CHAPTER 240: Alaska, a Safe Place - 7

CHAPTER 240: Alaska, a Safe Place - 7

Water slid down Fenix's body as he finished dressing quickly. The improvised bandage around his shoulder was firm, and the wound felt notably better.

Aelith remained beside the pool, watching him with serenity.

Fenix put on his jacket and flexed his left arm slightly.

—Thank you.

Aelith tilted her head.

—It was nothing.

Then it happened.

A deep sound resonated through the stone.

The horn.

A second later came the screams.

Metallic clashes.

Roars.

Fenix's face changed completely.

Aelith understood it instantly too.

—Something has entered.

Fenix did not wait a second more.

He shot out toward the stone stairs, climbing them three at a time. Aelith followed closely.

As they ascended, the sounds became more intense.

Vampires ran through the hallways with weapons in hand. Some descended to protect the civilians; others headed to the walls.

Fenix pushed one aside as he turned a corner.

And when he finally reached the upper level...

The scene was absolute chaos.

The snow in the inner courtyard was completely stained red.

Vampires and mutated lycans fought hand to hand throughout the fortress. The creatures climbed the walls, jumped from the rooftops, and tore apart everything in their path.

Selene pierced the chest of one of them with both swords.

Lucian ripped the jaw off another with his own hands.

The shrieks rumbled in every corner.

Fenix observed the aberrations for barely a second.

And he knew.

His expression hardened.

—Marcus…

Only he could have created something like this.

Only he was capable of turning lycans into laboratory monsters.

Then he saw him.

At the other end of the courtyard.

A gigantic beast advanced through the battle, pushing aside both vampires and its own creatures. It was over three meters tall, with deformed muscles, bones protruding beneath the flesh, and multiple scars covering its body.

Its arms were disproportionately long.

Its claws looked like blades.

Its eyes glowed with cruel intelligence.

Marcus.

Or what was left of him.

Fenix clenched his jaw.

Near him, a thick metal bar rested among the remains of a destroyed structure.

He took it with one hand.

It weighed quite a bit.

Not enough.

Marcus turned his head.

His eyes fixed on him.

A monstrous smile drew itself on his face.

—Fenix…

Fenix did not respond.

He twisted his torso.

And threw the bar with all the strength of his body.

The metal whistled through the air like a projectile.

It struck Marcus square in the face with a brutal thunder.

The monster's head shook violently to one side.

The blow was so powerful that it made him retreat several steps, crushing two mutated lycans in the process.

The entire courtyard seemed to freeze for an instant.

Marcus roared.

It was not an animal sound.

It was something much worse.

A mixture of hatred, pain, and pure dementia.

His enormous hind legs sank into the snow.

And the next instant, he shot off.

Fenix barely had time to tense his muscles.

—Shit…!

The impact was devastating.

Marcus rammed him full in the chest like a freight train. Both crossed the courtyard at brutal speed until they crashed against one of the inner walls of the fortress.

The stone cracked.

A shockwave ran through the place.

Fenix felt the air leave his lungs all at once.

He could not even curse.

Marcus gave him no time.

His gigantic fist descended like a hammer.

Fenix managed to raise his left arm to cover himself.

The blow shook him to the bones.

Then came another.

And another.

And another.

Each impact rumbled against the stone.

Fenix blocked as best he could, using his only arm, but the difference in strength was absurd.

His forearm burned.

The muscles protested.

His ribs creaked under one of the impacts.

Marcus grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall again.

Fenix's vision blurred for an instant.

A knee strike sank into his abdomen.

Fenix spat blood.

He tried to counterattack with a punch, but Marcus caught his wrist with insulting ease.

He twisted it.

Fenix growled in pain.

Marcus headbutted his face.

The crack of his nose was unmistakable.

Fenix's head shook backward.

The world spun for a second.

Marcus took advantage to unleash a rain of brutal blows on his torso and face.

Fenix could barely cover himself.

His only arm was already at its limit.

Each block drew a grimace of pain from him.

Each impact sank him a little deeper against the destroyed wall.

Blood ran down his chin.

His breathing was irregular.

Marcus grabbed him by the hair and forced him to raise his head.

Around him, the battle continued.

But for that instant...

Only the two of them existed.

—Fenix… —Marcus growled.

He threw him several meters, rolling over the snow and the remains of stone.

Fenix tried to get up.

His left arm trembled.

His vision doubled.

And Marcus was coming again.

The battle had turned into a slaughter.

The snow was no longer white.

The entire courtyard was covered in blood, remains of wood, and destroyed bodies.

Selene spun on herself, decapitating one of the creatures with a clean cut. The head rolled several meters before disappearing under a rain of footsteps.

The vampires fought with admirable ferocity.

But something was going terribly wrong.

One of the warriors fell with his throat torn.

His body remained motionless on the snow.

For two seconds.