Zenian and his scholarly angels stepped out of the Shadow Veil and emerged from the temporal rift directly in front of the Ice Temple. The moment their feet touched the icy ground, they froze—not from the cold, but from the paralyzing realization that their entrance had been anything but covert. Standing there, waiting for them at the very steps of the Ice Temple, was none other than the Ice Phoenix in her human form. Beside her stood a man they didn't recognize.
Zenian's confidence wavered. His heart pounded in his chest as his thoughts raced. How could they have known? Every precaution had been taken, every move shrouded in secrecy. Yet here they were, staring directly at him as if they had been expecting his arrival all along. His scholarly angels, who had been steadfast in their resolve until now, exchanged nervous glances. They, too, knew what this meant. The Ice Phoenix was fearsome, a being whose wrath had turned entire realms into frozen wastelands. But it was the man standing beside her that unnerved them the most.
Meanwhile, at another location
Arfrotian and the Ice Phoenix waited, but not at the front of the Ice Temple where Zenian had just emerged. They were positioned a short distance away, concealed from view but close enough to monitor the events unfolding.
The Ice Phoenix, still grappling with the sheer precision of Arfrotian's deductions, had questioned him earlier. "Why are we standing here, not directly guarding the temple?"
Arfrotian, his expression calm as ever, had responded with an explanation that sent shivers down her spine.
"If a temporal rift is connected to the Ice Temple, the logical place for it to appear would be directly at the front."
His reasoning seemed absurd at first. Who would dare enter from the front, the most obvious and heavily monitored location? The Ice Phoenix had voiced her doubts, to which Arfrotian simply smiled and continued.
"Exactly. It's because people think no one would dare that the front often receives less scrutiny. Attention is diverted to the sides or rear, the places considered more likely for an infiltration. If I were to set a temporal rift, I would use the front—precisely because it's so obvious, it's overlooked. And temporal rifts, by nature, can only redirect to one point. That point is where we'll wait."
The Ice Phoenix had been skeptical but didn't press further. Now, as the temporal rift opened exactly where Arfrotian had predicted, her disbelief gave way to cold terror. How was he always right? She had thought, perhaps, that his deductions earlier about Zenian being the intruder had been guesses. But now, as Zenian and his angels materialized precisely at the location Arfrotian had described, there was no denying it: this man's mind was a blade sharper than any weapon she had ever wielded.
Back at the Ice Temple
Zenian struggled to mask his growing unease. He had anticipated resistance from the Ice Phoenix but had assumed her strength had diminished over the eons. Now, standing before her, that assumption began to crumble. Her aura was as fierce as ever, her icy blue eyes burning with rage.
But it wasn't just her presence that unnerved him. It was the man beside her. Zenian didn't recognize him, but there was something about the way he stood—calm, composed, and unbothered—that screamed danger. And the thing was that, he was actually standing beside this already terrifying phoenix, means how could he, it was as if, both of them were in agreement, and it rarely could happen, he knew how terrifying Ice phoenix was and that she wouldn't let anyone else come here, but this man was standing beside that Ice Phoenix, was totally calm, unnerved and strangely even there was a glint of smile on his face, as if saying, "Oh guess I caught you where I had wanted you". Who was he and what was HE!?
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Zenian's scholarly angels began to whisper among themselves, their confidence wavering. The Ice Phoenix alone was a formidable opponent, but the presence of this unknown figure threw their plans into chaos.
Moments Earlier: The Ice Phoenix's Reflections
Standing beside Arfrotian, the Ice Phoenix couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions. Anger, awe, and, most unsettling of all, a growing sense of gratitude.
She recalled the day Arfrotian had first intruded into the Megaverse of Dementia. She had seen him as an enemy, a threat to her sacred duty of protecting the Eternal Frostheart. In their battle, she had unleashed her full power, believing it necessary to ward off the intruder. Yet, even as he overpowered her, he hadn't killed her. Instead, he had listened to her story, her burdens, her pain. He had empathized with her, promised to share her burdens, and—most importantly—shown her kindness when she had expected none.
Now, standing beside him, she realized how fortunate she had been not to press him further as an intruder. If Arfrotian had been her adversary, she shuddered to think what would have become of her. It wasn't just his immense strength that terrified her. It was his mind, a cold, calculating force that seemed capable of unraveling anyone's plans and predicting their every move.
She glanced at him, his calm demeanor betraying no hint of the trap he had set. She was boiling with rage at Zenian's betrayal eons ago, but she also felt a strange sense of security. This man beside her was no ordinary ally; he was a monster of a different kind.
The Trap Springs
Zenian's confidence faltered as he processed the situation. The Ice Phoenix and the unknown man weren't reacting with surprise or urgency. They were waiting.
The realization hit him like a blow. This wasn't a confrontation—they had been lured here. He clenched his fists, his mind racing for an explanation. How had they known? His precautions had been meticulous. His disguise, flawless. Yet, here they stood, as if his every move had been anticipated.
The unknown man, smiled faintly, a gesture so subtle yet so terrifying that it sent a chill down Zenian's spine.
The Ice Phoenix, seething with anger, prepared herself for battle. She had waited eons for this moment, to confront the one who had betrayed her and left her realm in ruins. She glanced at Arfrotian, who stood beside her, his presence radiating calm assurance. For the first time in centuries, she felt that this battle would end in her favor—not because of her own strength, but because of the terrifyingly brilliant mind of the man standing beside her.
Zenian, unaware of the storm he had walked into, thought he was the hunter. Little did he know, he was the prey, and the MONSTER he had unknowingly provoked had set the perfect trap.
The stage was set. Zenian's arrogance had led him into the jaws of a predator unlike any he had ever faced. The Ice Phoenix, with her anger boiling over, and Arfrotian, with his cold, sharp mind, were ready. The end of Zenian's ambitions was near.