Glacialix soared across the vast expanse of the Icy Omniverse, her massive, elegant wings cutting through the cold, frozen spacetime like an ethereal specter of ice. Arfrotian sat calmly on her back, his presence both comforting and unnerving, a reminder of the sheer brilliance and terrifying cunning that had unfolded along their journey.

  As she flew, she found herself reflecting on the events that had led them to this point, her thoughts racing in disbelief at the sheer magnitude of her Master’s strategy.

  "First, Master said to me, instead of lies, we will be giving half or twisted truths, and it worked so flawlessly that everyone convinced themselves that the true ruler of this Icy Omniverse was Zenian, who was frozen. When in reality… it was my Master, Arfrotian, all along."

  The way it played out still astounded her. It was not through force, nor direct deception, but through mere suggestion—half-truths carefully woven into statements that led others to lie to themselves.

  Then came the next incident.

  "When the infiltrator of the Omniversal ruler among Zenian’s faction tried to clarify the truth, we didn't panic. Instead, we questioned his loyalty to Zenian."

  That simple act alone had turned the situation in their favor. It had triggered the natural suspicions of the other angels in Zenian’s faction, forcing the infiltrator into a precarious position. If he pressed too hard for answers, he would be seen as a traitor. But if he backed down and covered for himself, he would no longer be able to question anything further—saving them the trouble of explaining even half-truths.

  Glacialix swallowed hard as she continued flying, her phoenix form cutting through the cold winds of the Omniverse. The sheer intricacy of Arfrotian’s strategy was beginning to overwhelm her.

  "Then came the next move. By stating that if someone crosses my path, something could happen, they all assumed it simply meant death. But Lady Azuraelis, stood firm in her belief that Master could never die. And so, when told to prepare for war, they understood it as Zenian’s declaration of war. But in reality… Zenian is still frozen and cannot escape."

  A deep chill ran through Glacialix’s entire being, and it wasn’t from the surrounding cold of the Omniverse—it was from realizing just how masterfully Arfrotian had manipulated the situation.

  "Meanwhile, Azuraelis, whom Master placed his trust in, would now prepare alongside the shadow elves and Asura’s faction, believing that she was preparing for a righteous war against Zenian’s faction. But in truth, Master had prepped them for an entirely different war—one against the looming Omniversal ruler’s threat, something that only the infiltrator among Zenian’s faction is aware of."

  It was all so shocking. Each action, each seemingly separate move, was all a piece of a larger, grander game. And now, as she processed everything that had happened, the only thing she could think of was:

  "My Master is truly terrifying… I’m so glad I serve him rather than oppose him."

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden touch of warmth against her icy feathers. Arfrotian, sitting calmly atop her, had begun caressing her feathery back, his touch gentle yet utterly possessive.

  "Still can’t believe you did all that, huh?" Arfrotian mused, his voice carrying a subtle amusement. "You sure had quite the acting skills, wouldn’t you say?"

  Glacialix shook her head. "Master, acting skills are needed when you tell a lie. I never lied."

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Her voice carried a firm conviction.

  "I only told incomplete truths as you instructed. I never confirmed whether their Lord Zenian was the actual ruler of this Icy Omniverse. Even when the traitor tried to clarify, I merely responded with a question that you had told me to use. That alone shut him up and prevented him from digging any further."

  Her voice became more intense as she continued.

  "Even the way you prepped our allies for war—no one knew the exact enemy. All I said was that "MY MASTER" had commanded it. They all assumed it was Zenian. It was their own perception of my truth that deceived them. I never had to lie, to begin with, Master… just as you said."

  Arfrotian chuckled, his voice rich with satisfaction. "Does it really matter, Glacialix? Even explaining the full extent of my plan would be exhausting, and yet…"

  He yawned dramatically. "I was sleeping on my HEAVENLY LOVE BED the entire conversation, wasn’t I?"

  Glacialix’s entire body tensed. If she were in her human form, her face would have turned as red as a ripe tomato. Instead, she was fortunate enough to be in her phoenix form, sparing her from such visible embarrassment.

  "MASTER!!!" she shrieked, flustered beyond belief. "I NEVER AGREED TO THAT NAME! WHO NAMES SOMEONE’S BACK?! AND WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THAT?!"

  Arfrotian laughed heartily, his fingers tracing lazily through her feathers. "Aww, my Ice Queen," he teased, his voice dropping into a silky tone,

  "You’re mine, right? Your purpose is me, right? Then it’s only fitting that I give a name that symbolizes our bond."

  "MASTER!!! YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN ANOTHER SYMBOL! WHY NAME A BACK?!" Glacialix practically screamed.

  Arfrotian only laughed harder.

  "Oh well, you know, Glacialix, it’s not my fault.

  WHO TOLD YOUR BACK TO BE SO DAMN FEATHERY, SOFT, AND COMFORTABLE?! It was like a HEAVENLY BED for me. I couldn’t have asked for more!"

  Glacialix, though surrounded by the coldest parts of the Icy Omniverse, felt an overwhelming heat rush through her body. She had no counterargument.

  Because deep down… she liked it.

  She liked the way he used her.

  She liked the way he owned her.

  Arfrotian saw the hesitation in her, and his voice turned softer, more possessive.

  "Aww… my Ice Queen, don’t hesitate. I know how you feel. There’s no need to hide it from me, right?"

  Glacialix’s heart practically leaped into her throat.

  "WHAT THE—?! MASTER, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL?!"

  Desperately, she tried to shift the conversation away. "Master, do we really need to go to the Ice Temple? I don’t see any real reason—"

  Arfrotian’s smile was knowing.

  "Oh, my silly Ice Queen," he purred,

  "Did you forget? You yourself said you were going back to the Ice Temple, right? Now, the infiltrator heard that. Before you even arrive, they would have already called their people—the people of that Omniversal ruler—to steal away Zenian before you could reach him."

  Glacialix's breath hitched as realization dawned upon her.

  "And," Arfrotian continued,

  "They will watch your reaction to confirm whether you were telling the truth. They believe Zenian is your master, so if you react accordingly to his 'disappearance', they’ll assume you were honest. That is why…"

  Before she could fully process his words—

  Arfrotian let go, of Glacialix’s feathery back, which he literally hated to but he had to in this moment of need.

  He dropped himself off her back into the freezing void of icy spacetime.

  Glacialix’s entire body froze in panic.

  "MASTER!!" she shrieked, her massive wings halting as she spun around frantically. She transformed mid-air into her human form, her glowing icy blue eyes wide in shock and desperation.

  The Ice Temple had already come into view, but that didn’t matter anymore.

  "MASTER, WHERE ARE YOU?!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the frozen void.

  Her heart pounded erratically in her chest as panic overtook her.

  "MASTER, DON’T LEAVE ME ALONE!"

  Tears welled up in her eyes as her breathing grew ragged.

  "I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU!! YOU ARE MY ONLY PURPOSE!!!"

  Desperate, frantic, she began searching for Arfrotian, her mind in absolute chaos.