The Tower stood like a silent sentinel at the edge of the world, its spires piercing the eternal twilight that blanketed the land. The winds screamed as they twisted around its jagged peaks, carrying shards of ice that glittered like broken stars. Inside, the throne room was a cavern of frost, its walls sheathed in crystalline ice that reflected the dim blue light of the hovering moon above.

Emdragon sat upon her throne, a figure carved from majesty and sorrow. Her white hair fell in cascades over her shoulders, and her piercing, frost-blue eyes were dimmed by tears. The droplets froze as they left her chin, falling to the cold, unyielding floor in a rhythmic symphony of grief.

"When did it come to this?" she murmured, her voice brittle as the ice beneath her feet. Her fingers traced the carved arms of her throne, the edges sharp enough to draw blood—a symbol of her own isolation. "How did I come to be trapped in this endless cycle?" Her voice rose suddenly, a raw scream tearing through the silence. It reverberated off the walls, making the ice tremble.

"I just want to be like them," she whispered, her voice breaking as she clenched her fists. "The humans who wander into this cursed kingdom. I want to see their world, to understand what it means... to live." Her gaze fell to her hands, delicate and pale as snow, yet brimming with unimaginable power. "I want to be human."

The creak of heavy doors shattered her reverie. Emdragon’s head snapped up, her tear-streaked face hardening into an impassive mask. The towering doors at the end of the throne room groaned open, revealing five figures cloaked in furs and leather. Their breath frosted the air as they stepped cautiously into the chamber.

"Humans," she realized, her icy gaze narrowing. "How did they get past my sentinels? Did my emotions disrupt the wards again?" With a thought, she suppressed her mana, activating her camouflage—a rare technique that rendered her presence undetectable. Her form shimmered, becoming one with the shadows.

The group hesitated, their voices carrying in the frigid air.

"What part of the tower is this?" one of them asked, his voice shaky.

"It’s too cold," another muttered, pulling his cloak tighter around him.

"Is this the boss room?" a third wondered aloud, his eyes darting to the imposing throne that loomed over the room.

"It has to be," the leader said, his scarred face grim. "But why is it empty? We didn’t encounter a single monster on our way here."

Emdragon watched them with detached curiosity. The humans were an odd mixture of confidence and fear, their eyes darting to every shadow. She noted the trembling hands of one hunter and the unwavering poise of their leader. Her gaze, however, darkened when she saw their captives—a woman and her child, bound and sobbing.

The child clung to her mother, her thin frame shivering in the cold. The mother whispered soothing words despite her own fear, her breath hitching as tears froze on her cheeks.

Emdragon’s anger flared, a silent storm brewing within her. What are they planning? she thought, her hands clenching.

The leader turned to his comrades, his voice low but firm. "Prepare the ritual. We’ll need to use the sacrifices to draw out whatever power is hiding here."

The hunters moved swiftly, dragging the woman and child forward. Their muffled cries echoed in the chamber, breaking something deep within Emdragon. She allowed herself to materialize, her presence flooding the room like an arctic gale.

The temperature dropped sharply, and a deathly silence fell over the chamber.

The hunters froze, their eyes widening as a figure emerged on the throne. Emdragon’s gaze burned with an icy fury, her posture regal and commanding. "Who dares defile my domain?" she demanded, her voice reverberating with an unnatural resonance.

The leader recovered first, though his face betrayed his fear. "Who... who are you?" he stammered.

Emdragon stood, her figure illuminated by the cold light of the moon. "I am the Frostfall King, the lord of this desolate realm. You tread on sacred ground, humans. Why have you come to commit such atrocities here?"

The leader sneered, drawing his blade. "You’re just another monster," he growled. "We’ve killed plenty before you."

Emdragon’s lips curled into a smile devoid of warmth. "Mongrels," she said softly, her voice carrying an edge sharper than any blade. "You never learn, do you?"

With a flick of her wrist, the air around her crackled and darkened. "Dark Frost Destruction Technique: Frost Annihilation," she intoned, her voice a harbinger of doom.

The chamber erupted into chaos as black ice surged from the ground, twisting into jagged spires that encased the hunters in an instant. Their screams were cut short as the ice pulsed with destructive energy, reducing them to silence. The throne room trembled, the sheer force of her power leaving the air heavy with death.

Only the woman and her child remained, trembling as they stared at their savior.

The mother fell to her knees, her voice shaking. "Thank you, my liege," she whispered, her tears falling freely.

Emdragon approached them, her movements slow and deliberate. She knelt before the child, her expression softening. "Do not fear," she said gently. "You are free to go. Live your lives in peace."

The child hesitated, then threw her arms around Emdragon, her small frame trembling. "Thank you, miss," she whispered.

A faint smile graced Emdragon’s lips as she patted the girl’s head. "You’re welcome, little one," she said softly.

As they left, Emdragon returned to her throne, the weight of her solitude settling over her once more. She sighed, her voice barely audible. "Back to being alone..."

A sudden flash of light interrupted her thoughts. A holographic screen appeared before her, its luminescent text flickering.

[SYSTEM]
LOADING…

Emdragon’s eyes widened in shock and curiosity. "What... is this?" she murmured.

The screen flickered again, its message changing:

[SYSTEM]
CRITERIA COMPLETE…

Her breath hitched. "Criteria? For what?"

[SYSTEM]
WISH GRANTED…

Her heart raced as realization dawned. "My wish..." she whispered, hope and fear warring within her.

The screen displayed a final message:

DO YOU STILL WISH TO BE HUMAN?
[YES] / [NO]

"Do I still wish?" She murmured, a mix of questioning and happiness in her voice. "I've been trying to leave this tower my whole life, always restarting to this throne room, like am a puppet. If this is real, it's my only chance to see the human world. Even if it costs me my immortality, I couldn't care less. What's the use in being immortal if I'm forever alone"

With a deep breath, she chose.

[YES]

The room filled with blinding light as the system's final words echoed:

REQUEST ACCEPTED. YOU ARE NOW HUMAN.

As darkness overtook her, a faint smile lingered on her lips.

Finally, I’ll be free…

Blimp.. Blimp.. Blimp.. B-B-L##-P................