Chapter 14: Ice Monarch
...
Ice Monarch.
That's what his enemies called him.
It wasn't even because of his cold demeanor or his ruthless tactics.
His powers, that's what earned him that fearsome moniker.
...
"Run! The Ice Monarch is approaching!"
A group of hooded men dashed through the darkened alleyways of a city, their cloaks flapping wildly in their wake as they fled in terror.
Their faces were etched with pure panic, unbefitting of the seasoned warriors they were.
The moonlight barely pierced through the thick, ominous clouds hanging over the city.
The sounds of their frantic footsteps echoed off the cobblestone walls, creating a symphony of dread that filled the narrow alleyways.
They could feel the temperature dropping, the air becoming colder with each passing moment. Frost began to creep up the sides of buildings and spread across the ground, turning the already perilous cobblestones into a slick and treacherous path.
"Faster!"
One of the men shouted, his voice tinged with desperation.
"We have to get to the safe house before-"
A sudden, bone-chilling wind cut him off and an unnatural silence fell upon the alley.
The men skidded to a halt, their breath visible in the freezing air. One of them, braver or perhaps more foolish than the rest, slowly turned around to face the source of their terror.
"Man, you guys really do run fast don't you?"
A figure of a young man emerged from the shadows, his eyes glowing with an icy blue light.
He had a small frame and a lean build, his black hair falling in messy waves that contrasted starkly with his pale, almost luminescent skin. He wore a long, dark coat that fluttered in the cold wind, adding to the aura of menace that surrounded him.
The man who had turned around took a step back, his courage faltering in the face of this small yet undeniably powerful figure.
"Ice Monarch..."
He whispered, the words escaping his lips like a prayer for mercy.
The Ice Monarch tilted his head, a wry smile curling on his lips.
"And here I thought I'd have to put in some more effort to catch up with you lot."
He said, his voice as cold and smooth as the ice forming at his feet.
The air around him shimmered with frost, the temperature continuing to plummet. The men could feel their muscles stiffening, their breaths coming in shallow gasps as the cold sapped their strength.
One of them, desperate to escape, turned and bolted down the alley, but his foot slipped on the icy ground and he went sprawling.
"Going somewhere?"
The Ice Monarch asked, his smile widening.
He raised a hand, and the frost seemed to respond to his command, surging forward to encase the fallen man's legs in a solid block of ice. The man cried out, clawing at the ground as he tried to free himself, but it was no use.
"Please..."
Another man begged, his voice shaking.
"We didn't mean to-"
"Didn't mean to what?"
The Ice Monarch interrupted, taking a step closer.
His eyes flashed with a dangerous light.
"Didn't mean to kill those people, massacre the entire town?"
The men exchanged panicked glances, but none of them dared to speak.
The air grew even colder as the Ice Monarch took another step forward, the ground beneath him cracking and splintering with frost.
The men, realizing that there was no escape, exchanged desperate looks. One of them, a burly figure with a scar running down his cheek, drew a dagger from his belt.
"For the honor of our fallen..."
He muttered, his breath visible in the frigid air.
With a cry, he lunged at the Ice Monarch, dagger raised.
But the Ice Monarch barely flinched.
He simply raised his hand, and a wall of ice shot up from the ground, blocking the man's path. The burly figure collided with it, the force of the impact sending him sprawling to the ground.
Another man, his face twisted with fear and determination, drew a short sword and charged.
The Ice Monarch's eyes flickered with amusement.
With a swift motion, he created a spear of ice in his hand and hurled it at the attacker. The spear struck true, piercing the man's shoulder and pinning him to the wall. He screamed in agony, his weapon clattering to the ground.
The remaining men, seeing their comrades' fate, hesitated for a moment before rallying. They drew their weapons and rushed at the Ice Monarch in a coordinated attack.
"Together!"
One of them shouted, desperation fueling their charge.
The Ice Monarch's smile faded, replaced by a look of cold determination.
He raised both hands, and the temperature plummeted even further. Frost spread rapidly, forming sharp, jagged spikes on the ground and walls.
As the men closed in, he unleashed his power.
A wave of ice surged forward, sweeping them off their feet and encasing them in a thick layer of frost. They struggled and thrashed, but the ice held them fast, creeping up their bodies and freezing them in place.
"Pathetic."
The Ice Monarch said softly, his voice carrying an icy edge.
He walked past the immobilized men, their eyes wide with terror as they watched him approach the last of their group - the man pinned to the wall by the ice spear.
"Mercy."
The man gasped, blood seeping from his wound and freezing on contact with the icy surface.
"Please...have mercy."
The Ice Monarch paused, his eyes narrowing. For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the ragged breathing of the captured men.
"Mercy?"
He repeated, a hint of incredulity in his voice.
"Did you show mercy to those you slaughtered? To the innocents who begged for their lives?"
The man had no answer, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and anger.
The Ice Monarch's expression hardened.
"You don't deserve mercy."
With a swift motion, he clenched his fist, and the ice spear expanded, encasing the man's entire body in a solid block of ice. The man's scream was cut off abruptly, replaced by the eerie silence of the frozen alley.
'...'
Looking at the frozen captives, the young man then released his fist and the ice cracked, shattering into a thousand glittering shards of flesh and blood.
"Job well done..."
Leaning against the wall, Ian Pierce exhaled a heavy sigh, his breath visible in the frigid air.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small scroll and unfurled it, his eyes scanning the contents with a pensive expression.
It was a letter from his father he had received a few hours prior, but he had no time to read it until now.
"So I was invited to the Starfall Academy, huh?'
Shrugging his shoulders, he refolded the letter and slipped it back into his pocket.
"Interesting..."