The Dark One

TEN: JADE

"Get up! Everyone up!" People began clamoring as Yennefer went around shouting, "Move!"
"Stay low. We don't know what other tricks they may have." Vilgefortz muttered as we made our way out of the main castle and over the hill to separate areas.
"Maybe it's over." Triss suggested.
"No, Fringilla's just getting started."
"It hasn't been two days yet." Sabrina stated as I walked towards the group. "How is Nilfgaard's army here already?"
"Doesn't matter. We can't wait for the Northern Kingdoms. We have to fight." Yennefer stated, almost frustrated,
"There are only 22 of us now."
"You're forgetting the weapon of our group." All heads turned to me as I played with a ball of fire in my hand.
"What?"
"They're coming. We must move. The ten of you, to the field. Go!" Vilgefortz commanded as I looked at Tissaia.
"Sabrina, you take the villagers to the artillery room. Triss, come with me."
"This way! Follow me!" Sabrina called.
A man called out from the top, "Clear the battlement!"
"Keep watch on the tower." Tissaia told Yennefer, as she looked confused.
"The tower?"
"Reserve your chaos." Tissaia turned to me, "And you, for the love of gods don't die. We have a conversation to finish."
"I'll be on the front line then?"
"Best idea you've had in a while."
"Sword!" I shouted, turning back to the castle as a woman hurled a sword down from the battlements.
"Grab your bows. Keep your head down."
"Ready yourselves!"
"Bar the gate!" A man shouted as I stood on the center of the battlements.
"Let's do this!" Sabrina muttered, standing next to me.
"Can anyone hear me? Tissaia?" I heard Yennefer's voice in my head.
"I can." Tissaia's voice.
"They're closing in."
"It's time." Tissaia muttered as Triss used her magic to create poisonous mushrooms that killed the group of soldiers.
"It's working. Coral, soldiers, straight ahead. And they're moving fast." The group of soldiers collapsed with Coral's power. "Sabrina, prepare your shot. Hold your fire until they're in range. Hold! Hold! Now! Pull!" Arrows whistled from my sides as Yennefer's voice echoed around me. "Who's next?"
"Jade? Will you be able to fight them?"
"Oh please. It's a walk in the park." I muttered, changing my attire to that of a man in armor. It consisted of a dark brown tunic and pants, black cloak and leather strips that ran down over my shoulders and chest before halting at my sword belt.
"When I tell you, use the sword." Yennefer muttered as the group of soldiers got closer and closer. "Now."
I leapt off the battlements donning a blade ignited in flame for the very first time. I moved to a group of four soldiers, and took them all on. They attacked two at a time with their pikes and swords but they'd never met a foe like me. For a moment they kept me detained but I then unleashed my fury and slashed one of them down. A second moved in and I broke his pike with a deft blow from my sword.
Another guard leapt over a pile of rubble to enter the fray just as I killed a second soldier. Now it was three against one and I couldn't be more delighted. "Is this the best you can do!" I asked, taunting them.
In a second of my speech one soldier briefly let his guard down and I made sure not to lose the advantage. I rapidly engaged him forcing him on the defensive. The other two engaged me from my flanks but my powers and sword skills were well beyond theirs. The one in front of me held his own but he was constantly being forced backwards, never a chance to go on the offensive.
I regarded the two remaining soldiers as pesky at best. I ceased my attack on the one, engaged them both with a push of my magic that sent them crashing into the castle walls. The one came at me with his sword held high. "Now you're all mine." Him and I clashed like two titans, our blades a flurry of movement.
I delivered a blow so powerful it knocked him backwards over a pile of rubble. He got to his feet quickly as another powerful blow was already raining down. We locked blades once again. The soldier was losing strength, unable to endure the onslaught of my dark magic and fury. I initiated another brutal attack of swift but powerful blows. His ability to deflect and parry became less and less with every stroke. I severed his sword arm at the shoulder. He fell to the floor in agony; I swung my fiery blade and struck him across his torso, killing the dedicated soldier.
I walked towards more soldiers, slicing those closest to me with no hesitation. One soldier paused and took out two swords as I approached him. I delivered a powerful push that threw him back against a tree. He advanced and we locked blades.
The soldier and I were locked in battle; the intensity was magnified because the one wielded two swords.
He managed to drive me backwards for the first time in the duel. He was a formidable swordsman, I was backed against a tree and he didn't hesitate to charge, but I was as strong with one hand as I was with two because of my power. I lifted my one hand and began to choke him, lifting him ten feet into the air.
From the shadows emerged another soldier who rushed towards me with a sword in hand. He attacked me with more ferocity than any of the previous combatants. We went at it like seasoned masters of a hundred battles, the other soldier got to his feet and joined the fight. Now it was three swords versus one!
The battle raged on between me and the other two soldiers incredible sword skills were on display by the two soldiers. "Enough of this!" I roared, summoning my power and pulled one towards me and impaled him on my blade. The other then sliced my shoulder while my sword was indisposed, before I could get to him another mage killed him with her powers. I nodded my thanks and continued slicing down the soldiers.
The battle had been won, Yennefer had used fire magic and disappeared. I walked over dead bodies of the soldiers I'd killed, looking at them with a frenzy of anger and rage. I dragged a wounded mage through the burning wreckage of the battlefield outside the walls of Sodden. I heard the clunking of armor as a soldier rushed me from behind, I chopped down a soldier. Another slashed a deep gash into my shoulder. I collapsed to my knees, "Go! Get to the castle." A soldier charged the mage from behind, as I threw myself into the way. The soldier's blade penetrated my shoulder. Another attacked me, I parried and forced my blade up into the soldier's chest. When the soldiers collapsed, I fell to my knees. Alone, I called out for anyone to hear me with telepathy; only Vilgefortz could hear me.
"Tell Tissaia I'll see her soon." I whispered, as I clutched at the nearest tree and staggered away from the battle. I didn't get far. I dropped to my knees, then down onto my hands, I dragged myself about a body-length across the grass beside the path before I collapsed.

