I will return

63

From the mirror, I looked at myself with a smile, admiring how the reflection showed the image I had created: something terrifying and perfect for the occasion. A spiked necklace hung around my neck, and a pair of wristbands reinforced the look I was going for. My legs, now much longer, were covered by black shorts, and my paws were fitted into dark tennis shoes. Today was going to be a special event, and both Zarkos and Daphne—the special guest of the night—were about to receive a surprise. Nobody, not even them, knew about the appearance of the "Jackal", the surprise fighter.

I looked down at the Daemon Ritus, glowing in the center of my chest. His living energy pulsed against me, powerful, but... something else. I knew that only I could take it off and, for a moment, I thought about maintaining this powerful six-foot shape, I felt the desire to stay like that. But no, I still needed to gather more souls. This appearance was good for today, but later I would need my original shape.

I remembered that Zarkos was close to arriving, and I left the locker room through the back door. I saw him in the hallway, surprised by the number of people gathering in the stands. Almost all new faces, souls I had not yet absorbed. Perfect. I watched his look change from nervousness to relief when one of the wrestlers on his team, a guy named Rocky, confirmed to him that Titan wouldn't be fighting that night. That encouraged him, and I loved seeing his overconfidence.

I waited for them to leave and returned to the locker room. I looked at my reflection one last time, satisfied with the image it projected. I clenched my fists, feeling the power resonate in every muscle.

"Okay," I whispered, "it's show time."