For a moment, the encroaching line stuttered. Tabitha reared back her spear, the tip covered in gnashing, swirling wind. She released it with a loud crack, akin to thunder. Her spear screamed out and punched into one of the feminine figures. Its own scream was drowned out by the following maelstrom of wind that swallowed it up, shredding its body, along with a mass of writhing vines making up its core.

  The others reacted, even as Tabitha recalled her spear, it burst into streams of wind, only to coalesce back into her hands. Even as that was happening, the silver ranks didn’t lie idle. Bark covered their bodies, like armor. Giving them the appearance of wooden knights. Their green eyes shone through the eyeholes of their new helmets. Their helmets, shaped like the skull of a deer, were adorned with wooden antlers that jutted into the sky.

  They focused on Tabitha, allowing my undead to push back against the coming tide. Spears or vines tipped with wood shot forward, to which Tabitha effortlessly dodged just as her spear finished reforming in her hand. She threw it once again, the spear whistled through the air and swerved past an array of vines that tried to stop its flight and struck home. Punching through wooden armor and through the plant-like flesh of another figure. But it wasn’t a fatal blow.

  All too quickly, the injured knight reformed, vines regrow, filling in the gaping wound. Tabitha clicked her tongue at the sight before once again recalling her spear.

  While Tabitha focused on those in the back, preventing them from aiding those at the front. Diana was in the thick of it. Moving between my ice covered undead, sweeping her pick out to chop at the plant golems’ vine covered limbs with her pick like a lumberjack would chop wood. Her strikes pierced deep, leaving horrible, jagged wounds, but it wasn’t enough to deter them. Often requiring her to strike multiple times to even chew through a limb.

  Instead of focusing on the kill, she aimed to maim. Taking out limbs and moving on, allowing my undead to crawl over them, letting icy claws cut and carved through to the golems pulsating core and ending them for good. All the while they continued to press the tide back.

  My undead continued forward. My energy pulsed into them, my magic empowered them, fueled their ravenous desire to tear apart those before them. I couldn’t control them with finesse. Even just broad commands were difficult, but their own remnant wills took charge in this moment, echoes that guided their motions as they feverishly ripped and tore through what they could and could not without care.

  Despite it all, an equilibrium had been met. Our two forces clashed, Tabitha kept the supporters at bay, the silver ranks as she had called them. Me and Diana both kept the normal and bronzes at bay.

  The bronze, being abominations of bodies twined together with vines, their forms coated in red spider lilies that just barely hid the horror that lay beneath, tried to brute force through my lines. Only for them to be torn apart by ice covered claws. Like a swarm of cats scratching a wooden post, the abominations were whittled away. Diana came in, her pick focused not on cutting and piercing through, punched through their thick bodies, as if to find their core inside their body like it was a game of finding a needle in the haystack.

  Sometimes she succeeded, but most of the time, all Diana did was wound or slow the abominations.

  At the back, the silvers kept Tabitha busy. They focused entirely on preserving their lives, limiting the damage Tabitha could do. Still, they couldn’t catch her as she dashed about, elusive as the wind as she was. Every throw of her spear cracked out like thunder, and every blow punched through their armor with ease. Still, after the first death, none had died.

  Whenever they could risk it, the silvers would do their best to restore their lesser kin or strengthen their armor or claws. Such actions always came at a cost, as Tabitha exacted her price on those daring enough to ignore her.

  However, all of this was just a sideshow to what really mattered. Our fight was more or less a stalemate, one we were bound to lose. Every second, my energy bled out of me. Even then, I dared not relent, putting my foot down as hard as it could on the proverbial gas pedal. I had no control. My only purpose was to feed the undead and hold on.

  Hold on until Grim wins.

  While all this was happening, Grim was not lying still. With renewed focus, her hair on fire, blazing white. Her blade and armor though, were white on the edges, with the main body being an angry red.

  Without being harried by the surrounding forces, Grim was able to hack away at the giant flower bud’s vines and roots with impunity. The very air around Grim vibrated with heat, every slash burned into my retinae and reduced whatever was struck to burning ash.

  It would seem, the fight would end quickly. Except, the bud shivered. The whole plant shifted again. Its main body was lifted up, nearly touching the ceiling. Water dripped down its form as it did so. Taking the chance, Grim shot forward, leaving ash in her wake. Her blade raised high.

