The Villain's Story

Chapter 746: Heart of Winter.

”There are dragons that do accounting?”

Maxwell asked, a look of trepidation evident on his face. He almost didn’t believe it.

”Yes, I have no idea what influences them as well. We are naturally curious and obsessive. They pick the most random of things to be obsessed with.”

He shook his head in disappointment. Maxwell was a surprised, he had expected most dragons to be like Alan, fighters.

”I thought most of you would be warriors?”

To that, Azmakul simply laughed.

”The old ones all are warriors, but we encourage the young to take up anything as far from combat as possible.”

”Why is that?”

There was a moment of silence before the old dragon finally responded.

”We do not want them to become like us, and besides, many dragons find joy in watching their children express their creativity and excitement at many things.”

He moved forward and picked up Alan from the pile of sleeping bodies, and said.

”I will return in a while, break the news to your team about the next destination, Nocumbra.”

Again, he felt something stir within whenever ’Nocumbra’ was mentioned, but he dismissed it. Azmakul vanished into thin air, taking Alan with him, and he and Alice were left alone in the platform.

”Haaa...”

Maxwell sighed, and began to inspect the medallions. Anything to pass the time until the exhausted lot finally woke up.

********

Why are Ice dragons considered one of the most special dragon species? And the one’s most protected by their house? It is not because of their queen, Lanesha who is well known to be Ariel’s favorite, her youngest, and loved by her brothers as well. Though, it does play a role.

It is mostly because of the special properties they possess, one of which is their blood. The blood of an ice dragon freezes almost instantly the moment it leaves their body, unless the dragon itself willed it. The blood of an ice dragon was... miraculous, in the simplest terms.

It could boost the completion rate of any alchemical product. The blood of an Elder Ice Dragon could guarantee that the product would be completed, even with lack of ingredients. Even the greatest of potions with the most abysmal completion rates could be guaranteed with a single drop of an Ancient Ice Dragon’s blood.

And it was not to mention their scales that shone like diamonds, their eyes which were priceless diamonds themselves, and their bodies themselves. Each priceless beyond compare. There are few instances where an adult ice dragon has fallen in battle, and even if they have, not a single corpse was retrieved.

Their brothers and sisters would flock to them and retrieve their fallen, and even if they did not, Ariel’s authority would make sure they made it home safe and sound. Many exist that could overpower an Adult Ice dragon, generally physically weaker than the other dragons... but none exist that would dare invoke Ariel’s wrath.

The ones stupid enough to do it, usually do not fare well against an adult ice dragon. They may be weaker than the other dragon species, but they are still dragons.

But there is one more thing that makes them so special, and it is the unique skill present in their species, the [Winter Heart]. Each Ice dragon can create only one, and the effort required is enormous. It is the greatest proclamation of love and devotion, and the source of their strength.

A heart that, with every beat, sends a chill throughout the universe, one that grants a person with the same powers of the ice dragon that manufactures it.

It is, one of the strongest known artifacts, and one of the rarest as well.

*****

It was cold, unusually so even by my standards. The room was lit, but it was mostly dark. All I could see was a blue light up above, a faint light. I was restrained as well, unable to move despite my strength, laying on cold, soothing stone.

Just as I was about to use teleportation to get out of this predicament, I heard Lanesha’s voice.

”Relax.”

It was always such a soothing voice to hear, yet it always irked me that I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. I cancelled my attempts to escape and waited calmly for an explanation.

I saw her appear to my side, towering over me with her grace. She really was the epitome of beauty.

”Congratulations, you beat the fragment, although... in an unexpected way.”

”... I did?”

I beat that fucker? I killed him? Hell yeah, I lost all sense of anything when my head was gone, but since I killed him, it’s alright. I can’t believe I managed it, though. Regardless, I hope it was painful for that piece of shit. I really do.

Just thinking about him sends shivers down my spine... I hope you died in agony, lightning fucker.

”...”

Oh right, she can read my mind. Oops.

A chuckle escaped her lips.

”It’s alright, the original made me have the same reaction as well.”

Ah, I forgot she was the one who killed the original star devourer, Kizmal. I really hope I don’t have to fight another giant again. Giants and Minotaur’s are the bane of my existence, the latter I abuse, the former abuses me. That time in Gigantic and here as well... Are giants and Minotaur related in some way?

I hope not, if they are then it’s ironic as all hell... It doesn’t really matter, I will still kill any Minotaur I see, and I’ll add giants to that list as well.

Not lightning giants, however... I... I need a break from that particular type of giant.

”Lightning and Ice never get along. Now stay still.”

The blue light up above seemed to be getting closer, I knew what it was... instinctually.

”Winter heart?”

The reward for clearing the trials of Frost, the Heart of Winter. I was still clueless to what it actually was, but even from a glance, I could tell that the light up above was powerful.

Lanesha placed her hand over my eyes, and whispered.

”Sleep, and arise anew.”

And I was unconscious once more, as the blue light descended and made its new home within my body.