Talk bad 'til I snap back

Caedes stood at the edge of the clearing, his imposing black form barely visible against the shadowy forest. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a cold, silvery light over the battlegrounds. His green eyes, once blazing with life, now stared ahead with a distant, detached gaze.

Taking a deep breath, Caedes raised his head and let out a low, drawn out howl, his call echoing through the night air. It was a challenge, but devoid of the fervor and fire that had once defined him. His howl was mechanical, a ritualistic gesture performed out of necessity rather than desire.

As the howl faded, his lips curled upward in a snarl, more out of habit than true aggression, fangs bared in a display that lacked intensity. Fighting was necessary. But the reasons had grown hazy, lost in the fog of his detachment. He needed movement, to remember who he was and why he was put on his planet.

He stood still, his muscles tensed and ready, but the tension was hollow. Caedes' eyes remained fixed on the horizon. His body was a coiled spring, prepared for the clash, yet his soul felt adrift, a vessel with no compass. The impending fight was nothing more than an attempt to fill the void within, a hollow echo. As he awaited his opponent, the dreadful emptiness gnawed at him.