I saw its shadow. Towering over me, its stature weighed on me like my fate did.
My panic grew. Barely able to lift my eye up, I looked at the demon above me. Balancing on its four uninjured legs, the Frostfang leaned forward towards my body...
'It's coming.' I remembered thinking as I watched its two sharp fangs drop out from its face. Unsheathed and ready to strike, two drops of clear poison dripped down the fangs and cohered at their tips.
I gulped in some cold air.
'It's coming.'
Time slowed as I closed my eyes.
Did I see complete darkness?
No.
Memories of the past few days bubbled upward and filled my mind.
It became a habit. Whenever I was about to die, these thoughts would just... you know pop into my mind uncontrollably.
And on the 21st day, the first thing that popped into my mind was my family. In the days before that day, I tried to be the most responsible brother possible. Risking life and shell to save my siblings in order to rescue them, to be a hero. I tried my best to keep them alive. I even let 60 live - it was a good choice... I also killed off almost all of the Spike-shelled snails accidentally...
'Is this karma? I asked as I opened my eyes again.
Nothing had changed. Dripping and glistening, its fangs shone in the dim light. They were closer, but barely.
Only a few milliseconds had passed as I closed my eyes again.
The battle between the hare and the ancient snail flashed before my eyes. The snail relied on speed and its solid defence. The hare relied on its speed and ultimately... trickery. Trickery... I pondered.
'Could I have learned more from the snail? Could I have learned more from the hare?' I asked myself as I opened my eyes again.
A few millimetres closer. I watched as the poisoned daggers of fate approached me in slow motion. Feeling myself panic once more, I closed my eyes once more. I didn't want to watch anymore.
Through the darkness of my thoughts, I saw 7, 11 and the adventuring team. Their faces, filled with concern and anxiousness as they tried to convince me to take them with me. I said no - for their protection. Sadness and compliance filled their eyes as they backed-off. Not looking back, I slid forward into the Labyrinth of White.
'I'm sorry. It was my mistake... I should have taken you all.' It thought as I felt a pang of sadness mix in with my panic. 'Now I won't be able to see you all again...'
I opened my eyes a third time and closed them immediately. The two fangs were close now. I tried inching back into my shell, but I couldn't. I just didn't have the energy or power to do so. I prepared myself as I saw Sim. Visions of the brave little snail who decided to stick around me through the madness. A snail who smartly warned me of danger. The snail who fell off without me noticing.
'I'm sorry Sim. We should have retreated earlier and regrouped with the others... It's my fault your dead. But don't worry... big brothers coming to join you soon.'
Regretfully, I opened my eyes once more.
Two dark fangs filled my line of sight.
I knew it was time.
I closed my eyes one last time.
It was time to die...
Instead of the sharp pang of pain that I expected, I felt nothing but a gentle brush of wind against my body.
Opening my eyes, I saw nothing but a sea of mist in front of me and the white walls.
No fangs.
The Frostfang was gone.
Using what was left of my strength, I moved my eye around.
Familiar colours entered my eyes. Greens, Reds, Yellows Blues. A shell.
'Sim.'
Completely blue in colour, his body stuck out from his multi-coloured shell as he laid crumpled in the floor.
A black fang jutted out of his shell as he laid there.
Noticing my gaze, he raised his body upward and waved with his eyestalk towards me. Completely white, his body shivered as he smiled at me.
Losing energy, he slumped over.
"Quick... body move!" I shouted out with a weak voice as I tried to get up once more. Still restrained my the weight of my shell, I remained stuck to the floor.
Seconds passed.
Seconds became minutes as I struggled to get up.
...
[Status: Icy]
- 60% Strength
- 60% Speed
Current stacks: 12
...
Hours seemed to pass as I waited.
I heard the metallic voice speak as the Icy poison of the Frostfang wore off. I never stopped trying to get up the whole time. Raising my body and falling seconds later. I tried relentlessly to reach Sim.
After some more times, I finally heard another Ding.
[Status: Icy]
- 30% Strength
- 30% Speed
Current stacks: 6
Ignoring my pain I gathered me tattered body once more and finally... I got up.
Taking in deep breaths as I slid forward, I saw the entire scene unfold before me.
The Frostfang laid motionless on the white floor. Deeply penetrated into one of its two fangs was... Sim's body...
A blue... Bl...
Sorry just give me a moment. I need to calm down.
...
Slumped down in a mixture of his and the Frostfangs blood, Sim's body was frozen to the floor. He... had sacrificed his life for mine.
I still regret it...
If I took one less hit of poison. If I had been just a little faster at finishing off the Frostfang. If I hadn't been caught off-guard by its tactics... Sim might still be alive today...
...
I looked sadly at the floor in front of me as slid closer.
Suddenly, a voice entered my head and shook me from my loss.
'Right...'
Sliding around the Frostfang's body, I noticed something.
It was still alive!
Its body lifted up and down ever so slightly.
A fit of rage well up in my soul as I stared at its body.
'Why?' I asked as I immediately opened my mouth and engulfed its entire body. 'WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE SIM?'
It didn't struggle. No. It was nearly gone from our plane of existence. Without interference, it would have met with Sim on the other side.
I didn't care though.
With as much strength as I could, I released all my pent-up anger and frustration on to its body as I ground it to a pulp between my teeth.
A delicious torrent of savoury juices filled my mouth as a feeling of ecstasy flowed through my entire body. Streams of water streamed down the sides of my face as I felt an explosion of flavour flow throughout my palette I bit through its abdomen seconds later.
I ate my brother's killer beside my brother's dead body as I mourned for his death.
[Side objective: Defeat the Silver-backed Frostfang ♂] (Completed)
Analyzing actions...
Side objective rewards:
[Skill acquired: Icy Poison LV. 1]
[+ 5% cold resistance]
Bonus rewards:
+ 5 all unlocked stats
+ 5 dungeon points DP
[Title acquired: Frostfang Slayer]
+ 5000 Exp
Compiling experience...
[Level 7: Reached]
+ 5 unlocked stats
+ 1 SP
[Level 8: Reached]
+ 5 unlocked stats
+ 1 SP
Next level: 2888 Exp.
...