Shadow Cursed

Chapter 22: Blade vs Blade

I held my sword close to my body, what was she doing here? "Anna," I said in a shaky voice trying to sound brave.

She struck at me and I could barely dodge the sudden attack, "Isabella." Her voice was full of bitterness and hate. She must of spent years building the grudge she held against me. "I've been waiting to see you again, I've missed you."

The sweetness in her voice made me want to throw up. "No you don't." I held my sword in defense position.

She started to say, "You don't understand Isabell-"

"I understand you want to kill me," I said interrupting her, "I can see the desire in your eyes."

She put a frown on, "I don't have to kill you if you hand it over." Then her grin returned.

Standing my guard, "I don't know what you want but I don't have it."

"You know what she left you, Ethelyn, that weak human." Anna laughed, "She fell in love and had a daughter, shame she couldn't be here-."

"SHUT UP!" Anna stopped talking interested all of a sudden. I took deep breaths in an out, repeat, "Don't talk about my mother like that."

"Tsk tsk, you know nothing don't you?" Anna walked closer, the smell of her perfume acting as a poison. "Then fine, I'll kill you for it instead." She drew her sword. "I show no mercy."

She came at me with no warning. And she almost cut me really bad, if I hadn't blocked her. She took a step back and glared at me. Her wings were opened up and they blended in with the sky.

Ready for a battle, my reflexes kicked in allowing me to block her hits. Training did pay off since I had been out of school, too bad I couldn't drop out of school full time though to pursue a career of a professional swordsman or assassin. If Alric let me, which in sure he would, I would consider that future once I got out of this alive.

I dodged as her blade came down close to me and landed in the ground, she pulled it out afterward. My sword had fallen out of my hand and on the ground, I grabbed it as quick as possible and I rolled away as she took another stab at the ground where I was only a few seconds ago.

I hopped off the ground and the dance of blades started. Anna gained speed, and I had trouble keeping up with her movement. She was more experienced than I was. I struggled to keep up with her pace.

Hoping to make time to escape I ran toward the trees and hid in them. Anna didn't follow right away. I didn't have much time.

Her voice cut like a dagger in my skin, "Come out, come out where ever you are. I love playing hide and seek, don't you know I'm the best at the game." I heard fire and smelled smoke. She was burning the forest. "You'll come out either way." Anna would never give up.

I coughed, the smoke in the forest was growing stronger and collecting in my lungs. I felt weak, holding my amulet I prayed that I wouldn't perish at the hands of Anna. I shouldn't have come, it was a set up. I should of known it.

I curled in a ball and tried to not breath. There wasn't enough oxygen in my lungs to breath anymore. I could only cough.

A sharp sound caught my attention as the smoke filled my lungs and I was losing hope of surviving. A howl ripped though the night and I saw a blue glow from the corner of my eyes. It was a blur running as fast as it could. Wulfric. He had come for me. He arrived in what felt like a lifetime.

"Isabella, you need to get out of here." He looked around and surveyed the scene. "It's not safe for you."

"I know," coughing, "Anna is here." I heard her laugh through the woods coming for me. "Help me, I'm too weak to stand on my own."

He helped onto his back and I held on tight as I could, as he ran away from the flames as far as possible. I looked back and the fire got smaller and smaller. "Wulfric, where are we going?"

"Far from the forest as we can," he kept running straight forward.

"But," I coughed again, "It's your home."

"I can adapt, I know this forest by heart. You need to be safe." He didn't stop running at all.

I felt guilty, it was my fault that he had to leave his home and risk his life to protect me. As if he read my mind, "I already lost Ethelyn, I'm not gonna lose her only daughter also."

"Thank you," my voice was weak and quiet. The air was cool and snow was falling again.

He slowly came to a stop and let me down in front of a little house, he howled toward it. Turning to me, "Lay down. It won't be long until she comes."

"Wulfric, what if Anna followed us." I looked and saw no trail of flames, just his paw prints.

He stood tall guarding me, "She can't come this far. Even there are boundaries she can't cross. She doesn't have celestial blood."

"Thank you Wulfric, I owe you my life." I hugged him and he helped me back down on the ground.

He got sad for a minute, "Ethelyn may be gone, but you are still here. I swore I would protect her, and so I will protect you."

I laid there in silence as we watched the snow fall. My body was weak and tired. I fought to keep my eyes open.

"It's okay Isabella, sleep, and I'll make sure no one hurts you." My eye lids starting closing and they wouldn't open again, "Just sleep." I did as he told me and my body fell asleep there in the snow with him watching over me like a guardian angel.