The clash of divine auras that had once made the heavens tremble began to fade, the oppressive pressure melting into something gentler, almost fragile Mist rolled across the frozen ground, and for a long time, no one dared to speak. Then, before their eyes, the colossal creature that had towered above them ... a being of frost and radiance, whose cry had split the clouds ... began to shift. Its blinding form rippled like shattered ice, its vast wings folding inward until what stood before them was no longer a godlike guardian, but something small and soft, hovering delicately in the air.

The Empress blinked once, the corners of her lips twitching in disbelief as the creature, now no larger than her hand, fluttered its silvery wings and let out a small chirp that echoed sweetly across the frozen plain. Its once-majestic horns were now no more than pearly nubs on its tiny head, its fur a brilliant white that shimmered faintly in the cold light. Its eyes, though innocent and curious, still carried a trace of ancient wisdom. The transformation was so sudden and unexpected that even the most hardened warriors among them could only stare.

The Empress sighed softly and muttered to herself, "Truly, the heavens have a strange sense of humor. A moment ago, I thought we would all be frozen statues, and now look at her…" She folded her arms, shaking her head slightly, the faintest smile ghosting over her lips. "So fierce, yet so adorable. A divine beast with the mind of a child. I can't decide whether to laugh or to kneel."

The Guardian of Frost, still surrounded by faint motes of frozen light, stood motionless, its immense eyes narrowing slightly. "Do not be deceived by appearances," it said slowly, its voice deep. "That form is a reflection of her current state. She has only just hatched. Her power remains sealed, but when she grows, the heavens themselves will tremble again."

"I am not deceived," the Empress replied gently, "but I cannot deny she looks nothing like the terror that appeared moments ago."

The creature, the newborn Ice Belle, tilted her head curiously as if understanding their words. Her tiny wings fluttered once, scattering small snowflakes into the air. Then, with an almost childlike chirp, she looked toward Lucas. Her gaze lingered on him in a way that made the others instinctively move aside, as though something momentous was about to unfold.

Lucas, still shaken from the earlier confrontation, stood uncertainly, his breath misting in the cold air. His pulse quickened as the creature began to move toward him, each beat of her wings releasing a faint glitter of frost. He wanted to step back, but something held him in place. He didn't feel danger anymore...only warmth, curiosity, and something deep, something almost familiar.

"She's… coming to me?" he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Lira clutched his sleeve tightly. "master, don't move," she whispered, her eyes wide. "She's looking right at you."

Even the Empress said nothing. Her eyes softened slightly as she watched the tiny creature flutter closer. The air around them shimmered faintly, the temperature dropping once more, though this time not from hostility. When the Ice Belle finally reached Lucas, she hovered in front of his face for a few seconds, her silver-blue eyes reflecting his own. Then she gave a soft sound...half chirp, half hum...and landed gently on his shoulder.

The divine guardian's aura rippled once, and then it spoke in a tone far gentler than before. "It is done," it said solemnly. "The choice has been made. The Ice Belle has found her person."

No one moved. Lucas felt the creature's tiny weight against his neck, her cold seeping faintly into his skin. She nuzzled his cheek, a quiet, almost affectionate gesture that left him completely speechless.

"Me?" Lucas whispered, looking at the Empress with disbelief. "Why… me?"

The Empress exhaled softly, her veil fluttering in the cold wind. "Because she saw what few others can," she said, her voice low and measured. "Do you truly not feel it, Xavier? The pull within you...the strange current that flows through your soul?"

She took a few slow steps toward him, her gaze never leaving the small creature perched on his shoulder. "From the moment I met you, I sensed it," she said quietly. "Your energy isn't like ours. It doesn't dominate, it doesn't corrupt. It binds. You carry something… something rare, something older than even the divine laws that govern us. Those you touch, those who share your Qi...even for a moment...they are drawn to you. Not enslaved, not compelled… but connected. Completely, yet freely. That is what sets you apart."

Lucas blinked, his lips parting slightly. "Connected…" He knew of the capability of his soul bound contract...but he didn't expect that it could attract a powerful being like the Ice Belle.

"Yes," she murmured. "That is what she felt. The Ice Belle, even as young as she is, sensed that energy in you...the power to bond without taking away one's will. It is something no god, no emperor, no beast has ever possessed. And that is why she came to you. Not because you sought her, but because she chose you."

The Guardian bowed its massive head, its expression unreadable. "A rare fate," it said quietly. "Even among the divine, such a bond is nearly unheard of. You, human, have been chosen by a being that stands between heaven and earth. Do not take this lightly."

Lucas nodded slowly, still lost in disbelief. The creature on his shoulder made a soft, musical sound, as if trying to reassure him. The cold wind carried her faint scent of frost and purity.

The Empress watched them both for a long while before she spoke again, her tone softer, almost reflective. "So it begins, then. I had hoped, but never truly believed. Still, it seems I was right to bring you here."

Lucas looked at her, confusion mixing with the faintest trace of realization. "You knew this would happen."

She didn't deny it. Her veil swayed as she inclined her head. "I saw it in you from the start. The thread of fate that winds around you… it's unlike anything I've ever witnessed."

For a moment, even the Guardian had no response. The divine light surrounding it flickered faintly as if in silent contemplation.

The Ice Belle yawned softly, curling against Lucas's neck as though settling to rest. The scene was almost absurdly peaceful after the chaos that had just unfolded. The Empress let out a faint laugh...not mocking, but almost affectionate.

"Moments ago, we were preparing for war against a creature that could annihilate us all," she said softly, "and now it sleeps on your shoulder. The world is truly unpredictable."