Serpent Emperor's Bride Chapter 191: The World That Froze for Levin

[Eastern Zahryssar — The Distant Cliffs Beyond Sah’qir — Continuation]

The desert winds had beco violent, not natural desert winds. These sounded almost alive like whispers buried beneath storms.

Across the broken cliffs, thousands of corrupted ants continued pouring from beneath the sands endlessly, hissing, crawling, and surrounding. Blocking every path toward the hooded figure standing farther above.

anwhile, Levin stood motionless with silver steel lowered diagonally before him, calm, cold, and prepared.

Beside him, Lyresaph growled low enough to shake loose stones from the cliffs while his glowing blue gaze remained locked upon the enemy ahead.

And hidden no longer, Sarash slowly erged from the shadows behind Levin.

Still stunned and still unable to believe Malika had noticed him all along.

"You knew..." Sarash’s voice ca low, almost disbelieving. "...from the beginning?"

Levin’s eyes never left the hooded figure. "It is not ti for that."

The desert winds scread across the cliffs violently. Sand and corruption swirled beneath dark skies while distant battle roars echoed from Sah’qir below.

Levin slowly tightened his grip around the silver sword. "...let’s deal with that one first."

Sarash stared at him silently for one brief mont. Then finally he bowed deeply. "As you command, Malika."

And imdiately afterward his body began changing. White scales spread violently across his skin. His lower body twisted into a massive pale serpent tail while sharp silver markings burned faintly beneath moon-pale flesh, half serpent and half warrior.

Entirely deadly. Then suddenly—SKRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

The corrupted ants attacked like a black ocean exploding across the cliffs. Thousands upon thousands of black bodies flooded upward through the broken rocks simultaneously.

The cliffs themselves vanished beneath swarming corruption.

"LYRESAPH!"

Levin called sharply.

ROOOOOOOOOAAARRRRRR!!!

Lyresaph lunged forward instantly, his massive silver tail crashing directly through the front swarm—BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!

Entire sections of cliffs exploded apart beneath the impact; dozens of ants were crushed instantly. Yet still more continued climbing over the dead, endless, mindless, and hungry.

Then suddenly three enormous corrupted ants leaped directly toward Levin, too fast, but before they could reach him—FWOOOSSSHHHH!!!

Sarash moved fast enough to resemble pale lightning.

SHLAAAASSSHHH!!!

His curved silver blades tore directly through two creatures instantly while his massive serpent tail wrapped violently around the third—

CRAAAAACKKK!!!

The ant’s body snapped apart beneath crushing force; black blood sprayed across the cliffs. Levin’s blue eyes narrowed slightly afterward.

Not surprised, observing and calculating as he stepped forward calmly while slicing another creature through the skull.

"So this...is the strength Zerat kept hidden."

Sarash froze briefly because Malika said it so casually, without fear and without suspicion. Then suddenly more ants burst upward from beneath the cliffs.

SKRRRRRRRRR!!!

Levin imdiately raised his sword again. "Left side."

Sarash moved without question.

FWOOOSSSHHHH!!!

His pale serpent body slamd directly through the left swarm while Levin advanced from the center alongside Lyresaph. The battle beca chaos; steel flashed violently beneath desert storms.

Dragon claws shattered corrupted bodies. White serpent blades danced across black swarms like moonlight cutting darkness itself.

anwhile, far above them, the hooded figure remained motionless, watching silently. Then suddenly the figure lifted one hand slowly, and every corrupted ant froze instantly.

The cliffs fell silent; even Lyresaph stopped growling. Levin narrowed his eyes imdiately because thousands of creatures had obeyed that gesture without hesitation.

Then slowly the swarm parted, creating a path through the cliffs and straight toward the hooded figure.

The desert winds beca louder afterward, almost excited and almost alive.

Levin stepped forward carefully, sword still raised. "...who are you?"

The hooded figure tilted his head slightly, then softly, almost affectionately, he answered, "Soone...who has waited a very long ti to finally et you."

Sarash’s serpent eyes widened instantly because that tone—that voice—that presence—felt horrifyingly familiar.

anwhile, far below across Sah’qir, Zerat suddenly looked toward the cliffs again, and this ti, the emperor’s entire body went cold because instinct whispered sothing terrifying.

Levin was no longer chasing the enemy; he had already reached him. He stepped forward carefully, silver steel remaining raised before him, not trembling, not lowering because no matter how strange that man felt—no matter how familiar his presence sounded—Levin had survived too much already to trust a stranger rely because he spoke softly.

"...I do not care for a serpent I just t." His blue gaze sharpened dangerously. "And I certainly do not trust one."

