CHAPTER 174: THE CRIMSON TIDE [15]

"That’s it?"

Alaric’s voice came out quiet. Almost disappointed.

His hand had gripped the dreadhound’s head. The creature writhed weakly in his grasp.

Alaric’s fingers tightened.

The skull crunched. Bone splintered beneath his palm with a wet, grinding sound. Then collapsed inward completely.

He opened his hand.

The body dropped to the forest floor. Hit the ground with a dull thud. Twitched once. Twice.

Then went still.

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

The notifications erupted across his vision in rapid succession. Translucent panels flickering into existence, stacking over one another in layers.

[+90 Exp]

[+130 Exp]

[+75 Exp]

[+110 Exp]

More kept coming. The text glitched and stuttered, lines of information fragmenting and reforming. The panels themselves looked wrong—edges bleeding into each other, colors shifting erratically.

Alaric didn’t look at them. His hand came up, fingers raking through his hair in irritation.

"Just shut it, you’re making me feel nauseous."

The words came out flat.

He dropped his hand and turned away from the corpse and started walking. Boots crunching over dead leaves and broken branches as he moved deeper into the forest.

The forest stretched endlessly around him. Trees upon trees, their shadows merging into an impenetrable wall of darkness broken only by fragments of moonlight.

Alaric’s boots kept moving forward. While his thoughts were elsewhere.

"Should’ve gone easy on that girl, and brought her with me," he muttered under his breath.

Then he rolled his shoulders. Once. Twice. The joints popped quietly. Then tilted his head side to side, working out the tension in his neck.

"Well, what’s done is done."

Suddenly, his hand shot up to his temple, pressing hard against the side of his head. His face twisted.

"Damn this headache."

He stopped walking. Looked around slowly, scanning the environment.

There was nothing but trees. The undergrowth thick and tangled. No path. No landmarks. Just wilderness stretching in every direction.

Above, the moon’s brilliant glow had started to fade. The silver-white light dimming degree by degree, signaling the approaching end of night.

Alaric stood still for a moment longer.

Then closed his eyes.

His essence erupted outward. It flooded through the forest like an invisible wave, spreading in all directions.

Seconds passed.

Then his eyes snapped open, head whipped toward the east.

CRACKLE!

WHOOSH!

Then he vanished.

CRACKLE

WHOOSH!

And materialized at the edge of a rocky outcropping.

Before a small cave, partially hidden by overgrown vines and twisted roots.

"This would do."

He said and moved toward the entrance without hesitation. He ducked his head slightly to clear the stone arch and stepped inside.

Then... caught the movement.

Shapes stirred in the darkness. Multiple hunched forms, emerging from the shadows. Their bodies were covered in matted, dark fur that bristled like wire. Muscular limbs ending in curved claws scraped against stone. Elongated snouts pulled back, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

Eyes flared to life in the darkness. Six pairs of luminescent green that burned with predatory hunger, fixed directly on the intruder.

A low growl rumbled through the cave.

Deep and guttural.

The sound reverberated off the walls. As they began moving towards him.

But Alaric didn’t flinch.

His pace remained steady. Unhurried. Boots crunching over gravel as he walked deeper inside.

Then he raised his hand. Almost lazily.

Flames flickered to life across his fingertips, points of orange and red that illuminated his face from below, casting sharp shadows across his features.

"Let’s see what you can do."

He murmured quietly and extended his hand toward the gathered creatures.

"Supernova."

Then...

The cave erupted.

Light exploded outward in a blinding sphere of white-hot fire.

The flames expanded instantly, consuming everything in their path. The creatures didn’t have time to scatter. Didn’t have time to scream.

BOOM!

The deafening explosion shook the entire cave. The blast wave rolled through the cave like a physical force. Rock cracked. The walls groaned.

Then—

Silence.

Smoke billowed thick, filling the space. Then it churned slowly, beginning to drift toward the entrance.

As it cleared, the devastation revealed itself.

A massive crater had been carved into the cave floor. The stone itself had melted at the edges, still glowing faintly red. The entire back half of the cave was gone simply... obliterated.

Nothing remained of the creatures. Not bodies. Not bones. Just ash and scorched earth where they’d been standing moments before.

Alaric blinked.

He looked down at his hand. Clenched his fist. Opened it again slowly, watching his fingers flex.

"I overdone it a little."

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

...

...

Multiple panels flashed in front of him, but he dismissed them and turned away from the crater. Scanned the remaining cave space. Found a relatively flat section of stone near the entrance that had escaped the worst of the destruction.

He walked over to it. and just lay down on the hard surface. Stretched out on his back, one arm folded beneath his head.

Behind him, small embers still glowed in the crater. The cave walls radiated residual heat. The smell of burnt flesh and melted stone hung heavy in the air.

But Alaric just closed his eyes.

And drifted to his deep slumber.

*************

Inside one of the dormitory rooms, pale dawn light spilled through the edges of the curtained window.

A boy lay sprawled across one bed, blanket tangled around his legs.

He turned onto his side. His hand reached back, scratching absently at his butt through his pajama pants.

"Mmm."

His eyes cracked open. Unfocused. Heavy with sleep.

"Need to pee."

The words came out thick and muzzy.

He pushed himself upright with clumsy movements. Swung his legs off the bed. Stood there swaying slightly, still half-asleep, before shuffling toward the small bathroom door in the corner.

Moments later, it opened again. He emerged yawning, jaw stretched wide, one hand rubbing at his face.

He just took three steps back toward his bed.

Then he stopped.

His gaze had drifted sideway, toward the other bed against the opposite wall.

Empty. Covers undisturbed. Pillow still perfectly positioned.

"He didn’t come back yet?"

He muttered the words to himself, his hand dropping from his face to scratch at his belly beneath his nightshirt. "Whatever. I’m not covering for him if someone finds out."

He turned back toward his own bed. Reached for the blanket.

But suddenly, his body went rigid as a hand had settled on his shoulder.

He began shivering. And turned his head back mechanically.

When he saw who stood behind him. His breath caught in his throat. Eyes went wide.

But the figure smiled and leaned in slightly.

"Hello, Oliver."