The diplomatic mission was final.

The Ghost King, the chillingly ethereal figure radiating immense spiritual power, escorted Princess Selena on an ethereal palanquin, flanked by a contingent of the most intimidating, yet disciplined, Barbarian Giants.

They moved with silent, imposing dignity towards the Frost Giant Kingdom.

After hours, they reached the Royal Palace.

At the gates, they were not obstructed. The sheer unnerving presence of the Ghost King and strong Barbarians, coupled with the sight of their healthy Princess, ensured safe passage.

Once the Ghost King reached the Royal Court of the Frost Giant Kingdom, the atmosphere changed dramatically. King Belmont, enraged by the intelligence of his daughter's defeat and capture, saw only an opportunity to reclaim his honor through force.

"Seize him!" King Belmont roared, his voice shaking the very ice columns of his throne room.

Thud, thud, thud.

Instantly, a squad of elite Frost Giants immediately rushed forward, their frozen weapons ready to capture the spectral envoy, which was an act deeply disrespectful of diplomatic protocols but born of the King's fury.

But the Ghost King was not to be defeated that easily. He had been ordered by Vahn to deliver the message, not to be captured.

With a chilling battle cry, the Ghost King unleashed his full power. He summoned a spectral army of hundreds of vengeful ghosts, their wails echoing through the crystal hall. The Barbarian Giants on his escort also sprang into action, their massive axes cleaving through the elite Ice Warriors.

The ensuing skirmish was brief but brutal.

The Frost Giant warriors, unprepared for the ethereal nature of the Ghost King's army and the sheer, unyielding force of the Barbarians, were overwhelmed. In the end, the Ghost King fought back brilliantly, showcasing the terrifying power of the Necrotic Dynasty. He was able to escape unharmed, melting back into the shadows of the sky, leaving behind a devastated throne room and a humiliated King.

This public humiliation, on top of his daughter's defeat, infuriated King Belmont beyond measure.

"Trample them!" King Belmont roared, his massive fist slamming onto his icy throne, shattering it. "Prepare the Icebreaker Legion! We will march on the Necrotic Dynasty and raze that upstart kingdom to the ground!"

But then it was Selena who opposed the idea, stepping forward, her face still bearing faint marks of her ordeal, but her eyes now clear and determined.

"Father, wait!" she pleaded, her face paled with urgency. "You cannot! You will be slaughtered without mercy!"

King Belmont looked at his daughter with disbelief. "Are you mad, Selena? You were defeated, and now you counsel cowardice?"

Selena ignored her father's scorn. She began explaining King Vahn's power and forces—the unyielding Barbarian legions, the terrifying Ghost King and his spectral army, the Heaven Grade artifacts Vahn personally forged, and the overwhelming power of Seraphina's Holy Light that had so easily defeated her. She did not hide her humiliation; she used it as a evidence to Vahn's strength.

Then, she stepped forward and handed the Heaven Grade Pill of Glacial Purity to King Belmont.

"Father, this is from him. He defeated me, he healed me, and he exposed the hidden flaws in our own Ice Bloodline that we never knew existed. This pill, he claims, will purify it entirely. He is not just strong; he is leagues beyond us in understanding the Dao."

Selena's voice became desperate. "This time, we are not dealing with a barbarian chieftain, Father. We are dealing with a true King, one who offers us the ultimate strength for our bloodline, not through conquest, but through allegiance. War is suicide. We must surrender and join him if we wish to grow stronger!"

However, King Belmont's reaction was the opposite of what Princess Selena had desperately hoped for. His pride had been wounded.

​He stood up from his icy throne with a violent, earth-shaking motion, grabbed the small, precious box containing the Heaven Grade Pill of Glacial Purity, and then violently thrashed it onto the cold stone floor.

BANG! The priceless artifact shattered, the crystalline essence scattering into the air and dissipating uselessly.

​"You disgust me, Selena," he roared with utter disdain. "How can you ever think we, mighty Frost Giants, would surrender to mere humans? We are strong! We are brave! No matter the temptations, our resolve will not falter!"

​His large, glacial form swelled with fury. He had been insulted, his throne room defiled, and now his own daughter advocated for submission.

​"We will crush the very arrogance of that human King! He thinks he can gain our submission with just a few measly gift? It is a pathetic attempt to stave off the destruction he knows is coming! He will learn the true meaning of power when the Icebreaker Legion reaches his valley!"

​The humiliation of the Ghost King's escape and the desire for vengeance overwhelming any rational thought.

King Belmont turned to his stunned advisors,

​"Princess Selena is confined to the Citadel! She has lost her warrior's heart and is unfit to lead!" he declared, ensuring the crowd heard his absolute disownment.

​"Send the orders now! The Icebreaker Legion, along with the Royal Guard, will march before dawn. We will not wait. We will show this 'Necrotic Dynasty' that there are consequences for challenging our Kingdom!"

"It's over, its over... "

Selena started crying tears of despair.

She had seen King Vahn's power. His power offered both salvation and destruction. Her father's attempt to wage war on the Necrotic Dynasty because of some vain pride would surely lead their entire bloodline to extinction.

​She knew she had to stop this at all costs.

​So, while the guards were escorting her for confinement, Selena acted. She focused the raw, frigid energy of her Ice affinity and shattered the heavy crystalline window of the Citadel. She didn't hesitate, leaping into the freezing night air.

​The Icebreaker Legion, containing 5,000 Frost Giants mounted on massive Ice Creatures, was already heading south toward the Misty Valley. Selena, using her formidable strength and speed, managed to blend into the marching ranks as one of the ordinary warriors, keeping her massive body hunched and her identity hidden.

​The Sun dipped below the horizon, engulfing the snowy landscape in darkness. Yet, the Legion's journey didn't stop. They moved with terrifying speed, driven by the King's fury and riding monstrous ice beasts.

Vahn was soon to be faced with the biggest choice of his life as a Ruler.

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