The Shadows of the Fair Maiden

Chapter 26

It just happened in an instant. Esmeralda took the first swing, and I just barely managed to counter it with my magic. Her sword is made of magic. I can't possibly fight her with a metal sword. It would melt as soon as it touched the blade!

"I see you have some common sense," she said as she backed off after a few more swings. "And here I'd think you'd be easy prey. Seems like I underestimated you, Nalid."

I don't respond to it because I know it would be useless to insult her at this point. Instead I connect myself with my powers and think about the world. I'm trying to get myself to bring sadness to my mind to allow water to rain upon us, but all I feel is anger. Anger...

And destruction...

No Gunnhild... not fire. You can't kill something made of fire with f- actually. What am I thinking? Underworld fire is different than normal fire. I may not be able to kill her, but I can do enough damage to weaken her. My only question here is how am I going to get close enough to Esmeralda to properly do something. I can't do long-range shots or else she'll easily destroy my flames. I'll have to get up close.

Just gotta stall until she makes a swing.

I used some long-range shots to try and tempt her into getting closer, and I was also dodging the flames she threw at me. I had to drain her patience. If Kim taught me anything, I remember that Esmeralda isn't great with fighting plans. Maybe it'll be worse when she's getting mad or frustrated.

"What's wrong, Querido?" She asked while slashing her sword towards my legs. "Can't handle the heat?"

"If I could survive the Underworld's heat," I said. "Then I'm sure it doesn't bother me in the first place!"

Now is my chance. I flipped over her sword, and while I was still in the air, I got out my flames and punched her in the face. The flames sizzled against her skin, her shouts of pain filled the air, and she backed off, holding the cheek I burned.

It's possible. I can kill her!

"You..." she yelled. "You mortal!"

Before I could react, Esmeralda kicked at me. My aura appeared around me, but I still got pushed back. Just as I was getting my balance back, I was hit by several other speedy kicks and punches. My aura was keeping me from getting any damage done, but Esmeralda was making me exhausted by this unconditional use of a shield. What is she planning?

We just went in a series of hits back and forth. It was like some intense sparring match between higher ranked guards. Except now, one of the two guards would die in either flames or by a sword.

And at this point, with my exhaustion and weak powers, I was sure that would be me.

The heat had just gotten to me in a huge wave, and it disabled me for a short while. I knew my vision went blurry for just a few seconds, but it felt like hours since Esmeralda got a good chance to slash me with her sword.

I screamed out of shear pain. It burned. It burned worse than the fires of a campfire when your knuckles are cracked and dry. It burned worse than the sting of a scorpion. It literally burned my skin!

I looked at my wound and saw that it wasn't bleeding. By Ether, she cauterized the wound!

"The swords from the Underworld are made from fire," she said. "They are a sword but have the flames' properties."