As Frost, Kiba and Yule walked into the portal, the door swiftly disappeared behind them, returning the obelisk to an inert structure once again.
Several hundred tres in the distance, shortly after the last vestiges of Yule's presence vanished from the region, powerful individuals, would-be kings of their own domains along with hundreds of other monsters driven mad by a tantalising desire charged forth, their target the mangled remains of the Artic Zu.
A few B-ranks who were in the nearby area reached the corpse first and imdiately began devouring the destroyed flesh with relish, their entire bodies' bursting with vitality with every bite.
Their feast however was quickly cut short, auras so dense and heavy that they held corporeal form attacked them from all sides.
These mighty B-rank monsters suddenly fell to the ground, their bodies violently convulsing as they failed to withstand the pressure.
Monts later the truly powerful monsters arrived and the mont they did these opportunistic individuals exploded, unable to endure their imnse power.
"Foolish bugs." An avian monster with traits of a phoenix and a crow spoke with disdain as it wiped off flecks of gore from its feathers.
"Can you bla them, could your resist such temptation if it landed right at your feet." A large drake with two heads and three spiked tails replied with a hungry grin, its eyes focused completely on the corpse of the Artic Zu.
"Enough chatter, how do you think we should split the bounty." A third A-ranked monster spoke forcing the other two to exchange glances with one another.
The longer they waited the sooner the life energy would dissipate from the at and the sooner they'd draw the eyes of their other competitors.
With the Artic Zu dead its throne was up for grabs and these three like all the other A-ranks in the region wanted it for themselves.
The three A-ranks glared at one another not wanting to share the bounty in the slightest, but logic dictated that doing so was in their best interest, a fight would only worsen the situation.
"Three ways, equal split."
""Agreed."" Knowing ti was of the essence the three agreed to split the corpse equally.
A re few seconds later the three A-rank monsters devoured what remained of the Artic Zu's corpse before escaping in different directions, seeking sanctuary so as to digest their bounty.
They left not even a single morsel for the many B-ranks littered around the area nor the other A-ranks swiftly making their way here.
The King of the Skies, the Artic Zu was dead, its body devoured by its weaker competitors thus leaving behind a vacancy, a vacancy that would lead to a bloodcurdling war in order for it be filled once again.
If Frost and Kiba remained within the Glacial mountains they would have been able to sense the building bloodlust that promised rampant death, capable of claiming even the most powerful of individuals.
Frost entered the dark portal that supposedly led to the realm of Niflheim. The first few steps were through a headache inducing region where light and space were twisted, an area in which it was impossible to tell up from down. It took Frost a great deal of strength just to keep himself from vomiting.
"Grrr." Kiba whimpered as the sense of nausea started to overwhelm him.
Walking just a few steps through this place was a hundred tis worse than teleporting inside the Dungeon.
Behind them Yule smiled mischievously, he could have warned them but chose not to, a slight prank he occasionally played on Niflheim's would be guests. It wasn't dangerous after all, just a little disorienting.
After about twenty steps the chaos beca orderly and the exit, a bright white portal appeared before them. Frost and Kiba wasted no ti and charged through it, swiftly landing on the other side.
Whoosh.
A cold biting wind passed over Frost's cheeks as he exited the portal, so cold that it caused him to instinctually shiver and pull tight on his robes.
When he opened his eyes his sight was filled with white, blue and silver. A beautiful, enchanting wonderland made of ice and snow.
"Beautiful isn't it." Said Yule as he walked out from behind, the portal closing the mont he did.
"Yes, far beyond anything I could have imagined." Frost replied in awe.
Before him was an ice tropolis, Tall buildings briming with artistic flare reached high into the clouds. Though ice was clearly the main and in so cases the sole material used the textures differed greatly. So structures bore a smooth glassy finish while others had opaque textures that resembled granite or marble.