  She was like a shooting star in that instance. Only to be smacked aside by another vine, a vine that immediately burst into fire on contact. A strange sonorous cry reverberated through the space in response to the pain of its limb rapidly being rendered into ash. Grim, crashed into the ground with a series of meaty wet smacks, her hand grabbed out, the fingers on her gauntlets white hot, dug into the hard stone, leaving molten fissures behind.

  With her hand as leverage, she forced herself up. Her sabatons dug into stone as if it was mud. The water covered stone hissed and bubbled, rejecting her presence. What ice she was near popped and cracked, exploding from the sudden shift in temperature.

  The moment she was righted, Grim shot forward again like a hound on the hunt.

  That very moment, the flower burst open, sending out a surge of pollen and juices. It bloomed, though, it looked premature. At the center of it, was a figure similar to the other feminine figures, but younger. Her eyes fluttered open, and in that moment the weight of a mountain pressed down.

  The girl in the flower looked down at us with a dead gaze. Casually, she raised her hand. Vines covered in flower buds were raised in unison.

  Seeing that, sensing what was coming, Grim immediately came to a stop and leapt back.

  The girl in the flower pointed forward. The flower buds covering the vines, all burst open in that moment. A deluge, a veritable wall of needles were sent out.

  Grim let out a shout, her blade exploded into fire, and she swung. A curtain of burning ash met the onslaught, pops and hisses, like popcorn on the pan filled the air. Only smoldering ash puffed past the curtain of ash, but Grim sagged for a moment, her fire dimming, only to explode out with ever greater force.

  The girl in the flower was mostly stationary. Only barely able to move the plant she was in. The confined space was part of the reason why, as were the roots lacing the ground. Roots that even now writhed and moved.

  With waves of her hands, blooming flowers shot out beams of green energy that Grim dodged with ease. She danced through the cascading lasers, slowly making her way forward. Spears of wood were shoot out, only to be slapped aside or cut through.

  However, what was truly troublesome was how the plant girl assisted those around her. Roots shot out to defend the silvers from Tabitha’s blows. Roots would pierce into the larger abominations and pulse green, pumping life force into them, healing their wounds, empowering them as the flowers covering their bodies bloomed and released a heavy cloud of what looked like pollen.

  It wasn’t just pollen. On contact, what was inside the cloud sprouted like mushroom spores. Vines grew, digging into the corpses, forcing me to pump ever more magic into them to contain the parasites seeking any form of sustenance from the frozen corpses, and in doing so, found my magic animating them.

  The roots entangled my undead. Swiftly sucking away what energy I could provide.

  The good news was that my domain was ice. The roots struggled to digest what they ate, rapidly freezing over or becoming brittle, breaking into motes of frozen dust when they were overwhelmed. They gained little to no purchase, but even then…

  I only had so much energy to give.

  Perhaps I could have lasted before. Lasted until Grim took down the girl in the flower. Yet, even as she rapidly made gains against her, cutting and trimming away, until only the flower was left… I realized, I wasn’t going to make it.

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  Diana was forced away from the front line. The spores pumping out of the abominations grew too much, a barrier of swirling wind around her kept it away, but even then, the roots tried to take hold. Somehow, rooting itself in the wind she shielded herself with.

  Thankfully, after backing off, she found refuge in the cold ice radiating out of my body. Which swiftly killed and froze the invading parasites and those that stuck around were expelled in a bust of wind.

  Every breath came out wet. A mix of hot and cold was in my lungs and body. The ice coursing through my veins being swiftly taken out to empower the undead, leaving me feeling like I was falling ill with fever or worse.

  I counted the seconds. I grit my teeth. Trying to put more into the ice. Trying to give it my all, but…

  I already was. I was giving it my all. I was so deep into the black abyss, that I was beginning to grow delirious. My vision hazed over, and only the burning star that was Grim shone bright in my vision.

  Was this how it ends? I wondered. Staring at her. I was frustrated. Annoyed. Especially when I saw Grim getting back up after another blow, and shrug off the damage like it was nothing before pushing forward. Even as she stumbled, seemingly out of energy after a powerful blow, she merely re-ignites and presses onward.

  Whereas I… I had no such thing… Cruel, cold reality settled in. My energy dwindling. I could feel the last dregs slowly pouring out. Any second now, the line would collapse. We would all die… well, save for Grim…

  How vexing…

  Before I could sigh and accept my fate. Before I could even begin to succumb to such a fate, Tabitha shot over.

