Frostbite

Never a Happy Ending

It had been too easy to figure out where Chase had gone. All the commotion he was causing would attract everyone's attention. With the help of his shadow form, he had reached Glasgow in record time. And so would I.

The clothes I had been wearing transformed into the blue and silver robes I was now accustomed to. I slid my sling ring on, preparing for what would happen on the other side of the portal I was about to open. The portal opened with ease, but instead of the blue crackling energy I was used to seeing, it was now a fiery orange.

Directly on the other side was Chase. A look of disbelief passed over his face, but it quickly faded. There weren't as many civilians given the time of night, but the ones there were all trying to get the hell out of there. I could give them time.

"I really didn't want to do this, but you're just desperate to die," he sighed, taking a step closer. I allowed it and narrowed my eyes.

"Why are you even doing this? Don't you have enough?"

"I'm a hunter," he shrugged, a wicked glint in his eye, "I've done this for years. There's been some... mishaps. Thinking someone had an ability I wanted, but sometimes I'm wrong."

My eyes widened at this dark truth. I swallowed and shakily asked, "How many? How many people have you killed?"

"It's irrelevant. You weren't my first and you certainly won't be my last."

Behind him, the last of the people escaped off the bridge, leaving us alone. My gaze flicked back to him, and I grinned.

"That's where you're wrong."

"You think whatever inconsequential magic you still have can overpower mine?" he scoffed, lifting his palm to show off the icy tendrils he now possessed. My face hardened as I worked to keep calm.

"Give. It. Back," I snarled, inching forward.

"Over my dead body."

With those last words, the talking was done. A blast of energy snaked out for me, but I reflexively threw up my arms. A large mandala appeared to deflect the blow. It hit, sending sparks flying at the impact.

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and I smirked from behind my shield. A beat later he faded into the shadows, and I whirled around just in time. He popped up directly behind me, trying to land another hit. My fists came together to forge two smaller shields and I knocked him back.

He stumbled, and I lashed out with the weapons, trying to slice any part of him that I could reach. We danced like this for a while, each of us effectively deflecting any advance from the other. He might have had more power at the moment, but he didn't have the years of experience to easily overpower me with it.

I managed to get in a few decent punches, making it easier to pin him to the ground. My fist raised again, but suddenly he shot forward, knocking me off. My back hit the side of a vehicle, and I fell forward.

He strode up to me, his foot connecting with my face. I fell back, a small groan escaping as I attempted to get back up. A group of sharp icy projectiles flew through the air, and I instantly opened a portal beneath me. I dropped through, but one of the shards sliced across my arm. I landed several yards away and stayed put.

He chuckled in amusement, "We both know how this is going to end, Melanie. Just give up." His hand abruptly shot up, the beam hitting me square in the chest before I had time to react. My body spun through the air, and I crashed into another vehicle, the metal denting and shattering the window from the force. From the ground, I hurtled several discs his way. He dodged all but one as it sliced deep across his thigh.