“Damn this cold.” she muttered as her warm breath evaporated into the night air. She held her temples tight trying to pin point the location of her target but her shaking and chattering teeth distracted her. She looked at Zethry who was still watching the untouched fields of snow down below, the moonlight shadowed half of his perplexed face. It reminded her of the person she once knew the closest thing to a “friend” she had ever had. That man was gone now, she knew it still she still hoped for a small vestige of sanity remaining had she the will she might have searched for it but knew it would be best to leave this one’s mind alone. He stared hard at the ground below the cliffs watching, waiting, as if he knew something was coming. It unnerved her to think he knew something she did not, he stood silent and stiff as if unnaffected by the harsh cold. The silence alone was almost maddening, it seemed the only thing making noise was the constant chattering of her teeth. “This cold nearly cuts to the bone, and your not even shivering.” she said at last with a slight laugh to end the silence. He didn’t move or make any attempt to respond, he just stared down below. She walked to his side to see if she could see anything, but only saw the luminecent glow from the moon reflecting off of the snowy surface. “You know, we could cuddle to keep warm.” she joked with another laugh. He glanced at her moving nothing but his eyes, then he returned his gaze to the grounds below, showing no hint of aknowledgment to her humor just a blank empty stare. She began to shift in place trying to get the blood moving she was so uncomfterable at the moment she almost wished she was back in the Abyss. “The moon is br–” she started. “Quiet.” Zethry said under his breath but made no motion to look at her. She frowned then looked away feeling a bit angered. “Shes nearly here.” he went on almost a whisper. She moved her blonde locks from her face and cocked her head looking to the valley below, she saw nothing but barren untouched snow. “I don’t see anything, your mind must be failing.” she said stubbornly. “Choke on your pride, I can’t see her, then again I don’t have to see her. Shes being followed. A man, no two ones aura is almost sickening the other is slightly tainted, I am curious what would cause such an unusual alliance.” he said stiffly. “Potential lackies?” she asked humbly. He looked at her and grinned “Potential prey.” he said with a laugh. “Always with the killing of the goodly folk.” she said with a sigh. “And your so perfect? killing anyone if it may grant you so much as a slight increase to your advantage.” he retorted. She bit her lip and turned away, she began to feel a tug of guilt after the events that had recently been happening everytime the duo walked into a settlement there often were no survivors. Had she created this monster? she often wondered, she shook her head and walked toward her horse. “You’ll not get her before me worms.” Zethry gloated as he jumped onto the back of his steed. It reared back howling into the dark. “Lets ride! hee yah!” he roared.           “Its bloody cold!” the rogue whined. “This is your fault so soke it up and keep running we’ve nearly caught her.” the drow snapped back. “You accusing me of conjuring snow flakes and bloody frost bite!?” the rogue retorted. “I accuse you of damning everyone you know and more! The only reason I left you alive is I need you.” the drow shot back bitterly. “Ha, I knew it but I’m a married man, I’m sure there is a strong supportive special someone willing to cradel you in his buldging bicept. But alas I am not that man.” the rogue snickered. The drow rolled his eyes, leaped a fallen tree, clutching a low hanging snow covered branch and letting his weight bring it down low then when it felt as if it would go no further he let it loose. It sailed through the air and whipped the sarcastic rogue in the face causing him to fall onto his rump. He clutched his face as his eyes began to water. “What the hell did you do that for!? Ah! It burns!.” he whimpered as he clutching his bleeding face. “Do you always whine like an infant child whose lost her doll? I pity your wife!” the drow yelled as he continued to bound forward. “I’ll get you for that!” the rogue shouted. “Keep up! your troll like speed will lose us our target!” the drow called back smiling.           They rode hard and fast, had their mounts been living they would have died from exhaustion. They came upon a snow conquered hill and drove up the side. “She’s here!” Zethry yelled back. “I hope she hits me with a fire ball.” Claire moaned poking her numb face. As they cleared the edge of the hill and slowed as they reached the crown of the hill they saw her. Standing on a large snow covered rock she stared at them with a large grin. The wind blew softly through the trees and up then over the hill. The two dismounted and stepped forward. “So we have finally met, Vandraene.” Zethry said stopping a few yards away from her perch.Her smile widened, “My reputation proceeds me, though I regret to announce that I do not share the same knowledge for the both of you. Who exactly are you?” She said as she softly landed on the ground. “Your end!” Zethry yelled as he unsheathed the over sized crimson blade on his back. She laughed and it seemed to silence the surrounding area. “Thats a new one, I’m intrigued please proceed.” she said. “With pleasure.” came his reply. He charged forward bringing up Demon qwell above his head and lunging it down hard and fast as he grinned. But it soon faded as the sound of clashing metal echoed across the wood. She stood still holding a small one handed sword above her head keeping the larger blade at bay. Using her her free hand to remove her red bangs from her face, she gave her attacker a wink and smiled at the shocked expression on his face. He began to push down harder but to no avail she kept the blade back with one hand! “Impossible!” he roared. “Improbable.” she corrected as she stretched her free hand forward. It began to glow a light blue. His green eyes widened as he realised she was preparing an attack but before he could do anything he was sent tumbling backward by a ray of blue light slamming into his chest and freeing the wind from his lungs. He lay still in the snow trying to gasp in air but unable to draw any in. Claire ran forward and activated her circlet, black lightning shot from the red gem bounding forward toward the crimson haired demon. With a flick of her wrist the bolts halted and changed direction crashing harmlessly to the side. Claire scowled at her as she began to concentrate on the