「Seven seconds...」
That's how long Tatsuya had before the single ice spike hurtling toward him pierced through his forehead.
I don't know what happens if my brain gets injured as an undead, he thought, his breath quickening as the cold air stung his raw skin. But I definitely don't want to find out.
He struggled against the stakes of ice still pinning his arms and torso to the surface of the frozen tentacle. The hollow sound of groaning ice surrounded him as the spike drew closer, its liquid-like surface rippling unnaturally before hardening into a deadly point.
The water here is solidified, he realized. And manipulating solid water? A hard no. There's no earth, no leverage—
A sudden flash of heat erupted between his eyes. His thoughts halted as his lids snapped open, pupils dilating. Two seconds. The spike was now close enough that the faint whistle of its speed rang in his ears.
He didn't think. He acted.
Ambient mana in the air, thick from his earlier attack, gathered instinctively into a small, searing-hot point in front of his chest. The blood leaking from his wounds writhed like living tendrils, crawling up the embedded stakes toward the focal point of mana as if drawn by its heat.
The ice spike loomed, its glistening edge a breath away from his face—then, ignition.
Tatsuya's eyes flared a brilliant crimson, and his blood ignited alongside the mana. A cataclysmic explosion of red, blue, and black-purple flames erupted from the epicenter, shattering the spike into molten shards. The eruption burrowed deep into the translucent surface of the monster, sending cascading cracks through its structure.
The ice beast shuddered violently, a guttural screech tearing through the air. The cry wasn't long, but it resonated—a sharp, grating howl that vibrated in Tatsuya's chest.
He didn't escape unscathed.
"Aghhhh!" Tatsuya cried out, his voice raw as the force hurled him backward. His cloak ignited, flames licking at his tuxedo and flesh, which burned and blackened in moments. He hit the icy ground hard, skidding to a halt within a newly-formed crater. He coughed violently, smoke curling from his charred lips.
"Not hot…" he rasped between coughs, tasting blood in his mouth. "But not any better."
He staggered upright, wincing as his exposed skin met the icy ground. The numbness in his body didn't dull the burning ache radiating from his chest. He ripped the warped gauntlet from his arm, the mangled metal clinking against the ice as it slid away.
What now?
Before he could answer himself, the ground beneath him rumbled. He stumbled back as more pillars of ice erupted around him, encircling him like a frozen trap. Their surfaces rippled, liquid droplets forming and pooling into the bases of newly forming spikes.
There was only one before, he realized with mounting dread. Now there are… eight.
The glow of the Nyren within the pillars cast eerie shadows, their faintly visible faces devoid of emotion, staring blankly ahead.
They don't even look angry, Tatsuya thought, his stomach twisting. Just... hollow. Creepy as hell.
The pillars creaked as they drew closer, closing in. He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms hard enough to draw more blood. The realization struck like a cold dagger—he had no mana left. No energy. Barely any blood.
But even so, he straightened his back. His silver eyes narrowed, the crimson at their edges flickering faintly. He wouldn't fall here. Not without fighting.
Near Stoneglow Basin, the massive ice spikes glowed with renewed intensity. The figures trapped within them—men, women, children—grew thinner and paler as the Nyren drained from their bodies. Wisps of orange and blue energy floated upward, coalescing at the tips of the spikes before ascending into the sky like beams of light.
The energy arced gracefully before crashing down into the ice monster, striking it in pulses of blinding red and blue.
The monster absorbed the energy greedily. Its surface glowed brighter, the veins within its translucent body pulsing with power.
Even as hunters herded the villagers into the woods, many paused to look back.
---
"To think something so beautiful could destroy our homes…" Sylas murmured as he slowed to a walk, his eyes fixated on the chaotic glow.
A loud creak snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Hopefully this thing still works," Korrin muttered, his voice heavy with doubt. He had pulled the heavy fabric off a massive wooden ship, its hull weathered and coated in sand.
Sylas jogged over, inspecting the ship's worn frame and the faded flag—a bird soaring through a snowstorm, heading toward a castle.
"It's twenty-two years old," he remarked, placing a hand against the wood. "Let's not get our hopes up."
"Got a better idea?" Korrin grunted, Nyren swirling around his arms as he bent to lift the ship. His legs shook as he strained against the weight, the ship creaking ominously.
"Are you insane?!" Sylas snapped, stepping back in alarm.
Korrin groaned, his voice strained. "Then help...or shut up!"
Gritting his teeth, Sylas reluctantly joined, pressing his hands against the hull. His muscles burned as veins bulged against his skin, Nyren flaring bright blue as he pushed.
"This thing's heavier than it looks!" he shouted, earning a strained grunt of agreement from Korrin.
Before either could make much progress, a shadow fell over them. Kiyara stepped forward, her hands flat against the ship's underside.
"Smart idea," she said, her tone light. "Terrible execution."
With almost no effort, Kiyara hoisted the ship high above her head. The two men stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, as she carried it to the water's edge.
"Hiyah!" Kiyara exclaimed as she tossed the ship into the lake, the splash soaking her up to the knees. With a grin, she leapt aboard, landing with a solid thud before turning back to the shore.
"Rally the remaining hunters!" she shouted, her voice carrying over the breeze. "We're attacking soon!"
Beneath her confident tone burned a barely concealed rage, her purple eyes glowing with restrained fury.
Korrin and Sylas exchanged glances, then nodded and ran back toward the village, their Nyren flaring in anticipation.
---
Back at the lake, a beam of Nyren and mana crashed down onto Tatsuya, engulfing him in a blinding explosion of light.
The energy, drawn by the elevated ice and the lingering Nyren in his wounds, surged through his body. It replenished his mana reserves in an instant, mending his torn flesh and knitting his wounds shut.
Chains of blood erupted from his back, writhing like living tendrils. They hovered above him menacingly, humming with latent power. His silver eyes glowed brighter, their calm intensity a stark contrast to the chaos around him.
For a moment, the ice monster hesitated, its red aura flickering.
Tatsuya flexed his fingers, watching the chains ripple and shift. "So this is what it feels like..." he muttered, his voice low.
Sensing the threat, the surrounding pillars struck. Their spikes shot toward him from every direction, whistling through the air.
The chains moved before he did, whipping around him in a blur of crimson. Each spike shattered on impact, shards scattering harmlessly to the ice.
Tatsuya smirked, his silver eyes glinting. "Now this," he said softly, "is something to smile about."
He was ready.