The silver-haired man rely watched him silently, almost fondly, and sohow that expression irritated Levin more. Then Levin slowly lifted the sword higher, and the desert winds scread around the cliffs violently.

"So answer carefully...who are you?"

The man smiled faintly afterward, not offended, not angered but amused. "And if I refuse?"

Levin’s eyes darkened instantly; his grip around the sword tightened slowly. "Then...I have ways to make serpents speak."

Silence, and then suddenly the entire atmosphere changed. The winds stopped completely. Even the corrupted ants below the cliffs lowered themselves instantly.

As though kneeling, as though sothing ancient had awakened fully. The silver-haired man’s smile disappeared, and for the first ti, sothing terrifying appeared within his golden eyes.

Not rage but sothing colder and older. The kind of danger buried beneath civilizations, then softly—very softly—he spoke.

"...you threaten exactly the sa way he once did."

CRAAAAASSSSHHHH!!!

Black and blue pressure exploded across the cliffs instantly. The rocks beneath Levin’s feet cracked violently while Sarash hissed and Lyresaph growled furiously beside him.

Even the air beca heavy, difficult to breathe. Sarash imdiately moved forward protectively.

"Malika—!"

But Levin raised one hand sharply, stopping him. The pale serpent froze instantly. Even Lyresaph growled low in disagreent. Yet Levin never looked away from the silver-haired man, not once, and then quietly—dangerously calmly—he said as his blue gaze narrowed slightly.

"Since he has waited for this long...then I shall greet him properly."

The silver-haired man stared at Levin afterward longer than necessary, and sowhere deep within those ancient silver eyes, sothing almost looked pleased.

Then finally he moved.

FWOOOOOSSSHHHH!!!

Too fast...far too fast. The silver-haired man appeared directly before Levin instantly—no footsteps, no warning, only a sudden overwhelming presence.

CLAAAAANNNGGGG!!!

Levin barely blocked in ti. Silver steel collided violently against black curved blades that had appeared seemingly from shadows themselves.

Shockwaves exploded across the cliffs. Sarash’s eyes widened because Levin had actually reacted fast enough. The silver-haired man’s gaze softened faintly afterward.

Almost impressed.

"...beautiful."

Levin twisted sharply.

SHLAAAASSSHHH!!!

His sword sliced toward the man’s throat instantly, precise and deadly, but the silver-haired man rely leaned aside elegantly, like dancing through death itself.

Then—CRAAACKKK!!!

His elbow slamd directly against Levin’s sword arm. Levin staggered briefly backward, too strong. The realization flashed instantly through his mind. This was not an ordinary serpent, not even close.

Then suddenly the silver-haired man smiled again as his voice lowered softly. "There he is, the little moonflower with fangs."

Levin’s eyes sharpened dangerously.

FWOOOSSSHHHH!!!

This ti he attacked first. Silver steel flashed violently across the cliffs while desert storms exploded around them, one strike, two, five, and ten. Fast enough that even Sarash struggled following their movents fully.

The cliffs shattered beneath every impact. anwhile, the silver-haired man fought strangely, not like soone trying to kill Levin but like soone testing him, learning him, and enjoying him, and sohow—that made the duel even more terrifying.

CLAAAAANNNGGGG!!!

Their blades collided again violently, and this ti close enough for Levin to see the man’s eyes clearly. Ancient sorrow lived there, and ancient obsession too.

Then suddenly the silver-haired man whispered, "...he truly let you keep your spirit."

Levin froze briefly, only for a second, but that second was enough.

CRAAAAASSSHHHH!!!

The silver-haired man’s blade slamd directly into Levin’s sword, sending him backward violently across the cliffs.

"MALIKA!"

Sarash shouted instantly. Lyresaph roared furiously. But before either could move, Levin planted the sword into the stone, stopping himself forcefully and breathing unevenly now, and blood slowly dripped from the corner of his lips.

Yet even then he smiled faintly because now he understood sothing horrifying. This man was not fighting seriously yet, and sohow that made him even more dangerous than the monsters below Sah’qir.

The desert storm scread around the cliffs violently.

Black sands spiraled through the skies while corrupted ants remained frozen below like an audience waiting for blood.

anwhile, the silver-haired man simply watched Levin, silver eyes calm and ancient. Almost affectionate, then softly, he said, "You protect yourself differently now."

Levin narrowed his eyes instantly.

"...what?"

The silver-haired man moved again, fast enough to distort the air itself.

FWOOOOOOSSSHHHH!!!

Levin imdiately raised his sword—CLAAAAANNNGGGG!!!

