PASSAGE 53: PETRIFIED PREY

A chilling realization washed over Alaric. Defeating Nidhogg felt like trying to crack a mountain with a pebble. Garmr's impenetrable fur was a distant nightmare compared to this colossal serpent's sheer mass. But a more pressing question gnawed at him – was Njord truly a part of this monstrosity, or was it just a cruel illusion to manipulate Hrimr?

These internal debates were brutally cut short as Nidhogg unleashed another torrent of venomous decay. Adrenaline surged through Alaric, his body moving on autopilot as he grabbed Hrimr and executed a flawless sidestep. Nidhogg's attack collided with the empty space they just occupied, the resulting explosion of putrid venom etching a crater into the snowy landscape.

The colossal serpent, enraged by its missed mark, unleashed a relentless barrage. Its tail whipped through the air, a blur of muscle and fury, while a fresh wave of acidic fluid spewed forth. But Alaric, propelled by the energy of the Eye of Chronos, danced a deadly ballet. He weaved, he dodged, the Crescent Reaver deflecting blows with a metallic clang.

"Impressive, mortal," Nidhogg boomed, its voice dripping with grudging respect. "But your agility is a thorn in my side! You dance around my attacks like a pesky gnat."

"Then perhaps," the serpent hissed, its voice taking on a sinister edge, "you won't find dodging quite so appealing anymore!"

A jolt of primal fear shot through Alaric as Nidhogg's reptilian eyes locked with his own. The air crackled with a strange energy, and a terrifying realization dawned on him. He was frozen. His muscles, once responding with lightning speed, were locked in place. Panic clawed at his throat as he tried to move, even a twitch, but his body refused to obey. The only part of him that remained functional were his eyes, widening in horror as they stared into the serpent's smug, reptilian face.

Terror choked Alaric's scream, trapped within his paralyzed form. His eyes darted towards Hrimr, a desperate plea flickering within their depths. Ten meters separated them, a vast canyon in this moment of utter helplessness. He couldn't even twitch a finger to warn the young man away.

A cruel amusement slithered across Nidhogg's monstrous face. "Well, well," the serpent rumbled, its voice dripping with sadistic glee. "Seems the valiant warrior has finally run out of tricks. Now, where were we? Ah yes, I was contemplating the best way to dispose of you."

Alaric's mind raced, a frantic prisoner within his own body. Panic gnawed at the edges of his vision as he realized the implications of Nidhogg's words. The paralysis wasn't just a restriction of movement – it was a slow, agonizing suffocation.

A jolt of primal horror contorted Alaric's features. Even the simple act of breathing, a subconscious rhythm since birth, had ceased. His chest remained unnaturally still, a horrifying pressure building in his lungs with every passing second.

A chilling chuckle escaped Nidhogg's maw. "What's that look in your pathetic eyes, mortal? Don't tell me you just realized the air itself has abandoned you?"

Hrimr, oblivious to the true horror unfolding, misinterpreted Alaric's silent plea. "No! Stop it!" he screamed, his voice cracking with anguish. "Let Alaric go!"

A desperate plea ripped from Hrimr's throat. "Please! I beg of you, let Alaric go! If you want me, then take me! I'll follow you anywhere, just leave him alive!" Tears streamed down Hrimr's face, a single bead of determination glinting in each eye.

Nidhogg regarded the young man with a slow, serpentine curiosity and a cruel amusement slithered across his monstrous face. "A valiant attempt, young human," it hissed, its voice a low rumble that sent shivers down Hrimr's spine. The monstrous serpent began to inch closer, its colossal form casting an ever-growing shadow.  "But offering yourself in his place is a foolish ploy. You see, this petrification isn't just a simple restriction of movement. It binds the very essence of its target to mine. Until I can sense their life force, their presence within the world, the petrification remains unbreakable."

"However," Nidhogg continued, its voice taking on a sly edge, "there's a flaw in this power, a vulnerability you mortals might exploit if you're clever enough. The petrification can be broken if the target... well, let's just say if the target ceases to be."

The colossal serpent chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Hrimr's spine. "Even death won't be a guaranteed escape. It all depends on the speed at which their life force dissipates. A slow demise, a lingering death... well, that would certainly make the petrification permanent."

The glimmer of hope in Alaric's paralyzed eye intensified at Nidhogg's words. "Presence..." he rasped in his mind, a desperate telepathic call echoing within him. "Lumina!"

Nidhogg's head snapped around, its reptilian eyes scanning the desolate landscape with a newfound urgency. Alaric, the supposed trapped prey, was nowhere to be seen.

"What?! Where is he?!" the serpent roared, its voice a thunderous boom that echoed across the frozen plains. A tremor ran through the ground as Nidhogg whipped its tail in frustration.

Then, a voice, laced with defiance, pierced the tense silence. "Right above you, you overgrown worm!" Alaric's words, filled with newfound power, boomed from the heavens.

Nidhogg whipped its head upwards, just in time to meet a fist wreathed in black and gold energy slamming into its face. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, the ground beneath them erupting into a crater filled with displaced snow. The colossal serpent reeled back, a roar of pain and surprise escaping its monstrous maw.

Alaric landed with a thud, his chest heaving as he gulped in precious air. Relief flooded his features, replacing the terror that had moments ago been etched there.

"Alaric!" Hrimr cried, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes. "You're alive!"

A grin stretched across Alaric's face as he took another deep breath. "Whew! That was a close one, Hrimr! Almost became a permanent resident of Hvergelmir down there!" he quipped, gesturing towards the colossal serpent.

Nidhogg, its reptilian head whipping around, stared at Alaric with disbelief. "H-How?!" it boomed, its voice a tremor in the air. "How did you break free from my petrification?!"

Alaric met Nidhogg's gaze, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "Let's just say your weakness lies not in your lack of fangs," he said, his voice dripping with mock seriousness, "but in your excessive need to brag."

Nidhogg's monstrous form coiled tighter, its rage growing with each passing moment. "What did you say, mortal?!" it roared, its voice laced with venomous fury. The ground trembled as it prepared to strike, clearly not appreciating Alaric's lighthearted taunting in the face of near-death.