Walking through the snow that occupied every inch of ground, I couldn't help but sigh. Steam rose into the air between the black and curved teeth of the mask I wore, thick and unnatural. Ah, such a pleasant view. Just a wasteland of snow, ice and a few dead or dying trees from time to time. Truly mesmerizing.
I continued to slowly trudge through the continent, only a rough idea of where I'm heading towards. The path in front of me changed, not in an instant, nor within minutes. It was subtle, deceiving even. But soon enough, the inferior vision provided by the dagger showed me the crude road hidden beneath the snow, as well as the small saplings becoming more and more convoluted. [Spectral] making sure I saw the soul essence dwelling within them.
Without a sound, something roughly resembling a root flew from below the snow, slamming into my stomach with enough force to shake off the snow covering my form. I looked down, curious as the root shot away as quickly as it had appeared, leaving nothing but a scratch upon my attire. One that quickly vanished, the clothing getting a subtle yellow glow which disappeared in mere moments. I didn't wait for another attack, starting my slow trek once again.
I've gotten used to this by now. Most types of creatures have attacked me. Not maliciously, in intrigue, testing. It is interesting, amusing even. Only a few types of creatures remained on Antarctica that haven't tried attacking me yet. And I was moving towards one of them. There was only one such type of creature to my knowledge, perhaps the most dangerous one of them all on this cursed continent. Far superior to anything I've encountered, even surpassing the damned phoenix. It is none other than the Corrupted Titan, the Winter Beast as the people called it.
Making contact wasn't my only reason for encountering it. No, the real reason was that it was heading towards Falcon Scott, slowly but surely. The news reached me a few days prior, by none other than Sunless. I despised how he waited to tell me the news, reluctant even in such an emergency. My hands clenched into fists, anger swelling up inside me. I thought he would understand, that he would help me. But no, he did no such thing. Instead, he turned his back to me like everyone else had done, leaving only the previously rented armor as a gift.
Nether manifested on my shoulders, sensing my anger perhaps. Petting the snout with my newly regained arm, I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. For? My plan of course. If all worked out, I wouldn't just redirect the Winter Beast to some random area. No, I would guide it to the soon-to-be battlefield between the two great clans. If successful, such an action would delay the war; I doubt that the oh so great clans would send their oh so precious saints to deal with the Titan. And if they did? I would be there as well.
While not being a saint, I had something to bypass their defenses completely. Meaning? I could injure anything. Well, at least as long as the target was physical. I couldn't really tear souls apart, not yet at least. Not to mention, I have the perfect abilities to distract enemies. A shiver of excitement ran down my spine, and from thin air, Mirage manifested behind me. And next to him, Fenrir. Not to mention, my own squad. My mouth replicated the vicious grin of the mask, taking note of my comrades in this endeavor.
Three nightmares. A fourth not too far off. Each as powerful as a master at the minimum; I held the power of a minor clan. And once the phoenix was reborn and joined the ranks? I might as well go become a saint alone. It wouldn't even be a challenge. A chuckle left my lips, and then I softly slapped the left side of my head. Oh corruption truly is frightening. Churning in your mind without you even realizing.
And now being a Titan, it is becoming harder and harder to not lose oneself. It doesn't just make you go insane as many think. No, if you can resist it, it becomes subtle. As if trying to hide itself from your conscience, warping your sense of yourself. That is precisely why I didn't wait to pick up Mirage from the dream realm. His hexes able to calm even my confused mind down and allowing clear thought.
I turned my attention to my now numerous attributes. Attributes: [Heir Of Nightmare], [Mark Of the -Unknown-], ["Perfect"], [Recovery], [Creature], [Spectral], [Enthralled], [Connected]. Two newly gained
Two newly gained attributes, well, one of them is just Mirage's doing.
[Enthralled] description: [Your mind is caught within a mind hex].
And the actual new and permanent attribute I gained:
[Connected] description: [Your soul is connected with others, forming the ability to bear the souls of those who you are connected with, or they yours. Allowing the souls to live on, even if the mind and body are shattered].
Immortality. That is what this is. While not perfect, it still grants some sort of eternal life. Sadly, none of my Nightmares can bear the weight of my soul, not anytime soon. Which I hope to change with the rebirth of the mighty phoenix. It already being such a high class and rank while being a normal creature, and then after receiving the boost from becoming a nightmare, it should roughly rival the Winter Beast in status. And if such a creature couldn't bear my soul. I don't know what could. I mean, of course an Unholy Titan would be able to. But that isn't realistic, is it now. So my hopes lie with the phoenix, which sadly, is only about half way to its rebirth. Not to mention I have no idea how many fragments it would require to transform it into a nightmare.
And while the fragments aren't quite a problem, since I myself have gathered all seven cores, it sure as hell would be troublesome if one of my cores shattered under the requirement. Well, it would perhaps lower the corruption inside myself, but I wasn't willing to risk the final relic I acquired from it. It sure as hell would be troublesome if I did; how else would I help my oh so treacherous friend in his upcoming struggles? Even if that friend denied the help I so craved previously.
