Chapter 236: The Power of the Ruler of Ice
*QUEST NOTIFICATION*
Find the Everfrost Flower
The Ice Queen Elona wants you to find a certain flower in the frozen land of Niflheim. Find it so that you can repay the favor you have been granted.
Condition: Find the Everfrost flower that is said to be the only flower that can bloom on a frozen land.
Reward: None
Failure: You will be unable to journey to the far north as Ice Queen Elona will bar you from the borders of her kingdom.
Time Remaining: 30 days
Adrian immediately accepted the quest because he did not need to call for help from the undead nor the Daemos. He can call for help by going to the undead king but that would stretch his already low number of soldiers even further. He could also call for some of the Daemos Corps but he could only call upon one squad or so.
"Also, we must leave winter warfare to those who are masters of it. I do not know why she wants me to fetch a simple thing but then again she cannot go to other worlds like the Daemos." Adrian thought as he followed the Ice Queen that said she wanted to see what Aurgelmir is doing.
Adrian escorted the Ice Queen to the forge but they only stood where they could see the hammering frost giant. The waves of energy seems to be becoming more and more pronounced. Aurgelmir had already connected two of the crown fragments.
Adrian then looked towards his side to see if the Ice Queen Elona would say something but he became surprised instead. The Ice Queen who had a stoic expression ever since they met is actually looking at the frost giant with eyes of admiration.
"Damn, another old man who has more game than me." Adrian thought to himself as he did not know whether he should be jealous at the old man for having more charisma than him or puke.
Adrian could see that the Ice Queen has this enamored look on her face. But judging by her interaction, it seems that she is not that well acquainted with the frost giant. Adrian smiled devilishly as he saw this and is once again brewing something so that he can benefit from it later.
"Sometimes using your head to gain things is much better than using your body. Less hassle and better rewards without that much effort." Adrian muttered to himself as he coughed to snap the Ice Queen from her daze.
"We should not disturb the old man and come up with a battle plan. It seems our first visitor is actually not even trying to be secretive." Adrian stated as he could feel an immense aura heading towards them.
Adrian left his soulbounds nearer to the forge this time as he teleported the Ice Queen and himself to the outside per request of the Ice Queen. A great white image greeted them as the snow seems to have piled up due to the blizzard. Outside the entrance to the cave system are actually an army of yetis but much more robust than the one Adrian encountered.
The yetis are also fashioned in an armor that looks like it is made from metal that is coated in ice. The yetis also had stag like antlers with pointy tips that would instantly kill anyone that would be impaled. The Ice Queen looked proud of her army of yetis that she did not even bother immediately intercepting the guest coming towards us.
"Who do you think is so curious that he would drop what they are doing to come here?" Adrian asked.
"Someone who has too much time and nothing important to do perhaps. By the aura that I am sensing then it must be a dragonoid. The peak evolution of the dragonkin." The Ice Queen Elona replied.
"How are you so sure, Your Highness?" Adrian asked as he had yet to feel a dragonoids aura.
"My adop...my child is actually one of them. Dragonoids has the power to even transform themselves into dragons for a limited number of time. Still, dragonoids are extremely rare to find as they usually guard the parent dragon of a dragonkin clan." The Ice Queen Elona stated which made Adrian very interested in the story but then Elona started gathering mana from the surroundings.
The Ice Queen Elona did not use her own mana but the mana from the surroundings. This is one of the privileges of a legendary NPC which is having the ability to utilize mana from nature to a certain degree. They can manipulate it but not freely because if they do then they might as well become gods or demigods.
The Ice Queen used the mana she is familiar with and the snow that is on the mountain and ground started rising up. The snow started swirling and swirling until it formed tornadoes made of snow. With a flick of her wrist, the Ice Queen Elona sent the snow and cold wind towards the direction of the dragonoid that is coming to the location in full speed.
"Will that stop the dragonoid?" Adrian asked as he is curious if strong snow and winds would deter the dragonoid from coming here.
