Amidst the slow-falling snowflakes on top of a mountain already blanketed by it, a figure made of pure darkness streaked through, completely refusing the white allure.
It moved with a ferocity that very few were capable of, displacing the snow into high waves outward, and struck another figure, this one with more humanoid features, pale white skin, and a pocket watch wrapped around its arm.
Amawas and an executioner fought on top of snow-covered twin peaks. She had been on the run and was now discovered by the same one who had warned her before; according to him, her time had apparently come.
She moved so fast that the snowflakes appeared suspended to her and spun her brutal chain-scythe at the executioner, aiming straight for its neck.
To this, the executioner lifted its arm to block, but she ditched the chain at the last moment. And just before it connected with the arm, Amawas changed into a blur, giving herself an extra burst of unimaginable speed and struck the executioner at the same side of the neck where the scythe was aimed for but with her claws. They dug deep into the neck as it convulsed and grabbed her face with his left hand.
In the next moment, the peak they were on began to tremble and the thick blanket of snow they were standing upon, disintegrated; then, a few cracks appeared right beneath the executioner as Amawas felt herself about to explode from within.
She braced herself; she had come prepared this time.
Amawas closed her eyes and tapped into the corruption, and her claws that were dug into the executioner were set ablaze with menacing black and purple flames. These flames were different than the ones she had used in the fight against Qatan.
These were aimed to kill but required an even bigger sacrifice to be wielded.
The executioner burned from within, then convulsed and died, and Amawas fainted with her claws still buried in the neck. The mountain peak beneath them finally gave in as they were both plunged into the debris and avalanche.
***********
Few hours later, the blanket of the thick snow parted from the foot of the mountain and the corpse of the executioner was thrown outwards, Amawas grunted and with extreme effort, stood up.
Her left side, completely immovable and turned into black stone. That was the sacrifice that the corrpution demanded of her.
Amawas fell down and blurted out blood on the snow. Then with great effort pulled herself back up.
She felt a miniscule spark of respect for Qatan for taking on so many of these vile creatures at the same time.
Amawas kicked the corpse and started limping away from the peaks, she had to find a shelter before getting discovered again. She felt lethargic and slow and world moved around her in a blur, the biting cold wasn't helping either.
After barely managing to cover a meager distance in the weakened state, she fell down on the snow and remained still, and for the first time in a long time, the scent of blood she was so familiar with didn't chase her, and was completely replaced by the freshness of the snow.
The dusk had come and the sun had left a crimson red sky behind that was slowly changing into deep blue.
Amawas kept her eyes fixated on the approaching night, her mind wandering away as her gaze traced the constellations. It retraced centuries, back to a time before everything was not plunged into complete and utter chaos yet. Back to the era when she had siblings to shield her, to envelop her in warmth, and to care for her. This was before the tragedy that had utterly destroyed her sense of self from within and pushed her off the edge.
A black tear fell down her cheek and onto the snow.
Swiftly regaining her composure she felt a deep bubbling sense of anger and regret. She stood up with great effort and then continued limping away. Amawas was in dire need of shelter and a place to hide.