Alden exhaled, disturbing the cloud of thick vapour that had yet to fully dissipate. He dragged his tired body back towards Ignia, his feet creating a slight crunch every time he moved.
An icy gale blew through the outcropping.
Then, he bent down to hoist his precious familiar into his arms.
…The phoenix had lost a lot of its warmth.
Feeling his heart hurt for his little baby, Alden circulated his mana and hugged her tightly, lending her his warmth. He hoped it would be enough to ward off the invasive chill. Releasing a turbid breath, he sensed Ignia's eyes droop.
'Get some rest, little one. You've earned it.'
Alden slowly began his arduous trek once more.
The tentacles surrounding his figure had long vanished, both because of the drain on his mana reserves, and because they were too conspicuous. Without them, he could blend in. At least to a certain degree, thanks to the pale-white fur coat he wore.
Alden continued to drag his feet forward, staggering on more than one occasion.
The backlash was getting worse.
Even though he had stopped using [Haste], he was still straining his body.
This only aggravated his pain further.
There was nothing he could do about it.
'...No use complaining.'
Muttering a silent curse, Alden clenched his jaw.
The wind kept up its annoying howl, and the flakes of snow persisted in their attempts to burrow in the narrow gap between his clothes. The terrain also experienced a change. More and more outcroppings appeared, proliferating in number.
Until, eventually, after what seemed like an endless amount of walking, Alden reached his goal. Reflected in his crimson gaze, the mouth of a cave yawned open, jagged rocks surrounding its entrance.
Under the pale, bleak sky, it looked more like the maw of a large, snowy beast.
Alden gave himself a moment to catch his breath.
Then, he stepped into the cave.
The tension in his shoulders slowly disappeared.
Only, he froze at the very next moment.
In the dim light, he sensed a pair of cold, frigid pupils lock onto him.
The hair on Alden's arms slowly rose on end.
Were engraved with markings that glowed with a soft, pale, icy hue.
Alden's good eye slowly widened.
'...You have got to be kidding me.'
Alden and the Dark Elf stared at each other for a moment.
The former was caught completely off-guard, while the later displayed a hint of mild surprise.
It sat cross-legged on the ground. Numerous wounds littered its frame, the most gruesome being a large gash on its chest. Ice covered the deep cut, but still, a few drops of blood here and there leaked from the edges of the wound.
…The Dark Elf was in the midst of recovering from a tough battle.
Alden processed all this information in a second. His lips almost curled into a wry grin at the irony.
But, he resisted the urge…
Immediately, Alden erected an invisible barrier.
And not a moment too soon. For just then, a gelid lance slammed into the [Shield]. It wasn't brimming with a lot of ice energy - after all, the Dark Elf was most likely still drained from its previous clash. However, in his current condition, Alden would find himself in quite some trouble if it hit. Not the least because Ignia was now out of action.
Which meant she couldn't thaw any of his wounds, if he received any.
The magical barrier, once invisible, now became discernible to the naked eye as it frosted over. Quickly, using the brief moment before the [Shield] broke into an innumerable rain of ethereal shards, Alden set Ignia down a few paces behind him, next to the rock wall.
Then, he straightened, his expression tired and grim.
Alden's bone-deep fatigue slowly eroded his focus.
Shaking his head, he bit his tongue.
The pain sent a brief burst of mental clarity.
In front of Alden, his [Shield] crumbled. The gelid lance - having lost most of its potency and momentum - headed right for his face. He raised a hand, calmly catching the projectile. The abyssal energy coating his hand sizzled as it came in contact with the ice. A moment later, the frosty weapon was no more.
Fixing the Dark Elf with a withering glare, Alden allowed a portion of his bloodlust to escape its seal.
The hue of his good eye slowly darkened, and the ghost of a mad grin graced his face.
The Dark Elf, meanwhile, seemed to sigh as it slowly stood up. Its wound pulsed with a pale light in the dim gloom, reminding Alden of the danger he currently faced. A tenebrous dirk manifested in the young man's grasp. A similar weapon materialised in the corrupted creature's hand, and they faced off for a long, tense, terrible moment, unblinking in the face of each other's gaze.
It was Alden who shattered the silence.
He took a measured step forward, assessing his foe.
The Dark Elf was not that much taller than him. However, it had considerably more markings on its skin than those of its kin he had faced before. The air of a seasoned warrior swirled around its figure. Alden inwardly knew this wouldn't be an easy fight - even if both of them were not in peak condition, and were still recuperating from earlier clashes.
He inhaled a chilly breath, taking another step.
The cave was quite spacious.
At least as far as caverns went.
After passing through the entrance, the passage was a little narrow before exploding outwards into a broad, open space with a high ceiling. Perfect for combat. It reminded Alden slightly of the dueling arenas used by the Four Clans whenever they hosted an inter-Sanctuary tournament.
He was glad he did not have to fight in an enclosed space.
The Dark Elf responded in kind, also inching closer.
Soon, the two were circling each other warily.
Like two predators waiting to strike.
The stalactites above shone with a cold light.