Startled, we both spun around to face the voice, and to our surprise, it was Gelidra. She had emerged from the darkness, her icy blue eyes gleaming with malice. Her cold, calculating demeanor sent shivers down my spine.
"How did you—" Hagen began, but before he could finish his question, Gelidra lunged forward with blinding speed, her blade poised to strike.
Both of us were sent flying back from the impact, and I couldn't regain my footing instantly, but Hagen was right back up. In an instant, he kicked up a column of dust as he blitzed Gelidra and despite her best efforts to defend, there was a big gash on her forearm.
"You've got no escape Gelidra, surrender now, and we will look into sparing your life!" I shouted, with some hope of getting info on who she was and what her purpose was.
I could see a small grin escape from her face, and it slowly turned into a hushed laugh.
Then Gelidra started to laugh heartily.
The odd thing was, that no sound escaped her mouth.
It almost felt like her laugh was stolen, and in its place remained a visage of that laughter. All the body and shoulder movements, but none of the sound. Perhaps this person never knew what it was like to truly laugh.
The absence of sound only served to further unsettle everyone around her, as the chill in the air only deepened.
She then started to take deep breaths, as if preparing for something, and cupped her hands together, facing up, as if in prayer.
Hagen had had enough.
"Ed, on my count, charge in with me!" Hagen shouted, and exhaustion evident in his voice. He charged at Gelidra with all his might, hoping to end this in one swift blow.
I followed suit, intending to end the decisive blow.
At that moment, I saw her face Illuminated by the moonlight that was pouring in through one of the broken walls.
She wore a twisted smile that stretched unnaturally across their face, her eyes gleaming with madness and a tinge of pale blue.
Why is she smiling? I thought to myself, and as I thought that, Gelidra threw up what appeared to be a handful of blood that had pooled in from the gash on her arm.
"Chillspire."
That blood suddenly started to freeze the air around it and rapidly radiate outward in all directions.
It had flash-frozen all of the immediate surroundings in an instant.
The blast of ice didn't freeze me because I was further back, but the force was enough to knock me over.
The air around me was so cold that breathing it in felt like needles were being punctured through my lungs.
How did she do it? I've never seen Hagen or others use powers like that. I thought all of us couldn't use magic unless we were elemental bloodbearers
Was she not a mage like I initially thought? Is she actually an elemental bloodbearer?
As I struggled to get up, Gelidra started to walk towards me.
"You know, Eduardo, it's rather pitiful to witness you in this state. I had expected more resistance from someone like you."
Those words cut deep into me, and the weight of the sword in my hand suddenly became unbearable. My grip loosened, and the sword hit the ground with a resounding thud.
All I could do was just stare. Staring hopelessly at the power Gelidra commanded.
I could feel the vast chasm of power separating us.
But Gelidra closed the distance between us and was only standing at arm's length from me.
"Pick it up." Their tone suddenly became very threatening.
"H-Huh?"
"I said, Pick it up!" The scream echoed throughout the silent walls of the castle.
I instinctively reached down and grabbed my sword in fear.
"Now let's see what you're really made of. I won't use chillspire like I did against them. I really liked the way your brother fought, you know? If only he had your wits, I might not be standing here right now."
As the weight of the sword settled in my hand, I don't know what came over me, but there was this one small part of me that refused to accept this. I don't want things to end like this.
Not like this.
They slowly walked up to me and circled around me.
"How does it feel to be so pitiful and powerless?"
I just hung my head down.
"Pretty bad, I guess?" I managed to cough up a reply.
Gelidra suddenly started to giggle.
"You amuse me, Eduardo. I keep thinking highly of you, but you knock that down so many levels every time a word leaves your mouth. What do you hope to do with that measly power of yours?"
With a venomous smirk, Gelidra continued. "What do you hope to achieve? Do you think you can save your precious queen and your crumbling kingdom? It's all an illusion, a pathetic dream you cling to."
In a fit of anger, I gripped my sword with renewed vigor and swung at Gelidra.
But Gelidra was prepared for my assault. With an elegant yet deadly grace, they sidestepped my charging form, effortlessly evading my desperate attack. Their movements were fluid, like a dance of shadows, as if they had anticipated my every move.
Before I could regain my balance, Gelidra struck back with swift precision. Their palm met my chest in a powerful blow, sending shockwaves of pain radiating through my body. The impact threw me off balance, and I stumbled backward, gasping for breath.
Nevertheless, I didn't falter. I launched myself once again. I put all the might I had into my arms when I suddenly felt a new burst of energy within me as the scar on my hand started to glow again .
Gelidra's eyes narrowed for a bit. "Finally, you decide to use some power behind your blow. Or are you perhaps not aware of the fact that you even possess these powers?"
Gelidra circled around me, their gaze fixed intently on me.
"Powers? What powers?" I was very confused at this point.
"You are of Heraklion heritage after all, but you seem to be blissfully unaware of your latent potential, aren't you?"
My rage overflowed, for I was not gifted. Not at all.
Hagen was gifted. I wasn't.
"I don't have anything to be proud of!"
I rushed in for another volley of attacks, but Gelidra effortlessly parried my strikes and moved back.
Before I could even recompose myself, they suddenly closed the gap between us with astonishing speed.
Our blades met, and the sheer power of that strike sent pain radiating throughout my arms, and my grip on my sword weakened.
Then the world suddenly spun in dizzying fashion, and my vision darkened.
Gelidra had connected one kick to my jaw by moving my blade out of the way and getting my guard down.
As I folded to the ground, The last thing I saw was a disappointed look on Gelidra's face.
A mix of frustration, anger, and bitter disappointment welled up within me. I let myself get defeated so easily.
Protecting the Queen? I couldn't land a blow on them, let alone deal with multiple people with ranged attacks like that. A painful realization that I still had to grow so much more.
My vision slowly faded into black as I lost consciousness.
---
It was a sunny afternoon, and I found myself at the banks of the Eldoria River.
"Where am I exactly?"