Chapter 50
"Yeah, I need an ice dew from that mountain range conclave," he said, looking at a particular recipe that used the blood of the White Winter Witch of Narnia as the main ingredient. "If things go smoothly, I should have the ability to control ice soon," he added with a smile.
-scene change-
Deep within the coldest mountain in Russia, Gray could be seen wearing normal clothes as he navigated a dark and freezing crevice. The air was icy and sharp, every breath visible in the frost-laden atmosphere. Towering walls of jagged ice reflected faint light, forming crystalline patterns that sparkled in eerie stillness. Snow coated the ground in uneven layers, crunching beneath his boots. Despite the biting cold, Gray was giggling. "Stop giggling like a girl," Rachel's voice echoed. "Please, it's fun! I invented a potion for every occasion. For example, coming to the coldest place in Russia with normal clothes—all thanks to a potion," he replied with a grin. "Simpleton," Rachel thought to herself as Gray continued.
Gray and Rachel, in her cane form, ventured deeper into the icy cave, navigating through narrow passages and widening caverns. The air grew colder, the frost biting even Gray's enhanced resistance. Ice formations hung like daggers from the ceiling, their tips glistening with frozen droplets. Snow flurries occasionally swept in through unseen cracks, dancing in the dim light. Finally, they arrived at a cavern where the cold was so intense that even Gray shivered. "Gray, it's getting dangerously low," Rachel warned. He only grunted in reply, his eyes fixed upward. Suddenly, he smiled. "Ah, finally," he said as he spotted a cluster of icicles dripping pure, sparkling dew.
Taking out a flask, Gray carefully collected several flasks full of the precious liquid. As he worked, he suddenly stopped. Both he and Rachel felt it—a shift in the air. "How the hell did they find me this quickly?" he muttered as the familiar growls of hounds echoed through the cavern. "I checked your body; there isn't any tracker. So how?" Rachel asked. "Probably by smell," Gray replied grimly. Without wasting time, he began to leave. "This is no place to fight. I need to reach the surface," he thought as more hounds emerged, their snarls growing louder. Together, Gray and Rachel bolted back through the icy tunnels, the hounds hot on their trail.
While running, a hound suddenly lunged at Gray from the side, but he dodged swiftly. Rachel summoned several sharp, dark swords, slicing through the hound, which quickly reassembled itself. "Stop using your magic, you're draining yourself," Gray said seriously as he ducked under another pounce. The hound slammed into an ice wall, shattering it. The impact reverberated through the roof, causing ice shards to fall. Gray dodged a large shard, but as it hit the ground, it fractured the surface. Like an infectious disease, the cracks spread rapidly until the entire floor gave way, and Gray fell with it.
"Careful," Rachel warned as Gray plummeted into what seemed to be an underground city. He landed hard on a stone brick floor and immediately looked up, just in time to see a massive chunk of ice hurtling toward him along with a hound. He dodged both and withdrew his sword, activating its bewitched spell. A cursed fire ignited, consuming the hound. Despite the flames, the creature began to regenerate. "Are you waiting to bunch them up before stripping them of their magic?" Rachel asked. "Yeah, but where the hell are we?" Gray replied, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.
To his surprise, the underground city was well-lit despite being buried deep below the surface and appearing ancient. "It's probably a city that was buried in an ice storm," Rachel guessed as they continued to observe their surroundings. The architecture, though old, seemed sturdy, with intricate carvings and faint glowing crystals embedded in the walls, giving the place an almost mystical ambiance.
Gray didn't have long to marvel at the city. The hound, now fully regenerated, snarled and circled him, joined by several more. The sound of claws clicking against the stone echoed ominously as the pack grew larger. He tightened his grip on his sword, his mind calculating the best way to eliminate them all without wasting time or energy.
"This place isn't a safe battleground," Rachel muttered. Gray nodded, his eyes scanning for potential traps or advantages in the environment. As the hounds edged closer, he prepared himself, knowing that the fight ahead would test every skill and trick he had learned so far.
Gray quickly released a pulse of energy, stripping the hounds of their ability to regenerate. "Alright, let's see what I've learned," he thought with a smile. He moved with precision, his feet controlled as he watched each step carefully to maintain his balance on the uneven ground. With a fluid motion, he swung his sword, each strike calculated and deliberate. He dodged effortlessly, reading the hounds' movements, countering with precise slashes that cut through their now mortal forms. One by one, he dispatched all seven hounds, his breathing steady and calm, without breaking a sweat. "Nice," Rachel said, her voice approving as Gray chuckled, wiping his blade clean before moving forward.
After five minutes of exploring the city, both Gray and Rachel sensed something off. "Looky here," a low, rugged voice called out, drawing Gray's attention. He turned toward the source, spotting a red-skinned, rugged demon with a small hand and a larger one. The demon's shaved horn and tactical clothes, combined with a brown jacket, gave him an imposing appearance. Pointing an oversized revolver at Gray, the demon sneered.
"We meet again, human," the demon said. Gray recognized him immediately. "Ah, you're that demon from the museum," he said, prompting the demon to scoff. "That's right. What are you?" Gray replied calmly, "First of all, don't point that thing at me. It ain't going to do much." The demon shot back, "Really? I'm sure it'd take your head off if I aim just right. And trust me, I've got good aim." Gray smirked. "And I've got the most overpowered wand in existence." As Rachel materialized into her human form with dark energy swirling in her hands, the moment she appeared, the demon paused.
The demon paused for a minute, shocked, and then said, "You… you are like me?" Gray responded, "Oh right, half-demon," making Rachel sigh. The demon asked, "How come you ain't like me?" to which Gray answered, "Half a demon. My father is a demon, and my mother is a human." This immediately interested the demon, who mumbled to himself, "Hmm, if Liz and I have a child, will it turn out to be like her?" This reminded Gray of something. "Wait, how come you at least don't have some demonic features?" Rachel, in her usual low voice, said, "That is because my demonic form and human form are separate," making Gray excited. "Wait, you have a demonic form? What does it look like?" he asked, making Rachel groan as her form changed.
The form she changed into left Gray shocked. Her hair turned completely white, her skin turned red, and she gained another pair of eyes and horns. "There, happy?" she asked, as Gray took a minute before saying, "Ye-yeah." For some reason, this made Rachel happy for a second, as the demon remarked, "Yep, you are my kin, alright." Suddenly, more hounds appeared, surrounding them.
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A/N scene like this are what makes me wish i had the ability to write lemon scenes.