Heir to the Empire

50. The Winter Witch - Loldirr

With every breath that Loldirr inhaled, it took exceptional effort and felt like her lungs were on fire. As she exhaled, she watched as the small cloud of moisture escaped her mouth, confirming that her actions were not for nothing.

She didn't feel it initially, but the temperature had drastically fallen since entering the cave. Loldirr's muscles started to shiver, bringing more discomfort than she was able to cope with. Exhausted from the encounter with the dragon had made the use of her powers almost impossible, therefore, keeping her body temperature up was proving to be a great challenge.

Ixnja, the self-proclaimed 'Winter Witch' used her powers with such ease. It was doubtful that she knew where Loldirr was, but she still managed to control the airflow and the temperature in such a way it seemed effortless. This sorceress of the elements could be far more powerful than Loldirr, but if there was one thing that Loldirr had learnt on her journey was that she had faced many substantially more powerful beings and survived every single one of them.

Looking around the cave, Loldirr wanted to find some way to regain her breath. She closed her eyes, taking a massive gulp of air, but to no avail. Taking on this threat would likely end her life.

Turning towards the entrance, Loldirr thought of making a run for it in the hope to regain her breathing and try this encounter once more, but the moment she did, the Fæordic would see her and immediately consider the act as one of cowardice. She must remain; she must survive.

At that very moment, as her eyes struggled to remain open, she thought of Erdudvyl, her guide and mentor. Recalling the sphere that Erdudvyl held in her hand as it glowed white signifying the sphere of life.

Why now? Why remember the pointless exercise that did not convince the elves to provide her with the support she needed.

Loldirr scolded herself for her mind being distracted from the here and now. She needed to find a solution urgently.

"I can hear your breathing," the harsh deepened voice of the Winter Witch echoed throughout the darkened cave, "it's laboured, struggling, desperately trying to cling to something that simply isn't there," she chuckled as Loldirr gasped once more.

The clap of leather on the hardened rocky surface cause Loldirr to jump, another clap, followed by another caused a wave of anxiety knowing that the predator was on the move, searching for her pitiful prey.

"Strange," Ixnja continued, "most who enter my domain, are struck by fear. They cling to the first thing they find and run like cowards, ashamed to show their true faces to those in the outside world."

Loldirr looked to the floor. Trinkets of all sizes could be seen littered towards the exit. Swords, axes, rings, signets, bracelets, it would be easy to pick something up off the floor and pass it on as some unique pendant stolen from the Winter Witch. Coughing and spluttering, Loldirr was filled with anger at the level of dishonesty some people would stoop to gain renown or power. This was not something she was prepared to do herself.

Crippled by the, now, neverending cough, Loldirr struggled to keep her breathing at all, while irritated by the fact that her coughing was easily giving away her position.

"Those who do remain in my presence tend to die a slow and painful death. A testament to the fools who think that they are greater than I!" growled Ixnja, her seething voice tormenting the struggling redhead.

Loldirr looked at a set of beads that had broken on the cold hard rocky surface. The beads, likely pearls, were perfectly spherical despite their bindings collapsing on impact. Once again it reminded her of the sphere that Erdudvyl had encouraged her to hold at the Tower of Mages.