Chapter 24: Talking to a blizzard. Nothing serious.

Shit got serious in the isekai...check...

Bloody check...

Damn it...

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On top of one of the multiple peaks in the mountain range that crosses through the Kyrie Kingdom, the cold winds blew with enough force to freeze someone to death in mere seconds, nevertheless, there was someone there. Yes, someone was standing at a cliff which had a view not only of the whole forest in the outskirts of the Kingdom, but also the burning mountain recently awakened.

It was a woman dressed in an armor as beautiful as the snow that covered the place where she stood. One could easily confuse her with a knight of the highest order, a paladin, or even the equivalent existence of a Valkyrie in Arte.

Her white hair had a tinge of blue so light that it was only visible when the moon bathed it with its light. Her face was beautiful, one could even dare to say that it was almost divine, and her cold melancholic expression just added to her mystifying looks.

But there was something else on her head, those were her horns that had a feathered wing shape. They were in a position that many would think of them as a tiara or a headband. They were blue in color and their feathered pattern was perfect...almost perfect. One of her horns had a scratch not as little in size but not bigger than an index finger. Dragon Lords value their horns as much as their own lives. Their flesh may heal, but a Dragon Lord's horn once cut never grows back, nor heals. Of course, scratches happen every now and then, and those are considered battle scars to be proud of, or simple proof of living an active life. But for the woman there, that scratch was neither something to be proud of or proof of her lifestyle. It was the only fault in her appearance, the cruel reminder of the fear she felt, and the shame she felt because of it.

The woman who was standing there, unbothered by the cold as if it was a simple breeze, was a Dragon Lord.

Bryn, the Dragon Lord of the Eternal Winter.

She and her master felt a strange surge in magical power in the forest that was a place of interest for them. Although, for different reasons. Her master only told her whatever was necessary and nothing more. For when she had a plan, she would call it a game, a way to amuse herself in her very long life. Bryn was part of the current game that was in motion, acting a part in what her master called a play, a drama. And the place where the magical surge occurred was part of it too and so, she asked her to investigate whatever was happening there.

"[Enhanced Eyesight]"

Bryn said as she activated her skill. Her eyes glowed blue and her field of view was amplified, she was even able to zoom in to a certain distance, but it wasn't enough.

"[Draconic Sight] [Multiply effect: Sense] [True Vision] [Selective Hearing]"

Her eyes glowed in different colors with each skill activation, a deeper blue, yellow and white respectively. Her ears glowed orange. With that she was able to not only zoom in completely to the part of the forest she was interested in, but her sight could also pass through any obstruction, like foliage, that could thwart her attempts, and lastly, she could listen in on whatever was transpiring there.

There she saw her master's puppet's puppets going off script. Not only they had lost against the mysterious invaders of their workplace, but they had been successfully intimidated into talking.

She tried measuring the power of these people, but it was strange...it was as if her vision was blurred the moment she tried to. There was something that acted like a veil, hiding their power, even from her.

And when she tried to focus on the Black Knight that wielded a lance bathed in radiant light, a bad feeling slithered its way into her mind through her most basic instincts, but then, something took her focus away.

One of the puppets had started talking about unnecessary things.

Things that could ruin her master’s play.

"Truly pathetic...puppets should just be happy to be used by master and not bother her. Ice let your seeds bloom and…bring them to that quiet place...[Ice Garden of Silence]."

She extended her hand towards the puppets who were far away and activated her spell. Moments later, an ice flower began to sprout in the throats of all the puppets that were captured by those strangers.

But then something happened.

Bryn saw as the Black Knight extended her hand, an ominous power flowing through it and then...

"N...?!"

...the connection to her magic was broken. Bryn shivered and felt what could be called a phantom pain as the backlash of such thing flowed through her. Still, she fixed her sight once more on the puppets and there she saw it, her spell was no more, the ice flowers…were gone.

She couldn't believe it even if she was seeing it with her own eyes.

But that was truth.

Someone...

"...dares to break my magic...unacceptable...!"