TISSAIA
It was done. The fight was over. I couldn't find Jade or Yennefer. "JADE!!" I shouted, looking down at the bodies lying on the floor; eyes raking over their corpses. I walked over to a soldier with his face bashed in and with the use of my powers saw his last moments, he'd killed a soldier and then got trampled by a horse. No sight of Jade. No sight of Yennefer. I sighed and continued my way through the battlefield, Jade couldn't have disappeared. She must be somewhere, alive or dead. A tear rolled down my cheek as the image of Jade's lifeless body laid on the floor. No. I wiped it away checking on another soldier. Jade was the most powerful sorceress I'd met, more than the Brotherhood, she must have survived.
I walked down the hill and continued wasting my chaos in a desperate attempt to find Jade and my favorite student.
Minutes became hours. A Witcher came asking about Yennefer, the sorrow on his face at the news she was dead made me think of Jade more.
The search for any survivors came to an end a couple of hours later, on Vilgefortz's orders; I didn't know how to feel. Yennefer was probably killed by the extreme use of magic; but Jade, no. No body was found, meaning she was still alive... right? I walked through the bodies until I reached the forest, a sound of pain left my lips as I could only think of the pain she could be in. I cried over the fact I would never see Jade again, never apologize. Touch her, most importantly I would never be able to tell Jade how much I loved her.
I cried. And cried. Mourning my loss.

JADE
A rush of pain woke me up. I gasped opening my eyes and looked around me. I was still in the woods. I grimaced in pain trying to get up, exhaustion washed over me. "Ah. Ah." I sat down with my back resting against a tree; I hissed as I knocked my right hand and paled at the realization that it wasn't only cut but probably broken as well. I pushed myself up off the floor and limped through the trees, the only thought in my head was finding Tissaia. A branch snapped as a white haired Witcher and a blonde girl emerged from the trees, "Princess Cirilla of Cintra and Geralt of Rivia." They stopped walking and looked at me. "Why am I here?"
"You need healing. I'm heading somewhere you can be healed." The Witcher stated as I moved and winced.
"Where's Tissaia?"
"Who? If you mean the people who were by Sodden they've gone."
"She wouldn't leave. Not after she promised me."