"GRYYAAAAAH!"
CLAAASH!
A gigantic, chimeric undead composed of dozens of corpses tied together roared furiously, hitting the ground, and shattering the ground. Its four enormous limbs were composed of many other limbs, and once it hit the ground, the limb suddenly split apart into many skeletal and fleshy hands, trying to catch Mark and Josuke.
"I'll get you!!!"
The monstrous chimeric undead was unlike the other undead monsters they had fought before, as it was more than capable of speaking, and seemed to be some high ranked lackey of Phantasmos.
"Not so fast!" Roared Mark, as he quickly summoned a large spear-shaped totem made of blazing wood, with the decorations of a monkey, a bird, and a lizard. "[Triple Faced Spiritual Totem Spear]!"
FLUOOOOSH!
The power of these three Beast Spirits activated immediately as they emerged from within the wooden spear and combined themselves with the infernal flames.
CLAAAASSHHHHH…!
Mark pierced the gigantic, over five-meter-big Chimeric Undead Beast with the Totem Spear, as the flames started to spread around its body. All three of the beast spirits quickly started adding to the damage by attacking it and then… exploding!
BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
"GRUUUAAAAHHH!"
The Chimeric Undead Beast seemed to have stood no chance against fire attribute wielders. It was made of rotting flesh and bones, which were very easily destroyed with blazing explosions after all.
"GRUUUHHH…! [Abyssal Nightmares]!"
However, although a large part of the Chimeric Undead Beast was blown to bits, it was still standing, and it quickly decided to activate a rather nasty trick.
FLUOOOOSH!
Darkness started filling the entire area, as a black fog seemed to slowly force Mark and Josuke to enter into a state of drowsiness.
"Ugh…! What the heck is this?!" Mark was flabbergasted.
"Nightmare Magic?!" Wondered Josuke. "How come an undead like this has this power?!"
"Kehehehehehe! Even if you don't fall asleep, these nightmares will consume you! Your deepest fears and traumas shall devour your mind!" The Chimeric Undead Beast laughed evilly.
"Unnnggh…! D-Dammit!" Mark groaned, falling to his knees, as he started gasping for air. His mind was in complete shambles, as countless memories and traumas he wanted to not remember started to resurface one after the other, making him go insane.
Without him realizing, a part of his mind was sent to his childhood.
"What do you mean you got a B?! We've been studying diligently for all the last weeks and this is how you repay your mother's efforts, Mark?!"
"I-I'm sorry mom… But the test was hard, it had tricky questions that-"
"DON'T TALK BACK TO ME!"
SLAP!
The young Mark's face was slapped hard by his strict mother, leaving his face swollen red. A few tears began flowing from his eyes, as he contained his pain and lowered his head.
"I'm sorry…" He started crying.
"You're going to start studying all day from today!" Said her mother, furious. "I will take away your TV and your Phone, and you will make sure to get As for the next tests!"
"O-Okay…" Mark nodded; his hands were trembling.
"My son, you have to understand, if you don't have good grades you'll never go to a good university! You have to work hard and study with everything you have. These years are very important for your academic development! You'll thank me later, when you realize how right I was." Her mother said, walking away.
The nightmares continued, as his traumas resurfaced one after the other. Most of the were about his own childhood. About the hundreds if not thousands of times his parents hit him for his "incompetence", the bad, discouraging words he always heard from them, and the bullying he received on his school.
He was so submerged in these nightmares and traumas that his mind slowly started to regress, he found himself within endless darkness, as a young child crying in the corner of a dark room, with nothing at all.
Mark had nobody. He couldn't trust nor love parents that treated him so badly and asked so much from him. He couldn't find friends; everyone abhorred him because his family was poor compared to the rich families of the children that went to that school.
He had nobody.
"Yes…. Hehehehe… Submerge yourself on your nightmares!" The Chimeric Undead Beast laughed, slowly crawling towards Mark, and opening its gigantic jaws. "Is it painful? Does it hurt? Don't worry… Once you're dead, all of that pain will go away!!!"
The monstrous beast's jaws opened wide, about to devour him whole.
"I've always been alone…" Mark thought, his eyes devoid of light.
However, amidst the darkness he was being engulfed into, a spark of light surged once more. He wasn't alone there. Within his very soul, there was always a piece of her, of Elayne.
"You're not alone, Mark."
"Huh?"
"I will be there for you, no matter what."
"Elayne…?"
"So please, don't give up so easily, alright?"
A beautiful lady made of light hugged his child self, engulfing him with her light and destroying the darkness transforming his psyche. In mere seconds, Mark was suddenly awake!
FLAAAASH!
The light within his soul emerged, burning the entire face of the Chimeric Undead Beast, just before a gigantic wooden fist made of flames were to grow out of his hand, punching the beast into the ceiling!
BAAAAAAMMMMMM!!!
"GRAAAAGGGH…!"
CLASH!
The Chimeric Undead Beast fell back into the floor, its amorphous, chimeric body started exuding a deadly, phantasmal aura, as countless of phantom hands emerged one after the other, directing themselves against Mark!
"You… How come you freed yourself from the Nightmares?!" Asked the Chimeric Undead Beast furiously. "DIE ALREADY! [One Thousand Phantasmal Hands]!"
Mark did not answer the question, remaining silent and concentrating his Mana into his knife, as it was quickly engulfed on draconic flames, which started to dance around him, taking the shape of a dragon!
"[Blazing Dragon Spirit Summon]!"
FLUUUUOOOOOOSSSHHH!!!
"W-What?!"
The Chimeric Undead Beast was impacted by the spectacle he saw!
By fusing his Beast Spirit Summoning Magic with the Dragon Flames within his magic knife, Mark was able to bring out a specially powerful entity!
"[Infernal Blazing Breath]"
"ROOOOOAAAARRRR!!!"
BOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!
