DING!
[QUEST ACCOMPLISHED]
[FROST WALKER'S KILLED 6/6]
[REWARD >>> STORAGE SPACE]
[ACCEPT REWARD NOW? Y/N]
Malakai's body screamed in agony. The adrenaline that had made him feel mighty was disappearing, leaving him vulnerable to the excruciating pain of his wounds.
He gritted his teeth, his vision blurring momentarily as he stumbled towards the tree where Amari was hiding.
Every step felt like an eternity, his paws heavy and uncoordinated.
As he approached the tree, he spotted Amari curled up in a ball, her eyes wide with fear.
Malakai's heart swelled with compassion, and he gently opened his mouth to scoop her up by the neck. He lifted her carefully, trying not to worsen his own injuries.
With Amari securely in his jaws, Malakai made his way back to Akira, who was lying on the ground, her eyes closed.
Her face was a mess of scratches and cuts, and her body was covered in wounds.
He gently placed Amari beside Akira.
As he settled down beside them, he let out a soft whine, his body trembling with exhaustion and pain.
The forest was quiet once more.
....
In a vast stone room, a majestic white-furred elephant sat regally on a throne carved from a single block of gleaming black stone.
The elephant's tusks gleamed with a soft, ethereal light, and its eyes shone like stars in the darkness.
A sinuous, frosty snake with scales that shimmered like ice and sky wrapped itself around the elephant's massive body, its head resting on the elephant's shoulder.
The snake's voice was like a gentle breeze on a summer day as it spoke, "It ssssssseeemss you were right about them, great one." The elephant's laughter was a low, rumbling sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the stone room. "Of course I was," it said, its voice dripping with confidence. "I would not send them on paths they cannot handle. The bear will meet his match, and the wolves had met theirs. A great battle, to be honest, I'm saddened that I won't be able to see them once they leave."
The snake turned its head, its piercing gaze fixed on the elephant's face. "Why are you not tracking them?" it asked, its voice tinged with curiosity.
The elephant's expression turned annoyed, its eyes flashing with a hint of irritation. "Do you think it's that easy to track someone in this large world?" it asked.
"The threads of fate are complex, and the paths they weave are treacherous. I cannot simply follow their footsteps like a common tracker."
The snake cowered, its body trembling slightly as it realized it had overstepped.
It knew that angering the elephant would not end well for it, and it hastily retreated into a more submissive posture. "But it is fine," the elephant continued, its trunk moving in graceful arcs as it spoke. "Once they meet for their final battle, I shall know. The threads of fate will converge, and I will be able to see the outcome."
As the elephant spoke, its trunk traced intricate patterns in the air.
The snake watched in attention, its eyes fixed on the elephant's movements.
It knew that the elephant's power was not to be underestimated, and it trembled at the thought of being on the receiving end of its wrath.
The elephant's eyes gleamed with a knowing light, and its voice dropped to a whisper. "And when that day comes, I will be ready. The outcome will be mine to shape, and the fate of the world will be mine to decide."
....
Malakai's eyes snapped open, his gaze blurry and unfocused.
He lay still, his mind foggy, as he struggled to remember where he was and what had happened.
Slowly, his vision cleared, and he saw the carnage around him.
The Frost Walker's body, ravaged and torn apart, lay beside him. His own body ached, his wounds throbbing with a dull pain.
He tried to stand, his legs trembling beneath him. He stumbled, almost falling, but managed to catch himself.
His eyes locked onto the Frost Walker's body, He approached it.
Malakai's jaws opened wide as he sank his teeth into the Frost Walker's stomach.
The taste of cold, dead flesh filled his mouth.
As he ate, the wounds on his body throbbed in protest, but he ignored the pain, fueled by a primal hunger.
His tongue licked his lips, and his ears perked up, savoring the sounds of his own feeding.
But as he ate, his gaze fell upon something that made him pause.
Within the ravaged remains of the Frost Walker's chest, a glowing heart pulsed with an otherworldly energy.
The heart seemed to emanate a cold, magical power.
Malakai's jaws hesitated, his teeth mere inches from the heart.
His instincts screamed at him to devour it, to claim its power for himself, but something stayed his jaws.