Holyark

XVIII

As Satan unleashed his full power, the world around them seemed to warp and twist. The dark lord's form grew monstrous, his body swelling with unholy energy, wings of shadow unfurling behind him. With a roar that shook the very foundations of the earth, Satan launched a relentless assault on Blaze.

The young Holyark found himself overwhelmed, barely able to parry the onslaught of attacks. Each blow from Satan's shadowy blade sent shockwaves through Blaze's body, driving him back. His confidence from the first round quickly evaporated as he realized the true extent of his opponent's power.

Satan's laughter echoed across the battlefield, a sound of pure malevolence. "Did you really think you could stand against me, boy? I am eternal, I am darkness incarnate!"

With a devastating strike, Satan knocked both of Blaze's swords from his hands. The young hero fell to his knees, battered and bruised, his golden light flickering. Satan loomed over him, raising his blade for the killing blow.

"And so falls Holyark," Satan sneered, "barely a footnote in the grand tapestry of-"

Suddenly, a voice rang out, not from around them, but from within Blaze himself. It was a voice of infinite compassion and strength, a voice that Blaze somehow knew belonged to Jesus Christ.

"Show him your true power," the voice commanded.

In that instant, something awakened deep within Blaze. His eyes snapped open, now shining with a brilliant golden light. Energy surged through his body, more potent than anything he had felt before. Blaze threw his head back and let out a scream that reverberated with holy power.

A pillar of golden light erupted around him, forcing Satan to stumble back. When the light faded, Blaze stood transformed. His hair had turned a shimmering gold, floating as if caught in an ethereal breeze. His wings had grown larger, each feather edged with divine fire. An aura of pure, holy energy surrounded him, so bright that even Satan's darkness seemed to recoil from it.

Blaze's voice, when he spoke, carried an otherworldly resonance. "This ends now, Satan."

The swords flew back to his hands, now blazing with celestial fire. Satan's confident sneer faltered as he felt, for the first time in eons, a flicker of fear.

Blaze took a step forward, the ground beneath his feet bursting into bloom. The very air seemed to sing with the power of his awakened form. Satan raised his blade, ready to continue the battle, but there was uncertainty in his eyes now.

The final clash between light and darkness was about to begin, with the fate of all creation hanging in the balance.