womans thoughts. She pushed through with ease, and began to push further. The woman began to spasim, tossing her body left and right, clutching her head and screaming. Claire smiled, “So simple.” she said. Then the screaming stopped, replaced with wicked laughter. She stood up straight “Better luck next time.” she said as she laughed. A sharp pain shot into Claire’s brain bringing her to her knees. It burned and seemed to pierce through her head! She clutched her head and began to wail in pain. Blood began to seep from her ears and eyes and ran down her face. Then she fell backward into the cold snow, and the pain subsided. She couldnt move her arms or legs, pain coursed through her entire body as she laid motionless in the snow, letting the blood fall to the ground and stain it red. Zethry now panting hard, stood up again. He clutched the hilt of his sword and charged forward again. He swung hard to the left. She parried. He brought it fast to the right, Only to be met by another blade. “Die!!” he yelled. “I can’t.” she replied with a smirk. He brought the blade in low and she kicked it aside, then stepped forward punching him in the face. He stumbled backward. He glared at her smiling face, he wanted to remove it from the rest of her being and he intended to do so. He jabbed forward but was thrown to the side by her parry.          ”Whats he doing here?” the rogue asked. “Friend of yours?” the drow asked. “Not likely, he’d sooner cut off my head.” replied the smug rogue. “So then he must be a friend of yours.” the drow said with a smile. “Good point.” the rogue agreed. “She’s distracted. Lets get behind her and end this quickly.” the drow said as he glided tracklessly across the snow. He stepped behind her and brought up his sword for the strike, it was all finally over a feeling of relief coursed through him. Bringing the blade down hard, his stomache turned when the sound of metal filled his ears. She twirled around with a look of honest surprise on her pale face. The blue glow from his blade intertwined with the violet glow of the velvet thorn. She jumped back away from the three men. Eyeing them all cautiously. Drazun began to tremble as he turned to see Agarwaen’s stern face as his blade held his in place. “What have you done?” the drow gasped. “Forgive me.” he said a look of distain spread across his face. “Sort your differences else where I’ve a witch to kill.” Zethry panted. He ran toward the woman swinging maddly and hard, but each swing after the other only produced the sound of clashing metal. They began to pace around, their superb foot work would have been a deadly match for a lesser being. Drazun dropped his arms and fell to his knees. “You’ve doomed us all…” he said still in disbelief. “On your guard.” Agarwaen demanded. “Forgive me…Forgive me Maylev..I have failed you.” Drazun said mournfully as he stood up and faced his unexpected opponent. “I’m sorry old friend.” Agarwaen said. “The 9 hells take you!” Drazun growled. “May the God’s have mercy on your soul, for I will not.” he continued. “Forgive me!” Agarwaen said sincerly again as he darted forward. Claire could only watch as the four battled, a flurry of blows and swings danced around the top of the hill, the problem was her side was slowing down. Zethry’s swings began to slow as he began to breath heavier. As for the other two, both their blades clashed with such speed and intensity her exhausted eyes had to strain to even attempt to keep up. A series of twirls, twists and jabs followed, were they fighting or dancing? Drazun’s lavender eyes burned with rage as he lashed at his betrayer. He proved to be an equal as a swordsmen and it seemed impossible to land a hit. Agarwaen’s face expressed no such malice but as if he was concetrating hard to keep up. He began to press harder getting closer forcing Drazun to step backward step by step he gained ground. Zethry’s anger raged. It was only intensified with the knowledge of being helpless to stop her. She stared back at him, its seemed as though she hadn’t even broke a sweat she just stood there…smiling. “I’m going to cut those lips off your face!!” he shouted. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she casually parried the obvious attack. She drew her hidden dirk and stuck it into his chest, he screamed in pain as the strength in his arms began to drain away. ”Your so boring, I think its about time I end this.” she said as her left hand dropped the dirk, while her right kept his blade away. “Bitch!” he growled gutterally. She laughed again, “Your too kind.” she said as she shot her hand forward releasing the blue energy forward slamming into his chest and launching him into the air. He hit the ground hard several feet back and tumbled down the side of the hill leaving a trail of warm blood in the snow. She turned to see the other two intruders exchange parries. “Thats a good little boy.” she said as she watched Agarwaen deflect the on coming assult. Drazun had quickly regained his lost ground and was now pushing forward. He had outlasted the half human in a battle of stamina, Agarwaen’s strikes and parries carried little strength. Drazun came in fast with his left hand then twisted the blade to the side catch Agarwaen’s thumb in between the hilt of his dagger and of Drazun’s sword. The sharp pain made him grunt and loosen his grip on the hilt. Drazun used this to his advantage and hooked the side of the dagger’s hilt giving it a quick flick sending the small blade twirling through the cold air and landing in the snow out of reach. He then tossed his sword to the side and brought in his fist slamming it as hard as he could in the side of Agarwaen’s face bringing him to his knees. Agarwaen leaned on the velvet thorn for support. Drazun walked forward and kicked it out of his hand then using the blade of his remainding sword he flicked it out of Agarwaen’s reach as well. Agarwaen fell forward catching himself by throwing his hands into the deep snow. He was breathing heavily as beads of sweat slid down his face. He was forced to look up at the face of the angry drow when the blue blade connected with his chin. “You have betrayed us all Agarwaen, and you’ve damned the existence of my entire race, what say you before I end your miserable existence?” Drazun said calmly as he towered over the kneeling rogue. “No, I think it was I who damned your race if memory serves.” came a feminine voice from behind him. He went to turn but stopped when he felt cold steel pressing against his throat. He swallowed hard. “Y-You!” he said startled. She laughed, “guilty as charged. Now let the stupid boy go.” she commanded.