Born in apocalypse

The moment the man materialized before everyone, a swift and obvious transformation swept across their faces. Gone were the expressions of curiosity, anticipation, and mild amusement, Now it was entirely replaced by looks of disgust.

The change in their demeanor did not go unnoticed by Dhruv, who swiftly picked up on it. Looking at the change he couldn’t help but think to himself,

’So, he had a notorious reputation among the others too. Works in my favor, hehe hehe!’ DHruv chuckled inwardly.

Dhruv turned to Vexar and instructed him to initiate the battle. To add an element of excitement for everyone present, Dhruv had equipped Tom with a gun as well.

"Let the battle commence," Dhruv declared, signaling the beginning of the fight...

As the sound echoed through the surroundings, Tom realized he had no more options but to partake in this duel. Begging wasn’t an option either, as he had already attempted it without success. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Vexar and Tom positioned themselves, facing each other. One radiated with energy, while the other brimmed with tension.

Vexar firmly grasped his sword, its blade gleaming with an otherworldly intensity, as if it were openly taunting Tom and saying ’Tha’s what happens if you touch me’.

On the opposite side, Tom clutched his gun but his were fingers trembling uncontrollably.

Spark!

The silence was shattered as Vexar flicked his fingertips, causing a spark of crimson energy to dance between them. Fire began to flicker on his finger as he gazed at Tom, granting him the first opportunity to attack.

Tom, with no intention of being polite, raised the handgun, his determination was shadowed by his fearful expression. He was on the verge of firing when his face contorted in shock at the sight before him...

In a sudden burst of motion, Vexar surged forward, his sword cutting through the air like a deadly serpent. His flaming hand came into contact with the blade, infusing the cold steel with fiery energy.

Tom’s eyes widened as he squeezed the trigger of the gun, but Vexar dodged the attack. Reaching his target Vexar swings his sword with such precision that a deep layer of flesh was severed from Tom’s arm.

"Agghh!" Tom cried out in pain.

The searing pain coursed through Tom’s body as he dropped the gun. He felt the pain for a few seconds but suddenly it stopped when a layer of green light enveloped his injured arm. With that green light new skin began to grow at a rapid pace.

Dhruv had personally instructed Vexar not to sever any body part completely until the end of the duel, as it would be impossible to regenerate it otherwise. Vexar had listened and was cautious, he had planned to leave at least 20% of it intact within Tom’s body.

Vexar backed off for a moment, allowing Tom to retrieve the gun. With teary eyes, Tom lifted it once again, determined to fire despite the agony he endured.

Once more, Vexar closed the distance with remarkable speed, his sword emitting a whistling sound as it descended upon Tom. Tom lunged to the side just in time, narrowly evading the deadly strike. However, the searing heat from the sword scorched his skin, leaving behind agonizing burns.

Vexar’s cruel smile reflected in the blade’s glint.

Their fierce duel raged on. Tom fired round after round, but Vexar either deftly deflected the bullets or evaded the attacks with uncanny agility. With each near-miss, Tom’s hope dwindled into the abyss. His heart pounded in his chest, his skin burned, and his blood dripped onto the ground.

Vexar was enjoying the battle and began toying with Tom in earnest. He inflicted brutal wounds upon the man, allowing him to taste the brink of death before pulling him back from the abyss of pain, permitting him to heal once more. It was a cruel cycle of suffering and respite.

"Pl...ease... k-kill... m..e," Tom begged, his voice trembling.

Vexar paid no heed to the plea and conjured flames that danced upon his hand. With a cruel smirk, he sent the fire to engulf Tom’s body. The man writhed in excruciating agony, his screams echoing through the desolate clearing, but Vexar was smiling while enjoying his suffering.

As the minutes stretched into an eternity for Tom, Vexar’s fiery onslaught seemed never-ending. Tom’s clothing was reduced to tatters, his body now a painting of burns and lacerations.

Tom’s eyes had grown blank, devoid of all light. He no longer begged and was merely standing there, a lifeless shell of his former self. Vexar recognized that the time had come to end this torment, for there was no amusement in torturing a lifeless pile of flesh..

Dhruv noticed the change as well and signaled to Vexar to conclude the ordeal, as they had achieved their goal. But how come Vexar finished the whole thing without a bang...

With astonishing swiftness, Vexar thrust his fiery hand through Tom’s chest, causing the man’s body to burn from within. Tom’s eyes bulged with agony, but it was short-lived, for the fire had already destroyed his nerves.

In his final moments, Tom gazed at the demon before him, who now held his heart in hand. He looked down and saw the gaping hole where it had once resided.

Tom was on the verge of uttering curses and perhaps even a word of thanks, but before anything could escape his scorched throat... Tom died.

What followed next was something Tom couldn’t witness, but it was no less sinister.

Vexar gripped the heart, lifting it in his hand, and then began moving it toward his mouth. Dhruv, despite recognizing that his attempt to make the fight as frightening as possible could backfire, didn’t intervene. Instead, he watched the spectacle with a curious eye, eager to gauge the reactions of those around him.

Vexar hoisted the heart and, in one gulp, placed the entire organ into his mouth. He brought his sharp teeth on it, and blood splattered around his face, which soon painted his face the same crimson color as his hair.

Chew! Chew!

He chewed the heart and swiftly swallowed it in one fluid motion. After consuming the heart, Vexar snapped his fingers, and Tom’s lifeless body burst into flames.

Cheers and praises erupted from the onlookers, as they looked at the ground. When there gazes got to the area they found there was noting but ashes left on the ground..

"Yay!"

"He deserved it..."

"Thank you..."

"Thank you..."

"Very good..."

Dhruv found out that just fearing over nothing, and by the looks of it the plan had followed more smoothly than he could ever imagine.