𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽'𝓼 𝓜𝓸𝓸𝓷

Chapter-23

 *•.¸♡ AUTHOR'S POV ♡¸.•*

"Diego..." Dacian whispered shocked, seeing Diego standing before him, his dark brown eyes locked on him. Dacian never thought Diego would find him so soon. This was a terrible time for them to meet.

"Did I catch you at a good moment?" Diego mocked, a smirk playing on his lips as he walked slowly and deliberately towards Dacian. Dacian growled quietly, his teeth clenched in anger as he glared back at Diego. Diego's smile widened at Dacian's reaction.

"You challenged the Beast King, so you should always be ready. You have no idea how far my power reaches," Diego warned, continuing to move closer as Dacian stepped back.

The atmosphere was tense. In the woods, as the light faded with the approaching night, a heavy silence surrounded them. The only sound was the crunch of leaves under their feet.

"Won't you ask why I'm after you? Do you even know who I am?" Dacian questioned, as their straight steps turned into a circling dance, like two fighters sizing each other up before a battle.

"Not in the slightest," Diego replied coolly, his indifferent tone surprising Dacian. "Whether I killed your lover, parent, child, or friend, it doesn't matter to me. Why should I care when, in the end, I'm just going to kill you?" Diego's careless words stunned Dacian with their cruelty. They continued to circle each other, with Diego's eyes never leaving Dacian.

"Think hard, Xendar..." Dacian growled. Suddenly, Diego's eyes flashed a fierce gold, showing that Xendar had taken control. Both Diego and Xendar were confused about why Dacian only spoke to Xendar.

"I doubt you've forgotten that moment when, for the first time in your life, you hunted instead of begging for leftover meat from your masters," Dacian said. Xendar's glare intensified, and he growled in anger at Dacian's words.

"I'm sure you remember, Xendar..." Dacian continued, his eyes filled with a painful anger and a smirk on his face. Xendar then recalled those moments.

He remembered breaking free from his so-called masters' clutches...

and hunting on his own for the first time...

↤↤↤↤↤ FLASHBACK ↦↦↦↦↦

The moonless night enveloped the dense woods in darkness. The constant chirping of crickets filled the air, creating an eerie symphony. Night animals roamed the forest floor, but a sense of unease spread as they noticed a formidable beast among them.

A massive lion, standing 6-7 feet tall, moved through the shadowy woods. His golden eyes gleamed ominously, casting an eerie glow in the darkness. His tough, scarred body had fresh wounds, blood dripping with each heavy step.

His eyes shone with intense, dangerous light, reflecting his inner turmoil. He growled occasionally, his breath heavy and ragged, his clenched canines drawing blood. He was driven by a fierce hunger, a primal need to hunt and feed.

"Food," Xendar muttered, his golden eyes scanning for substantial prey. Suddenly, he noticed a wisp of smoke, indicating another presence nearby. He moved in that direction, slowing his pace to avoid alerting his potential prey. As he approached cautiously, he saw a rustic wooden hut.

A young girl sat on a weathered bench outside, lost in thought. A sturdy fence surrounded the hut, adorned with flickering torches to ward off threats. Unbothered by the torches, Xendar focused on the girl, his hunger driving him.

Cloaked in darkness, he crouched just beyond the fence, fixated on her. With a calculated move, he leapt over the barrier, letting out a beastly growl as the girl could only scream in terror...