Aethernea : Soulbound [Book 1]

Episode 147 - Seven

Previously:

Kiel and Elaru are waiting for the results of their Muni entrance exams. Meanwhile, Nelaira's squad finally sees the end of the Valley of Eternal Snow. Unfortunately, a Tainted takes them by surprise and beheads one of their comrades before anyone could react.

Episode 147 – Seven

The team didn't have any time to think, but their years of training weren't in vain. All of them almost instantaneously jumped away and spread out. Elibu didn't hesitate to use their Acceleration enchanted boots to widen the distance almost as fast as their argel companions.

Yet, due to the creature's large size, comparable to a small house, their quick retreat couldn't get them out of the monster's attack range fast enough.

The creature's long, slim tail swiped into motion, the whipping sound painful to the ear.

A single instant, and their logistics officer, who responded a beat slower, was severed in half, his facial expression eternally stuck in a grimace of shock.

Subsequently, the monstrosity didn't rush to pursue the remaining people, rather, it slowly shook all of its body parts free from the hole in the ground.

After rising above the ice, it stopped once more to shake off all the remaining snow from its body.

It felt neither heat nor cold. It cared not about staying clean.

But this particular snow, with a lingering scent of divinity, made it feel inherently uncomfortable. Like an itch that one unconsciously wanted to scratch.

As the snow fell off, a gruesome sight of flexing muscles permeated with countless black veins was revealed. The creature that otherwise resembled a lupax, looked as if it was skinned, without any fur or hide, with all of its muscles fully exposed. Several parts of its body appeared to be festering, black and white puss flowing out with each flex of its muscles.

As the pungent rotting smell reached Nelaira's squad, everyone hastened to cover up their mouth and nose with their bandanas. They were used to the sight of Tainted, thus everyone managed to keep the contents of their stomachs from coming out.

Well, everyone but the logistics officer, who had been cut in half a moment prior. The two leaking halves of his body seemed to be quite tempting to the creature, because it completely disregarded the retreating eight, lunging towards the gory mess.

A single gulp and the entire upper half was swallowed into its stomach.

The monster let out a satisfied snort, its breath visible to the naked eye. Yet, the breath didn't turn white upon contact with the cold surroundings. No. What spread into the air was so very black. A wisp as black as its pitch-black eyes.

It turned its ugly head towards the lower half of the man's body, opening its maw wide once again. However, it didn't get to swallow its prey this time.

For the team of eight, who had been spreading and weaving their mana had just finished preparing their spells. Nelaira's attack came first, several large ice spikes erupting from the ground and impaling the creature through its two hind legs.

The attack was more effective than expected, managing to briefly restrain its movement so that the following attacks connected.

One of Aurel's swords inserted itself into the creature's open mouth, attempting to skewer it from inside. Laica's explosive fireballs followed, aiming for its eyes.

The Tainted reacted fast, clamping down its jaws around the sword but couldn't shield its eyes from the flames.

It raised its head with its mangled eye sockets and let out a deafening screech of fury.