Chapter Text
Forty long years had come and gone.
It was the first decade of Vex's rule that hurt the most. Back when everything was still new and entertaining for him, the decades that followed could not compare to their predecessor's brutality. All those years of forced labor, imprisonment, and executions. The Never realm and its people were beaten and tired. Akin to a wounded animal, the citizens laid low in hopes that their pursuer would lose the scent. All the fight had seemingly left their collective conciousness. This strict obedience created a monotonous 'peace' that lasted for the next thirty years. There were no criminals to be punished, and there were no rebellions to be quashed. It was what Vex wanted, right?
Nearly two generations of complete bleak uniformity.
As expected, this total compliance did make ruling the realm a very dull task for Vex. While more sane individuals would be grateful for this prolonged peace, Vex was obviously not one of them. The mines were empty and filled with snow. Sure, Vex had gotten an obscene amount of gold and treasures, but this all became less about filling his treasure coffers and more about sending a message. A convoluted and malicious one at that. New ridiculous laws were put into place yearly, people were framed, and families were torn apart. All for the entertainment of a single man. The next era of Vex's rule was simply a second wind of depraved sadism.
Even this got tiresome, though. Vex ceased his little "games" once his old age and sickness began to settle within. He found himself getting tired more frequently and sleeping for most of the day. Day and night were indistinguishable from within the confining walls of the castle. It became increasingly difficult to eat the cold, dry food he had become accustomed to. Even walking around the castle had become a trial. He had the Blizzard Samurai cut down an elder tree from the deserted Formling Village to create him a luxurious walking stick. Such a complete show of disrespect was the only highlight of that particular year. Even his absolutely loyal guards made him unhappy. Just seeing how effortlessly they were able to function made him scowl. Why must he be cursed with such fragility? Still, his bitterness fueled him, though not as much as it used to.
Outside the palace, things weren't getting any better. Around the Never realm, tattered banners swayed in the strong winds. Their threads have been wrung out by years of unrelenting weather. Despite their condition, anyone would be able to tell who those banners belonged to. Faded grays, blues, and whites were the colors of the Ice Emperor. Though now they appeared to be the only colors some would see in this bleak landscape, An old crow plucked some loose threads from one of the larger flags posted outside of the castle. It perched upon an evergreen pine and added the shreds of cloth to its nest.
Rarely did anything ever exit or enter the palace now. There was simply no need. The realm had completely submitted itself to the Ice Emperor, and everything that Vex could need was stored in the underground pantry. Hundreds of pounds of preserved meat, grain, and dried fruit that were once meant to feed a royal army now feed one bitter old man. Unintentionally, it had become the most lavish prison ever built. Just from standing outside the castle, one could feel the utter wretchedness oozing out from every ice-covered window. All of the doors were sealed tightly to keep whatever warmth remained trapped within, for its sole inhabitant was losing his ability to keep warm.
In the forty years that the Ice Emperor stood dormant, Vex hadn't laid a finger on him out of fear of a premature awakening. It was an odd sight, to be certain. The entire room was utterly magnificent in its decor. Extinct animal pelts lined the floor, golden chandeliers with unlit candles hung from the ceiling, and paintings depicting Vex's embellished glory lined the walls. Behind all of the stolen treasure at the top of the frozen stairs stood the Ice Emperor in his humble yet terrifying silence. The untrained eye could easily mistake him for a statue. A blue marble in a sea of gold.
Vex had finally made his way to the throne room, but by now he was on his hands and knees. The bejeweled walking stick he had obtained fell flimsily out of reach when he collapsed. While crawling on the cold floor, he moaned in pain at each minuscule movement. The royal advisor is now ninety years old. Death itself was breathing on the back of his wrinkled neck. If he didn't act quickly, this chamber would serve as his golden tomb. The glimmer of countless treasures blinded him as he grasped the stairs. All of his pride was out the window at this moment. Vex's final resort lay dormant at the precipice of this stairwell.
