Reality overload Chapter 10: Flash freeze

Read chapter 10 of Reality overload by Namizou on NovelPedia.

Walking down the left path. The air feeling like it was trying to suffocate me. Lingering frost clinging to the tips of my fingers from the last fight. The cave beginning to narrow slightly. "Here we go again," mentally preparing myself for another bout of claustrophobic shenanigans. Coming into the tighter quarters I realized it wasn't as bad as the previous area. Much more manageable, at least it wasn't nightmare water‑fueled. A shadow peeled itself off of the wall. Moving like a wraith, silent, calculating. Following from behind the intruder in its domain. This meat smelled good. Not like those filthy little creatures. Foul meat, but kept it and its brethren living. They would eat well soon. The air behind me shifted, not enough to hear, not enough to see, but enough that something primal in my spine tightened. The tunnel felt smaller. The walls felt closer. My own heartbeat felt too loud, like it was announcing my position with every thud. I took another step. The shadow took one with me. The frost on my fingertips flickered, reacting before I did, a tiny pulse of cold, like my magic sensed the danger a fraction of a second before my brain caught up. Something was wrong. Something was behind me. And whatever it was...no there was more than one I ran....Not caring about the sound any longer. I needed to get out of here. I was scared I'll admit that. The caveman part of my brain telling me, demanding me to escape from here. My boots slapped against stone, echoing like gunshots in the tight corridor. Every breath scraped my throat raw. The tunnel blurred into a smear of jagged rock and flickering shadows as I sprinted, half‑blind, half‑panicked. Behind me — Skittering. Claws. Wet, eager breathing. More than one. More than two. A pack. The frost on my fingers crawled up my wrist, reacting to my fear, my pulse, my desperation. I didn't even try to control it. I just ran. The tunnel forked. I didn't try to think. I didn't choose. My body just veered left, the sounds of skittering beginning to fade. I turned right at the next junction right, then down a sloping passage that felt too steep, too familiar. "No." My mind racing "No, no, no." I recognized that slope. I recognized the widening of the walls. The faint smell of burnt hair and iron. My lungs seized. I had been here before. I burst into the chamber and knew that I was well and truly screwed, as many beady eyes snapped in my direction. We stood there for a moment. Neither me nor the goblins reacted. Time standing still for a fraction of a moment, before it clicked back into motion Everything exploded into chaos. They surged at me. My fear of the things chasing me and the horde of goblins in front making my heart skip a beat. One leapt at me from the right, I ducked, barely, feeling its claws rake the air above my head. Another scrambled up my leg like a rabid squirrel, teeth snapping for my throat. I slammed my elbow down, knocking it loose, but three more replaced it instantly. A goblin lunged for my arm. That one got a knife for its troubles, "poof". Another grabbed my ankle. My balance wavered. The frost on my hands flared, reacting to the panic, crawling up my forearms in jagged, frantic patterns. "OH.." Was all I could manage, as I lost my footing, hitting the ground hard. Then they were on me. Their shrieks growing jubilantly at my blunder. I felt a sharp pain in my lower back one came from the left jumping on to of me. Slashing across my left eye. A line of white hot pain running from my brow to the corner of my lips. "AAARGGHH!!." I WONT LET YOUUUU!!!!! I yelled in defiance. The pain was intense. More than I remembered from before. Vision going dark on that side. I gave the offending goblin a face full of ice. Flash freezing its head. Poof... That was all could do beforewas overtaken my fear started rising, my vision tunneling. As I was grabbed from every angle. Frost began to form up my arms and legs. Mist rising from my breath. Then I saw it, its red glowing eyes