Throne of Glass; The Task from Nehemia

Ansel of Briarcliff

Celaena screamed and screamed. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. Her mind cast back to when she was eight and she nearly set fire to her parents library, it was the same pain as she felt now. Tears rolled down her check but didn't reached her chin as they evaporated of her burning skin.
The barge lurched to one side as if something had smashed into it. Chaol yelled as he went flying towards the rails on the side of the boat. He gasped as his hands caught the rail and he was stopped suddenly by the metal bars. Celaena was on the floor after not having enough strength to stop herself from falling when the barge had moved under her feet.

Marina watched this scenario from the helm of the boat, a smug grim on her face. Her iron teeth scraped her bottom lip painfully but she ignored the pain and advanced towards the Fae. As long as that human by the rails was occupied this hunt should be quick and easy. It wasn't like Marina couldn't just kill a man, but it would save a lot of fuss if she just left him alone. Marina could have just used magic but the King of Adarlan had banned magic years ago and so all witches could do nowadays was small illusions. Marina scoffed, Witches didn't have a King.

The barge rocked again and Chaol yelled as the left side plunged into the ice cold water. Celaena's screaming intensified and Chaol watched in awe as waves of power seemed to roll of her in a terrifying storm. Her body withered in she fell to the ships deck rasping for breath. Chaol ran towards her but she out her hand up; not looking at him. Her hands curled into fists and her back arched in pain.

Marina grinned from where she was standing at the Fae's screams but part of her was wary. She didn't know a lot about Faes but what she did know suggested that if they managed to harness their powers, they would be unstoppable. Marina couldn't let that happen. She stepped out of the shadows and approached the Fæ, her Slicers coming into her hand. The man shouted and scrambled towards her, fumbling with his sword as the barge rocked again. Marina flourished her swords and brought them to face the man and he grasped his sword and steadied himself on the deck. He was either brave or very stupid.
"Step away if you want to live!" Marina screamed over the howling wind, "this Fae is my prize!" Chaol didn't back down. Defiantly stupid, thought Marina.
"Get away from her you Witch!" Chaol yelled back and Marina hissed.
Like a snake, Marina swiped her Slicers, aiming to catch him in the ribs but Chaol had had years of training and blocked it with out much of a difficultly. Marina hissed again as their swords clashed, sounding like thunder. She twirled and slashed out again- taking him by surprise. Chaol stumbled backwards at the force of the blow but stayed upright. Marina grinned and advanced her sword posed to kill.

Meanwhile, Celaena was still on the deck- her body weak from all the power that had been coursing through her. Trying her legs, she found they just about supported her weight and she heaved herself onto two feet. Her body was burning but Celaena felt cold. What had just happened to her? She heard the clash of swords and looked towards the sound. Chaol was fighting a young woman with raven hair. Witch, she thought instantly. Frantically, Celeana looked around for her daggers but found, to her dismay, that they had plunged into the freezing water. A cry echoed around the ship and Celaena looked around as fast as her stiff body would allow. Chaol was on the deck, his sword knocked away, and the Witch looming over him. He had a long scratch down his check just above the ones Celaena had given him. Blood oozed out of it and flowed down his chin. Celaena screamed with rage and the Witch turned to look at her- a scowl on her face as she too had a cut on her beautiful check. Celaena grinned despite everything.

Marina sniffed the air and savoured the smell of the Fae. She smelt like fresh honey, however slightly burned. Marina put her hand to her check letting it being coated in blood before taking it so her mouth and licking it like it was a sweet and she was a child. Celaena grimaced. The Witch smiled, twirling her Slicers and turned back to Chaol. Better dispatch of him now before he regained his strength and the Fae regained hers. Twirling her Slicers she bent down and grabbed Chaol's chin with her iron nails. "You will look at me when I kill you." She told him, "I want to see the fear in your eyes as you die."
Chaol looked at her, his eyes like a storm with rage. Celeana tried to get to him but her legs gave way and she fell to the deck- slamming her head on it as she did. Her vision blurred making everything black and white. "No." She whispered shakily, "NO!" Her power seemed at rise at her rage and she let it, harnessing it inside her. Fire, body felt like fire but this time it felt controlled and she wasn't burning.

Her palms became engulfed in the fire but they felt ice cold to her. Marina turned to look at her, her mouth open. Standing up she dropped her sword and backed away. "It can't be..." She stuttered, "the lost queen has been found." Celaena stood up, her body glowing form the fire. "Go, leave." She commanded the Witch, powering making the voice sound strange to her own ears. "NOW!" Marina stumbled backwards and melted into the shadows.

Nearly almost at once all the power and strength crashed onto Celaena like a wave and she collapsed onto the deck. A strangled cry followed by a thud made the skin on her arm prickle and she looked up. The Witch's body lay in the shadows but all Celanea could really see was the raven black hair slick with blood. Chaol looked a bit past the spot with wide eyes and Celaena followed his gaze. A figure stood in the shadows and they stepped forward revealing a young red headed woman. She looked up, her eyes burrowing into Celaena and Celaena recognised her immediately. Controllable rage build up inside her. Ansel of Briarcliff.