Encased in translucent blue ice lay Vex's sole saving grace.
The ice that surrounded the Emperor was the most cold and corrupted in the entire realm. Upon touching it, Vex screamed, as it was so frigid it felt like it was burning his frail skin. Deathly blue began to slowly creep up his hands and into his elbows. Panic exited his body in the form of foggy, shallow breaths. Never before had his dark heart beat this fast. What was happening to him? His long, jagged nails scratched at its clear surface, unwilling to let go. Liquid fear ran through his veins when the realization hit him like an avalanche.
Vex was dying.
"Please, oh please. Wake up!" Vex wheezed out pathetically.
What if the Ice Emperor didn't wake up? He hadn't moved whatsoever since he went into hibernation. Even when questioned, the Blizzard Samurai could not sense their master's presence. Of course, Vex knew that whatever creature the Ice Emperor was was something more advanced than the average human. He did not need to eat, sleep, or drink, and he did not show any signs of aging either. Yet everything died in some form or another. Mountains crumbled, seas dried up, and stars burned out.
No, it was simply impossible. The Ice Emperor was not like anything else in this world. He was what Vex made him to be. So if Vex wanted him to never die, that is how it would be. Simple as that. The Ice Emperor would wake. At this very moment, their mortal coils were both linked. If one were to die, the other would perish as well. As much as Vex hated to admit it, he needed the Ice Emperor more than anything right now.
"Damn it all! I will claw you out of that ice myself if I have to! Wake already!" He coughed as the pure cold crept up to his neck.
Red trickled out of Vex's finger nails from the forcefulness of his clawing. Any more pressure, and the crooked cartilage would snap like twigs. He clearly could not hold on for much longer. Even at ninety years of age, he was still fighting like hell. His arms were beginning to shake, and the burning sensation wasn't ceasing. Vex was only escalating his own demise by trying to prevent it. When the deep blue finally crept up to his forehead, did he stop moving? His own body had stopped obeying him at this point. Death's breath grazed his neck and darkened his world.
Behind the frosted veil, two eyes opened wide.
From these eyes, a blinding white light slowly swelled within the room. Vex winced and guarded his own eyes with his frostbitten hand. The newly polished golden furniture only magnified the light's power. Its beams bounced off of everything like an ethereal rubber ball. Soon, the entire room was engulfed in the overbearing brightness. Tears swelled in Vex's irritated eyes at the sight. Was this pure emotion or just a reaction to the pain of it all? Did it even matter anymore?
It was just like his vision from so long ago—the man who was the cold sun.
Ice shattered violently off his intimidating form. The sight was akin to a caterpillar breaking free of its chrysalis. The shards flew off in random directions, striking the beloved treasures haphazardly. The paintings were punctured, and the porcelain vases were shattered. In the past, this would have infuriated the materialistic advisor, but now he finds himself ambivalent about it all. Within seconds, the Ice Emperor was freed from his self-made prison. Crouching down, he picked up the shambled form of his advisor by the armpits and held him up so that he was at eye level. The Ice Emperor stared into his eyes with intensity that hadn't been seen in decades.
"Why did you wake me?" A gravely familiar voice grumbled.
Oh, how Vex missed that voice more than he could ever put words to it! He could not relish in the satisfaction for long, however. He brought up a shaky hand to the Ice Emperor's face to touch it. It was an odd gesture, but he just had to make sure that he was real. The Ice Emperor's metal face was so cold that Vex could feel every nerve in his hand go ablaze in pain. Vex wasn't sure if he was hallucinating, but he thought he could almost feel the Ice Emperor lean into his hand. So it was true that men lose their minds right before death. Vex had to act now, or else he wouldn't even be able to plead coherently.
"My Emperor! I fear that I am dying. You must use your scepter on me before it is too late. If I perish, I cannot-" Vex clutched his chest and coughed up blood intermingled with shards of ice.
