Solar Blood Masters

A chilling cold permeated, accompanied by soft dripping of melting ice within this 'Frozen Hell Domain'.

Raphael, Lu Jade, and Thienika huddled back-to-back, forming a triangle of wary defiance against the pack of Crimson Fang Hounds that surrounded them. Their breaths formed frosty clouds in the air.

"Where are we, Big Brother?" Lu Jade shivered. He could feel the icy energy of this place seeping into his very core.

"It feels like… another world…" Raphael's form trembled, and it wasn't from the cold. He scanned their icy surroundings with a growing unease, "We're not in Desolate Sands anymore are we?"

"This… is a domain ability, Raphael." Thienika's ancient eyes narrowed as her gaze drifted upwards towards a slowly rotating ice wheel that hovered menacingly above their heads.

"That wheel…" Lu Jade pointed with his tail. "I can't make sense of it…"

"What is it, Grandma?"

"Based on those symbols, it seems like some sort of declaration or law… law that govern this place."

"Law?"

Raphael was puzzled. He had never encountered a domain that possessed a physical object that governed its laws, surely it wasn't just for decorations or a fancy lights show.

Before Thienika could elaborate further, a deep, rhythmic thud had them all turning in fright.

THUMP! THUMP!

The ground beneath them trembled! It was approaching.

And then, they saw him.

Pitbull Sama strode towards them with his colossal form radiating a chilling aura that had their Solar Essences recoiling. He dwarfed them. His crimson fangs shone threateningly. He was a true predator, a nightmare given form.

"That hound…" Raphael's hooves shuffled nervously, his earlier bravado now replaced by a dread that he couldn't quite shake off, "He's HUGE! The Crimson Fang Hound back in the Blood Forest, it was like… a baby compared to this one!"

Without paying much attention to the bull's outburst, Pitbull Sama glanced up at the magnificent ice wheel and then spoke in a deep, resonant voice that resounded through the domain:

…

"Ah, look above, the Subzero Law Wheel spins,

Beware of the power that lies within.

In this domain, the chill runs deep,

And as the wheel turns, your fate I'll reap.

You stand at the precipice of icy despair,

Where every breath you take is a frozen snare.

Tread lightly, for with each passing moment,

The rules of this realm shift—your doom is potent.

With whispers of frost and reflections of light,

Your strength shall falter in this endless night.

You may think to flee, to escape our grasp,

But in this realm of ice, you'll find no respite at last."

…

Raphael couldn't comprehend those poetic pronouncements, but he felt a chill.

"What's he talking about?"

"Hmmm, those weren't simply boasting, Raphael, those words carry power." Thienika's gaze remained fixed on that slowly rotating wheel above.

"That wheel… it's not just for show. We have to be careful. I think it's about to…"

But before she could explain further…

"AROOOOOOO!"

Pitbull Sama howled.

And the wheel responded!

The ice wheel above them groaned as its mechanisms began to spin with an accelerating speed! Frost crackled along its edges, forming strange, intricate patterns. And at the center of the wheel, a symbol materialized.

It glowed with an ominous blue light.

The first Ice Law had been activated!

"The first law of my Frozen Hell Domain… behold… 'Frostbite Grasp!'"

He grinned, savoring their fear. "This domain is fueled by my very essence, now fight, and despair, for I, PITBULL SAMA will relish crushing you all!"

Then, with a terrifying flick of his tail, a blinding white light shot forth from the wheel's center. It engulfed Raphael's team.

And echoing from every corner of this domain they heard:

…

"In this realm where shadows creep,

With every step, the cold shall seep.

The more you strive, the more you freeze,

A chilling grasp brings hounds to tease."

…

"ATTACK! KILL them! CLAIM their EGGS!"

He didn't have to command them twice.

"For Pitbull Sama!"

"That BULL! He's the one who turned our brother into a gold statue! I'LL rip him apart!"

With bloodthirsty growls and howls, the Crimson Fang Hound pack rushed forward.

They were a tumultuous wave of fangs and claws!

Raphael's team reacted instantly!

"Wing Slashnado!"

"Phantom Willow Grass – Blossom Barrage!"

"Regal Counter!"

Raphael's wings sent forth a barrage of crimson slashes. Lu Jade unleashed emerald tendrils, they snaked outwards and entangled the hounds. Thienika met their attacks with her staff, sending them tumbling backwards with bone-jarring impacts.

But as the fight prolonged, a chilling realization dawned on them. It wasn't simply the domain's inherent icy energy, no. Something else was sapping their strength.

