Chapter 20: Blood and Frost
Tor's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as a ripple passed through his senses.
Two distinct auras cut through the surrounding flow of essence, approaching the village from the outer perimeter. Their movements were steady, cautious, and familiar enough to be dismissed.
"So they finally noticed," Tor thought calmly. "Jin must be growing tired."
His gaze flicked once toward the distance before returning to the chaos below. "I should finish this quickly."
His figure vanished mid-stride, space folding around him without sound.
When he reappeared, he was standing atop the thick branch of a towering tree overlooking the Sacrifice Formation. From this elevated vantage, the scene unfolded in brutal clarity.
Below him, the blood ape strained violently against the bindings of the formation. Eighty meters tall, its massive blood-red body throbbed grotesquely as it absorbed raw essence siphoned from the sacrifices. Veins pulsed like exposed arteries, glowing and expanding beneath its skin.
Each time the beast slammed its fists into its chest, the impact echoed like war drums.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
The barrier surrounding the formation trembled visibly, spiderweb cracks forming and fading as the ape's power continued to rise.
"What a glutton," Tor muttered under his breath, his expression flat.
The senior elder's voice suddenly cracked across the clearing, sharp with irritation and authority.
"Who dares sneak behind me?" the elder barked. "Do you not fear death? Come out, coward!"
Tor stepped from the shade of the tree, landing lightly on the ground without disturbing the dust. His tone carried lazy mockery, unhurried and dismissive.
"Do you not get tired of talking like that?" he asked. "One day you'll bite your tongue and it'll fall out."
The elder turned sharply. Surprise flickered across his face when he finally laid eyes on Tor.
"A boy?" he scoffed. "I wondered who it was. Why isn't your essence among the sacrifice to my clan's Blood Armour?"
Tor smiled faintly, hands relaxed at his sides.
"Because your young master IK's blood is replacing mine right now," he replied. "I'll be taking that mana core too. It'll make a fine gift."
The elder's expression darkened instantly. His aura surged outward, oppressive and heavy. Nearby trees bent under the pressure, roots tearing free from the earth as frost crept along their bark.
"Boy," the elder growled, "you underestimate your elders. Do you think I'm here to beautify scenery while your filthy mouth flaps?"
Tor's grin widened, sharp and unapologetic.
"Old fart, I've been respectful since you came to deliver a gift, foul as it is," he said evenly. "But you persist in insults. As your junior, I've decided you don't want to live anymore. Let me help you pass on."
Behind them, the barrier surrounding the formation paled further. Dents formed with every furious strike of the ape's fists.
The elder drew his blade.
Cold mist spilled from its edge the moment it cleared the sheath, the temperature of the clearing dropping sharply. Frost crawled across the ground in thin veins, cracking stone and stiffening leaves where it passed.
"Frostbite," the elder announced, pride dripping from his voice. "A single touch will freeze your organs and shatter them."
Tor flexed his fists slowly, studying the blade with mild curiosity before losing interest.
"These are my fists," he said. "They'll beat the shit out of you. Frostbite can finish you off since you like it so much."
The elder lunged without warning, sword slicing upward in a vicious arc.
Tor slid back smoothly, his movements fluid and economical. The blade thrust down toward him, cold screaming through the air, but Tor leapt upward at the last moment and landed lightly atop the flat of the sword.
The metal screamed under his weight.
"You said you'd cut me with predictable swordsmanship?" Tor said, looking down at the elder. "Don't make me laugh."
The elder roared, fury shattering his focus. His aura wavered.
Behind them, the barrier weakened further. The ape's strength surged as it absorbed more essence, its pounding growing heavier and more frenzied.
Tor smirked.
"So, senior," he said casually, "ready for this ass whooping?"
Before the elder could react, Tor sprinted along the length of the blade, his footfalls hammering against the frozen steel. He reached the hilt in an instant and delivered a brutal kick square to the elder's face.
A thunderous crack echoed through the clearing.
The elder flew backward like a ragdoll, smashing through trees and stone before finally crashing into the ground. His concentration shattered completely.
The Sacrifice Formation collapsed under a single, earth-shaking blow from the ape.
Blood dripped from the elder's mouth as he staggered to his feet. His nose was bent grotesquely to one side. With a snarl, he snapped it back into place, cartilage cracking audibly.
"Kid," he spat, "you've made a big mistake. I'll deal with you before I silence that ape."
The beast, now free at last, did not attack immediately.
It watched.
Its chest continued to pound as bloodlust thickened the air, its massive eyes tracking both combatants with primal intelligence.
Tor stood calmly, observing the elder adjust his nose as if nothing of consequence had occurred.
"Now that's better," he said. "Come at me, senior."
He gestured lazily, as though inviting a sparring match.
His foot tapped the ground once.
Frostbite vanished into a spatial distortion, its presence erased in an instant.
The elder froze.
"Where the fuck did my Frostbite go, you little shit?" he roared.
Tor raised a finger and pointed upward.
As the elder's gaze instinctively lifted, Tor blinked forward. Space compressed.
His uppercut struck with measured force, precise and devastating.
The elder crashed several meters away, body skidding across frozen earth as his senses reeled.
"Where are you looking," Tor said calmly, "when your enemy is right here?"
He stepped forward slowly.
"No wonder your clan breeds trash like IK."
Tor's composure never wavered.
Behind him, the blood ape finally chose its prey.
Bloodlust surged violently as it banged its chest one final time before launching skyward. Its massive knuckles sharpened into jagged spikes, the air screaming as they descended.
They were aimed directly at Tor's face.