Korrin and Sylas tore through the village, sprinting along the dirt paths, their fur cloaks streaming behind them. They exchanged hurried glances, knowing they needed something—anything—that could help them stand against the colossal ice creature tearing apart their home. Around them, chaos reigned. Fathers carried daughters over splintered wood and loose stone, women hid behind makeshift barricades, and warriors yelled directions in an attempt to contain the growing panic.
"Outta my way!" a dog-eared demi-human snapped, barreling into a family of rabbit-eared villagers. The mother stumbled, hitting the ground hard with a yelp. Her son dropped to her side, clutching her shoulder in alarm.
"Mom!" he cried, fear in his wide eyes as he glanced up at his father, who had already gripped the dog-eared man's wrist and yanked him to the ground.
"You bastard," the father spat, shoving his boot against the other man's chest and raising his foot to stomp down.
Thump! Korrin's spear struck the ground between them, forcing both men to freeze. "Move, or die," Korrin growled, yanking his spear free before charging ahead.
The rabbit-eared father sneered at the man he had pinned, but he backed off, turning to help his wife to her feet. Her ankle was bruised and swollen. Sylas stopped as he noticed it, watching her struggle to stand. Then he looked over to Korrin, who had halted a few feet ahead and turned back.
"What are you doing?" Korrin barked, urgency sharp in his voice.
Without answering, Sylas gestured toward the injured woman, and Korrin's expression shifted, his eyes widening as he took in the situation. Korrin gave him a short nod, mouthing a resigned, "Do it your way," before turning and sprinting ahead, leaving only a cloud of dust in his wake.
Sylas approached the family, his footsteps steady as he came close. The young boy hid behind his father, his ears pressed flat against his head. Sylas breathed a short sigh, ignoring the child's fear as he focused on the woman.
"We could use a little help," the woman admitted with a nervous smile as she glanced at her swollen ankle. A blast of sound echoed from the lake, and her husband quickly stepped between her and the noise.
Sylas's expression softened as he carefully picked her up, the woman's eyes going wide as her arms instinctively went around his neck. She let out a shocked squeak, while her husband watched with a mix of relief and concern.
If I can't use a weapon right now, then I'll use everything else I've got, Sylas thought, charging forward, his speed leaving the woman breathless as her ears twitched with each stride.
"Gonna…gonna be sick…" she murmured, her gaze dazed as they sped through the battered streets.
Meanwhile, Korrin sprinted from rooftop to rooftop, Nyren energy swirling around him like a vortex, eyes darting as he searched desperately for anything that could help. We could try crafting defenses, or—
A distant crack echoed, cutting off his thought. His heart skipped as he turned to see a massive boulder of ice, the size of a house, hurtling through the air. Its trajectory aimed directly for a tightly packed crowd near the village's edge. No…not them. He redirected his energy, his steps quickening as he zeroed in on the falling boulder. Nyren flared around him as he leapt, arcing through the air. Focus. Like Captain taught me…like him.
The energy spiraled tighter, coiling around his body as he held his spear straight ahead. Nyren gathered at the tip, becoming a razor-sharp drill. Korrin could feel the pressure building as he neared the ice, heart pounding as he visualized his attack. Cut through like an arrow.
With a final surge of energy, he pierced the boulder, shattering it into glistening flakes that rained down harmlessly, covering the crowd below in sparkling ice dust. A collective gasp filled the air, the villagers looking up in wonder as the flakes danced around them like winter stars.
Korrin landed, steadying himself as a smirk tugged at his lips. "Looks like I made the right choice coming here," he muttered, his wolf tail swaying as he scanned the crowd, who cheered and clapped in response.
"Thank you for saving us!" A winged woman waved, her feathery arms stretching wide in gratitude.
"You're a hero!" another man shouted.
"That was incredible, almost like—" a hunter started, his voice full of awe. But his words were cut short by a deafening blast.
A massive ruby-red beam, wider than three houses stacked together, split the air and struck the crowd dead center. The light was blinding, and heat singed Korrin's coat, setting it ablaze. He stumbled backward, eyes squeezed shut as he fought the wave of heat, the roar of the beam echoing in his ears.
When he finally managed to look, horror rooted him to the spot. Where the villagers had stood, only charred ground and scraps of burning cloth remained. The lingering embers danced around a single, scorched teddy bear.
"No…no, no, no…no…" Korrin's voice cracked, each word a stifled gasp as he staggered forward. His spear slipped from his hand, clattering against the ground as he fell to his knees. His breaths came in short, ragged bursts, sweat slicking his skin as the weight of the scene pressed down on him.
His mind raced, grasping at shattered pieces of what he had just witnessed. "They were right here," he murmured to himself, his voice a bare whisper. "Right here…alive…"
The source of the beam loomed ahead—the ice monster, its tentacle transformed into a cannon, glowing bright red at the core while the rim shimmered a molten orange.
Back on the lake, Tatsuya braced himself as a mini ice tentacle swung down with a jagged edge, missing by inches as he threw himself to the side. He barely had time to recover before it looped back around, ice shards forming along its length, and launched them straight at him.
"Hey!" Yuki's voice cut through the clash as she lunged forward, her katana gleaming as she deflected each shard with precise, powerful strikes. The last shard, molten from her touch, she caught and hurled back at the tentacle. It shattered on impact, sending fragments of ice scattering.
Tatsuya turned to her, a breath caught in his throat as he took in her determined stance. She glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes blazing. In that brief look, they both felt it—something shared, steadying them in the midst of chaos.
Her free hand extended, and he hesitated only for a second before intertwining his fingers with hers. The warmth of her touch spread through him, a small comfort against the chilling aura of the monster they faced.
Tatsuya's pulse quickened. How long had it been since he'd held someone's hand like this? Not just out of necessity, but with purpose…with understanding? Focus, he told himself as he steadied his breath, red energy tracing through his veins and mingling with the blue glow in hers. They could feel each other's heartbeat, their minds sinking into sync as the link deepened, filling both with a powerful clarity.
The mini tentacles surrounded them, poised for another attack, but Yuki was already in motion. Nyren pulsed through her veins now, her body a blur as she sliced through the icy limbs, each swing of her katana decisive and deadly. The icy ground crackled beneath her feet, small flames dancing in her wake.
Beside her, Tatsuya's blood flowed from his arm, solidifying into a razor-sharp scythe that swung wide with each step. His strikes left cracks and ice fragments scattered in every direction, his movements smooth and unyielding as he joined Yuki in the fight. Every blow was precise, every motion deliberate, as if they had trained together for years.
"With this strength," they shouted in unison, voices fierce and unwavering, "we can beat it!"