CHAPTER 14 - DEATH AND ICE

A seven foot four legged creature with a body made of rotten flesh and ice shards. Its eyes were glowing bright red as if it smoked a dozen bags of weed. From its mouth, bubbling saliva dripped. Its claws were huge and its build is somewhat wide.

The vicious look on its face, smiling, as if it found something delicious to chewed on. It made an eerie howl like a laughing man high on drugs.

This creature at first look, is like a wolf yet somehow it felt like another creature that cannot be comprehended. No, this is a wolf.

An undead one!

"RARRGGHHH!!!"

Without warning the creature plunged onto me with its salivating mouth wide open. Somehow I manage to avoid it as I dived to my right side, burying my entire face in thick snow.

As I try to get back on my feet, the undead wolf attacked me for the second time. Blinking, I quickly used [Force Field] to block its assault but I ended thrown out several meters away, landing on the ground with my head first.

As I turned around, I saw this creature already in mid-air as if trying to jumped on me with a destructive jaw bite.

"[Levitation]!"

Though I managed to stop him in mid-air, somehow it felt that my skill can't hold it any longer.

Seriously, this undead is very heavy!

Gritting my teeth, I used [Telekinetic Maneuver] to push it away from me with all my might. The creature was thrown out a few meters away from me. I quickly stood up as the undead was also getting up.

"The hell is going on!?"

Really, what's with this ugly predicament? I even didn't have enough time to comprehend how in the world I got into this place and now a vicious beast suddenly appeared in front of me and starting to bite my head off.

Seriously man! Can someone explain this to me!?

"RAARRRGGGHHH!!"

The wolf made an awful noise as it shook its head left and right. Did its head got hit very hard? The creature then looked at me with its glowing red eyes. As the way I see it, it seems pretty angry. Really angry!

When the being regained its stance, it let out an awful shriek. From the soles of its feet a black miasma emerged and covered the beast's entire body. It looked like a some kind of protective barrier of some sort.

Seeing this I strengthened my resolve. If I want to find the answer as to how did I got here on this place, first I must survive. I must live!

"[Enhanced Condition]!, [Hardening]!"

From my left hand that I raised up, pink and green ring-like circle lights appeared and rotated around my arm. [Enhanced Condition] allows me to enhanced my mental and physical abilities while [Hardening] makes my body hard as iron. Both of these skills are supportive skills, buffing up my capabilities.

Before I can invoke my next skill, a sudden and abrupt force rushed towards my left arm.

"GAH!"

The undead bit my whole arm! Even though I had enhanced my reflexes and senses, it wasn't enough to predict its next attack. I could felt its teeth pierced deeply into my skin even though my body was reinforced with nanomachines and [Hardening] skill.

Such a powerful biting force!

The creature tried to waved me in the air like a rag back and forth. From where I am, I could smell the very foul odor from its body. Even though I wanted to vomit, my will to survive kept that worrisome feeling in my stomach in check.

When I heard an uncomfortable crack in my left arm, I groaned in agony.

------

At the Crestlustre's manor.

Though the night had arrived, the people in the big house were very restless.

"Have you found him?"

"No, still we haven't. We checked the basement but he was not there."

"Okay check the other areas, maybe he's there."

The people inside scrambled like fighter jets getting to sortie but their faces portrayed discomfort.

They were looking for someone. Someone that shook their souls to the very core by his wonderful and breathtaking marvels.

Someone named Ragna Windsor.

After three hours, the sound of a wailing mother echoed throughout the household.

------

In an unknown place...

I lied on the snowy ground screaming in pain, grabbing my ruptured shoulder. From that severed part, black malevolent essence were gushing out. Blood colored the white fluffiness with stain of red.

Damn it... Looking at this bastard chewing my arm, really, really made me burst into anger.

I could tell it's happily eating my beloved left arm. I cannot forgive this thing! Both hands are sacred to an inventor like me and this creature chomping my treasured... I will kill this guy!

YOU HAVE BEEN INFLICTED WITH DEATH PENANCE

TIME LEFT BEFORE TURNING INTO AN UNDEAD: 20 MINUTES

"Like hell I would allow that to happen!"

As I shouted in rage while standing up, I activated [Heal] and [Dispel] in succession. Though I healed my severed shoulder, the status ailment inflicted on me wouldn't dematerialize.

"[Psionic Healing]!, [Spell Destabilization]!"

In desperation, I called out other status ailment dispersing skills yet none of them worked. As I felt my [Ethereal Sense] warned me, I tried to push myself sideways but I was too late. My lower body was covered in thick spiky ice shards.

In an instant I felt a blur of speed on my right side. Really it was very fast! Even my enhanced vision couldn't see it.

In front of me the undead wolf was staring at me while holding my left arm...

Wait whose arm is that lying beside that creature?

I looked at my right shoulder... Then I felt an intense pain surging across my entire body and mind.

"ARRGHH!!!!"

I shouted violently as the pain was very distressing and unpleasant. Tears were flowing in my eyes while looking at my right ruptured shoulder, blood still gushing like a water fountain.

I stared at the undead wolf with killing intent. That thing put down my right arm and grinned...

That thing is grinning at me while I'm suffering in front of it.

"I'LL MASSACRE YOU BASTARD!!!!!"