"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Mumbled Loldirr as the glistening blade of the Shadow's Zweihänder swang violently towards her with exceptional speed.
Her quick reactions caused her to bulk back but not enough that the blade pierced her cheek like paper, leaving an extended cut below her eye and ear. Knocking her head back, Loldirr struggled to retain her balance as the sting of the slash drove her senses wild.
Blood soaked the soft snow beneath, the mixture of red blending into white would have been beautiful for some, but horrific for Loldirr, who knew she had to regain control before the next attack initiated.
Loldirr looked up at her hulking target; his dented scarred black armour was even more menacing than the last time they met. The feel of death, left by her opponent, lingered like a shadow and desperately attempted to claw its way back at her psyche.
Raising her sword high and steadying her stance, Loldirr did all that she could to bury the thoughts of fear, death and anxiety deep down and focused on the cold to detract from the humming pain emanating from her face.
She was a better swordswoman this time. Lord Edric was a great teacher, but while there were similarities between Edric and Ethelston's training style, Ethelston's unconventional and well-travelled swordsmanship seemed to agree with her more. Last time, she brushed death, this time she would be ready.
The Shadow pushed his way forward and swang at Loldirr once more, causing her to raise her sword in an attempt to parry. The blades smashed together, producing a horrific twang that was painful on the ears. While the Shadow's edge stopped at an instant, Loldirr's sword was pushed with great force out of her hands and fell deep into the snow.
"Shit!" Loldirr cried as she scrambled out of range of the Zweihänder, its blade crashing down where Loldirr once stood.
The snow was difficult to walk through; each step was like treacle. The only saving grace was Loldirr's lack of armour made her quicker than the huge beast beside her.
Throwing herself towards her sword's last known location, she clambered around looking for it in desperation. Her hands were freezing as they pushed deep into the snow, but with each passing second, the crunch of snow grew closer, and Loldirr's fear grew more strenuous.
"Embrace death, Aex-Igh!" the wheeze from the Shadow emanated from his black scarred visor, and as his blade raised high, Loldirr could feel her time was to be cut short.
Around Loldirr's right hand, the snow started to melt; as she raised it, a fireball began to appear in her hand. Looking towards the power flowing from her fingertips, she smiled before pushing it towards her attacker.
An almighty clang could be heard as it hit the Shadow square on the helmet knocking him back a couple of steps. Regaining his stance, a noise could be heard echoing through his visor.
It sounded bizarre, almost forced, wait, was he laughing?
Anger flowed through Loldirr as her antagonist chuckled at her attempts to defeat him. She raised her left hand, and once a fireball was created, she launched it with vigour at him once more. As he struggled back a step, Loldirr developed another fireball, and then another and then another.
The laughter grew louder.
Loldirr screamed in frustration, raising both hands and launching a stream of intense heat, melting the snow and scarring the earth below it.
The endless barrage of flames embraced the Shadow, engulfing him until all that could be seen was the flames.
As Loldirr's frustration subsided, so did the intense heat. As she looked up towards the smouldering smoke, the sight left her in a state of shock.
The Shadow still stood tall, his glowing armour orange with heat and steaming violently as the mixture of hot metal and cold air fought each other valiantly. Yet he did not advance; the sustained brutal attack had somewhat disoriented him even though it didn't appear to have hurt him.
"Why won't you die?" Loldirr asked before launching herself towards her sword, which she could now see through the melting snow.
Before the Shadow could react, Loldirr picked up the sword and embedded it deep in his spleen. As instructed by Ethelston, she tried to twist to maximise the damage, but his armour was too tough, causing Loldirr to remove the blade quickly. Expecting to see her sword caked in blood, a feeling of hopelessness washed over her as it came out with only specks of red and black appeared on it.
The Shadow responded quickly, raising his sword high and attacking with venom, and it wasn't long before Loldirr was ducking and diving, dancing around the scorched earth to avoid the blade that had already scarred her.
The more she evaded the blade, the more tired she felt, and as the Shadow's attacks were relentless and without mercy, it could be only so long before one of the attacks would find its target.
Loldirr remembered the advice that Ethelston had provided on Death Wraiths. To remove them from the here and now, they would need to be decapitated, but she knew that a perfect blow to the neck would be almost impossible to achieve. Her arm ached, and the dead knight towered over her. His attacks meant she had to keep her distance and unless he made a mistake, Loldirr wouldn't be able to close the gap enough to find her target.