***
Staring at the communicator in his hand, the hand that's shaking ever so slightly, Sunless let out a sigh, putting down the device on a night stand after a few more moments of thinking. Oh how he loathed himself now. Having turned his back on a fellow rat. Oh how he loathed himself, not trusting the boy he himself looked after for a bit of time. Yet the past could not be changed. He despised that he gave in to the urge of just running away, not helping his now equal with his problems. Numerous times he waged a war within himself, to contact the boy. Each time, he stopped himself, not quite sure what he could even say. Did the boy hate him now? Loathed him even? Sunless wouldn't be surprised. He knows he definitely would if their places were swapped.
He sighed once again, his expression warping into a bitter one. He stood up and walked to the next emergency meeting. They had a problem on their hands after all. That being, none other than the Winter Beast itself. At least, he had warned the boy; surely he would stay away from it.
***
"Finally." I groaned out, the soul core vision showing me the form of the gigantic Corrupted Titan. It was unique, that's for sure. Not to mention the seven blinding lights it possessed as cores. It was also more spiritual than physical. While it had a body, it was more of a host than anything. It was just ice and other things combined into a large golem-like body, infused with enormous levels of essence. Yet even deeper, there was just a shape, the cores hidden within. The true source of these maddening snow storms.
Nether blew a thin skin-like wave of spiritual and normal fire around me, protecting me from the devastating cold. Then he vanished into my soul, just like Fenrir. Only Mirage remained for a few moments, layering hex upon hex on my mind. I couldn't afford to snap and attack the Titan; it would be almost suicidal to do so. Not to mention it would throw my plans to waste. And then he too vanished into my soul. All that remained was me, the Titan, and the devastating weather it brought with it.
Exhaling a cloud of steam, I teleported right upon the creature. It stopped at once, the cold growing far worse. Not to mention the winds, able to tear through the very ground they stood upon with ease. After a few moments of the intense weather, and me clinging onto it by locking myself in the space I was in, it stopped, and I suddenly got the feeling it was staring right into my very soul. It noticed me; of course it did. I myself count as a Fallen Titan after all. A grin spread across my face as the cold slowly fell and fell, even lower than before I encountered it. I tapped it several times. While the winds continued howling around us, it perfectly excluded us. The Titan had made a dome-like barrier of weather around us. The control required is truly incredible. And it showed that it had at least a base level of instinct, if not intelligence. Perhaps this would be easier than I suspected.
Teleporting once again, I appeared in mid-air in front of the ginormous body it possessed. Words wouldn't work; we didn't have a connection. All that was required were directions and intent. Extending my right arm towards the East of the continent, I greatly focused on the words "bloodshed" and "food," empowering them with my will to force them into the space we occupied. Allowing them to be somewhat understood.
There wasn't an answer, and I didn't expect one. The Winter Beast only released what seemed to be an annoyed exhale, turning its gigantic form towards the direction I pointed at. And with that, we started walking.
***
A young man, an Awakened, burst into the meeting room, his eyes wide and his body trembling.
"The Winter Beast changed directions!"
Saint Tyris, obviously exhausted and even injured, shot up at the mere name of the Titan.
"To where?" she commanded, her cold yet soft voice filled with the presence only a Saint could possess.
"I- it's heading towards the east… having paused for a minute or two before switching directions!"
"Map."
The young man quickly took out his communicator, connecting it to the large desk in the centre of the room. Quickly, the middle of the desk lit up, a holographic map forming. And soon enough, the Winter Beast's current location was marked, as well as its previous and estimated path. Sky Tide didn't say a single word, but her eyes narrowed dangerously.
Then, her gaze slowly turned towards the devil in the room, the eyes carrying suspicion, with a tinge of interest hidden beneath.
"You said you mentioned your quite capable friend of its location…?"
Suddenly, Sunless, aware of all the gazes now drilling holes through him, quickly straightened his posture.
"Yes lady Tyris."
"Contact him."
His black eyebrows twitched, and he couldn't help but swallow nervously.
"We aren't on the best of terms as of recently..." he weakly fought back.
"This is an order."
The previous gulp was joined by another, as the Saint's amber eyes locked with his own black ones.
"Understood."
He slowly took out the communicator in his pocket, ready to type out a message.
"Call him."
His gaze shot up to meet her own. And after a pause to gather his courage, he answered her.
"This doesn't seem quite proper; it's a breach in privacy and trust... Perhaps I could do this in the hallway... And if not, could we both step out to contact him...?"
He internally scoffed once he mentioned "trust" but didn't let his expression show even a hint of emotion. There was a long moment of tense silence. And just as Sunless thought he would be forced to do as she previously said, the Saint nodded her head in agreement.
She picked up her cup of coffee, walking out first. Sunless quickly followed, thoughts churning.
'What if he curses me out!?'
'Or if he's running from the Titan!?'
With each ludicrous thought, his nervousness and anxiety deepened.
Thanks for reading.
Send stones.
[Check author notes for information regarding the story as a whole].