Uriel advanced with long strides, his newly evolved body still exhaling icy steam with each movement. His sharp eyes swept the snow-covered horizon, alert to any disturbance in the silent balance of those lands. For a moment, he stopped, his gaze fixed on the white void ahead. Then, without turning, he spoke:
"Did anything happen while I slept? Any soldiers of the Blood King?"
Eskandor, who was trotting behind him with visible effort, widened his eyes and almost stumbled over his own feet.
"Ah… Your Majesty… No, nothing was seen. No movement, no threat. Everything remained as calm as a frozen plain!"
He scratched his head, frowning.
"But… forgive my ignorance, who exactly are the 'soldiers of the Blood King'?"
Uriel didn't respond immediately. He merely raised a scaly eyebrow and let out a small puff of cold air through his nose, which froze instantly as it touched the wind. When he spoke, his voice was low, deep, and laced with millennia of disdain.
"The army of lizards I destroyed… or rather, that I annihilated alone. They were pawns of an enemy. The so-called Blood King. A pretentious name for a walking corpse."
Eskandor placed a hand over his chest as if struck by a bolt of pure admiration.
"There is no other being in this world — or any other! — who could accomplish such a feat. Your majesty is unique. And regarding your question... no, we've seen no more signs of these so-called soldiers. As expected, for wherever your gaze falls, threats either bow or vanish! After all, there is only one true king in this universe… and that is you!"
Uriel let out a hoarse, deep laugh that sent crows scattering in the distance. He turned his head slightly, eyeing Eskandor from the side with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"Excellent way of thinking, Eskandor… But be careful what you say. If you speak like that near the wrong person, it could cause trouble... and you might end up as my snack. Do you hear me?"
Eskandor froze — literally. A bead of sweat formed on his temple and instantly froze. Even so, he maintained a nervous smile and gave an awkward bow.
"Well said, Majesty. If I weren't listening, I might as well tear off my own ears! Because… well, if they're not good enough to hear your beautiful and powerful voice, then what good are they, right?"
"Oh? So, if I said right now that I want those ears of yours to stop hearing, you'd tear them off without hesitation? Is that what you're saying?" Uriel commented with a half-smile, his voice echoing like a muffled thunder across the icy peaks. "Your loyalty… is truly admirable."
Eskandor bowed even deeper, his expression one of almost desperate devotion. His eyes shone with blind fervor.
"My loyalty, Majesty, is nothing compared to what I can still do for you! But… if I were to lose my ears… how could I have the honor of hearing your voice again? That would be an irreparable loss for me. Better death than living without the sound of your majesty."
Uriel slowly leaned in closer, his face nearing Eskandor's like a storm about to break. His eyes glowed with a cold, menacing light.
"As you wish… death it is."
Eskandor turned pale, his lips trembling. With shaky hands, he reached up toward his ears.
"W-w-wait, Majesty! Calm down! I'm already tearing them off, don't worry! But… what a shame! What a waste not being able to hear your glorious voice again!"
Uriel let out a dry, raspy laugh, filled with sarcasm and power. The steam escaping from his mouth froze the air around them, forming crystals that fell like glimmering snowflakes.
"Stop that, Eskandor. I'm joking." he said, stepping back with an impatient sigh. "Gather the other frost giants and patrol the area. I don't want any unpleasant surprises. And since no one around here seems to have done anything so far... then it's high time they start."
Eskandor immediately clicked his heels together and stood upright, still trembling.
"Don't worry, Majesty! Even if my legs are torn off, I won't fail to carry out your order. Even if I have to crawl until I freeze!"
Without replying, Uriel beat his wings with force, unleashing an icy gust that blew Eskandor backward along with a flurry of snow. With a powerful leap, he rose into the sky, slicing through the air with lethal elegance.
As he flew over the snow-covered mountains, his eyes scanned the silent landscape. He murmured to himself, thoughtful:
"I said I would handle the frost giants' housing issue. Since I awakened, I haven't seen any effort coming from them. So… I'll gather wood so they can at least get started. After that, I don't want to hear another word — they're on their own."
Descending smoothly into a clearing full of trees covered in a thick layer of snow, Uriel looked around.
"Tch... I'm too big. I'm larger than any of these trees." he grumbled in thought, and with a single swipe of his claw, he uprooted several of them at once. The trunks cracked, splintered, and fell with muffled thuds against the snow.
Quickly, he bundled the trunks into massive stacks and lifted them with ease. He carried the first load to the fortress, then returned for more. He repeated the process twice, until finally he landed, covered in fine snowflakes that melted upon touching his cold skin.
Upon seeing him return, Eskandor stepped forward, visibly embarrassed.
"Your majesty… you didn't need to do that with your own hands. I feel… ashamed to see you performing such menial tasks."
Uriel glanced at him, his eyes flickering between amusement and threat.
"Oh, what a sweet tongue you have..."he thought, exhaling a puff of frost. "But shame is clearly not something you feel. Honestly, if it weren't for that over-the-top flattery of yours, I'd have devoured you long ago."
Without another word, he turned and headed toward his fortress.
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