Tiles and shingles made of denser and rougher ice as well as the skilled use of dark wooden cladding allowed each building to display their own individuality amongst this deluge of white, blue and silver. It was clear even through the eyes of a layn that many architects of differing styles took part in the design of this wonderous city yet despite their differing styles it resonated as one.
In this case many cooks did not spoil the broth.
Accompanying these beautiful buildings were artworks, murals, statues and carvings so srising to the eyes that even the most noble and decorated of Sapient castles would be akin to nothing more than an oversized mud hut.
As Frost gazed upon this majestic sight he couldn't help but compare it to his own designs for both his Dungeon and the budding town that lay outside its gates.
'Haaaaaa there's no comparison.' He felt a sharp pain in his heart as the small amount of pride he felt when gazing upon his own creation shattered into a million pieces. His efforts and the efforts of the council and his high ranking monsters were akin to the actions of a child, ssy, unpolished perhaps even disastrous.
What really drove the dagger in deep was that despite the heavy use of man-made architecture the natural aspects of the landscape only rose to match it, not losing in the slightest.
Mirroring the pavents forged out of ice fused with small crystal-like fragnts so as to counteract the lack of friction, streams of glittering pale blue and occasional silver water flowed in all directions.
These streams would occasional combine, forming rivers or sotis narrow to the point that they could easily crossed with but a single small step.
In so areas they'd even fall from the sky, forming beautiful waterfalls that either crashed into rock-strewn lakes or cascaded over statues carved out of ice.
Frost's gaze followed the direction of a few thicker rivers as they led out of the tropolis to the eastern edge of this bountiful realm.
There in the distance he could see the makings of an endless blue and silver sea. Frost was too far to make out anything concrete, but he was certain that he saw what appeared to be a giant serpent leaping out from the depths, roaring at a set of dense clouds that heralded a mighty storm.
His instincts warned him of extre danger in that direction, so he turned his gaze westward.
West of the ice tropolis he saw a forest filled with trees bearing luscious dark green leaves and bark that was almost black in colour. Tall, thick, sturdy and clearly unphased by the chilling environnt that even at this very mont threatened to freeze Frost where he stood.
Several of these mighty trees could also been seen throughout the city in their natural form as well as in the form of lumber, helping to generate a feeling of freshness and nature throughout the city.
Behind him, making up the southlands was a large snowy plain littered with tall sky piercing mountains reminiscent of the Glacial Mountains that they had just departed from.
And to the North, far, far in the distance a palace of imnse magnitude could be seen sitting high above the tropolis that lay before it.
The ho of the great Primordial Ice King Shivali and his family, the symbol of his unmatched power and influence over this domain.
For Frost who had not seen much of the world as of yet, a young man who rarely left his own domain the sight before him was a true eye opener.
The fortress of Icethorne was impressive but it was still within his imagination, as long as he was given enough ti, and enough materials Frost was certain he could recreate it and perhaps even build sothing even grander but what lay in front of his eyes right now was far beyond anything he could ever imagine.
Such majesty, such art, such imposing beauty was far beyond the limits of a mortal being, only a God could create sothing like this.
"Welco Prince Frost to the Realm of Niflheim, the domain of the Great Shivali, the Primordial Ice King and my liege." Yule spoke aloud with great reverence, his eyes glinting passionately as he spoke of Shivali's status and title.
Frost's mind was a little overwheld by the sights that surrounded him and didn't respond imdiately. Eventually however he let out a small sigh and said "It is an honour to be here Sir Yule." He gave up on comparing himself and his Dungeon to the realm of Niflheim it was just asking to be depressed.
How could he, a being that had only been alive for a little over a year and with the strength of a piddling B-rank ever hope to compare to a God and not just any God but one of the strongest and oldest among them.
Even his father, one of the only two Gods of creation held Shivali and the rest of the Primordials in great respect.
'This journey continues to surprise at every turn.' Frost smiled slightly as he thought that.
Though he couldn't compete with the man he could certainly pick up a few tips no? he was after all soone with great affinity for the ice elent.
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