Yeti

"An ape-like creature. Its ability to walk on two feet is not the only aspect it shares with humans. The Yeti can understand and converse with humans. Many speculate about the Yeti's favourite dish. Some believe it to be grass, others think snow. However, the truth is that the Yeti is a carnivorous beast who loves the taste of human flesh. With three humans trespassing in this pocket dimension, he is bound to reveal himself."

"Two humans," I say, correcting her. "I am a dragon."

"A dragon? I see. Now I understand the force behind your magic. But that does not change anything."

"Why do you say that?"

"The Yeti is the only one of its race. However, because of this, it has an immortal life and regeneration surpassing a hydra's. On top of this, the Yeti has complete mastery over Ice Magic. Even the god governing ice is helpless before its mighty magic. That is why Yeti is known to seek out dragons - who are known as the strongest race - and challenge them to battle. It has felled many in the past. If you, a dragon, appear in his territory, then he would be more than excited."

"Now that would be problematic. Dragons have powerful magical nullification and are stronger than even the Titan race. For a Yeti to easily kill a dragon would make it sound like the most powerful race. Despite it being the only one of its kind."

"GGGRRRAAAHHH!!!" A sudden scream vibrates through the corridor. After the vibrations cease, loud stomps can be heard from our current position.

"Is that...?"

"Yes," replies Tess, as the Yeti reveals itself. "Fur as white as snow. Ape-like in appearance and human-like posture. Immense strength and mana. This is indeed him, The Abominable Snowman."

The Yeti looks at us, his eyes scanning Tristan, then Tess, and finally me. "Dragon," it says, drooling. "Dragon and humans? Must be my lucky day."

"Is there any chance you will just let us through?" I ask the Yeti. "I am only looking to find my friends."

"Your friends? Ah, the three ladies that humans told me to look after. Were they your friends? If so, then it makes what I did to them all the sweeter."

"What you did to them? You did something?"

"Oh, did I strike a nerve? Shall I describe what I did to them as they were pleading for a quick death? First, I nailed them to the wall and ripped their clothes off. Then I proceeded to..."

Before he can finish his sentence, I appear in front of him, Yugure equipped, and hit him with all my strength. A crack forms on Yugure from the use of my full strength. However, it heals completely after a few seconds pass. The Yeti - who was sent flying through the wall - slowly gets up. He starts laughing maniacally. "This feeling!!" he exclaims, "I have not felt this excited since my fight with the Dragon Elder Ember."

"You fought Ember?" Ember is considered the most powerful of the dragon elders. I had never met him before; however, Grandpa said I needed to avoid any collision with him at all costs.

"Yes. I remember that fight. A fight that lasted a whole month. We destroyed mountain ranges, permanently altered weather conditions, and nearly destroyed Ragnarök. And our match still has not ended in a conclusion. Although he did manage to permanently injure me, despite my strong regeneration." The Yeti turns his back to me, to reveal a large sun-like mark on his back. "This was the strongest attack he could dish out. And even that was not enough to defeat me. So, let me ask you, young dragon. What can you do that he cannot?"

"What can you do? What can you do? What can you do, Haruki?" repeats a voice.

The Yeti looks around confused. "Whose voice...?"

"Give your body to me, Haruki. Give in to the urges, Haruki. Give in. Give in. And once you give in, kill them. Kill them all, Haruki Ryu!!"

Everyone's eyes are fixed on me.

"Sir... your hair is..."

"What is with this little dragon's mana? It's suffocating."

"Mister..."

What is this feeling? Is that voice trying to take over my body again? Maybe I should let her fight. That way everyone will be...

"NO!!!" screams another voice. "Resist the urge, Haruki Ryu!! Fight her. Fight her."

I fight the voice trying to take over my body. "I will not let you take my body!!" I scream.

The resistance weakens and her voice soon fades. "You disappoint me... Haruki..." says the voice before it goes into slumber.

"I don't need your approval."

After a short moment of silence, the Yeti screams, "AMAZING!!! Now I want you even more, Haruki Ryu!!!"

"If you want me, then come and get me."

He charges me with a punch that shatters Yugure. It also sends me through a few walls.

"MISTER!!!" screams Tristan.

"Silence, background characters," roars the Yeti. "I am only getting warmed up." Ice crystals form below his feet. He slowly walks to me. The crystals form with each step he takes. His steps become faster. And faster. It gradually increases until he is running at me. Each room he passes becomes a frozen fortress. He does not stop until he reaches me. "Get up, Dragon!! Transform, Dragon!! If you do not, this battle will end before it even began!!!"

I get up and dodge his punch. The floor turns to ice and shatters. If I get hit once more, I'm dead. He continues his attacks. And I notice a pattern. The Yeti is strong; however, his attacks are slow. I dodge one of his attacks and get close to him. For a second, I transform into my Fólkvangr mode and strike him in the stomach with a barrier covering my fist. I jump away and revert to my base form. The barrier surrounding my hand freezes and shatters. However, my hand is uninjured. I look at the Yeti and a smile forms on my face.

"I understand now. Your offence is powerful, and because you have strong regenerative powers, your defences are abysmal." I smile at the Yeti's pained expression and say, "You are more human than I thought you were. You know what that means, right?"

The Yeti grows irritated and charges me. "Do not belittle me, Dragon!!"

"Belittle? No, I am only stating facts. You experience everything like a human does. Even pain and fear." I dodge his attack and teleport behind him after transforming. If I cannot overcome his regeneration, then I need to immobilise him. "Lightning Magic: Zeus' Thunderstorm." A bolt of thunder strikes him through his wound. Following this, a thunderstorm of bolts strikes him one after the other. When the spell ends, the Yeti coughs up blood.

"Why is... my regeneration... not working...?"

"I realised something. Why would a wound inflicted on you never heal? If your regeneration truly is as people say it is, you should heal from all injuries. However, the wound inflicted on your back never healed, which bugged me. That is when I figured it out. The wound never healed because there was no wound in the first place. Your entire story about fighting Ember is a lie."

"How... How did you... figure it out...?"

"When I heard about a creature that hunted dragons for sport, I had doubts. I'll be honest, if that voice had not appeared, then I would have continued falling for your lies. When she was trying to take over my body, you were cowering before her presence. And after that, you tried covering up your fear with an act of sadism. This worked; however, when I listened carefully, I could hear it."

"It...?"

I point to my chest. "Your heart," I say. "Your heart was beating like a drum. The rhythm was off like you were frightened."

"But my... strength..."

"Yes, you are physically strong. And you also have the presence of a monster, but you are a coward. You have never fought a dragon before in your life, have you?"

"No... this can't be..."

"Everything about you is a lie. Your reputation. Your regeneration. Even your existence is a lie." My breathing becomes heavy, and my heart tightens, as I say, "And with that filthy mouth of yours, you dare try and provoke me by using those three as victims!! I will end you, Yeti!!"

The Yeti faints from the pressure placed on him, and the loss of blood.

"Mister!!" screams Tristan, running to me. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm good, Tristan."

Tess looks down at the Yeti. "To think he would be a coward. His reputation was a fable created by people who feared him. And he used this fable to make people fearful of him."

"Let's go, we have no more business here," I say coldly, as the Yeti's blood pools on the tiled floor.