The Forgotten Prophecy

Chapter 74

Their fight took place in the moonlight, upon a cold night with winter frost and starry skies. Though they could have admired the beauty that stretched all around them, all they saw was the blade of steel, never the white wands of the forest trees.

No matter the overtures of peace they made, he would come in for the kill. He lived in a delusion that took what was a fragile ego and created a fantasy world in which he is important and all-powerful. She would have to take apart that twisted and dark reality and finally lead him to his punishment.

That thought gave her all the courage she needed. With determination written on her face, she gripped her sword and attacked. Her blade went for his head, hard enough to split bones, but he swiftly ducked under and brought his hand forward.

Ines realised he was going for her leg and quickly moved it back, while stabbing again with her right. She slashed his left arm, blood spattering over his pale skin. The elf staggered back and shifted his position.

Before he could react, Ines swiped at his chest, and he backed away before she could stab him. That left foot slipped forward again, all exposed and wobbling, and this time she didn't resist the temptation.

She feinted high and stooped under an ill-timed chop, swinging her blade in a great, low circle. Her weapon struck his leg above the ankle and caused him to lose his balance. His foot hovered midair as he struggled to stay standing.

Without wasting time, Ines immediately brought up her fist to his face and punched his already broken nose, making him fall to the ground. The elf groaned in pain but before his back touched the hard snow, his right hand suddenly snatched her wrist and pulled her down with him. Her sword slipped out of her hands and landed on the frozen snow with a great thud.

And then they were sent sprawling on the ground, throwing kicks and punches in the air. Fists were clashing, elbows were dug in necks and stomachs. They were thrusting and pulling each other. For a second, she was over him, swinging her palm to hit him but he was too fast. He whirled them around, face in a snarl, and his fist was flying towards her. She raised her arms to her face to block it, and the elf punched her sides instead.

Her head jerked back in pain. And then another punch in her throat. She felt like she was suffocating. And a third time his fist reached her jaw. She saw stars.

'Enough!' she said firmly. Ines clenched her jaw and gathered the little strength that remained inside her. She lashed her arm around his neck and locked it in an iron grip, twisting his body back to the ground. The elf wrestled against her hold. His hands reached out to her face, trying to blind her, and she bit down his fingers hard.

He shrieked in rage, but it was already too late. With masterful movements, Ines put her weight on him and overpowered him in a headlock. The villain thrusted his legs, circling his arms around the arm she had placed on his throat.

When he saw he couldn't escape, he began panicking. A deep gurgle coming out of his chest was the only sound he could make. His face reddened, too contorted by pain. Ines had beaten him, it was undeniable. She thought she had finally won and was ready to make the final move, until a rock crashed on her forehead, just above her eyebrow, and sent her swaying back.

The elf took advantage of her dazed state and immediately broke free from her tight hold. He went to attack her once more, but he hadn't estimated how weak his body had become. His limbs couldn't support his weight, as his chest struggled to breath, and in the end, he fell back down, panting and cursing like a wounded dog.

Ines didn't lose time. Ignoring the excruciating pain in her head, she wearily got up and went for her sword. The villain, once understanding what would ensue, desperately tried to trip her before she made it, but she wasn't to be fooled anymore.

She jumped over him and grabbed her weapon. Before he regained his breath, she charged at him, weapon in hand and fire in her eyes. The elf tried to stand and run for his life, but she was too fast. As he fought to get to his feet and had lifted up his torso, she was already there.

Her blade swung from the front to strike his abdomen, and the elf, wide-eyed and pale, swiftly fell back to avoid her sword. The moment he began to fall, though, something tore though his ribs from behind and he screamed in pain. He glanced down and with a terrified expression on his face, he saw a small dagger sticking out of his right side.

Ines let out a gloomy sigh and slumped to the ground. She took off her helmet and ran a hand through her soaked hair. We have made it, she thought to herself. She was too shocked and raddled to accept it. As she was trying to calm her raging heartbeat, an eerie chuckle coming from the elf made her snap her eyes towards him.

'You think you have defeated me?' he smiled evilly. 'You know nothing.'

'I know enough.'

He was on the brick of collapsing but apparently he was able to make a last dying speech. 'You see that boy over there?' he weakly pointed behind her.

Ines turned around and saw the old man still sitting on the ground. This time, though, he wasn't alone. A young boy had crouched over him, tears streaking his youthful cheeks. She could hear him plead and sob, and her heart broke at the wretched sight.

She saw the old man reach for his medallion. The child, reading his thoughts, eagerly helped him take it off. He went to give it back to him, but the old man shook his head and pushed his hands away. He was giving it to him, as a gift.

After a few minutes of painful silence, the other elves neared them. A woman touched the boy's shoulder and said something Ines couldn't hear. At first, the boy resisted and screamed that he didn't want to leave him, but they worried for his safety and began pulling him away. When they understood that he wouldn't be so easily swayed, a well-built man lifted him off the ground and carried him away, despite his thrusts and shouting.

Ines watched them with a sad smile on her face. 'Yeah,' she murmured. 'Scetall.'

'That boy will lose his teacher. His mentor. This battle will stigmatise him forever. He has seen what war does to men. After this battle, the boy will go missing and he will never be seen again. The elves and the humans will recall their hatred for each other, and conflict will break out. The boy will come to detest the people you tried so hard to save. He will master black magic. In the end he will discover a way to travel back in time. Do you see now?'

Ines frowned in confusion. Why was he telling her all that?

The elf stared at her for a little longer and when he noticed her blank expression, he reached inside his shirt and revealed a medallion hanging from his neck. Ines squinted hard to see its design. 'My name is Scetall.' And it was right at that moment that Ines finally saw that it was the same medallion the old man used to wear. The one the young boy had worn as he was taken away. 'And do you know why that man never told you his name?' he asked.

Ines still stared at him, too overwhelmed to speak.

'Because then he wouldn't be able to carry out his plan. He was the only one who could defeat me. Defeat his own self. He has long renounced his past, but now it has come back to hunt him.'

'No...' she breathed in realisation.

'You see, you may have stopped me now, but there will be a second reckoning. I am inevitable.'

Those were his last words before collapsing on the ground, as death came to lead him through the threshold of darkness.

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A/N: At last! The villain has been defeated! Congratulate our heroes with a star ;)

Phrase of chapter: emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est / buy not what you want, but what you have need of - Cato