Her mana started to leak out as her fury grew, forming a visible icy blue aura that covered her and affected her surroundings. The wild winds roared even harder and the cold grew worse.

And so, she focused on the one responsible, but the more she focused on the Black Knight, the more that bad feeling grew, and she concluded that it was someone that needed to be dealt with immediately.

For she knew that that strange power that let them break her magic was dangerous.

Even if the puppets just died after uttering a few words and touching the lance. Even if she found that last part strange and worth investigating. Nothing else mattered. If her master's play was to be undisturbed, then she had to finish them quickly and in an unexpected matter.

"[Enhance elemental magic: Ice], [Maximize travelling speed: Magic] [Enhance: Armor-Piercing] [Draconic Force] [Strength of the Eternal Winter] Oh Ice...make me a spearpoint that shall pierce the earth and heavens…”

After she called upon several buffing skills, she extended her hand and chanted her spell. Then, the mana that recoiled around her flowed through it and created an icicle seemingly big enough to not only pierce through that Black Knight, but also crush them and everyone else there.

“...[Ice Piercer].”

Thus, she readied her aim, finished her chant, and fired it.

Confidence filled her as she expected nothing but success, for the element of surprise and raw power were on her side.

But something unexpected happened again.

"...!"

The black-haired woman that closely followed the Black Knight cut the icicle in half with an impressive speed.

Once again, her expectations were shattered, but this time it carried a nostalgic feeling.

She focused on the woman.

Her strength was different.

Her speed was different.

Her body was obviously different.

Then, why?

"Why...? Do you remind me...of him?!"

He had tried to cut her [Ice Piercer] too, but he had failed that time and had to receive the attack with his shield, something that broke it in the process. He was but a weak human who didn't know his place as an inferior being and yet, he glared at her, unbroken.

And as if fate itself decided to answer her question, the black-haired woman glared in her direction, almost as if she was looking at her directly, all the way to the peak of the mountain. But that was impossible, thought the dragon lord, she was a human and she didn’t make use of any of the skills Bryn called upon to do such a feat.

Even then, the face of the woman showed a tense and serious expression as she glared. And her eyes, her eyes were the same as him.

"How...? Why is he...?"

Her instincts screamed at her and her heart. It was him. The one who was fated to die by her hands while his kingdom burned.

That is when she remembered that report of the disappearance of the bandit group where that man licked his wounds and how that had been only day ago. It was...

"...impossible...this level of...change!"

Indeed, only a day had passed.

What matter of things are needed to make such change possible?

She did not know.

But in focusing so much on that black-haired woman, on her fated opponent, she made a terrible a mistake, for she did not notice the disappearance of the Black Knight.

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Teleporting.

One would think it is instant.

Say it and poof, you are there.

Even I thought of it like that.

But it seems that that is not the case in this world.

Why? Because I am walking in what seems to be a hallway with a bright door at the end of it.

Huh? Wasn't I mad you ask?

Of course, I am.

I am mad that I didn't notice that spell earlier.

I am mad that even with my powers I was unable to do a thing to keep them from dying.

I am mad because someone made Nerinne sad.

I am mad because I misinterpreted what my instinct 'told' me and relaxed after breaking that spell.

I am mad because I was overconfident thanks to my 'knowledge' of isekais.

I.am.mad.

But I am also an adult, not a sheltered teenager that grew up in a town so peaceful one can go to and from school without a care in the world.

Of course, I'm not saying I grew up in a warzone or something like that. No way I could have lived the way I did if I had. But I did live in a place where I knew that death could come from just being in the wrong place at the wrong time...

That is why I can turn all this frustration, anger, impotence and other emotions into action.

Although that doesn't mean I'm not grinding my teeth and making a fierce expression under my helmet because believe me, I am.

And now, I am going to talk to the one responsible. A Dragon Lord.

Yes, talk.

Beating them is Erevain's job.

"I told you that you cannot just jump at a Dragon Lord, Auros!"

Don't worry Nerinne, I swear that I'm just going to talk and scare them a bit.

I will not be attacking.

I promise.

"If you break your word, I will get really sad and angry, Auros."

I know.

