The Beast Within

Johan stood, his breaths ragged, his body trembling not just from exhaustion but from something far deeper. His left arm, once marked only by Nidhogg's curse, had worsened. Thick, black scales now stretched up to his shoulder, and his normally bright blue eyes glowed a dark, ominous purple.

"What… is happening to me?" Johan murmured hoarsely, his voice carrying an alien tone even to himself.

Vuldrax, standing a few meters away, tilted his head, his expression shifting from fury to unease. "This isn't ordinary power. What exactly have you done, human?"

Thick, dark energy seeped from Johan's body, swirling around him like a toxic fog. It felt as though the slumbering presence of Nidhogg within him had awakened for the first time, attempting to seize control. Johan clenched his teeth, struggling to resist, but the primal force only grew stronger the harder he fought.