ICE

187. Frostbite

HUMAN BATTLE CRIES echoed around Ravenna, only drowned out by the ferocious, demonic growls and angry roars of Vyses and Caelan behind her. The remnants of the buildings around them crumbled further with each tremor, kicking up clouds of rocky dust. That dust thickly coated the air, clinging to the chaos that surrounded her. It was hard to see and even harder to focus.

Caelan snapped at Vyses, sharpened dragon's teeth piercing through the fur that covered Vyses' monstrous shoulder. Both stumbled backwards. Another building tumbled.

She did her best to just ignore them. The corrupted soldiers needed to be outnumbered – allowing for the safety of the humans and a strong advantage against Vyses. For now, Caelan would simply need to handle Vyses on his own.

The glow that encased her hands brightened — so bright that she could no longer see her own palms outstretched in front of her. A burning sensation ripped at her skin, tearing across her palms and fingers. Pained gasps escaped her. She grit her teeth, trying to focus her attention on the flurry of movement around her.

Ravenna stood at the heart of a violent icy blue and crimson red sea.

Snippets of silver and iron flashed around the edges of the sea — groups of desperate humans fighting hard against the soldiers closest to them. Their dull armor clashed against the vibrancy of the dominant colors that surrounded them, causing their frail bodies to stand out like beacons.

The humans turned their weapons toward anything that moved, including Ravenna's own soldiers.

"Do not harm any humans." The words escaped her lips as a stern, angry order that resonated with her ice soldiers. "Protect them at all costs."

The icy soldiers closest to the humans guarded them — ignoring any blows dealt against them. Some shattered, falling to mortal swords and spears. None retaliated.

Sharp pain pierced her hands.

The glow in front of her dimmed instantly. Grimacing, Ravenna took a staggered step backwards. She glanced at her palms. Her skin was bright red and blistered, as if her own ice had burned her. A shuddery breath escaped her and she glanced around. The color of the sea that surrounded her had shifted — now heavily dominated by icy blue hues.

Beneath her feet, the earth trembled again. Her attention shifted upward, toward Caelan and Vyses. Her massive army of soldiers could handle the rest of the corrupted soldiers.

Two slender blue swords appeared in each of her palms. She lunged forward, slicing through a nearby crimson-colored soldier. It shattered against her blades – small, jagged pieces raining down to the earth and melting from existence. Crimson soldier after soldier fell as she passed, working her way toward the piece of the Capitol that Caelan and Vyses occupied.

As she drew closer, it became easier for her to follow their movements. And it became very apparent very quickly that Caelan was not winning.

Vyses snapped at Caelan's neck. Teeth pierced through his armor of scales. Blood splattered the earth and stained Vyses' white fur. Holding Caelan by the throat, Vyses lifted the dragon from the ground. His head snapped and Caelan's body slammed into the remnants of the marketplace. Jagged diamond-marble buildings shattered at the impact. Dust and sharpened fractals of the stone torrented through the air, cutting the skin that covered Ravenna's cheeks.

A flash of white magic covered Caelan's body. Then it shrunk, dimming as Caelan reverted back to his human form. Ravenna gasped – the sound tortured and panicked.

Vyses' head lifted upward. His lips curled back into a ferocious snarl. Blood dripped from his sharpened canines, staining the ground beneath him. Even in the form of an undead, demonic wolf, Ravenna could make out his devilish sneer.

Her hands moved fast. Her feet moved faster.

Ravenna threw one of her hands out in front of her, pointing the tip of her sword at the ground. A wave of ice erupted from the ground and arched upward, toward Vyses' face. As the demonic wolf lunged for Caelan's fallen form, she launched herself into the air. Her fingers curled tighter around the hilt of each weapon in her hands. She brought the blades together. A beam of light flashed across the icy swords, melting them into a single longsword.

Vyses' head snapped up; his wolfish ears flattened against the back of his furry white head. Her sword plunged deep into his crimson-colored iris.

An anguished roar shattered her eardrums. Vyses stumbled backwards, pawing at his face. Bright red magic exploded around Ravenna, slamming against her with the force of a stone wall.

She flew backwards. Air sliced at her cheeks, her hair whipping across her face. She crashed into the stony remnants of the fountain that once stood at the center of the marketplace. Her lips parted around a tortured sound. Pain bristled through her muscles, lighting each cell inside her body aflame. Two shaky breaths escaped her. Then she forced herself upward, grasping onto the broken pieces of statues around her for support.

Caelan remained stationary, sprawled across the ground a few feet away. Vyses had reverted back to his humanoid form. He stood in front of Caelan, his hands grasping at his face. Streams of watery blood seeped through between his fingers, trailing down his forearms toward the earth. Frantic, wounded sounds escaped him – almost animalistic in nature.

Ravenna dragged herself upward, onto her feet. A heavy grunt flew past her lips, followed by a string of angry curses. She flattened a glowing hand against her chest and recited the only healing spell that she knew. Cool magic blossomed across her skin, seeping into her bones.

It gave her enough strength to straighten and walk calmly toward Vyses. Another sword formed in her hand. Her arm trembled slightly, unable to lift the blade high. It scraped across the debris-coated earth.

Vyses stepped back as she approached. He lowered his hands away from his face. His injured eye squeezed tightly shut. A cloud of red magic hovered in front of it – a hasty healing spell hard at work.

"You're done," Ravenna told him.

Sheer panic captured his expression. His breaths became quick and shallow. His hands clenched and unclenched into fists at his sides. His single wide-eyed gaze flicked around them in search of an escape route.

She lifted her free hand. Her skin was burned and blistered, fingertips stained black with frostbite. An icy glow covered her hand.

Hundreds of icy soldiers materialized around them. 

~

Hi friends! ❤

Just wanted to pop in and say that I have some Super Secret Ice-related news to share with you all soon!! C;

I genuinely can't wait for your reactions!!! It may or may not have something to do with the Super Secret project that I've been teasing on my Patreon!