One could see how the words were being processed in his newly unfrozen head. The Ice Emperor put his advisor back on the ground carefully. Was this a willing execution sentence that the royal advisor was asking for? Odd sensations were swimming in the Ice Emperor's head at the proposal. He obviously hoped that it wasn't what he assumed it was. Vex was all he had. He was his guide, mentor, and only surviving family member. To lose him would be to lose everything.
"Turn me.. bless me with the gift you have given the Blizzard Samurai.. so I may continue to advise you.. forever." Vex looked up at the towering figure with pure desperation in his eyes.
This was the only way. Even if Vex somehow got turned into a mindless thrall, it would at least finally rid him of his mortality. His oldest desire would finally be fulfilled. If he could not be born with a form, he could at least gain a new one. In this moment, Vex put all his trust in the Ice Emperor. Which was far more than he could remember putting into himself for the last few decades.
The cold and sharp tip of the scepter was placed against his forehead. The Ice Emperor held it so carefully that it didn't even break his soft mortal skin.
"As you say, it shall be done. Accept this gift and be reborn." The Ice Emperor concluded with his usual monotone voice.
Vex closed his eyes and let go. As the corrupted magic washed over him, he felt all the warmth leave his body. Somehow, this wasn't a bad thing. He looked down at his hands and saw how the frostbite from before no longer gave him that burning pain. The cold felt... good? A thick outer layer of frost began to grow over his exposed skin like an exoskeleton. Ice even formed around his stringy facial hair. Each second that passed, every last ounce of his humanity was snuffed out. An ever-increasing smile widened on his face. All of the weakness and pain were finally gone!
"Yessss! I feel wonderful! Haha! My body is perfect!" Vex got up on his feet all by himself. This was the first time he had done so without the aid of his walking stick in twenty years.
A newfound vigor flowed through him. Not even when he was thirty years old did he feel this full of energy. It took him a few moments to realize that he wasn't breathing. He put a hand on his now-solid chest and felt that his heart had stopped beating. The silence was such a beautiful sound. Vex closed his eyes and let a single, stray tear flow. He hadn't been this happy since he first conquered this very castle. Oh, and if he was even having these thoughts in the first place, it also meant he was able to keep his autonomy. Such a thing was needed for a man in his position of power.
"I humbly thank you for your benevolence, my Emperor. Now.. we finally may return to business as usual." Vex bowed graciously before the Ice Emperor.
"Fine. I can sense that it has been forty years since we last spoke. You can start by showing me what you have done with my empire during my rest." The Ice Emperor took the first step by wordlessly looking at the new decor that surrounded him. Well, recently destroyed decor, that is.
He still could not explain all the strange things he saw in his peripheral vision. Strange symbols, percentages, and numbers clouded his vision at all times. Things he could not find words to describe even after reading through the large libraries within the castle. Perhaps this was just another aspect of having royal blood. One of the few things that the Ice Emperor could understand from this was that he always knew what time it was from the indicator in the top left of his vision. Perhaps he could ask Vex about this oddity if he found the time for it.
"Certainly. Ahem.. I do apologize that your first sight upon awakening was this mess, my Emperor. I took it upon myself to collect the most valuable treasures from across the land for you. Do not concern yourself; however, the people shall replace them with time." Vex internally grimaced at the priceless artifacts that had been demolished. Seeing the torn painting hurt especially hard.
The doors to the castle opened forcefully. This sudden interruption caused Vex to jump in surprise. General Grimfax and his top lieutenants entered as if on cue. All at once, they promptly kneeled before their true master.
"My Emperor! We sensed when you had awakened and came as quickly as we could. We are all at your command." General Grimfax announced and saluted with his ice axe.
The Ice Emperor descended down the steps gracefully. "I see. You all shall accompany the royal advisor and myself as he shows me the status of the empire."
"Understood, my Emperor. It is good to have you back." The general concluded humbly.
Vex rubbed his hands together. “I agree. It is wonderful not only for your royal court but for the entire realm that you have returned.”
Finally, things were going to be fun again. Just like old times.