Once More Into Level Three

"Should I use Warmth?" Wyll asks as we set off into the wilderness of level three.

"We already have the heat stones, don't waste your stamina," I say.

The forest, similar to level two, slowly disappears as we walk, replacing itself with a vast expanse of white. Snow falls gently around us and gathers on the ground like a new layer of dirt. Lycans and haunted snows assail us, and as we defeat and move past them, the falling snow no longer remains gentle.

The biting wind whips wildly around us as we are enveloped in a powerful blizzard. And the more we walk, the worse the blizzard gets. The heat stone, which was doing a good job keeping us warm, begins to fail against the overwhelming cold. It's still better than nothing, but I can feel the freezing chill slowly spread inside me.

That is when I say, "Okay, use Warmth now."

Wyll raises a hand up high and shouts, "Warmth!"

We are enveloped in a giant, shimmering dome, and a deep, bone-warming heat covers my body like a particularly comfortable blanket. This is far better than a heat stone, I feel like I could fall asleep on the ground here if I so wished.

The flurry of snow falling upon us melts when it enters the dome, turning instantly into rain, just the same as the snow at our feet, which melts into water, soaking our boots. I'm not much of a fan of that.

However, as I watch all this, I realise the potential of this skill. "We can use this to attack."

"We can?" Perri asks.

"Yes."

We move on, the skill remaining active with Wyll at its centre, and I am proven correct when the next set of haunted snows attack us. The moment they enter the dome, parts of them begin melting off, and their movements grow sluggish.

"Oh, I see!" Perri says as she easily locates the core in one of the haunted snows and shatters it.

Dealing with the haunted snows is easy after that, even when they increase in number. Whenever they try to attack us, Warmth weakens them, and finishing them off becomes a cinch.

"How admirable," Leila says to Wyll, "You're not completely useless after all. That must come as such a relief."

Wyll doesn't get angry and fire back like Perri, instead he shrinks into himself and tries to avoid looking at Leila. This group of people—it can hardly be called a party…

But they're following me for now, so I'll let it be. I have my own problems to worry about.

The crystals poking out of the snow turn red, dousing the whole area in the same light. A mid-boss.

A lumbering figure appears within the blizzard in the distance. As it approaches, its features become clearer. It looks similar to a gorilla, but it has more of an upright posture. Its fur is white and long, covering its whole body and fluttering in the wind. Lastly, there are icy blue marks that run through its fur like veins.

I recognise the creature, it's an ice yeti. It stops short of Wyll's zone of Warmth, seemingly sensing the danger of stepping within, and eyes us with the clear desire to kill. Then, it raises a fist and slams it against the ground, and I realise what it's about to do.

"Dodge!" I yell as I dive out of the way.

Almost like a shockwave, snow is kicked up in a straight line from where the ice yeti slammed its fist on the ground, and my party finally comprehends my instructions as they too dive out of the way.

And not a moment too soon, because when the shockwave-like line reaches where we just were, spikes of ice suddenly burst up like the world's coldest spike trap.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Leila asks me, "Why aren't you using your black fire?"

"Because it would just dodge it," I say.

"It's that agile?" Leila asks, surprised.

"Yes," I say, "And it's being careful not to approach too close as well."

The ice yeti slams its fist against the ground again, twice this time, and two shockwaves burst forth. The lines move much more slowly this time, and they head towards Wyll and Leila. Given the extra time, they dodge out of the way easily enough, but then I realise something.

"No!" I shout, "Dodge again!"

The line isn't moving in a single direction anymore. It's following Wyll and Leila, and they understand what I'm saying only moments before it is too late. They manage to jump out of the way, and spikes erupt where they once were.

Leila grunts, "This annoying—!"

"Perri, lure it in!" I order.

Perri raises her axe high and chants, "Provoke!" Before slamming the butt of it on the ground. The sound of a gong shakes the air, and the ice yeti twitches forward, but then, just as its arm enters the zone of Warmth, it seems to gain enough sense to pull itself back. It roars at us and begins slamming the ground beneath it again and again like banging on a drum.

"Crap…" I curse under my breath. Not each hit creates a shockwave, but most do, and some are quick, while others are slow but follow us. They head for each of us, and we're forced to keep dodging.

I consider using my Abyssflame Slash, it might not hit the ice yeti, but it'll at least be forced to dodge as well, and that'll put a break in its attacks. But then I think better of it; if I do try to attack it, I'll drain my stamina, and it'll just attack again, and I won't have energy to avoid its assault any more.

I wince, trying to remember how I dealt with ice yetis in the game. A dull recollection of stepping out of its range flickers to life in my brain, and it's enough, I can deal with the rest with what I have.

"Back!" I shout to my party, "Away from the ice yeti!"

We begin avoiding its spikes by moving backwards, creating distance from it, and when its hulking form fades into the blizzard once more, the attacks stop. It roars loudly, and I order Wyll, "Drop Warmth!"

It takes Wyll a moment, but he allows his skill to collapse, and we are all suddenly struck by a bone-penetrating chill. It's lucky we still have the heat stones staving some of it off. The ice yeti thunders towards us, appearing from within the blizzard again. It's harder to see now because our range of vision that had expanded due to Warmth constantly melting the snow is no longer here.

The ice yeti is only a shadow in the flurry still, but it's a shadow we can see, which means it's close enough. "Provoke it again!" I order Perri.

Perri raises her axe high and yells "Provoke!" She slams the butt of her axe on the ground, and the sound of a gong shakes the air once more.

The ice yeti visibly turns in the direction of Perri and charges at her. It bursts into view, quicker than I expected, and it raises a furry, muscled arm behind it in preparation to swing. Perri too raises her axe to defend, "Steel—!" She begins to chant, but is just a moment too late. The ice yeti swings at her, and though it only manages to hit the flat of her axe, the force of the attack sends her flying with a pained grunt anyway.

But I knew where the ice yeti would charge, I knew who it would attack. By the time it's done with its swing, I am done with mine, "Abyssflame Slash!"

The wave of black flame flies through the air, and this time it is the ice yeti that is a moment too late. It tries to dodge, but enough of the black flames splash against it. It catches on fire, and roars as it flails to try and extinguish the flames.

Of course, the abyssflames cannot be extinguished so easily. It continues to burn, eating through its body quickly until it is nothing, not even ash.

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600 EXP

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