The more they moved, the colder they became!

Lu Jade, whose connection to nature was potent, quickly deciphered the chilling truth.

"Big Brother, this domain! It's draining our heat! We can't escape this law!"

"What do we do?!"

Thienika spoke calmly, "We must minimize our movement. We'll be vulnerable but… at least we'll stay warm."

They stopped running. And as their frenzy subsided, the numbing cold also waned slightly.

But…

The hounds weren't done.

They attacked!

"You think standing still will save you?!"

"We'll freeze you solid, THEN we'll crush your bones!"

They lunged! Jaws snapping! Claws flashing!

Raphael reacted.

"HELIOSPHERE BLIZZARD!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Five golden energy spheres materialized around him and shot outwards! They exploded! And in a heartbeat, a radius of hundred meters was engulfed in a blazing inferno. It was a devastating counterattack that sent the hounds yelping and scattering!

"FIRE! He can control FIRE?!"

"Retreat! His flames cancel out our Ice Laws!"

"Smart bull." Thienika smiled softly and nodded at Lu Jade.

"Emerald Flame Breath!"

Lu Jade quickly sprouted Phantom Willow Grass around them. He then set the grass ablaze and created a wall of emerald flames that radiated warmth and provided a temporary respite from the oppressive cold.

Above, the ice wheel flickered. The symbol vanished. They'd successfully overcome the 'Frostbite Grasp'!

Seeing this, the scattered hounds regrouped near their leader with their tails tucked between their legs.

"Hmmm, well done, bull." Pitbull Sama glared at Raphael. "Hmph! You've overcome the first law, but the second… is even more frightening."

Pitbull Sama observed the team before him with an air of amusement, as if watching those ants he so adored crushing.

"Get ready to be ERASED, fools! AROOOO!" He howled.

Above, the 'Subzero Law Wheel' responded instantly. It spun faster. Then with a chilling chime, a new symbol materialized with an icy blue glow.

The second law had been activated.

"Behold… the law of 'Glacial Reflection'!"

Pitbull Sama savored their bewilderment as a blinding white light descended from the wheel's center and bathed Raphael's team.

…

"Gaze upon the mirrored sky,

Where every strike shall turn awry.

A radiant light, a treacherous beam,

Your own might turned against your dream."

…

As the light dimmed, small, spectral ice mirrors materialized. One hovered above each member of Raphael's team, including himself.

"What the hell… are these?"

Raphael swiped at the mirror above his head, but his claws passed right through.

"It's useless, Raphael. They're merely a visual representation of this domain's law, a reflection of our predicament." Thienika cautioned them as she observed the mirrors with an unease, for their simplicity was unsettling.

"Glacial Reflection, you say?" Lu Jade tried to make sense of the law's name. He even asked Pitbull Sama to repeat the chilling chant from earlier, "I need… I need those words, to comprehend the rules!"

But his pleas were ignored, for their tormentor's patience was thin indeed, and the thrill of victory was in his grasp.

"Attack! KILL them! Claim their eggs! There's no need for words or reasoning now!"

"Yes! Pitbull Sama!"

The hounds charged with a renewed vigor. They unleashed a barrage of ice shards and frost bolts!

"We can't simply stand here and get bombarded! Attack!" Raphael growled, and they retaliated!

"Phantom Willow Grass – Blossom Barrage!"

"Wing Slashnado!"

"Sun Cycle – Solar Beam!"

"Sapphire Spring Melody!"

Lu Jade's emerald tendrils lashed out, Raphael's crimson slashes impacted a few hounds, Lu Jade's Solar Beam and Raphael's magnificent blue sword dances clashed against the hounds' icy onslaught!

But then…

"Huh?"

They stared in disbelief!

The hounds they thought they had knocked down and wounded heavily, were unscathed!

"How…?"

Not a single hound had been injured, not even a scratch! Their attacks had passed through their forms like mist!

Raphael roared in frustration. "What is going ON?! I HIT them! We ALL HIT THEM! And yet… they are UNHARMED?!"

He glanced at his team, demanding answers. But they were just as baffled.

"This domain…"

"The rules…"

"The mirrors!"

Suddenly…

The spectral mirrors above Raphael and Lu Jade expanded!

They descended slowly, each one settling before them, until they resembled colossal shields.

They were facing… themselves.

Their reflections were perfect and scary to look at.

"Is that… ME?" Raphael stared at the imposing golden bull within the mirror. It stood with its arms crossed, and the 'Abyss Nylon' that adorned its body, swayed menacingly.

