Chereads / Conqueror of the Lost World / Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: A Symphony of Frost

Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: A Symphony of Frost

I am the Lizard King. I can do anything!

Jim Morrison:

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Within moments, the forest fell silent once more. Thousands of pale, translucent bodies lay motionless across the jagged snow, their forms blackened and lifeless. The pristine white landscape had become a macabre tableau, littered with the charred remains of the lizards.

The faint scent of ozone lingered in the frigid air, mingling with the stillness. What had been an ethereal, otherworldly domain moments ago now stood as a graveyard, a stark reminder of the boy's power.

A faint wave of energy pulsed from the orb of light, rippling through the air like a heartbeat. The boy's gaze shifted toward it, captivated by the way the flickering light danced, its hues constantly shifting. For a moment, it was golden, then blue, before finally settling on a deep crimson glow that radiated an unsettling intensity.

Intrigued, he tilted his head, curiosity flaring within him. But before he could fully comprehend what was happening, a powerful gust of wind erupted around him. It howled with an icy ferocity, biting at his skin and swirling snow into blinding whirlwinds.

In the blink of an eye, the world twisted. Shapes bent and blurred, and the frozen forest dissolved like a fading memory. By the time he regained his focus, the familiar jagged trees and creeping lizards were gone.

He stood now in an alien expanse—a vast, desolate wasteland of unbroken white. Snow stretched endlessly in all directions, its pristine surface merging seamlessly with the silvery haze of the horizon. It was impossible to tell where the ground ended and the sky began, the entire world enveloped in an eerie, monochrome stillness.

The air here was harsher, unforgiving in a way that felt almost alive. Each breath stung his lungs, and the biting wind gnawed at his bones as though it sought to strip him bare. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the relentless howling of the wind, which carried with it a strange, soundless weight—an emptiness that felt heavy, oppressive.

In the distance, something broke the monotony of the endless tundra. A jagged mountain loomed far on the horizon, its sharp, snow-laden peaks cutting into the pale gray sky like the blade of a vengeful god. Its sheer size was overwhelming, a monolithic presence that seemed to radiate a cold, indifferent power.

But the mountain wasn't alone.

Perched along its slopes were colossal crystalline lizards, their immense forms blending seamlessly with the icy terrain. Their translucent bodies shimmered faintly, refracting the pale light into fractured rainbows that danced across the snow below.

They were impossibly large—so immense that the mountain itself seemed insignificant in their shadow. Their scales glistened like shards of ice, their otherworldly glow adding a haunting beauty to their menacing stillness. The boy's breath caught as he took in the sight, a flicker of awe tempered by the unmistakable weight of danger that hung in the frozen air.

This place is anything but natural; it is a reality marble—a construct of sheer will and unyielding power, forced into existence through an act of dominance. The snow and ice shimmer faintly, pulsating with latent energy that saturates the frigid air. Overhead, the sky churns with a restless vortex of storm clouds, icy blue lightning cracking across the heavens and casting brief, jagged shadows over the desolate landscape.

At the center of this hostile domain stands the boy, far from ordinary. Each breath he exhales crystallizes into a fleeting mist, a visible reminder of the bone-chilling cold suffusing this plane. Though his appearance betrays youth, his presence radiates defiance—an unyielding power that stands in stark contrast to the overwhelming might of the reality marble. The snow beneath his feet crunches with each deliberate step, yet the ground ripples faintly as if recoiling, rejecting his intrusion into this hostile realm.

Suddenly, the snow shifts violently, surging upward like a tidal wave. It twists into jagged spears of ice, rocketing toward him with deadly precision. Their crystalline edges gleam menacingly, reflecting the lightning's electric glow. In the distance, perched atop the towering mountain, the massive crystalline lizards pulse faintly, their radiance synchronized with the attack. They are mere spectators—they are not the architects of this domain, their immense will anchoring and sustaining its hostile intent is false.

And he could feel it— a presence, faint but undeniable. Someone else or something else.

The master of this frozen domain.

Hiding somewhere.

