightly above himself.
"Look at you... How the mighty have fallen," he said, his voice low and calm.
"I can't believe that at a point I lost to you." He added on as Maxwell cried out, gasping for air, as Einar's eyes seemed to bore into his very soul.
"What are you? What in God's name are you?" Maxwell exclaimed, his voice laced with desperation. Einar hesitated for a moment, as though unsure of how to respond. Then, a faint smile curled on his lips. "What in God's name am I? Hmm... I am your executioner...the seeker of the end"
With that, he threw Maxwell across the arena, slamming him into a stone pillar that instantly collapsed on him upon impact. To Einar, it seemed as though Maxwell was now dead, an effortless accomplishment to say the least. But his silent victory was short-lived.
The rubble that had fallen on Maxwell began to rumble and shake, and blood started pouring from the debris, covering it in a deep crimson color. Maxwell emerged from the puddle of blood, his body broken, his once-elven silver hair now resembling a crimson red color. Blood spat from his broken mouth and nose as he took deep breaths, trying to regain his footing.
Einar's expression remained unreadable, his eyes fixed on Maxwell with an unnerving intensity. It was uncertain whether he had detected a threat in Maxwell or still saw him as inferior.
"I-I'm not done yet, you bastard!" Maxwell exclaimed, his expression now psychotic rather than calm and collected. He had been broken, both physically and mentally.
Reaching for his pocket, Maxwell removed five enhancement pills and took them simultaneously.
The question hung in the air:
Was this going to be the birth of a monster?