Lu Jade was equally stunned. "T-that's… UNREAL!"

And then, the impossible happened.

The reflections moved!

"Phantom Willow Grass – Blossom Barrage!"

"Wing Slashnado!"

"Sapphire Spring Melody!"

"Sun Cycle – Solar Beam!"

From their spectral forms, the very same attacks that they had launched at the hounds earlier… they were reflected back at them!

"NO!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM!

Their attacks slammed into them! The force of their combined might sent Raphael and Lu Jade hurtling backwards!

They crashed through multiple ice formations!

Shards of ice rained down upon them like a deadly hailstorm!

"Cough! Cough!"

They struggled to their hooves and tail, dazed and confused.

"That was…"

"Those mirrors!"

"My Solar Beam… it attacked me?!"

"My techniques…!"

Their bewilderment and pain was cut short as another realization had their hides tingling.

"Wait… Where's Grandma?! Why are WE the only ones who got attacked?"

Lu Jade's question had a chilling answer in its wake.

"Because… she didn't ATTACK!"

"Hmmm…" Thienika's eyes narrowed as she observed the scene unfold. She had not moved from her position. She'd been observing. And her earlier warning about the 'Subzero Law Wheel', it now rang in their ears like a dreadful bell.

The truth dawned on them.

"The Ice Law… 'Glacial Reflection' only reflects those attacks WE launch? It's a trap!"

"So THAT'S how it works?!"

Lu Jade had deciphered it.

The domain's second law… it punished those who dared to retaliate! It made them their own worst enemy!

"Clever hound…" Thienika muttered in appreciation. This tactic was both potent and cruel.

"Now then, how do we overcome it?" Raphael glanced at his companions.

"We can't simply stand here and do NOTHING, surely?"

Before they could come up with a plan…

"AROOO! FINISH THEM! They are defenseless like babies!"

The hounds attacked again. But this time, Raphael's team knew better than to simply unleash their attacks.

"We'll exhaust them! Then drain their Solar Essence when they least expect it!"

They darted around their preys while launching several ranged attacks.

Raphael's team was trapped! The only thing they could do was evade.

They huddled closer, forming a tight circle as their strength waned and a chilling frost crept upon their scales, hooves, and leaves.

"Damn, this is frustrating!." Lu Jade shivered. He could feel his emerald scales frosting over.

"Don't give up, Little Lu, surely, we can beat this." Raphael was starting to shiver as well.

"Wait… I have an idea." Thienika's calm tone contradicted the urgency of their situation.

"Perhaps we can trick that wheel…"

"What do you mean?"

She quickly explained her plan.

Lu Jade and Raphael moved closer, standing before her, and when the hound's howls began to resonate, she quickly extended her hands and created a translucent barrier that shielded them from those prying, judgmental eyes of those frozen hearts.

"NOW!"

The hounds unleash their combined attack.

A torrent of energy blasts, each one laced with a chilling frost, rained down on them!

"Regal Counter!"

Thienika activated her technique.

BOOM!

The energy blasts reversed trajectory! They hurtled back towards the hounds.

"What?!"

"Damn that witch! DODGE!"

The hounds yelped. They scrambled to evade their own attack! It was a chaotic scene of explosions and scattering bodies.

But just as they thought they'd escaped…

The spectral ice mirror above Thienika's head expanded! It descended, settling before her. Her reflection formed within the mirror, her staff raised high.

It began mimicking her stance! It pulsated with a dreadfully familiar aura.

"What?!"

"The mirror… it's still reacting?!" Raphael couldn't believe his eyes.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The spectral Thienika unleashed a barrage of energy blasts!

But…

The mirror cracked! And those blasts that escaped, they struck the hounds!

"ARGH!"

They were confused.

"This is impossible! Why are WE being ATTACKED?!"

"This is our DOMAIN! Those laws should respect us!"

"Something's wrong!"

"That damn wheel! It's MALFUNCTIONING!"

They glared at the ice mirror with anger and betrayal, as above, the symbol representing 'Glacial Reflection' flickered, and then, with a final, shattering crack...

It vanished.

And as it did, the other mirrors also shattered.

Raphael, Lu Jade, and Thienika watched as the icy fragments of those mirrors that had reflected their doom rained down, leaving behind a sense of freedom and dread, for surely wasn't this victory merely a prelude to a more devastating law?

"That was too close, but… We survived!"

They had escaped the second Ice Law.