The Hathway Kingdom (Book 2)

Twenty-Eight.

~Twenty-Eight. ~

Pain like nothing Larissa had experienced – even when she had experienced the lightning strikes – seared through her body, starting at her shoulder, and ending at her hip. She had seen the fear and warning in Iovianus' eyes moments before it had happened, but he had been unable to voice his warning before she had been struck. As soon as she had felt the blade leave her body, she had sent Iovianus from the room with her cousin before she had turned on Isidore.

Now, she slowly turned to face Isidore, who she had found was panting from the effort that he had put behind his attack. His sword was held between both his hands now, the tip resting on the floor of the room. Her grip had slackened on her own sword but now it tightened as she eyed him through eyes that clearly stated that she was not going to let it go this time.

"If I hadn't thought you the world's biggest cowards before, Isidore...I sure as hell do now! Not even the most black-hearted criminals would strike their opponent when their back was turned," she said as she gripped her sword before it twitched and the next thing he knew, he was fighting for his life as she forced him from the room and towards the main room of his makeshift home within the cave.

He had never seen her so angry before, had never seen such a furious glint in her eyes as they all but glared daggers at him. Her sword moved through the air with an accuracy that he didn't think she had and before he knew it, they had entered the main room of his home, being greeted by gasps and exclamations of surprise by the men that were gathered there.

Larissa's back was on fire. There was no other word to describe the feelings she was having in her back. But thankfully, the pain only fuelled her on, making her strikes even more deadly as she caught Isidore on his thigh. She saw him hiss and stumble slightly and she pressed her advantage. She struck out again, this time catching him in his upper arm, and she heard him curse. She struck out a third time, this time the tip of her sword cutting through the shirt he wore, with the now-torn material falling about his torso and a large crimson line being made evident against his pale skin.

He managed to block her next attack, having seen her aim for his head before he launched into a series of his own. His hits weren't as successful as hers, only leaving behind a few cuts on her arms and legs. Soon, they were both breathing heavily, their attacks lacking strength. The pain in her back was beginning to affect her vision now, and she misjudged his attack, letting out a scream in pain as his sword stabbed her in the shoulder. She reached up with her free hand, the blade's edges cutting into her fingers and palm as he pressed forward, forcing her to walk backwards until her back hit a wall. She grunted as she hit it, the force of the action causing her to drop her sword before she reached up with that hand as well to grip onto his sword to remove its blade from her shoulder. She gave out another cry in pain as he pushed it in further, his eyes flashing as his sword began to pierce the cave wall behind her, pinning her in place. Her face scrunched in pain and her eyes shut as he leant in close to her ear, too close for her liking.

"You should never have stabbed me in the stomach, Larissa. I had been perfectly happy to allow you to defeat me without bringing me close to death," he said to her in a whisper by her ear. A shiver ran down her spine again before she screamed as he dug his sword in deeper and gave it a sharp twist. She did her best not to retaliate but what he said next sent any thought of not responding out the window.

"And you should never have spurned my advances," he said, and her eyes snapped open before they flashed to the white colour they went when she accessed all her abilities. With a flick of her wrist when she lowered one of her hands, a dagger made from the earth around them formed in her hand. Her chest rose and fell rapidly from both their fight and the pain that she was feeling before she locked gazes with Isidore as he pulled back to look at her. She saw the confused look in his eyes as her grip tightened on her earthen dagger. Before he could get out the question that she saw burning in his eyes, she thrust up with her dagger, piercing his torso between the ribs before the tip of the dagger found its way into his heart. He stiffened as the pain registered before he glanced down in surprise.

"And you..." she began to say between breaths as he looked back up at her with wide eyes and his grip slackened on his sword.

"Should never have gone after my family," she said, wrenching the dagger out as she went.

He grunted in response, his hand dropping his sword before he took several steps away from her, clutching at the wound she had made. She breathed heavily as she pulled his sword from her shoulder and threw it to the floor before she advanced on him as he fell, doing his best to get away from her as his men backed away as well. What candles that acted as lighting within the room flared angrily and hotly and as a result, her hair became a light, twisting and turning like any flame would. The air around her crackled with electricity and the entire cave began shaking, causing what men that remained within the cave to run for their lives as she spoke again, her voice echoing as she did.

"Isidore Jayme Wade. You have committed crimes against the crown of Hathway and disrupted the peace between our two kingdoms for the last time. I warned you what would happen should you set foot on Hathway soil again," she said, her voice loud, commanding and echoing as she stood in front of the bleeding and cowering man on the ground. She knew he didn't have long; she could sense that he was mere seconds from passing on to the afterlife, but she would be damned if he was going to get a peaceful one. Her eyes flashed as she squatted beside him, her eyes locking on his now and holding his attention.

"I sentence you to forever wander the Netherworld. Never shall you find peace there and may the Fates grant me this one last wish for you," she said, her tone leaving no room for any discussion had he been able to. She watched with a rather passive expression as his eyes widened in fear before all life faded from them and he slumped into a pathetic heap on the floor of the cave.

Using what little remained of her energy, Larissa waved her hand of his body. A letter, sealed with her very own seal, appeared on his chest before she waved her hand again. The body disappeared in a flurry of flames and Larissa stood slowly. She began to make her way towards the cave's entrance after she had retrieved her sword, dragging it behind her as she walked. She could feel her energy leaving her now, almost as if it were escaping in the trail that her sword was leaving behind. As she neared the cave's entrance, she spotted Iovianus holding Akira close and a small, sad smile graced her tired face. With one last push, she used the little remnants of her energy and power to collapse the cave before she embraced the darkness that welcomed her.