Chapter 4: Scar

The sun hung low in the sky as seven-year-old Dune raced through the garden, the laughter of childhood echoing in his ears.

He chased after his older brother Ned, his small legs pumping furiously as he tried to keep pace. Ned, with his superhuman strength, easily outpaced him, his laughter mingling with Dune's as they raced through the grass.

But their joyous play came to an abrupt halt when Ned stumbled and fell, his leg bruised from the fall. As he struggled to rise, Dune seized the opportunity to pounce, leaping onto his brother with a mischievous grin. "Got ya!" he exclaimed, their laughter ringing out in the quiet garden.

However, their moment of levity was short-lived as they realized they had ventured far from the safety of their home and found themselves on the edge of the forest that encircled their city. Beyond the trees loomed the imposing wall that protected their home from the dangers of the outside world.

Sensing the gravity of their situation, Dune turned to Ned with a hint of concern in his eyes. "I think we should go back, Ned," he suggested, his voice tinged with unease. Ned nodded in agreement, his playful demeanor giving way to a sense of apprehension.

But before they could retreat to the safety of their home, a chilling sound pierced the air, causing both brothers to freeze in their tracks. Ned turned, his eyes widening in horror as a monstrous creature emerged from the depths of the forest.

The creature resembled a wolf, but its twisted form betrayed its unnatural origins. With six legs and six eyes, it stood three meters tall, its grotesque appearance striking fear into the hearts of the two young boys.

Fear gripped them both, but Dune, despite his tender age, refused to succumb to panic. Taking his brother's hand in his own, he uttered a single word that echoed with determination. "Run!"

And run they did, their footsteps pounding against the earth as they fled for their lives. Behind them, the creature pursued with relentless determination, its monstrous form casting a shadow of terror over their fleeting escape.

As the creature closed in on them, its claws slashing through the air with deadly intent, panic surged through Dune's veins. He knew they were running out of options, but the thought of Ned risking his life filled him with a sense of dread.

IM GONNA USE ZETEN

"No, Ned, it's too risky!" Dune cried out, his voice laced with desperation. But Ned's determination was unwavering, his gaze fixed on the looming threat before them.

With a grim smile, Ned nodded in understanding, his resolve unshaken. "I know the risks, Dune," he said, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at his insides. "But we can't just stand here and do nothing."

Dune's heart clenched at Ned's words, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. He knew there was no reasoning with his brother when he was set on a course of action, but that didn't make it any easier to accept.

With a heavy sigh, Dune relented, his every instinct urging him to protect Ned at any cost. "Alright, just be careful," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll do what I can to distract it."

As Dune charged towards the creature, his heart hammered in his chest, his every sense on high alert. But to his surprise, the creature paid him no heed, its attention fixed solely on Ned.

Confusion clouded Dune's mind as he watched the scene unfold before him. This wasn't how he expected things to play out, and the realization sent a chill down his spine.

WHAT? The Creature was intelligent

As the creature barreled toward Ned with terrifying speed, Dune's heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing the urgency of the moment. He watched in horror as Ned braced himself, his determination unwavering despite the danger closing in on him.

Then, in a blur of motion, something sliced through the air, striking the creature's legs with lethal precision. The beast stumbled, its unearthly shriek splitting the air as it crashed to the ground, its two severed legs twitching spasmodically.

Dune's eyes widened in astonishment as he took in the scene before him. Ned stood amidst the chaos, his arm drenched in crimson, every muscle in his body taut with pain.

every bone in his hand broken, It was a testament to Ned's incredible strength and resilience, but also a stark reminder of the toll his powers exacted.

"Ned!" Dune cried out,

Ned unleashed his Zeten ability—a powerful slashing wind attack that cut through the air with unparalleled speed and precision. But with great power came a great cost; as the wind tore through their adversary, Ned felt the searing pain of his own ability reflected back upon him.

With a gut-wrenching cry, Ned stumbled to one knee, his body wracked with agony. Despite the pain, he knew he had to push through, for the safety of himself and his brother.

As the dust settled and the chaos of battle momentarily abated, a tense silence descended upon the clearing. The wolf, its monstrous form battered and bloodied yet unbowed, rose slowly to its feet with an eerie determination. With four legs planted firmly on the ground, its piercing gaze fixed upon its next target.

But to the shock of both Dune and Ned, the creature's predatory instincts seemed to have shifted. Instead of lunging for the closest threat, it turned its attention towards the weaker opponent, its ferocious intent directed squarely at Dune.

In that heart-stopping moment, the brothers exchanged a glance, their eyes wide with disbelief and dawning realization. The wolf's unexpected strategy had caught them off guard, leaving them scrambling to devise a plan of defense.

Dune, his heart pounding in his chest, braced himself for the inevitable onslaught, his grip tightening around the sharp metallic object in his hand. Beside him, Ned tensed, his muscles coiled like springs, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

As Ned's eyes widened in alarm, he watched his younger brother, Dune, fight desperately against the towering wolf creature. Despite his valiant efforts, Dune's small frame seemed frail and vulnerable against the monstrous adversary.

With each swift dodge and parry, Dune attempted to land a blow with the sword he wielded, but the creature's hide proved impenetrable, thwarting his every attempt. The disparity in strength between the two combatants was painfully evident, and Ned's heart clenched with worry as he witnessed his brother's struggle.