The only problem was Wendon Pykeston, the Shadow, did not make mistakes.
Being pushed more and more towards the snow, Loldirr knew she would lose the initiative if she lost her manoeuvrability, and the blood soaking her cheek would not be the last to be spilt.
She had to flee.
While some knights would consider feeling a defeat, Loldirr had survived a toe to toe encounter with one of the greatest swordsmen to have roamed the earth. Their last clash had almost caused her death, and this one had been much more even.
This was not about a defeat; this was about survival.
Falling back into the snow, Loldirr knew she had to act fast, the blade was edging closer, and her movements were becoming restricted.
Launching another fireball at the Shadow's face caused him to stagger briefly. It gave Loldirr enough time to concentrate on the snow and the sky. As she raised her hand just above it, the sun's rays became distorted and dulled, the blue sky turned grey as a mist started to descend upon the area.
Loldirr could feel the power flowing through and around her as the mist started to thicken, and visibility started to dwindle. As a fog grew between the two combatants, the Shadow's attacks started to wane, it was now or never to make her escape.
Standing tall, Loldirr raced away, pushing through the snow with every ounce of energy that she could muster. The fog grew thicker to the point that her hands were barely visible, but she continued nonetheless.
The clanging of the metal armour could be heard behind her, but as Loldirr pushed forward more, the clanging grew quieter, and after thirty minutes of slogging through the thick snow, the clanging was just a whisper.
Her muscles ached horrendously, she felt exhausted inside as she continued to create the fog as well as sweeping the snow tracks behind her, but no matter how much the pain grew stronger, so did her desire to survive.
For hours Loldirr had continued to push through, barely being able to put one foot in front of the other. Having changed directions several times, hoping it was enough to throw the Shadow off the scent. Facing him now would be certain doom.
Her mind was as foggy as the sky around her, unsure whether she could continue or find somewhere to rest. It wasn't until she took one step too many that her decision was made for her.
Loldirr's foot gave away, causing her to slip and fall down a hill, the ice was hard and slippery, and before she realised what was happening she was sliding down the side of the hill at tremendous speed.
Desperate to stop, her mind commanded her arms and legs to do something, but they did not respond, the exhaustion had now set in, and all she could do was watch helplessly as the ice world seemed to slip behind her.
Before she knew it, Loldirr was falling once more as the hill came to an abrupt end, as she fell headlong into a patch of snow in front of her, the sensation as it enveloped her was like a feather pillow had been smothered over her face and body.
Unable to move meant she was unable to breathe and the feeling of stupidity washed over her as the thought of being killed by snow after surviving a battle with the Shadow was at the forefront of her mind.
Despite all her efforts, though, she was unable to lift herself out of this predicament.
As if the gods knew her plight, she could feel herself being dragged out of the snow. As the feeling of cold feather pillows lessened, Loldirr felt uneasy as the hands that had grabbed her, pulled her onto much sturdier hardened snow. Using all her strength to turn onto her back, Loldirr thought a small prayer to the gods that this wasn't the Shadow pretending to be her saviour.
There was no smell of death; however, just a sweet smell of something like lilac smothering the rustic smell of blood and body odour. As she opened her eyes, they were greeted by the view of a frail old woman. Her eyes were dark and cloudy, and her face half painted in black. Her hair was grey and stringy and kept loose and wild. Her smile was toothless and unnerving, yet despite her broken and tired features, she emanated strength and power.
As the woman looked down towards Loldirr, she oddly chuckled. Her cackle was disturbing but also friendly and as she spoke the sound felt like waves crashing against rocks, both powerful but peaceful. "So the phoenix has finally risen, and the heir has finally returned."
Loldirr desperately wanted to ask what she meant but instead coughed emphatically.
The elderly woman did not look at her but continued to smile. Resting her frail hands-on Loldirr's broken cheek, she rubbed it, allowing the caked blood to break into the snow. With a spring in her voice, she calmly said "Rest young Loldirr of house Aex-Igh. Do not be troubled, for I have been awaiting your arrival for many many years. Rest now young phoenix, for you need your strength for there are many trials and tribulations ahead. This is not the end of your journey; for you, the journey has only just begun."