When the world breaks (2)

The forest was tense, shrouded in a mist that clung low to the ground, curling around roots and rocks like ghostly fingers. Moonlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting pale silver patches on the forest floor and stretching the shadows long and dark. The air was frigid and sharp with the scent of decay. I'd caught wind of something foul before I'd even seen them—an acrid smell that clung to the back of my throat, rotten and rank. Whatever these creatures were, they were close, and I was ready.

Then, like phantoms slipping into reality, four figures staggered forward from the shadows. Each of them was monstrous in a different way: red fur stretched too tight across limbs that were long, sinewy, and wrong. Their mouths hung open, revealing rows of jagged teeth, with tongues that lashed out like snakes, tasting the air.

Venomous Abominations. All of them.

They moved in a loose formation, but there was something almost coordinated about them, a fluidity that didn't match their twisted forms. Every step was silent, calculated, like predators closing in. I gripped my spear tightly, feeling the cold metal steady in my hands. It was clear I'd have to bring out some of my best moves for this.

The first abomination shot its tongue toward me with a sickening snap, fast and predatory. I didn't hesitate. I sidestepped and angled my spear, deflecting the strike by forcing the tongue's momentum downward. The moment it missed me, I reacted instinctively, preparing my Flowing Style, First Move: Water Wall.

A solid barrier of water formed between us, rippling with the energy I'd funneled into it. The tongue rebounded off the surface, but the creature quickly retracted it, already gearing up for another attack. My eyes darted around, taking in the uneven terrain: trees, exposed roots, and jagged rocks littered the ground. If I could maneuver them into those natural obstacles, it'd slow them down.

But they were moving fast, faster than I'd anticipated. A second creature lunged, closing the distance in two long strides, its clawed hands reaching out to grab me. I exhaled, shifting my stance as I let the Water Wall dissolve and initiated Flowing Style, Second Move: Ice Glide.

The ground beneath me froze in an instant, forming a slick path of ice that allowed me to skate backward out of reach. I moved swiftly, effortlessly gliding across the frosty surface as if I'd become weightless. The creature lunged again but lost its footing, claws skittering across the ice with no traction. It crashed to the ground, giving me an opening to prepare my next move.

"Not so steady now, are you?" I muttered.

Without wasting another second, I lifted my spear and focused on the weapon itself. I activated Flowing Style, Fifth Move: Frosted Tip, feeling the ice harden and sharpen along the spear's blade. Its length increased, giving me extra range to strike. I moved in, aiming for the downed creature's exposed neck.

The spear sliced clean through, the enhanced edge cleaving with brutal efficiency. The abomination writhed, but it wasn't dead—not yet. Dark blood oozed from the wound, staining the ground as it thrashed, its malformed limbs scraping against the dirt in a desperate attempt to rise.

I had no time to celebrate the minor victory. Another creature was already closing in on my left, its tongue lashing out again. This time, I was ready. I raised my hand and conjured Flowing Style, Third Move: Water Spear—a liquid spear that hovered in the air beside me. I launched it at the approaching creature, aiming directly for its open mouth.

The Water Spear hit with a forceful impact, knocking its head back. I was hoping for a clean strike, but the creature was tougher than expected, only staggering back a few steps. Still, I'd injured it, and that was something. Its dark blood splattered across the ground, mixing with the dirt and mist in a gruesome tableau.

I took a quick breath, observing their formation. They weren't quite as fast on the ice-slicked ground, and I could use that to my advantage. As one of the creatures approached, I allowed it to close in, letting it think it had the upper hand. At the last possible moment, I sent Flowing Style, Fourth Move: Water Tendrils snaking out from my spear, entangling its legs and pinning it down. The creature struggled, snarling and snapping, but I held it firm.

"Good. Just stay right there…"

I gathered energy for Flowing Style, Sixth Move: Freezing and focused on the tendrils themselves. In an instant, they froze solid, trapping the abomination in a web of unyielding ice. It struggled, cracking the frozen binds, but it bought me a few precious seconds to focus on the other two.

The third creature was hanging back, assessing, while the fourth circled to my right. I gritted my teeth. There wasn't enough time to play around. I needed to finish them all off quickly, especially with the last two still able-bodied and closing in fast.

As the abomination on my right lunged, I thrust forward with my spear, striking it directly in the chest. This time, I activated Ice Explosion, channeling mana to destabilize the ice embedded within the spear's tip. The creature shrieked as the ice shattered inside it, sending shards tearing through its flesh. A spray of blood followed, staining the ground in dark, oily pools. But the creature was only slowed, not killed.

It was time to go all out. I'd used most of my moves, tested their defenses, and it was clear nothing less than my ultimate attack would take them down. My energy flared as I prepared Ultimate Technique: Glacier Rain.

This was it.

I conjured a dozen Water Spears, each containing hidden ice needles, suspended in a loose formation around me. The spears hovered, charged with cold energy, their tips glinting with lethal intent. I focused, drawing in the surrounding moisture and enhancing the spears with more ice, carefully packing each one with as much explosive power as I could manage.

The creatures, sensing the shift in energy, hesitated, but it was too late. With a snap of my wrist, I launched the Glacier Rain. Each spear found its mark, embedding into their limbs, torsos, and heads. They didn't have time to react; I triggered the Ice Explosions in each spear, sending out shockwaves that ripped through their bodies with a cacophony of shattering ice and tearing flesh.

The forest echoed with the sounds of destruction, of bodies breaking under the force of the explosions. Dark, congealed blood sprayed into the air, staining the mist with splatters of black. And just before the shockwave reached me, I activated Freezing on myself, encasing my entire body in a layer of ice, forming a protective cocoon against the onslaught.

The blast was powerful, even through the ice. I felt myself propelled backward, the shock vibrating through my frozen shell. Cracks spread along the surface of my protective layer, but it held firm, sparing me the brunt of the force. When the dust settled, I let the ice casing around me crack and shatter, stepping free.

Around me, the abominations lay in pieces, their twisted forms reduced to scattered limbs and their remnant orange cores. The ground was littered with dark patches of blood, the mist thick with the smell of burnt flesh and the residue of shattered ice. It was carnage—a brutal, efficient finish. And it had worked.

I took a steadying breath, feeling the cold ebb out of my body, letting the quiet of the forest settle around me. Nibbles stirred from his place in my pocket, his tiny face peeking out, wide-eyed at the devastation.

"Yeah, you missed quite the show," I murmured, giving him a wry smile.

The abominations were gone. And I was still standing.