He could find him, but he wants to have some fun first.

The boy's gaze sharpens, his calm expression giving way to something feral, predatory. His posture shifts subtly, betraying readiness. As the ice spears rush toward him, he raises an arm, electricity snapping to life across his skin. With a sharp motion, he releases a burst of lightning, the energy tearing through the air with the force of a thunderclap. The bolts collide with the oncoming barrage, shattering the icy projectiles into a storm of glittering shards that cascade around him like a deadly snowfall.

This frozen world isn't merely a trap—it's alive, sentient, and fiercely hostile. Its very essence twists and conspires against him, challenging his every step forward. But the boy remains unshaken. His grin resurfaces, defiant and full of fire, as he mutters under his breath, "Alright. What's next?"

As the boy advanced, his footing betrayed him. The ground beneath him turned treacherously slick, and in an instant, he slipped, crashing to his back and sprawling across the frozen surface. That is embarrassing. Before he could fully comprehend the fall, a volley of spears materialized behind him, hurtling toward him with deadly accuracy.

But before the icy weapons could strike, the boy was already in motion. And I'm pissed! In one seamless motion, he sprang to his feet, his fist slamming down onto the ground with earth-shattering force.

The impact was cataclysmic. The entire plane fractured like fragile glass, snow and ice splintering into chaotic shards that rippled outward. The once-unyielding realm, so steadfast and adaptive, lay in ruins beneath the weight of his power.

For a brief moment, it seemed he had escaped. But instead of collapsing or ejecting him, the realm reset itself. The snow and ice reassembled as though mocking him, and this time, the boy found himself trapped in a same deep, jagged hole, carved into the frozen ground.

Before he could react, the icy walls of the hole closed in, encasing him in a sheath of unbreakable ice. His movements were sealed. From within his frozen prison, countless spears formed from the very air around him and drove themselves into his body from all directions.

Blood splattered, a stark crimson stain against the blinding white of the ice. For the first time, it seemed, the boy bled. But was it truly blood?

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Time stretched on, the boy frozen and unmoving—a statue entombed within his icy tomb. The air grew unnervingly still, the realm itself seeming to hold its breath, awaiting what would come next.

Out of nowhere, a colossal Blue Lizard began to take shape, its emergence a mesmerizing dance of swirling frost and vibrating soundwaves. The air hummed with an otherworldly frequency as the creature materialized, layer by layer. Shimmering scales the color of deep sapphire formed a sleek yet armored hide, each scale glinting with icy brilliance, as though they had been carved from frozen gemstones. Frost clung to its massive frame, and mist rolled off its body, cooling the air around it until the temperature plummeted sharply.

Standing as tall as an eight-story building, the beast's proportions were both elegant and menacing. Its elongated, muscular tail, edged with icy ridges, swept the ground, leaving a trail of frost wherever it moved. Its head, shaped like a dragon's but uniquely lizard-like, bore two jagged crystalline horns that vibrated faintly, emitting a constant, resonant hum. Piercing cobalt-blue eyes, glowing with frosty energy, scanned the surroundings with a mix of intelligence and primal ferocity.

When it roared, the sound split the air like a thunderclap, its powerful resonance shaking the earth and shattering nearby structures. This sound-based attack wasn't just noise—it carried concussive force capable of toppling armies and splintering the strongest shields. In tandem with its sonic onslaught, the lizard summoned icy gales from its maw. When it exhaled, a storm of jagged ice shards erupted, freezing everything in their path—turning the battlefield into a frozen wasteland.

Despite its immense size, the creature moved with surprising grace. Each step sent vibrations through the ground, its claws gripping the earth as though drawing strength from the planet itself. The very air around it warped and shifted; snow and frost formed spontaneously, while eerie, melodic echoes reverberated, signaling its dominion over both ice and sound.

A fantastical marvel, this colossal blue lizard was more than just a beast—it was a living force of nature, embodying the harmonious yet destructive power of sound and ice.

And as it fixed its gaze upon the boy, still encased in the ice….

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