Terra Preta

Baptism by fire

Orion's chest heaved, fury and sorrow warred within him, but the primal urge to survive drowned out all else. The battlefield raged around him, but in his mind, everything had narrowed to a single point of focus: the figure responsible for Jaxon's brutal end.

The Juggernaut continued its rampage as it tore through the army's defenses, its massive frame moving like a battering ram, each thunderous step mangled wrecks and devastation in its wake.

Ronan met his eyes, fierce and unyielding. "Orion, I know you want blood," he said, his voice low but steady. "But don't you dare throw your life away."

Orion's eyes burned with cold fury. "I'll make him regret the day he was born."

"We'll occupy this brute," Ronan commanded, his voice sharp and decisive. "You neutralize the puppet master."

Orion clenched his jaw but nodded. "Don't take unnecessary risks."

Ren flashed him a grin, defiant despite the carnage around them. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Without another word, she and Ronan darted toward the Juggernaut, moving with practiced agility, weaving through the rubble to catch its attention.

Ren sprinted towards the Juggernaut, her movements a fluid dance of agility and precision. She aimed for its joints, her sword finding purchase in the gaps between its thick armor plates. With a series of swift strikes, she inflicted a series of stinging wounds, drawing its attention and slowing its advance.

The Juggernaut paused, its massive head turning toward them, a guttural snarl vibrating through its enormous body. It stomped forward, its focus shifting from the army to the two who had dared to taunt it.

Seizing the opportunity, Orion surged forward, his every stride infused with a grim determination.

The figure observed his approach with a chilling smirk. "Do you truly think you stand a chance?" it taunted, its voice a grating rasp.

Orion's stance shifted, his body radiating a deadly stillness. "You talk too much."

They clashed, the force of the impact jarring through Orion's bones. The figure was fast, almost inhumanly so, deflecting each of Orion's strikes with ease, a cruel smile spreading on its face. But Orion matched each move, his anger giving him an edge he hadn't felt before.

Then, in a flash of movement, the figure shifted, twisting around to swipe at Orion's injured side.

Orion gritted his teeth against the searing pain, refusing to give the figure the satisfaction of a cry.

Orion pressed his attack, his blade danced with deadly precision, each movement fueled by a burning rage.

In a fleeting moment of opportunity, Orion's sword darted forward, drawing a thin line of blood across the figure's pale skin. The figure's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a chilling focus as it acknowledged Orion's unwavering resistance.

"You're determined, I'll give you that," it sneered, wiping at the blood as if it were an inconvenience.

The figure lunged, faster this time, its movements sharper, its strikes nearly overwhelming Orion. He parried desperately, his arms shaking under the force of each blow.

In a sudden lull, the figure leaned closer, its gaze both mocking and strangely intent. "Such wasted potential, if you join the Hive I will help you unleash the power that lies dormant within you. What do you say?"

Orion's grip on his sword tightened, his voice sharp with defiance. "The Hive? So, they're the ones pulling the strings?"

"If you join me...." the figure echoed, its voice a low hum that seemed to vibrate through the air. "I will mold you into a deadly weapon."