Steel collided violently again; shockwaves exploded across the cliffs hard enough to split stone apart. Levin twisted sharply, trying to counterattack, but suddenly the silver-haired man stepped directly into his space.

Too close.

Then his leg moved.

CRAAAAASSSHHHH!!!

A brutal kick aid directly toward Levin’s stomach, toward the child, and instinct reacted before thought could. Levin’s eyes widened instantly, not from fear for himself.

For the egg and for the life inside him. Imdiately he threw himself backward desperately to protect his abdon, but the cliffs beneath him were already broken.

Cracked from battle and unstable.

CRAAAAACKKK!!!

The stone beneath Levin’s feet shattered completely. For one horrifying second his balance slipped, and then he fell.

"MAAALLLLIIIIKKKKKKAAAAAA—!!!"

Sarash lunged instantly; his pale serpent tail shot violently across the cliffs, trying to catch him. At the sa mont, Lyresaph roared with pure fury and leaped forward too; the entire cliff trembled beneath the dragon’s desperation.

And for the first ti even the silver-haired man’s calm expression shattered completely. His eyes widened, true panic flashing across them.

"No—!"

He moved instantly faster than before, not like a predator now but like soone trying desperately to save sothing precious. All three reached toward Levin simultaneously, but they were too late.

The Malika was already falling into the endless abyss beneath Sah’qir. The winds scread violently around him; the cliffs blurred. Darkness swallowed the world below.

And instinctively Levin wrapped both arms around his abdon protectively.

Protecting the child even now, even while falling toward death. Then suddenly the blue pendant around his neck glowed.

A soft blue light erged first, small and fragile.

Then—

BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!

Ancient magic exploded across the cliffs, and the entire world stopped. The storm froze midair; falling sand beca motionless. The corrupted ants below halted completely; even the collapsing stones around Levin stopped descending.

Ti itself had frozen, and absolute silence consud Sah’qir.

No wind, no battle, and no screams...nothing.

The entire world had frozen beneath ancient blue light. The storm itself remained suspended across the skies. Sand floated motionless around the cliffs.

Below, the corrupted ants had frozen mid-crawl. Even the collapsing stones remained trapped within halted ti. And in the middle of that impossible silence, Sarash remained frozen, reaching desperately toward Levin.

Unable to move and unable to breathe like a statue trapped within forgotten ti itself.

anwhile, Levin still floated faintly above the abyss, blue light wrapped around him gently while the pendant against his chest continued to glow brighter. Ancient symbols flickered across the skies behind him.

Alive and watching.

Levin’s breathing remained uneven and shaken. Then suddenly—

ROOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!!!

The frozen world trembled. Levin’s eyes widened instantly. "...Lyresaph?"

Lyresaph moved, actually moved inside frozen ti. The silver dragon dashed violently across the suspended cliffs before wrapping his massive tail around Levin carefully.

Protectively and desperately.

Then slowly Lyresaph pulled him upward from the abyss, back toward the cliffs and back toward safety. Levin landed against the broken stones heavily afterward.

Still breathing hard and still stunned. Then imdiately he looked toward Lyresaph as his voice ca out quieter now.

"...is it because of the mate law...that you did not freeze?"

The silver dragon lowered his head slightly and then nodded once. Levin exhaled shakily afterward, pure relief crossing his face for the first ti since falling.

"...thank you."

Lyresaph nudged his face gently afterward, almost scolding and almost emotional. Levin smiled faintly despite everything, and then instinctively his hands moved toward his abdon protectively, and then his voice softened imdiately.

"...I apologize, my child. I was not careful."

Silence followed afterward, a relieved silence and a fragile silence.

And then a voice echoed across the frozen cliffs, low, disbelieving, and dangerously calm.

"...how?" Levin froze instantly. "...how did you freeze ti?"

The atmosphere shifted violently. Levin slowly looked upward, and there the silver-haired man had begun walking toward him, moving freely through frozen ti, walking naturally.

As though ti itself did not dare stop him. For the first ti, true caution appeared across Levin’s face because only two beings now moved within the frozen world: him and that man.

The silver-haired man stopped several steps away afterward. His gaze locked entirely upon the glowing pendant, not blinking, almost horrified.

Then slowly he reached upward and removed the hood completely. Levin’s breath caught instantly; his blue eyes widened with disbelief.

"...Zer...?"

No, not Zerat but close enough to make Levin’s entire body go cold. The resemblance was terrifying: long silver hair, tanned skin, and sharp royal features.

The sa overwhelming presence, the sa ancient beauty. Yet his eyes were different, not gold but silver.

Cold silver eyes that looked like moonlight trapped within steel. The silver-haired man stared at Levin silently, and Levin asked, "How...how co you did not freeze?"