Narnia: Prince Caspian & The Dark Angel

17 | The Undoing

Her body tensed by its own accord, and an overflowing adrenaline rush began to make her heart race uncontrollably. Caspian was still resisting the werewolf when Raven forced herself to take her first step into the room. That was when another burning heat sent her body shooting backwards. She let out a cry, shutting her eyes tightly when colors began to distort her vision. Just as Raven started to regain her composure, a sharp hiss rang in her ears with a blow to her abdomen following shortly after. Through her spotted sight Raven was able to make out the disfigured hag pull out a dagger from her ragged cloak, and quickly drew her own sword to defend herself. 

Their weapons met with a loud shrill, slicing through the imposing atmosphere with its terrible sound. It tore the attention away from a now spelled Caspian and chanting werewolf, and forced Raven to focus on the task at hand. Many times she attempted to lurch forward and end the hag's life once and for all, but the burning presence of the Stone Table always rendered her weak. So she chose to try and lure the hag towards her more, taking her further away from the table. All Raven needed was for her to be close enough to land a fatal strike, but it seemed that the hag didn't plan on moving. Its beady eyes seemingly mocked her, twinkling under the flicker of the flames. 

"It is futile for you to stop her coming. The White Witch shall regain her true form and her unparalleled power with it."

Raven sneered at the hag, her own eyes flashing with an unhinged glint before she swung her blade. The hag sidestepped the attack, pushing it away with her dagger and grabbed for Raven's arm. With unnatural strength, the hag threw her at the Stone Table. It was like stepping into a furnace, consuming Raven with unspeakable pain that all she could do was cry out. Her body quivered with every pulse of the overwhelming presence, sprawled out over the ruins like a mangled doll. The midnight blade slipped from her clammy hands, her grip becoming null. Raven's pained face was hidden by her hood, pale with fear and glistening with a cold sweat.

"Foolish little angel!" The hag let out a horrendous cackle. "Can't you see? Your precious Kings and Queens have fallen short on their promises to us. Even Aslan has abandoned us! Yet when presented with a blessing, you spite it?"

The said angel glared up through her hood, feeling her eyes glow with an oddly familiar flame. "Endless suffering is no blessing, endless ice is no blessing, endless tyranny is no blessing," she spat through gritted teeth. "Jadis is no blessing, she is a curse."

The hag allowed for a sinister snarl to grow on her distorted features. "Very well, Angel of Darkness..." she said and raised her dagger. "I will send you back whence you came."

Raven looked at her fallen sword for a split second and then quickly stole a glance of Caspian. the prince seemed unperturbed by the unfolding chaos, only staring at the ethereal beauty of the White Witch. She ignored the chill that ran down her spine at the sight of the sorceress, and tried to focus on formulating a quick escape. The dagger was falling, her sword was too far, so she held her breath and pressed herself up against the Stone Table even more. She found comfort in the ruin, realizing how ironic it was that she was about to be stabbed in the same place where Aslan was.

At least until she saw an arrow protruding out of the hag's abdomen in the blink of an eye. 

"Release them!"

Raven felt her pulse quicken at the sound of his voice.