Ch 27: Friged

Okay so there may be some slightly disturbing things in this chapter such as self harm and cannibalism so if you cant get past that its understandable though its a fairly small part and yeah I may have taken this chapter in a very different direction compared to the last couple so enjoy and remember disclaimer possibly disturbing.

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The frigid air coiled around her skin as if tasting it, her breath visible as it fanned out in front of her. No matter how many times she had come here, she could never get used to the icy surroundings.

Rounding a bend, she heard the faint sound of manic laughter. As she continued, it grew louder and louder until suddenly the laughter was everywhere, bouncing off the walls.

She sighed and quickly whipped her arm behind her, grabbing hold of a man's neck. He was highly scruffy and looked borderline homeless, with a long mane of unruly sandy hair with brown spots scattered through it. Atop the man's head stood two rounded and upright ears, the left one with a large cut out of the side.

The woman just sighed again, making the man's manic smile grow. "You know that's not going to work, Ravager."

The hyena-like man laughed insanely. "Ah, but Maria, that's the fun of it. The one time it does work, the face you make as I tear you to shreds will be great!" Ravager's face morphed into one of ecstasy as he imagined the scenario.

Feeling extra pressure being put upon his neck, his grin grew even more as Maria sighed and threw him at the wall, embedding him in the icy stone. "If that's the case, why shouldn't I gut you right this instant?" she hissed, the nails on her hands growing subtly.

Ravager let out a cackle, staring into Maria's burning red orbs, issuing a challenge. But before either of them could act on the other's provocation, the sound of footsteps clicking on the ice echoed down the corridor. The atmosphere grew tense, the temperature dropping noticeably with each click. A chilling silence fell over the hall as a figure emerged from the shadows.

A man rounded the corner near the two, his presence commanding and intimidating. He moved with an incredibly imposing gait, each step purposeful and filled with an almost palpable authority. The air around him seemed to freeze, tiny crystals forming in his wake as if the very environment recoiled from his icy aura.

Atop his head, he wore a deer skull, its empty eye sockets and twisted antlers casting eerie shadows across his face. The skull added to his menacing appearance, giving him an almost otherworldly presence that demanded attention and respect. His eyes, cold and unfeeling, glinted with a dangerous intelligence, and a faint, frost-bitten mist surrounded him, accentuating the aura of dread he exuded.

The two froze, their hearts pounding in their chests, as they exchanged a brief, panicked glance before quickly dropping to their knees. The cold, unforgiving stone floor sent a jolt of discomfort through their bodies as they prostrated themselves before the man.

Their hands trembled slightly, betraying the fear that gripped them as they awaited his judgment. Maria could feel her breath coming in short, ragged gasps, the sound echoing in the cavernous chamber like a desperate plea for mercy.

The man loomed over them, his presence casting a shadow of dread that seemed to suffocate the very air around them. His eyes, as cold and merciless as the winter wind, bore into their souls with a silent intensity that made their skin crawl.

And then he spoke.

The sound of his voice was like a cacophony of whispers, each syllable layered atop the next in a chilling chorus of command. It was as if thousands of voices spoke through him, each one vying for dominance in the darkness.

"Who started this?" his voice boomed, reverberating off the walls of the chamber with a force that made the ground tremble beneath them.

The two stayed silent for a long time, their shaking uncontrollable, but the deep silence was cut by Ravager, none of his previous manic tendencies showing, and his voice was little more than a whisper. "It was me, master."

Their master nodded, satisfied with the answer. "You know your punishment." A goblet made of ice appeared in front of Ravager's prone body.

Solemnly, he reached to his long sleeve, pulling it down to reveal long scars running along his wrist. Ravager pulled a savage-looking knife from his pocket, slowly bringing it and his wrist over the goblet.

With a swift movement of his knife, another cut was formed atop his wrist. He winced slightly as he watched the blood run down and into the goblet.

Once the goblet was filled with the red liquid, he got back into his prone stance.

The man, satisfied with Ravager's actions, looked towards the now salivating Maria. She looked up for his approval. As he nodded, her hand shot out for the goblet, taking in large gulps of the sanguine fluid.

After finishing with the goblet, Maria placed it back down and bowed in front of the man. "I wish to speak, master."

The man looked down at her impassively. "Very well." His voice sent another shiver down the two bowing Faunus' spines.

"I have learned of a weakness of Sienna Khan." Maria looked up towards the man who didn't physically appear any different, but she could tell he was intrigued. "Recently, the Khan's dog brought a human child into the compound and Sienna Khan is trying to protect it."

The man hummed in response to this new information. "I suppose you have a plan." Maria nodded. "Very well, you have permission to do as you please, but know that failure is not tolerated."

Maria nodded again, looking down. Suddenly, the heavy pressure was lifted off of the two. As they looked up towards where their master once was, all they saw was a rose entirely made of ice.

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A loud clatter rang out across the room as a cacophony of cheers erupted. "AANNNDDDDD! The winner of the Jenga tournament is….. ROOOSSSSAAA!"

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Okay so new villains yay Maria already appeared in a previous chapter so yeah regardless im not to sure if the earlier discaimer is entirely necessary but I put it there just in case. Anyway have you all been playing Wuthering Waves shits fun if so who you all maining currently. That's all from me today ill try to be more on time for the next one and powerstones and comments are very welcome Thx:)