The Princess of Light and The Knight of Shadow

Year 2: Fifth Month, Part 4

Nox swung, shattering another skull and helmet. To his left, frost covered the ground as Galos's spells obliterated more skeleton soldiers, transforming them into undead ice statues.

A bony hand reached out toward Nox's torso. He sliced it off then severed the skull from the neck. It was the only way to kill undead, but for every one he slew, a dozen more would take its place.

How many were here? Hundreds? A thousand? They seemed endless.

Torma's lantern was swinging wildly as his blazing scimitar weave through the air in dizzying patterns. Behind him stood Ireela, face ashen, clutching her Animarta to her chest. Her eyes met Nox's, and despite the terror in them, resolve blossomed.

A blast of wind sent dozens of skeletons flying against the wall. Nox turned his attention to the rest of the horde. Most of them wielded nothing but bare hands and clacking teeth, but a few held swords and axes with familiarity, as if their death didn't eliminate their experience.

They would have to be dealt with as fast as possible.

"Back. Fall back!" he shouted, parrying a blow targeting his neck.

They retreated the way they came from, the skeleton army shambling after them. How they could still walk despite the burden of their armors, Nox didn't know. Perhaps some magic spell was woven into the metal, empowering its wearers even after death. Or the magic was within the bones of the skeletons themselves.

Whatever it was that allowed the skeleton army to keep fighting, he knew it wouldn't be long before they overwhelmed them. He would rather fight the griffons; at least there weren't hundreds of them.

Fending off the grasping hands and the occasional swords and axes wasn't easy, but soon they were at the foot of the stairs. "Galos, you take the lead." Galos's lance wouldn't work well in a narrow space.

Galos nodded. Torma dashed after him. Nox noticed Ireela trembling nearby. She didn't move from her spot. "Go. I'll follow you!" he said.

"B-But—"

"Go!"

Reluctantly, Ireela scampered up the stairs. Nox watched for a brief moment before facing the skeletons.They closed in rapidly, clacking their teeth in frustration at their escaping preys. But Nox was already retreating with his back. The walls on either side of him protected his flanks. He could fight without worrying about sneak attacks.

Nox waited until Ireela's footsteps faded. He deflected a thrust, then stepped back. A swipe came at him, but he blocked it easily, countered with a swift that beheaded the skeleton. Another lunged. He caught the rusty sword mid-swing with Erebos.

"Burst!"

A blast of ice coated the skeleton. Nox shattered it with a swift blow, then retreated another step. The narrow stairs stemmed the flow of the skeleton soldiers to a trickle, but there still hundreds of them. He had to destroy them all.

Pushing another one back, Nox drew inside himself the power that awaited his call. He thrust his free hand, aiming it at the center of the horde.

"Engulf!"

With a roar, a blizzard surged through the doorway and into the hall, freezing the skeletons before him and beyond. He maintained the spell until ice encrusted the walls and a column of frozen skeletons barred the way, their empty eye sockets staring blankly at him.

When the clacking of teeth finally stopped, Nox ended the magic's flow and leaned on the cold wall, his chest heaving. The duels were more exhausting, but at least they didn't involve fighting an undead army. It was as if he had run a couple of miles with Estella on his shoulders.