Tiefling (III)

The battle continued. Many Tieflings had been frozen into ice sculptures, torn to pieces, or crippled and devoured. Yet many Yetis had also fallen beneath the Tieflings' siege, their bodies sinking into the deep snow.

"Awoo—"

Suddenly, a tremendous howl came from afar.

The cry was incomparably shrill, sweeping across the entire hillside with the Cold Wind.

Then, all the Yetis began howling along with it. Their cries continued without end, crossing ridge after ridge and sending chills down everyone's spine.

"This is..."

Mezhuolash slowly raised his head and looked up.

At the end of the slope, a burly Yeti stood with its head raised, pounding its chest.

It was far larger than an ordinary Yeti, taller than three men stacked together. Standing amid the snow, it resembled a small mountain blanketed in white.

Massive curled horns grew from either side of its head. Its enormous fangs could pierce a human skull, while its dark blue eyes carried the cold of the polar night. Even the blizzard in the air seemed to grow fiercer.

"Giant Evil Snowman."

Mezhuolash drew a deep breath and spoke the name that filled every northern resident with dread.

This Yeti, with a body like a tower, often appeared in stories mothers used to frighten children. Fiercely territorial and exceedingly savage, it attacked and devoured any warm-blooded creature it encountered, scattering their bones across the ice and snow.

"Stand back."

The Tiefling Paladin stopped the companions beside him who wanted to charge forward. He took several steps ahead alone and provocatively pointed his longsword at the monster.

"He is my opponent."

The distant Giant Evil Snowman let out an excited hunting roar. With a single leap, it covered more than ten meters, sending waves of snow flying.

It landed before the Tiefling and fixed its eyes on him. Icy magical power clung to its gaze, as though it would freeze everything into ice.

"Chilling Gaze!"

This magical gaze was far more terrifying than that of any Yeti before it.

At once, Mezhuolash felt a bone-piercing cold, as if his entire body had been submerged in ice water. Every inch of skin and every bone was freezing solid, unbearable beyond measure.

"Guardian Light!"

The Tiefling forced down the urge to fall into Eternal Sleep as a crimson radiance appeared around him.

The lights guarded his body, resisting the invasion of the extremely cold magical power and allowing him to recover slightly from his frozen state.

"Hellish Rebuke!"

Mezhuolash pointed again, and a ball of blazing fire wrapped around the Giant Evil Snowman.

Yet such weak flames were nothing to the massive Giant Evil Snowman. It merely slowly opened its gaping maw, revealing tiny, densely packed ice pellets in its throat.

"It's Freezing Breath!"

A freezing blast capable of turning any warm-blooded creature into an ice block erupted from its mouth, covering a vast cone-shaped area before it. It extinguished the hellish flames and surged toward the Tiefling Paladin.

Mezhuolash rolled sharply to the left, barely evading the breath.

"Huff... huff..."

"What a terrifying breath."

He propped himself up with his sword and rose, gasping for breath. Only then did he realize that the fingertips of his right hand, which had been touched by the chill, had already frozen into ice and lost all feeling.

Fortunately, the Giant Evil Snowman's breath could not be fired continuously. It needed enough time to rest and recharge. At that moment, it impatiently charged forward, preparing to engage the tiny Tiefling in close combat.

"If I took one head-on—"

"I'd die."

Mezhuolash still felt lingering fear. His gaze toward the charging Giant Evil Snowman grew even more solemn.

With that thought, Mezhuolash hesitated no longer and advanced with his sword.

"Curse Spell!"

He shouted, and a black, ghostly glow of necromantic magic clung to his blade as he slashed at the Giant Evil Snowman.

The Giant Evil Snowman instinctively swung its thick arms up to block.

The immense force sent Mezhuolash and his sword flying, but at the same time, the sharp blade cut through its white fur, allowing the Bestow Curse to take effect.

"Roaaar—"

The Giant Evil Snowman stood rooted to the spot as if petrified.

Clutching its head with both hands, it threw back its head and let out agonized howls.

Mezhuolash rolled several times across the snow to bleed off the force. Then, ignoring the dull pain in his body, he immediately climbed to his feet and charged at the Giant Evil Snowman again.

"Roar—"

The Giant Evil Snowman howled again. Its body swayed as it began hammering its own chest, seeming about to break free of the curse's restraints.

Mezhuolash knew he had only one minute.

When he had been a Redemption Knight, holy radiance had shone from his sword, like an angel descending into the mortal world. But now, the Oathbreaker's blade carried a blood-red glow, crimson light as though it came from Hell.

But it did not matter. He only needed to follow his own will.

"Most Holy Slash!"

With a fierce shout, he leaped high into the air, his longsword coated in a crimson, soul-stirring radiance.

Yet just as the Tiefling was about to bring it down, clarity returned to the Giant Evil Snowman's eyes in an instant. It immediately raised its powerful arm before itself to block.

"Slash—"

Only the sound of a sharp sword cutting through flesh could be heard.

Mezhuolash's strike directly severed the Giant Evil Snowman's thick, massive palm.

The Giant Evil Snowman immediately released a roar filled with pain, rage, and frenzy.

Its other enormous hand directly seized Mezhuolash as he fell.

"Not good!"

Mezhuolash twisted his body wildly in struggle, but beneath the crushing force of the Giant Evil Snowman, he could not move an inch.

That gaping maw grew larger and larger in Mezhuolash's eyes.

He could even feel the bone-piercing chill emanating from deep within its throat.

The Giant Evil Snowman's eyes brimmed with hatred over the loss of its hand. It actually intended to devour the Tiefling in its grasp alive!

With no other choice, Mezhuolash raised his sword and used the last of his strength to fend off the Giant Evil Snowman's attempt to bite him.

"Clang—"

The longsword collided with the Giant Evil Snowman's massive fangs, producing a sharp ring.

Seeing this, the surrounding Tiefling Fighters hurried to help their leader.

However, their swords, arrows, and attacks landing on the Giant Evil Snowman's tough, thick fur were like scratching an itch. Instead, the ordinary Yetis nearby seized the chance to counterattack, causing even more casualties.

While the Giant Evil Snowman was distracted by the scattered attacks, Mezhuolash cast his final Oathbreaker Spell.

"Darkness!"

A dark fog rapidly spread from the Tiefling at its center, enveloping the Giant Evil Snowman and preventing it from seeing anything before it.

Yet even trapped in darkness, no matter how Mezhuolash swung his sword, the monster still gripped him tightly and refused to let go.

At the same time, the Giant Evil Snowman dragged him into a roll across the snow, about to leave the range covered by the black mist.

"No..."

"I will lead my people..."

Within the darkness, resolve shone from Mezhuolash's pitch-black eyes.

"...to survive."

His sword blazed crimson once more as it slashed toward the Giant Evil Snowman's head.

"Most Holy Slash!"

Sigh, he still lost. It was so frustrating to watch.