The usually light-hearted Garrett suddenly held his hand up, gesturing for silence. An expression of grave concentration replaced his usually carefree demeanor.
His eyes were fixed on something on the forest floor. After following his gaze, the group found something peculiar in the snow: a series of enormous paw prints, significantly larger than anything they had ever seen before.
These prints were notably distinctive; they were significantly deeper and broader and undeniably the sign of an enormous creature in size and mass.
The freshness of the imprints was indicated by their crisp edges, which provided further evidence that the creature was not too far away.
Erik got down on his knees next to one of them and put his hand in the crater there. The fact that the print was so much larger than his hand was a concerning indication of the kind of monster that left them.
There were a handful of them that came to his mind and that he knew lived around these parts of the forest.
"This is..."
Before Erik could say anything else, a loud sound spread in the surroundings and reverberated through the grove, directing their attention to the origin of the sound.
The noise was too distinct, too sudden to be mistaken – the snapping sound of a tree trunk. That was unsettling.
The thunderous crash that followed confirmed their fear. It wasn't something small approaching them, but it was far bigger and more dangerous.
The atmosphere around the group became increasingly tense as silence descended upon them. As they instinctively reached for their weapons and swept their gazes across the surrounding forest to identify the precise location of the beast, their chests tightened, and their breaths caught in their throats.
Everything that had been said before was utterly forgotten, and in its place was a palpable feeling of dread that hung in the air like a dense fog. The only sounds that could be heard were their rapid breaths and the creaking of trees in the distance, adding to the howling wind.
They were under a palpable threat that felt like it was pressing down on them like a weight they could almost touch. Nevertheless, there was a sense of determination, which coexisted with the present fear and uncertainty.
"What do we do?" Ava asked.
"We should run!" Erik replied.
A strong wind picked up at that precise instant, turning the snow around them into a whirling vortex and preventing them from fleeing.
The tall trees around them began to shake violently, and a low growl resonated through the forest. The sound was both eerily recognizable and wholly foreign at the same time.
The group froze as the growl intensified into a terrifying roar, their hearts pounding like war drums in their chests as the terrifying sound continued.
Suddenly, a massive form emerged through the dense wall of snow and wood protecting the area.
<Fuck!>
"IT'S AN URSUS GLACIALIS!" Erik yelled, his eyes revealing clear signs of apprehension.
-----------------------------
<New Quest: The blue shadow.>
-Goal: Escape or Kill the Thaid.
-Penalty for failure: Certain Death.
-Rewards for completion: 5000 experience points, 1000 DNA points, 10 strength, 10 dexterity, and 10 intelligence stat points for surviving the encounter.
-----------------------------
After emerging from the undergrowth, the Ursus Glacialis appeared in front of them in all its monstrous splendor. The tall and imposing figure of the beast was unlike anything they had ever seen before, and it dominated the environment.
The beast's muscular frame was covered in thick, sapphire-blue fur that shimmered against the stark white of the snow. The beauty of its fur contrasted dramatically with the beast's intimidating height of seven meters and its monstrous jaws. Its glowing blue eyes were fixed on the group with the intensity of a predator, and its long, lethal claws were displayed for all to see.
After taking a few steps back, Erik felt a shiver, unrelated to the chilly temperature outside, run down his back. During their journey to the Lumisgrove, they encountered several large Thaids, but nothing like this one.
The sheer magnitude of the beast, combined with the raw, primal power it exuded, was enough to make even the most seasoned warrior pause.
The Ursus Glacialis came crashing down on them like a storm, its size and sheer viciousness dwarfing anything else they had to contend with up to that point, and with it, a massive gust of cold wind came.
For a split second, Erik felt an overwhelming dread seizing a firm hold on his heart, but he quickly calmed himself and started formulating a plan.
When Garret saw the monstrous Thaid, he was taken aback by the terrifying scene before him, and he could barely catch his breath in his chest.
When he saw the Thaid, an ancient terror was reawakened within him. He wasn't the only one with that feeling. The others were wide eyes, fear clutching their hearts.
In the meantime, Erik tried to assess the situation. After a quick scan with his analysis power, Erik determined that the group could not kill the beast, but they were able to flee.
However, he was required to concentrate solely on restraining it and could not participate in the fight.
Erik's eyes widened as he noticed the frost forming around the monstrous Thaid, indicating its lethal brain crystal power.
A shiver ran down his spine. He had read about the Ursus Glacialis and even injected information about it.
However, reading about something and facing it in the flesh were two entirely different things.
The creature's enormous size and unbridled power were things that no book could ever hope to portray accurately, not even the effects such a creature could have on the human psyche.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Alexia broke the bone-chilling stillness that had descended upon the group. She stood there, her eyes wide open, her typically upbeat demeanor replaced by shock and fear.
"Don't stay idle!" Erik replied, his voice slightly louder than a whisper, "That is a fucking Ursus Glacialis! It's one of the most powerful Thaids around these parts of the forest!" His gaze never left the charging beast, his grip tightening around his weapon.
Alexia gulped, her face paling even further. "And its brain crystal power...?"
"Cryomancy!" Erik shouted. "It has the ability to control ice and cold. And considering its dimensions, the magnitude of its power would be on an entirely different scale. We cannot afford to be careless."
The group watched in terror as the Ursus Glacialis barreled towards them just as he finished his sentence. The snow surrounding it began to freeze in mid-air. That was unsettling, as elemental powers were uncommon and uncannily powerful. When Erik looked at his friends, he saw fear in their eyes, which was a problem.
"READY YOUR WEAPONS!"
The Ursus Glacialis roared again, producing a loud noise that reverberated throughout the woods, rattling the trees and causing a flurry of snow to cascade down from the branches.
"Ready yourselves!" Erik yelled out, but his words were difficult to make out over the howling of the Ursus Glacialis. Even though the situation was dangerous, he remained steady, believing in his Xeridon Anteris' power, which would allow him to escape if things got bad. He was prepared to do everything he could to ensure his friends would survive.
The temperature of the air around the beast dropped as it got closer. In its wake, ice crystals formed, adding to the surreal and lethal beauty of the scene.
For the time being, their destiny was in their own hands, and the upcoming battle with this enormous beast would prove to be the most challenging test they had faced up to this point.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