Meanwhile, the aerial battle had reached its climax. Lissandra's dragon dodged Anivia's ice machine-gun fire.
Anivia spun her thirty-meter wingspan like a massive top (capable of growing up to a hundred meters wide). The rotation created a storm that hurled her forward at incredible speed, ending in a devastating blow from her gigantic wing.
But Lissandra fought back. She channeled magic into her body, muscles bulging in an almost unnatural way for a sorceress. With a sweeping motion of her hands, she conjured a five-meter black-ice sword.
Pure ice wing and black-ice blade collided.
BOONG
The sky split open, clouds freezing solid, raining down shards of black and white ice.
Two titanic forces clashed, energy and will colliding head-on.
At that moment, a massive plasma-blue slash tore through the temple wall and the mountain beyond.
Lissandra's magical eyes, restored by Nouna's awakening, fell upon Alex.
"That sword… that attack… it's impossible!"
"You dare look away? Nouna, now!!"
"That's for Willa!!!" shouted Nouna, sending support magic to boost Anivia's power.
The sword shattered into fragments, leaving Lissandra defenseless.
She and her dragon crashed into the temple, carving out a huge crater and scattering everyone nearby.
Anivia landed with a stunned Nouna.
"Thank you, Nouna. Sorry for the chaotic flight—I got carried away when my strength returned."
"It's fine… it was amazi—oorghh…" she vomited.
"You should stay here. She no longer has reason to fight us."
"What changed?"
"A way to unite us against the true threat."
With Alex
"Sorry about the damage, I got carried away… and I'm not the only one… I… I'll take a nap now." He smiled at Anivia, who returned to her humanoid form next to a vomiting Nouna.
Emptiness consumed him, as though all his energy had been drained. Body and mind, exhausted and aching, fell into slumber.
Around him, eyes full of shock, disbelief… but also respect and fear. For such a small boy carried monstrous power.
Alex collapsed into deep sleep.
The trolls, seeing their leader vanish without a trace and their ice witch fall from the skies, panicked and fled through the opening Alex's attack had made. Their loyalty to the Frostguard had never been true—just an alliance of convenience.
But Lissandra ignored them. Her gaze was fixed on Alex. His sword, his attack, even his very presence made her realize the truth. Crawling out of the crater, hair undone, dress torn, she was followed by a pale woman with black scales and a dragon's tail.
"Anivia… who is this boy?"
"With your arrogance, only now you notice?"
"No… impossible! It can't be him! I saw… I felt magically: his body disintegrated, consuming every drop of vitality. There was nothing left!"
"'Impossible' your favorite word now? You know nothing is impossible for him. Feel his aura. At your level, you'll recognize it. You've always seen him with your mind."
She did—and all doubts vanished.
"Then… there is still hope for our world." She knelt beside him, touched his cheek. A sensation long lost returned.
"It really is you… ALBERT!!"
Flashback
Atop a mountain, thunder cracked and ice exploded.
"How dare you steal my power!?"
She had overestimated herself. Before her, the demi-goddess she-bear lifted her claw, drawing thunder.
"I am fury! I am the wilds of the Freljord! I AM THE STORM!!"
Lissandra unleashed her strongest spell.
Then she saw him.
Seated casually, eating food she had never seen.Golden eyes, brown hair, dark skin.Unnoticed until that instant.
Even Volibeara faltered. Both attacks collapsed.
Too late—claws raked Lissandra's eyes, branding her with an eternal curse. Her foe was encased in ice, though her body refused to freeze.
Darkness, agony, wounds seared by lightning.
A voice:"Impressive, you resisted Volira! But for how long?"
A liquid poured over her wound. Pain vanished.
"Who are you!? How did you appear!? And how dare you touch me!!"
She tried to strike, powerless.
He dodged, then pressed against her from behind. One hand on her breast, the other on her thigh. Smaller, yet towering over her.
"What are you doing!? Do you know who I am!?"
"Yes. A beautiful, cold, lonely, arrogant woman. And I… am a bad man who wants to enjoy your body, hahaha!" He bit her neck, then kissed it.
"Mmh!… No! Stop!" she moaned.
"If you defile me, I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth!"
"I hope so! But you don't even know my name, my face. And anyway, I'm joking… To make it up, I'll take Volibeara before she escapes." He released her, healing her wound with a caress.
"It suits you, you know…"
"Bastard! Stop touching me! I'll make you pay!!"
"I look forward to our next meeting! Take care, bye!"
As he vanished with the ice block, he smacked her ass.
"Vermin! I'll never forget your face! I'll find you, and I'll rip your tail off!!"
She never could. Their bond had begun in arrogance, in chaos.
She had ignored his advice. Opened the door to destruction. For a power she couldn't control.Yet… he had made her strong. She and her sisters had saved their world once.
Would he again? Even if not—she would serve him. Even with her life.
"IT'S OVER! From now on, I serve Alex—known in ancient times as KING ALBERT! Frostguard, greet your old and new king!!"
"WHAT!?" gasped Nouna, Bruma, Yillda, and Willa.
"It's true," said Anivia. "I wanted to keep it secret, but he's already strong. Let's say… he has a temporal anomaly in his story."
The revelation ended the battle.
Lissandra departed with her servants, rallying her citadel, ending her schemes, awaiting Alex's awakening. That very evening, she returned to care for him, accompanied by the dragon-woman and followers. She repaired the damage, aided by the yetis and adventurers.
(Here, Lissandra did not enslave the yetis to seal the Watchers… She obeyed King Albert's will, fixing her mistake. But that is another story!)
Soon, the reunion with Layka—Nouna's mother!!