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

The desert winds had become 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.

Meanwhile, 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 emerged from the shadows behind Levin.

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

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

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

The desert winds screamed 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 moment. Then finally he bowed deeply. "As you command, Malika."

And immediately 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 Zeramet 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 immediately raised his sword again. "Left side."

Sarash moved without question.

FWOOOSSSHHHH!!!

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

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

Meanwhile, 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 immediately 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 became 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, "Someone...who has waited a very long time to finally meet you."

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

Meanwhile, far below across Sah’qir, Zeramet suddenly looked toward the cliffs again, and this time, the emperor’s entire body went cold because instinct whispered something 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 merely because he spoke softly.

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

The silver-haired man merely watched him silently, almost fondly, and somehow that expression irritated Levin more. Then Levin slowly lifted the sword higher, and the desert winds screamed 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 something ancient had awakened fully. The silver-haired man’s smile disappeared, and for the first time, something terrifying appeared within his golden eyes.

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

"...you threaten me exactly the same 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 became heavy, difficult to breathe. Sarash immediately moved forward protectively.

"Malika—!"

But Levin raised one hand sharply, stopping him. The pale serpent froze instantly. Even Lyresaph growled low in disagreement. 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 me this long...then I shall greet him properly."

The silver-haired man stared at Levin afterward longer than necessary, and somewhere deep within those ancient silver eyes, something 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 time. 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 merely leaned aside elegantly, like dancing through death itself.

Then—CRAAACKKK!!!

His elbow slammed 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 time 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 movements fully.

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

CLAAAAANNNGGGG!!!

Their blades collided again violently, and this time 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 slammed 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 something horrifying. This man was not fighting seriously yet, and somehow that made him even more dangerous than the monsters below Sah’qir.

The desert storm screamed around the cliffs violently.

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

Meanwhile, 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 immediately 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 aimed 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. Immediately he threw himself backward desperately to protect his abdomen, 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 same moment, Lyresaph roared with pure fury and leaped forward too; the entire cliff trembled beneath the dragon’s desperation.

And for the first time 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 someone trying desperately to save something 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 screamed violently around him; the cliffs blurred. Darkness swallowed the world below.

And instinctively Levin wrapped both arms around his abdomen protectively.

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

A soft blue light emerged first, small and fragile.

Then— 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!

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

Time itself had frozen, and absolute silence consumed 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 time. 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 time itself.

Meanwhile, 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 time. 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 immediately he looked toward Lyresaph as his voice came 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 time 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 abdomen protectively, and then his voice softened immediately.

"...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 time?"

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

As though time itself did not dare stop him. For the first time, 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 Zeramet 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 same overwhelming presence, the same 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 come you did not freeze?"