Determined to protect his sibling, Ned fought against the pain coursing through his own body, his mind consumed with the urgent need to intervene. But as he summoned the last reserves of his strength, he knew that time was running out. In the face of such overwhelming odds, would they be able to overcome this formidable foe, or would they succumb to the relentless onslaught of the wolf's savage fury?

would he be able to muster the strength to unleash his Zeten attack, despite the excruciating pain that coursed through his battered body?

The sheer magnitude of his Zeten ability made it a formidable force to reckon with, but it came at a cost.

The searing pain that accompanied its execution made it difficult to focus, let alone aim with precision. Yet, in this dire moment, with his brother's life hanging in the balance, Ned knew that he had no choice but to try.

As Dune writhed in agony, his hand trapped within the jaws of the wolf, he gritted his teeth against the searing pain. With a desperate lunge, he drove the knife into the creature's throat, the blade sinking deep into its flesh.

A strangled cry escaped his lips as the wolf's teeth pierced his skin, but still, he refused to relinquish his grip.

"NED NOW!!" he cried out, his voice raw with anguish and determination. And in that moment, Ned unleashed his power with a force that shook the very earth.

With a thunderous clap of his hands, Ned unleashed the full fury of his Zeten abilities upon the looming figure of the wolf. The shockwave of immense power erupted from his palms, hurtling towards the creature with unstoppable momentum.

The shockwave tore through the air with a deafening roar, its sheer force ripping through flesh and bone as it collided with the monstrous creature.

The wolf let out a bloodcurdling howl as its body was rent asunder by the ferocious impact, torn apart by the sheer force of Ned's Zeten attack.

As the creature's body was rent asunder, a cascade of smaller shockwaves rippled outward, tearing through the air with lethal precision.

In the chaotic aftermath, Dune found himself caught in the path of the deadly shards of energy, his senses reeling from the onslaught.

Despite his valiant efforts to evade the onslaught, several of the razor-sharp shockwaves found their mark, lacerating his flesh with searing pain.

For Ned, witnessing the unintended collateral damage wrought by his own power filled him with a profound sense of guilt and remorse. The realization of the danger his abilities posed, not only to his enemies but to those he sought to protect, weighed heavily upon him.

!

As the raw power of Zeten coursed through his body, Ned's strength faltered, and he collapsed to his knees, his body wracked with agony. With a violent cough, he expelled a torrent of blood, his vision swimming as waves of pain crashed over him.

The impact of unleashing his Zeten ability had taken a heavy toll on his fragile frame. His hands, twisted and deformed, bore the brunt of the devastating force, every bone shattered and splintered within them.

Blood flowed freely from the countless small cuts that marred his hands, a testament to the sheer intensity of the energy he had wielded.

Gasping for breath, Ned struggled to maintain consciousness as he lay sprawled upon the ground, his body trembling with exertion and pain. Each labored breath was a struggle, his chest heaving with the effort of drawing in air tainted with the metallic tang of blood.

With every ounce of strength he could muster, Ned dragged his battered body across the chaotic aftermath of their battle, his determination driving him forward despite the searing pain that wracked his every movement.

As he drew nearer to his fallen brother, the full extent of the devastation wrought by their desperate struggle came into stark relief.

The once imposing form of the monstrous wolf lay in tatters, reduced to little more than scattered fragments of flesh amidst a sea of carnage.

Its grotesque demise bore witness to the sheer ferocity of their clash, leaving behind a grisly testament to the unyielding will of those who had dared to defy it.

But amidst the ruin and destruction, Ned's focus remained fixed on the figure of his brother, Dune, who lay motionless upon the blood-soaked ground.

As he drew closer, his heart clenched with anguish at the sight of the injuries that marred his brother's body, each wound a stark reminder of the price they had paid in their battle for survival.

His gaze lingered on Dune's right hand, twisted and mangled from the savage bite of the wolf, a testament to the brutality of their encounter.

Yet despite the severity of his injuries, Dune remained alive, a flicker of hope amidst the despair that threatened to consume them both.

But it was the sight of Dune's right eye, now swollen and bleeding from the shockwaves that had torn through their battleground, that struck Ned with a profound sense of guilt and remorse.

In that moment, he knew that his actions had endangered not only his brother's life, but also his very essence, leaving an indelible mark upon his soul that would linger long after the wounds had healed.

As exhaustion weighed heavily upon him, Dune summoned the strength to speak, his words carrying a sense of understanding born from the depths of their shared ordeal.

"Don't burden yourself with guilt, Ned," Dune's voice was hoarse, yet resolute. "If it weren't for you, we both might have died. Isn't it better that we both made it through, even if it meant enduring such pain? We're alive, Ned, and that's what matters. We both made sacrifices to ensure that outcome."

His words held a quiet wisdom, a recognition of the harsh realities they faced and the choices they had been forced to make.

As Ned and Dune struggled to stand, their weary bodies protesting with each movement, they suddenly froze at the sight before them.

A tall figure emerged from the shadows, his presence commanding attention despite the eerie stillness that surrounded them. With long strands of bluish-white hair cascading down his blue and icy eyes that seemed to pierce through their very souls, the young man exuded an aura of unmistakable power.

Ned and Dune exchanged a glance, a silent acknowledgment passing between them that their encounter with this enigmatic stranger could spell trouble.

They both knew the significance of the black cross tattoo adorning Ned's chest—the mark of the Zeten, a power feared and coveted in equal measure.

As the young man's gaze fell upon them, Ned and Dune braced themselves for what was to come, their hearts heavy with the weight of uncertainty.

For in that fleeting moment, they understood that their fates hung precariously in the balance, at the mercy of this mysterious figure who held the key to their destiny.