Chapter 241: Malibreeds, Creatures of Devils

"What is this?"

Moulin's voice was hoarse. Like a parched man dying to escape a scorching desert, craving for even a drop of water. It sounded as if cracked, broken. A feeling of unease sits within his words, and he continued to stare at the image on the water, his own reflection. It felt foreign. Although he faced the feeling of familiarity, he was uncomfortable. 

This is me?...

What happened?

At last, the youth pulled his gaze away and lifted his head. His eyes fell upon the dreariness of his surroundings. It felt as though he was a lost child facing the cold emptiness of the world. The skies weren't bright like he used to remember—the sun, hidden behind the thick clouds of grey. A blanket of pallid white stretched outwards, layering the ground ominously. But what caught his eyes were the towering trees, dark and bare. Their branches appeared like stretching limbs, thorny and sharp. As though a bird that flies through them would be shredded into bits.

Moulin heaved. While he waited for the numbness of his body to fade away, he watched the scenery before him patiently. Questions swirled within his mind, and he knew he wouldn't find the answer if he would just lay naked on the snowy ground. Yes, he was bare. His skin, scratched and bruised, was exposed to the coldness of the air that he paid less attention to. 

Finally, when he felt that moving was bearable. He slowly rose from the snow, away from the lakeshore. His warm breaths could be seen in the air as he tried to calm himself. Moulin felt like he had been sleeping for a very long time...

The thought despaired him. 

What happened afterwards? What of his friends? His family? Snow and Kier?

What of... Hadrian?

The heaviness of his emotions sank in his heart. His lips quivered as he raised his head. Breaths came out in stutters, and his eyes were layered with tears, threatening to fall. 

Sorrow washed his heart, drowning him, choking him.

How long? How long... did they wait? 

His fingers trembled as he covered his face, lowering his head as he sobbed. 

How much time has passed? 

At this question, Moulin forced himself to calm down. He wiped his tears away and clenched his hands. The memories before he died were fresh and clear in his mind. He remembered Alsander's bloodshot eyes, his brother's caring gazes, and... warm lips that pressed against his. So gentle. So comforting. So perfect.

However, now he was lost.

Moulin drew his gaze towards the vast lake before him. It was dark, black, and still. Too still.

It was as if... there was something in the water...

Moulin slightly narrowed his eyes. He inched towards the shore warily. Slowly, he stared at the still water.

Then there it was. Black, worm-like tendrils wriggling in the water. They looked alive. Dread filled Moulin's gut. Was it some sort of creature? He was relieved that he didn't immediately touch the water.  What could've happened if he did?

Moulin drew back with a furrowed brows. 

SPLASH!

Suddenly. A loud splash was heard.

And before Moulin could turn to look back, he felt something slimy wrap around his wrist! It was thin and dark. The youth's heart thundered. Shock and alarm filled his senses. The thing looked precisely like a slimy tentacle. Its skin was black and wet, covered with a sticky residue.

Moulin narrowed his eyes, and before he could resist the powerful pull of the limb trying to drag him into the lake, a flash of icy light glowed before his eyes. The tentacle coiling around his wrist was immediately engulfed with a layer of frigid ice, instantly turning the limb solid! Despite his shock. Moulin forcefully pulled his wrists, and the frozen tentacle snapped from the rest of its body. 

Moulin watched as its lower part sank into the black waters. Afterwards, he raised his wrist to his face and quickly wrenched off the tentacle bracelet with a crack. The limb shattered into pieces, falling on the pure-white snow. 

"What in the world..." Moulin muttered. His heart pounded as he stared at his hands. He didn't mistake it. At the touch of his skin, the tentacle immediately froze. Moulin hadn't even expelled even a bit of mana. 

Silver eyes widened. He realized after the numbness left his body, he felt more alive. The energy surging inside his meridians was more vigorous and vibrant. Like an everlasting current of electricity growing more and more powerful. It was the first time Moulin had experienced something like this.

RRRUUUUUAGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

A loud piercing shriek abruptly filled the youth's ears. It was then that he realized that something had slowly emerged from the water. A faceless black creature. Its body was covered with long slimy tentacles. Slime mixed water dripped from its limbs into the lake as it slowly rose to face the person responsible for cutting one of his thousand limbs. Tentacles in various sizes slithered in the air like vines climbing invisible walls. 

A massive mouth, layered with rows of sharp elongated teeth, frightfully gaping at Moulin's frozen expression. Slime stretched between its gums, and it looked as if it was drooling. Drooling at its new prey. 

Moulin unconsciously skittered an inch backwards as he stared at the horrendous creatures revealing themselves before his eyes. It looked horrifying and gruesome. Even he was lost of words.

The creature released a second shriek, louder than its last cry. It echoed throughout the forest, going deeper and deeper until it even reached the ears of a particular merfolk boy running for his life. 

When Altira heard, the sound he was even more afraid. His expression was terrified, and he ran and ran as fast as his legs could. And then-

"Oof!"

When he turned to his right, where high thorny bushes were located, he bumped into a muscular chest. His butt fell on the snow as he groaned out in pain while covering his nose. "Ow..."

"Altira!" 

It was a man, built with bulky muscles covered in soft leather and fur. A leather strap was draped across his chest, a long spear tied behind his back. A few others trailed behind the man, anxiously staring at their chief's son, who fell on the snow.

The chief hurried held his son. Relief filled his chest, and he could finally ease the worry in his heart. "Altira, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

The young boy blinked at his father. Suddenly, his eyes watered, and he embraced his father as he shook his head. "No, I'm alright..."

