Apocalypse: The Ice King Returned

Chapter 5: Going Down

It felt as if the more he used his power, the stronger it would be. He knew it was only a theory, but he wanted to experiment to see how much better his power could be.

"Luther, are you all right?" He heard Constance's concern and looked up at her from where he was laying on the floor. He rolled his eyes at her.

Luther smiled. "I’m okay, just a little singed."

He twisted the blade in the body’s head, widening the hole and reaching inside.

"Luther, you...what are you doing?" Constance looked at him incredulously. She felt disturbed at the sight of her brother reaching inside a skull to touch a brain.

Luther kept his eyes on Constance as he fumbled around for a while before finally pulling out a small object. He then took a bottle of water from his backpack and washed it off. A crystal the size of a fingernail appeared.

Luther held the crystal up in the light of the corridor and looked at it.

"This is the power core. It’s produced in the brains of mutated creatures. Ordinary people eat it to improve their physical fitness. Erazers eat it to slowly increase their power." Without hesitation, Luther threw the power core into his mouth and swallowed it.

Constance felt a fleeting sense of nausea. What a disgusting way to boost your own strength.

Luther ignored her expression. "Take a few minutes to rest. Then keep helping me look for weapons on the 18th floor."

Luther was a good fighter, but he did not have the weapons he needed to defeat another zombie. The restrictions of the corridor made it difficult for him to move. However, now he knows that having the power of ice, he can do anything he wants to take down zombies.

Luther and Constance walked further down the hall, and the next time an infected person saw them, he created a small pool of water that covered the zombie’s knee.

"Freeze," Luther ordered the water. The water covering the joint froze instantly. The zombie fell over and was unable to walk properly. It stumbled and crawled its way toward them.

When it tried to get back up, Luther didn’t give him the chance. He twiddled his fingers lightly, forming an arrow made of water between them, and shot it into the zombie's eye. Just before it made contact, the arrow froze into solid ice, shooting into the eye socket. Black liquid spattered out as the zombie roared, unwilling to fall backward.

Luther came up next to it and stabbed his dagger into the back of the zombie's neck, which was the most vulnerable part of the body. This time he did not wash the crystal shard he found. He simply rubbed it twice on his clothes and ate it.

"Luther, aren't you afraid this thing is going to infect you?" Constance asked, shocked.

Her brother’s voice was level, "A power core is the energy center of a mutant. It kills viruses. These crystals are the only part of these people that isn’t infected. Viruses can’t come close to a power core."

"I see…Luther, you’ve changed. You killed that one like it was nothing."

Luther answered over his shoulder "I’m just learning to use my powers more efficiently. Water covers the mutants and freezes it how I want. That part doesn’t tire me out. It was the arrow that got to me. I am getting stronger, though. I feel like I’m only going to be able to make five more after this. I have to be better about saving my energy."

Constance nodded as she listened, playing with the sparks on her fingers. She was still trying to make sense of the world she found herself in. Luther noticed her frown and sighed. He was afraid for anyone who could not survive this change of events. He just wanted his sister to be able to understand her powers so she could make it through this doomsday.

Luther was very particular with the people he trusted before all of this. He did not ask for much. He was convinced that loyalty was the most important thing. Physical strength and ability did not matter to him. Luther always knew that Constance was a good fit.

There weren't many people between them and the 18th floor, so Luther didn't meet many more zombies on the way down. He did kill a few that they passed by.

It didn't take long for the two of them to reach the 18th floor, and Luther took a break once he saw the number sign by the door.

“Are you sure there's an ax on this floor?”

Constance nodded, "All the living quarters are equipped with two emergency fire axes. They’re rarely used."

Luther nodded and pushed open the door. The sound of the door opening echoed and sent a chill down their spines.

Luther was the first to step into the hallway. The corridor floor was covered in debris, and it reeked of blood. There were several doors on either side of the corridor. Only the first door was open, and the rest were closed.

Luther glanced over to the wall at his side. The safety kit was broken, and the ax had been removed. The only other kit was on the other side of the hallway.

Luther cautiously toward it, seeing the second ax still in place.

Then he heard a roar.

"Luther..."

"Forget this. Run."

Bang! When the door at the end of the corridor burst open, Luther saw a middle-aged man in a suit rush in, following by a beautiful woman.

Luther heard another roar and knew that many zombies had been drawn, and when he saw the door open, he realized that more zombies cannot be far off. But this corridor was only one way, the exit was blocked. Luther made a quick decision and turned to his sister, "Constance, go and guard that door."

Luther pointed to the only open door, then punched the emergency kit, took out the fire ax, and ran to catch up with her. The older man was the first to get there, and Constance stood in the doorway.

By now, three other men had come, followed by a horde of zombies. One fell behind the others and was attacked by some of the infected. A zombie pounced on his body to feed on him. The man screamed twice and then fell silent.

The two men in front of him widened their eyes as they made a desperate dash for the open door. One of them, with an ax in his hand, raised it and swung it at Constance, who was standing in their way. Luther had gotten there first, however, and he kicked them both into the room. Both men fell on the carpeted floor inside, and Luther quickly closed the door.

There was a banging sound outside the door, but nothing was going to be able to knock the burglar-proof door down.

Luther leaned against the door and scanned the crowd. They were a young man with bright blonde hair, a man with a fire ax, the older man in a suit holding a kitchen knife, and the attractive woman he had seen before.