[Beta] Ashborn - 4. The Heat of Battle (Patreon)

IV

The Heat of Battle

[Everwinter Hare - lvl. 2] killed.

[Everwinter Hare - lvl. 2] killed.

…

Cold energy entered my system, settling in my stomach. Both me and Saber were eating good.

I chose to leave the cave behind earlier rather than later. The location was compromised, so there was no telling who would come looking for Alex and his friends.

In the end, I took both Alex and Judith’s weapon with me. Their quality was decent so they would go for a pretty penny. Of course, the chance existed that someone would recognise the items as theirs and decide to take revenge, but I already had a target painted on my back so what did it matter? A remote settlement should do well for selling purposes. According to my map, there was one to my north. I looked ahead as a strong gust almost blew me off my feet. Though the blizzard was strong, I could make out the scope of the frozen stretch of land ahead and the shadow of a mountain. Given the distance, I calculated a two-day journey to Shield Castle.

So I had time to visit the settlement.

‘May also be an idea to buy a change of clothes.’

My robe was great, but the colour was distinct. It was one you remembered easily.

“Saber,” I called over the wind. “Let’s go.”

The hare bobbed in rhythm with his dash.

My black boots trudged through the snow. They were great quality like my robe, but there was only so much they could do against overwhelming force. The feeling in my toes vanished in no time. Cycling essence was the only thing keeping me from feeling like my feet were going to break with every step.

Half an hour passed like this. I glanced up, and the mountains weren’t any closer than they had been at the start.

‘Keep your eyes down. Just keep walking.’

Before I knew it, another hour had gone by.

Then the storm picked up. Icy winds forced me to walk on all-fours. Saber whimpered and dug his claws into the frozen ground.

I snarled. ‘This is fucking insane. Who would ever enter this place?’

The frost drained my exhale of all warmth the moment it exited my throat.

‘I should wait it out.’

That numb sensation had crawled all the way up to my thighs, penetrating through my robes and trousers.

I glanced around me for anywhere I could go.

But the frozen plane was bare, which was part of what made the winds so deadly in the first place.

‘Ah, is that…’

A square shadow in the distance. I hoped with all my heart that that was a hut. Preferably one made of stone.

Saber and I clawed our way forwards. We reached the home.

‘Stone.’

Finally, an inch of luck.

I held onto the shelter for stability and dragged myself forwards.

‘Kind of strange that it’s in the middle of the field like this.’ Or maybe not. Emergency shelter were common in cold regions. Still, dividends paid. So I stopped and peered through a window. The glass was too foggy to see through. Bummer. That left nothing but barging through the front door. I turned the corner and found said entrance wide open, creaking as it whipped back and forth.

‘What happened to proper etiquette?’

Making use of emergency shelter someone left you and then treating it poorly was unacceptable. Think of the people after you! I grumbled and strolled forwards. A small set of stone steps offered entry. I ascended—

Saber growled low.

I slowed. My finger went to my lips, and the tiger quieted.

A peek around the open entrance.

Sharp claws and teeth ripped flesh off bone. The monster swallowed audibly.

[Blizzard Prowler - lvl. 4]

The beast was entirely black and gangly and about the size of a man. Its ears were pointed, and a set of long wings rested on its back. Its face was almost similar to that of a human, just slightly deformed and too elongated.

“Please…he…help…open…open…doorrrrr~”

The fragmented sentence turned into a mix of a monstrous wail and a snicker straight from hell. It sent a ripple over my spine, which I didn’t think possible given the cold.

I backed away from the entrance. Quietly.

‘What a devious creature.’ To think a low level like that could already mimic human speech…

Something I noticed only half made me peek around the entrance again. The disciple was wearing red robes, the same colour as mine.

‘A fire cultivator. Maybe.’

If so, they might be from my family…no, that shouldn’t be possible. My family had been hunted down.

Then from a different clan.

The pouch at their side looked fat, though. They were bound to have something I could use. That, and I was not staying out in the storm.

So, how was I going to kill this thing?

I went in first.

Before I even set foot inside, the prowler whipped towards me.

Guts and intestines fell out of its jaw and its head tilted.

“…please…help…help…”

When I stepped back, I didn’t need to feign the disgust on my face. Its voice was so wrong.

The creature stalked forwards and followed me outside. I measured my steps.

One. Two…about here.

My foot touched the cold metal. I sank into a defensive stance, which was the signal for the prowler. It launched out of the entrance with a speed I didn’t expect from a level four creature. I nearly missed my opening. But I stomped down, and Alex’s spear surged up from the floor.

Wings flapped and blast away snow. The monster managed to swerve around my makeshift balisade at the last moment and keep itself from being gorged, but the spear tip carved across its stomach. The prowler went over my head, its claw missing me by a hair. I glanced at the entrance and didn’t see Saber.

Good.

While the creature was skinny, its legs were powerful. The monster landed in a heap of snow and unravelled earth, spinning around with such force that its wings cut a gash in the surface.

‘So not true flight but levitation,’ I mused.

I jammed my blade into the ground and kicked up the spear. Its longer range would work better for a creature like this.

Perhaps sensing my challenge, the beast roared. A sonic wave ruptured out of its mouth in a tunnel that was too quick for me to dodge. Frost and gravel kicked up. I squared, holding my spear out in front of me. The wave slammed into me with the force of a sledgehammer, and I grunted as my eardrums almost ruptured.

The wave combined with the storm was enough to blast me backwards off my feet.

Catching my balance mid-air, I somersaulted and swiped at the air, bringing me close enough to the floor to catch my footing again.

The prowler had not sit idle. Its wings carried it across the field right behind its sonic blast. It was solely my quick reflexes which managed to catch its claw on the spear shaft, keeping my throat intact. With a cry, I threw the still air-borne beast to the side and dashed for the entrance. I burst inside right as the prowler slammed into the earth in front of the steps.

I kept my eyes off the feline hiding behind the wall, its body primed to strike.

The prowler rose onto its hind legs and screeched, spittle and bits of blood flying everywhere. The vibrations drilled into my bones. My heart hammered out of my chest.

This should’ve been threatening. If Saber mistimed, I was dead…

So why was I smiling?

I knew the answer.

The prowler barrelled through the entrance and everything slowed down. A grin split my face. What better thing could there be than facing life and death scenarios with your family?

When time continued as per normal, Saber was already midway through his lunge. His fangs appeared from behind the wall just as the prowler’s neck passed inside. There was a satisfying crunch, like chips breaking, and Saber hurled the prowler into the side wall.

I moved.

Not a second had passed for the two beasts to thrash when the tip of my spear juked around Saber’s back and pierced into the prowler’s chest. The monster cried and paused as pain consumed it.

That distraction was all Saber needed.

[Blizzard Prowler - lvl. 4] killed. Extra experience gained for killing a higher level enemy.

The cold energy barrelled into me like an ox.

My chest heaved. The ringing was still in my ears, and I couldn’t wipe this damn grin off my face!

“Do you…feel it too, Saber?”

He showed his fangs and growled so hard it was almost a roar. His entire being quivered, pulsed and trembled.

The heat coursing through me was enough to drive me insane. It was all I could do to return outside and retrieve my blade. I just wanted to…ah! I need more of whatever this was.

Could you imagine my joy then, when not a minute after coming back inside, I heard a flap of wings outside the hut.

A thud on the entrance.

“Please…help…Let in.”

Saber stalked forwards to stand beside the exit.

I smiled and opened the door.