With a sigh, the man patted his son's back. "You worry me, you little rascal! What were you thinking coming here by yourself?!" He scolded with a loud voice.

Altira cringed, "I only wanted to"

RRRUUUAAAGGGHHHH!!!!

The loud beastly cry filled their ears. The trees trembled with the resounding noise—the noise of a Malibreed.

The chief narrowed his eyes, and he held his spear in his hand. His followers readied their weapons warily. 

"A malibreed." Altira's father turned his head to his people, specifically the tracker in their group. "Where did it come from?"

"Its-"

"From the lake!" Altira abruptly interrupted with a raised voice. He held his father anxiously. Altira was well familiar with the direction of the beast's cry. "Father, the ice cave by the lake has collapsed!"

"What?" The chieftain widened his eyes. "No, that can't be... There is still a live person there!"

The shock of his companions wasn't the less intense than his. 

"T-There was?" Altira could not believe his ears. 

Before he could further ask, his father suddenly grabbed him and shouted out orders to his group before facing his son. "Stay close to me. Never stray. Do you understand?"

Altira nodded despite his confusion. "Y-Yes."

With a nod, the group hastened their steps. Their guards raised as they headed back to where Altira had fled. The boy's father narrowed his eyes. His spear glinting with sharpness. Please let them be not too late...

...................

...................

"Huff... Huff... Huff... "

Breathless and panting, a slender figure slowly backed away. His bare feet sank into the snow, reaching just above his ankles. A furred fabric was tied around his waist, but his pale chest remained exposed. Fortunately for Moulin, he didn't have to run around naked. He found a well-crafted bag of leather with a furred coat lying inside it. Swaying in every step, the ends of his wavy silver hair reached just below his hip. 

A terrifying growl vibrated into his ears, and Moulin restrained himself from revealing even the slightest bit of hesitation and fear as he faced the approaching creature, stretching without limits. The ends of its body were concealed under the depths of the black water while its upper body moved like a snake. It stretched towards Moulin, mouth gaping and its black slime dripping on the pure white snow. 

Moulin exhaled slowly, sidestepping as carefully as he can. He placed his hand behind him and began to materialize a weapon. A flash of silver occurred behind him, and the monster abruptly scented the delicious smell of abundant mana. It lets out a hungry growl making Moulin stop. Its roar became noisier, and its mouth moved towards Moulin as though it was triggered by something. 

Moulin stopped. Slowly his eyes glanced at the blade of shimmering white behind him. He was shocked by its vibrancy, but then his eyes returned to the monster baring its teeth at him. Moulin narrowed his eyes. 

'It's drawn to mana,' he thought.

Furrowing his brows, he moved to raise his dagger, swaying it between his fingers. 

The creature released a growl, its mouth somewhat forming a sinister grin. Moulin swallowed and patiently observed the creature's reaction. However, 'it' only faced Moulin, its head not tilting an inch. 

'More like drawn to the source of the mana,' Moulin took in a breath. Damn it, he was 'really' going to become slime food.

Moulin was about to resort to dashing away from the lake. 

"Hey, over here!"

However, a sudden noise caught his attention and the attention of the creature as well!

Moulin turned his head and cursed. A young boy was waving his hands. Altira was standing barely at the edge of the forest, abruptly raising his voice to catch the creature's attention. 

Moulin's eyes widen in alarm. Way was there a kid here?! His breathing turned erratic as his heart pounded. 

"Altira! What are you doing?!" The chieftain widened his eyes in shock. A frightful expression etched his aged face as he gripped his spear. He and his men were standing not far from him. They were observing the maeruthan facing the malibreed fearlessly. They didn't expect Altira to pop up from his hideout suddenly. What was the lad thinking?! Did he want to get himself killed?!

"Damn it!" Moulin clenched his jaw. Whipping his head towards the little boy, he yelled. "Run!"

Altira flinched. He stared at the beautiful goddess only to freeze in shock. "You're a guy?"

"Altira!" The chieftain's voice resounded desperately. 

The creature was heading towards the pure merboy and stretched out his tentacles at an alarming speed. It pierced through the air like an arrow! 

In less than a second, Moulin tried to summon his sacred weapon. However, his mana unusually didn't respond. "What?"

Gritting his teeth, he could only summon his power and stomped his foot on the soft snowy ground. A circle of light appeared, and the creature instantly turned to face Moulin again. It released a loud, sickening roar, drool sputtering from its mouth.

Finally attracting the creature's attention, Moulin's next plan was to lead the beast away from the other people present in the area. He bent his knees and readied himself-

Out of the blue, a large crystal emerged from the ground and directly pierced the creature's jaw! It went through its mouth, and the tip emerged through the top of its head. 

The creature stuttered. The slimy body spasmed endlessly. Its pained grating noises filled the air, and black liquid slowly oozed down the crystal's body. Every single soul watching had their eyes wide and shocked.

Finally, the malibreed's body sagged. Death is claiming it instantly. Its tentacles slowly lost life, spasming until it stiffened a couple of minutes later.

The merfolk, who are watching the events unfold before them, froze in their place. It was their first time witnessing such power. Such rich, marvelous, and potent mana. They knew that this kind of mana would most likely attract all kinds of malibreeds and yet could also be used to kill off thousands of malibreeds in an instant. The tribe chief's eyes slowly shifted to the young man with long silver hair. He was perhaps more beautiful than the prettiest mermaids in their tribe. However, his looks could be overlooked. It was his power that attracted them like pious servants of the temples.

On the other hand, the youth blinked at the unexpected situation he had caused once again. 

The battle ended just like that? He didn't even realize that it was his doing! He was sure he only activated his mana to lure the beast, but he didn't expect this!