"It should slow the dragonoid down and also send a message." The Ice Queen Elona stated.
"Message? Will the wind whisper something like 'Go away' or 'Turn back now'?" Adrian asked.
"Not that kind of message. I am not a mage that deals with sound to be able do that." The Ice Queen Elona replied.
"Oh...I guess I expected too much." Adrian muttered but Elona just glared at him because she heard what Adrian said.
Adrian could feel that the incoming aura did slow down a bit but he could sense movement. It seems that the dragonoid is more determined than Elona thought but she did not budge or add any more spells. She would humor the dragonoid as long as the person in question could reach their destination.
Adrian used Spirit Form Transformation to turn himself invisible because of Elona's remark that he should hide himself. Not all races are indifferent to demons as dragons are said to be equal to demons. The dragonoid might turn hostile if it sees Adrian's form. Dragonoids practically worship the dragons as gods because dragons are the pinnacle of any life form. Well, on paper at least.
It did not take long for the dragonoid to show up with layers of frost seen on its body. The Ice Queen Elona did not show weakness but instead glared at the dragonoid. The dragonoid then heated its body up to melt the layer of frost covering its body.
The dragonoid looked no different from a human except for some parts of its body being covered in dragon-like scales and serpentine like eyes. Another feature is that Adrian did not like very much is that the dragonoid is actually very beautiful.
"Why is every powerful race beautiful? Does beauty equal power? Should I get the Charm stat and raise it?" Adrian thought as she looked at the dragonoid once more.
The dragonoid is obviously a female and her choice of clothing is not something you could call for battle. She is like that every poster girl woman warrior character that any game would use as . Her armor is more like a bikini and that it looks like it was made from dragon scales.
Contrary to base dragonkin's look, the dragonoid does not have wings which is strange but then again Adrian was told that a dragon's wings are merely for decoration and egg hatching. Dragons have an innate understanding of mana that lets them basically float in the air. A strong example of that is Kanlaon as eastern dragons rarely have wings but can fly.
"I have to commend you for being able to traverse the blizzard that I made dragonoid but this is as far as you will go. The far north is my territory and I do not like unwelcomed outsiders that is meant to do harm upon those from the north." The Ice Queen Elona stated while revealing her dignity as someone powerful and of royalty.
"I am here on my master's orders to find out the source of the strange energy fluctuations that is being felt throughout the continent. I am sorry if I have offended you, Queen of the North." The female dragonoid replied.
"If you want to know what is the source of that energy then I will tell you due to the respect I have for your master. It is something that the great blacksmith of the north is currently using for crafting a mighty item. I do not know what that item is but even your master would not dare offend the great blacksmith of the north." The Ice Queen Elona stated.
The female dragonoid did not want to offend the Queen of the North but it would for its master's order but if she added the great blacksmith of the north then she would have to retreat. Her master specifically told her to retreat if the source of the fluctuations happen to be coming from the forge of the great blacksmith of the north.
"Thank you for telling me the reason, Queen of the North. I will tell my master about it which would surely deter others of my kind to inspect further but for others not of my kind then we hold no power over them." The female dragonoid stated as he gave a light bow and looked around a few more times before flying back to where she came from.
"It seems everyone is curious. But just by using the old man's title, we could scare anyone from inspecting closer." Adrian stated as his form materialized.
"You think far too little of the weight of Aurgelmir's influence." The Ice Queen Elona stated.
"If that is the case then I will do something that is needed so that the old man will not truly be bothered. Can I leave the north to you and guard the old man with your life?" Adrian stated with a face that is very serious.
"Just do not forget our deal, little demon. What are you going to do anyway?" The Ice Queen Elona stated.
"I need to wreak havoc on an army that is marching towards here. It would be very troublesome if they come here after all." Adrian stated as he went inside the cave to fetch his soulbounds and leaving the Ice Queen to protect the perimeter.