Rei stood there, in the heart of the decimated forest, his breath heavy, still carrying the taste of blood on his tongue. His mind raced as the weight of what he had just done settled in. The creature's corpse lay in pieces, dissolved into nothing but dark stains on the soil. His hand still glowed with the crimson energy—an energy that felt as natural to him as breathing.
Yet there was no time to contemplate the destruction. His body hummed with an insatiable need to move, to do something more, to see what else his power could do.
Suddenly, a sharp, cold sensation hit him—a mark, a brand on his chest. He felt it before he saw it. It started as a whisper in his veins, a subtle sensation of something ancient and powerful stirring. Then, with an explosive crack of energy, the Sovereign's Mark erupted across his chest.
The tattoo, now glowing a deep crimson, began to swirl, forming intricate patterns. The once-buried symbol of the Sovereigns was alive again, a permanent seal burned into his flesh.
> [Sovereign's Mark: Reawakened]
[Energy Flow Restored]
[Access to Sovereign Skills: Partial. Further Growth Possible.]
Rei staggered back as the surge of power made his heart race. He clutched at the mark on his chest, feeling the warmth of its presence. For a moment, it felt like the very essence of his existence was bound to that symbol.
> "This is… my past," he whispered to himself.
The Blood Army stood still, silent as ever. It was as if they, too, were waiting for something—waiting for him to realize what this moment meant.
The ground beneath his feet trembled, and the wind howled through the trees, as if the world itself were responding to the awakening of the Sovereign's Mark. Rei's mind swam with memories he couldn't quite reach, fragments of a time before, a time where power like this was not just a tool—it was a birthright.
But what had happened to him? Why had his memories been erased? Why was he here, in this broken world?
The question burned deep within him, but he didn't have an answer. Not yet.
Suddenly, the air shifted again. A figure appeared before him, stepping through the remnants of the battlefield. A tall woman, draped in tattered robes, her eyes dark and filled with urgency. Her presence sent a chill down Rei's spine, and a flicker of recognition stirred deep inside him.
> "Rei," she said, her voice a mixture of sorrow and fear. "You don't remember me… but I know you. You're the one we need."
Rei took a step forward, his hand instinctively going to the handle of his sword. His blood pulsed, ready to defend.
> "Who are you?" he demanded.
The woman paused, her gaze softening. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before answering.
> "I was there when you fell. When the Sovereigns were lost. I know what you're capable of, and I know what you've become."
Her words sent a shiver through him. The Sovereigns? Was she talking about the very beings whose mark now burned into his chest?
Before he could respond, the ground beneath them cracked open, and a massive beast erupted from the earth. Rei's instincts kicked in immediately. The creature was massive—its body covered in shifting stone and molten veins.
The woman stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly.
> "We need to leave. Now."
But Rei's resolve was set. The beast roared, charging at them, its claws extending with deadly precision.
> "No. I'm not running anymore," Rei said, his voice colder than the wind itself.
He raised his hand, and the blood within him surged. A storm of crimson energy blasted out of him, engulfing the creature. The air filled with the sound of cracking stone as the beast shrieked in agony. Rei's power surged beyond control, his blood-thirsty energy now a weapon that could tear through anything.
The creature crumpled to the ground in a heap, disintegrating into ash.
Rei stood, his body still glowing with crimson light, his Sovereign's Mark burning brighter with every heartbeat.
> "I'm not running," he repeated, his voice firm. "I'm not hiding from the past anymore. Whatever's waiting for me, I'll face it head-on."
The woman watched him, her expression unreadable, but there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
> "Then let's find the truth, Rei. Together."