BANG!BANG!
The beast's eyes widened.
For the first time in its life,it felt fear. Panic rose in its chest as blood poured from cuts around its eyes and nostrils.
Its strength slowly started to fade. The consciousness of the ice bear slowly dwindled down.
Ethan's strikes grew heavier, faster, and brutal.
With the Ice Bear giving up the struggle, Ethan paced up.
The sharp rim of his shield dug into the hard flesh of the skull cracking it open.
Blood sprayed across his arms, dripping down the metal. His face was painted in red as pieces of flesh and blood bounced back.
The bear tried to roar, but the sound came out broken, weak. Its body shook with exhaustion.
The frost around it melted into red-stained slush. Its limbs trembled as it clawed at the ground, trying to crawl away.
Ethan only roared back. His shield struck its eyes, blinding it. He hammered its nostrils until the bone cracked. Then he smashed down on the skull again.
The beast's struggles grew desperate. It bucked, twisted, but its claws barely scratched anymore. The wounds across Ethan's arms and chest burned, yet he ignored the pain.
"Stay down!" Ethan shouted, his voice raw, his shield rising and falling like a hammer on an anvil.
The Ice Bear's strength drained with each blow. Its roars turned into whimpers, its body twitching weakly. Its thick fur was soaked with blood. Its once-proud blue eyes were wide with terror.
It regretted attacking these groups of vile human
The beast's heart pounded in panic. It had fought, but it was overpowered, pinned, and broken.
It tried one last time to swipe, but its paw fell short. The strike had no more power than that of a novice knight.
Ethan knew it was finished.
However,he kept slamming until the shield was slick with blood, until the beast's head sagged under his grip and its entire skull was broken open.
BANG.
BANG.
BANG.
Each strike echoed in the frozen land, a brutal rhythm of survival. Blood flickered through the air, spraying across the ice, across Ethan's face, across his shield.
The Ice Bear's body finally collapsed. Its breathing slowed, then stopped.
The battlefield went silent.
Except for the sound of Ethan's ragged breaths,all other voices ceased to exist.
He stood over the fallen beast, drenched in blood, his shield trembling in his grip. His chest rose and fell heavy.
His arms ached, but he had not let go until the end.He looked at wounds which had almost healed, thanks to the breakthrough Card.
With one last strike, Ethan raised his shield and smashed it down. The Ice Bear's skull shattered, pieces of flesh and bone bursting apart with a sickening crunch. Warm blood sprayed across his face, running down his cheeks and dripping from his chin.
"Tsk.."Ethan clicked his tongue in disgust.
The taste of iron filled his mouth, bitter and foul.
He stood still for a moment, breathing heavily. His expression shifted.
The sight was brutal, disgusting even, but he did not feel sick. His heart was heavy, but his mind was clear. He had done it for survival, nothing more. He felt a bit off but as a warrior he needed to adapt to it.
From now on, death was no stranger to him anymore.
Randall and the other guards, still frozen and barely conscious, could only watch. Their eyes trembled. The scene of their lord crushing the Ice Bear in such a savage way would remain carved in their memory.
None of them had expected this side of Ethan.
Despite calling Ethan as their Lord,there was still a part in their heart they hadn't submitted to him.
The reason?
It's because they haven't seen his strength.
With this brutal display and assault,Ethan had cemented his position thoroughly in their heart.
Slowly, Ethan rose to his feet. Blood dripped down from his armor, while his shield was painted red. He looked like a man who had walked through a slaughterhouse.
Ethan walked towards the figure and slowly broke the ice while calling for help.
The echo carried outside.
He… won," one soldier whispered hoarsely.
"He really won…" another muttered, almost in disbelief.
They wanted to cheer, to cry out in victory, but their bodies were too weak. All they could do was watch as Ethan walked around freeing them.
"Are you all alright?"His voice was firm despite his exhaustion.
"Yes My Lord!"
"You saved our lives."
"Thank you,My Lord!"
The sound echoed outside the cave. Soon, the guards stationed beyond rushed in. Their torches lit the cavern again. They gasped at the frozen scene, then quickly moved to rescue those who were still trapped in ice.
Ethan did not waste time. He knelt by each soldier, checking their condition, urging them to focus their mana to resist the frost. "Stay awake. Breathe calmly. Warm yourself with mana," he ordered firmly.
Hours passed.
The men were freed, one by one. Exhaustion filled every corner of the camp. They regrouped outside, where fires had been lit to drive away the chill.
Two hours later, Randall and the rescued soldiers sat huddled near the flames. Their bodies shook as the warmth spread through them. Their fingers and toes burned painfully as blood began to flow again. If not for their training and mana, the frostbite would have crippled them.
A weaker group might not have survived at all.
Thankfully, everything ended well.
At the far end, Ethan sat with his back against a rock, his shield lying beside him.
A small fire burnt near him that provided him warmth yet his heart felt chill.
His eyes were half closed. He looked drained, both in body and spirit. Though the breakthrough card had given him strength, the toll it left on his mind was heavy.
Though he looked calm,he was quite afraid inwardly.A single bad decision might have get them killed.
Randall stood, walking slowly to his lord's side. He sat down next to him, his tone respectful.
"How are you feeling, my Lord?"