The Frost Elf Commander darted across the ice, his formidable form moving with an agility that did not fit his size. Panic gripped his once-confident mind during his fight with Adora as he sensed the relentless predator in pursuit. The crimson phantom that had just slain his ally was closing in, and every instinct in his body screamed at him to flee.
But escape was an illusion.
Arthur surged forward, his body fueled by the last remnants of the blood he had consumed. Each step left a faint red mist in the frigid air, his very presence distorting the landscape with an eerie energy. He was nearly upon his prey, his fingers twitching with anticipation.
Just as he prepared to strike, a golden light streaked across his vision.
It was Adora.
When she used all of her Light powers she was even faster than Arthur who surpassed Human limits by far at this point.
Battered yet unyielding, she materialized in front of the fleeing Commander, her body pulsing with residual light energy. With a swift movement, a blade of radiant force formed in her grasp. She slashed outward, forcing the Commander to halt abruptly.
He was ensnared.
Arthur smirked. "Nice timing."
"Couldn't let you have all the fun," Adora replied, shifting into a ready stance.
The Frost Elf Commander snarled in defiance. With a guttural roar, he lunged at Adora, his fists encased in jagged ice, each strike intended to obliterate.
Adora dodged with precision, letting the attack graze past her before retaliating with a concentrated burst of golden energy. The blast staggered the Commander, but he recovered swiftly—only to find Arthur upon him.
Arthur allowed his left arm to be encased in ice, sacrificing the limb for proximity. A feral grin spread across his bloodstained lips as he drove his other hand through the Commander's abdomen. Blood splattered onto the ice, and Arthur wasted no time. His mouth latched onto the wound, taking a big mouth full of blood.
The Frost Elf howled in agony, thrashing violently. But Adora capitalized on his weakened state, driving her golden blade through his skull. A final, guttural scream echoed across the frozen expanse before the Commander collapsed, lifeless.
Arthur exhaled, wiping the blood from his lips. "Satisfying."
Adora grimaced. "Revolting is more like it."
Unbothered, Arthur turned his gaze to the battlefield. The ground was painted crimson, littered with corpses and pools of thick, frozen blood. His hunger stirred.
Without hesitation, he began absorbing the residual blood. The weaker creatures offered little nourishment, their essence too diluted to provide a significant boost. But as he feasted upon the larger wolves and fallen Commanders, a familiar sensation coursed through him. His wounds knit together faster, his muscles coiled with newfound vitality. He could feel the subtle shifts in his power, the creeping evolution that came with each drop of potent blood.
Arthur did finally understand how his Ability Blood feast worked in general with the help of Adora they figured it out. A Monster consumed Souls of humans when they kill and eat them. Arthur probably does the same thing with his ability, he absorbs the souls the monsters gathered by consuming their blood. The stronger the souls they consumed, the stronger he becomes through devouring them.
Adora watched in exhausted silence, channeling the last of her light energy to mend her wounds. The warmth of her magic was faint in the desolate tundra, but it sufficed to stabilize her condition. Every movement was deliberate, measured. Her exhaustion weighed heavily on her, but she would not allow it to slow her down.
When Arthur finally stood, revitalized, he glanced at her. "Better?"
She nodded. "Good enough to keep moving."
They gathered their sparse supplies and pressed onward. The unending expanse of ice stretched infinitely before them, an unforgiving void devoid of life. Hours passed in silence, their breath crystallizing in the frigid air.
"Do you think anything else lives out here?" Adora asked, breaking the quiet.
Arthur shrugged. "If it does, we'll either find it—or it'll find us."
Then, a flickering light appeared on the distant horizon.
Both of them halted, their gazes sharpening as they locked onto the glow.
"That wasn't there before," Arthur muttered.
Adora nodded. "We should check it out."
Without hesitation, they dismantled their makeshift camp and began their march toward the unknown beacon. The further they traveled, the more defined the light became—pulsing steadily, illuminating the ice in an otherworldly glow. The air thickened with an inexplicable energy, pressing down upon them with an almost tangible weight. Arthur's blood hummed in response, as if something buried within him recognized the presence ahead.
Adora, sensing the shift, tightened her grip on her weapon. "This feels wrong."
"Or it feels right," Arthur countered, his crimson eyes gleaming. "Either way, we'll find out soon enough."
They advanced cautiously, prepared for whatever awaited them. The ice beneath their feet crunched rhythmically as they pushed forward, the cold biting at their exposed skin. Though neither spoke, both felt an unspoken understanding pass between them—something was waiting ahead. Whether it was salvation or another challenge, only time would tell.
The light pulsed again, brighter this time, its radiance stretching across the frozen wasteland like a beacon. Arthur narrowed his eyes. He had seen many things in his time, but something about this glow unsettled him.
Adora inhaled deeply, shaking off her lingering exhaustion. "Let's keep moving."
"I mean, we survived much worse things till now." He grinned
With silent agreement, they pressed forward, disappearing into the icy unknown. The air around them grew heavier, and the light in the distance no longer seemed like an anomaly but a deliberate marker—a destination. Neither of them spoke, but a single thought lingered between them.
They were no longer wandering aimlessly.
For the first time in a long while, they had a direction.
And perhaps, just beyond the horizon, a new purpose or danger awaited them.