I cross over the bright door and immediately feel the cold winds, but only for a moment.

My [Abnormal Status Resistance] kicks in and I don't feel cold anymore.

A woman...I see...

It seems she is distracted, let me announce myself.

I release a part of my mana, saturating this entire space and encroaching her mana. Imagine a forest fire confronting a candlelight. That is what I'm doing.

Pressuring her and making it difficult for her to move.

I bet it is as if trying to move in a pool of slime or something like that.

"...you!"

She says while looking at me so fiercely that even her fangs are showing. She totally looks like a certain Valkyrie, even her name is similar...

"You use a surprise attack but get angry at being surprised. Disappointing."

I start walking towards her and she extends her hand. She is preparing to use a spell.

"I have come to talk with The Dragon Lord of Eternal Winter, Bryn. Not to fight. That is the work of the woman who repelled your attack. I advise you to stand down."

I increase the quantity of the mana I am releasing and add my intimidating aura, but that only makes her angrier.

"There is no...merit...in talking to you! Perish for Master's sake! Ice...rain down with freezing winds and piercing tears...[Hailstorm]!"

The sky turns dark gray and the winds start blowing stronger, but I keep walking towards her. She can't move the way she likes, and she knows it, that is why she is trying to move me instead.

I can feel the first wave of icicles approaching, they are slower already because of my mana permeating the place, so I have enough time to reach her.

"I lied when I told you I just came to talk..."

I reach out to the armor on the base of her neck and pull her close. She is 'face' to face with me now.

"...I also came here to scare you."

The icicles come closer to me and I get closer to her face, she tries to summon a weapon, but I don't let her do so by grabbing her hand, applying just enough force so that she may not move it. Not to hurt her.

"Who...ar—?"

"You may call me…the King of Storms. Every storm is my subject..."

I raise my hand towards the black, stormy sky and remember the sensation I had when taking control of and breaking the ice spell.

"...including this one."

"...!"

She opens her eyes wide at my words. Disbelief filling them completely.

"Hear me, storm of ice that darkens the sky for I am your King, and you, my subject. My will is law. My words are absolute. Obey. [Storm Subjugation]!"

The winds suddenly change direction and now they are pushing Bryn instead of me. Forcing her even more to stay put.

The icicles deviate just enough, changing their objective.

If I wanted to, I could let her be hurt by what was her own spell, but I have my word to keep.

"Enough! Cease your wailing and begone from my sight!"

My shout reverberates through the area like a magical shockwave.

The hailstorm's raging winds let out a dying wail before stopping completely.

The hailstorm's black clouds disappear as if they had never been there in the first place, leaving only a blue sky.

The icicles that were millimeters away from reaching us break in pieces and fall to the ground.

The hailstorm is no more.

"..."

She is speechless at what she has just witnessed, but I am not.

"Dragon Lord, Bryn. Your winter is no longer eternal, but your defeat is not mine to take. You already saw the one who will defeat you."

"I will not...be defeated by that human...!"

She is getting angry at what I'm telling her. Good, fear is deeper if it is presided by hope or anger.

"I will only tell you this once. Stop your operations in Illumbee village and its vicinity. For I already seized what you are looking for. And if you do not comply, I will find you, your master too and I will kill you both.”

My eyes turn red and I give her a glimpse of my whole power by letting all my mana out to be seen.

Her angered face turns quickly into one of deep disbelief and...true fear.

I release her from my grip, and she stumbles. Almost falling to the ground. Her legs obviously weakened by the emotion filling her.

"Tell that to your master and ah, yes, I will see you in the Kingdom."

She raises her eyebrows lightly in surprise before turning back to her angered expression after hearing me say that. Although, she looks more like a cornered animal to me.

"F-Fool! My master is the Dragon Lord of Violet Death...! The eldest of the Chosen Four...! You will die at her hands!"

This woman...I am glad I did this...

"Disappointing. Those words mean that you already gave up in defeating me.”

"...!"

"Space take me to my destination. [Teleport]."

And so, I leave her there in that lonely peak without a chance to respond.

To be continued...(cue epic scene while ending theme is running)