  She looked annoyed and yet, there was a grin on her face. She stopped right before me and slammed down a coin into my hands.

  “Take it!” She yelled and ran off. A coin, a silver coin. The sight alone sent a new burst of energy through my body, and I knew immediately what needed to be done. Without any preamble, I slammed the coin down and swallowed.

  On contact with my tongue, the coin melted and rushed down my throat. Rampaging energy rushed through my veins. Freezing over blood and bone. The air around me cracked. The ice around me snapped as it grew colder far too quick. All at once, the undead I was controlling surged forward with newfound power. Cold radiated from their forms.

  The cold frosted over the enemy. Slowing them, making them brittle. My undead crashed into them with incredibly strength. Ignorant of their own limbs made brittle by the ice, as they shattered when they bludgeoned and smashed into the enemy. The abominations had layers peeled away, the spores froze in the air and fell to the ground, cracking and breaking on contact.

  I had no control as the new energy rampaged through my body. My ears popped. Blood ran down my nose and ears as I continued to pump energy into the undead I could control. The sudden shift enabled Tabitha to sneak behind the lines, her spear shooting out like a viper, swerving through hastily erected barricades and destroying the silvers’ hearts one by one.

  Further enabling her, was Grim. Grim was making quick work of the flower. The girl in the flower looked panicked by this point. Her main body scorching and smoldering. The water she was submerged in hissed and spat, steam rapidly filled the air only to pop and hiss when it met the cold radiating off my undead. All of her wounded roots and vines, the stumps left behind that Grim had cut, had smoldered and were now burning away at the main body.

  Looking at her. My vision clear. Everything was so clear. I could see tears in her eyes. Tears of terror… and I couldn’t blame her.

  Grim… Grim was like a demon. Ash swirling around her. Blazing white eyes burning through the visor of her helm. The air around her distorted by the heat and ash wafting off her. The cape of flame that was her hair almost looked like ashen wings as she continued to cut and cleave.

  Then it finally came, a final desperate move. Again, Grim leapt forward. The girl in the flower put her hands forward, what roots were left gathered and twined together into a singular spear. It shot forward, and Grim made no motion to dodge. The spear punched through her armor, impaling her. The spear continued, shoving her to the ground, and dragging her along before tossing her aside.

  Ash was kicked up. Steam hissed and obscured her. Yet… I could just barely make out her form standing within the steam and ash. The hole through her body rapidly filling, healing. For a single instant, the fire surrounding her went out. She fell to her knee, her blade stabbed into the stone.

  I didn’t hear her breathing. I couldn’t over all the noise. The hiss and cracks. But I heard something else. A sputter. Like a pilot light trying to start. Then, just when I thought I had imagined it, a great woosh echoed out. The air burned. Her body lit into blaze. Her eyes gleamed and pierced through the ash like a pair of lighthouses on a foggy night.

  Seeing her like that. My frozen heartbeat. The black sea, deep under the ice, the unrelenting cold shivered, the ocean bubbled as the sun above burned away the frost.

  I wanted to be closer. I wanted to feel it. Experience it with my own skin, but…

  The pull of the countless hands, the undead I was feeding into pulled me ever deeper, ever further from the blossoming sun above. I felt a scream of rage, a cry of anguish build in my chest and die in my throat.

  Still, even if I couldn’t feel it.

  I could witness it.

  With a leap. A leap that hazed and left afterimages. She jumped into the air, with her blade held high. It glowed and burned like a sun, a cursed star of misfortune, Tabitha and Diana both shot back, seeking the protection of my cold as water hissed and sizzled, as plants and bodies burned. Even my frozen undead quickly melted and fell over dead under the heat of that cursed star.

  I did not look away. Even as she swung. Even as all I saw, burned into my eyes was a single ruinous strike. A slash of superheated ash shot forward with unstoppable momentum. The girl in the flower withered before her slash, the petals of the flower shrived and burned away under just the heat radiating out.

  On impact, there was no scream. There was only ruin.

  Where a basin of water had been, a large reservoir that the flower had been on, was nothing. The water had all evaporated. Leaving only burning stone. The air burned, like we were in an oven. Only the cold radiating from my body protected us as the last vestiges of the silver coin’s power pulsed in my veins.

  Grim slammed into the stone platform, right on the precipice of the reservoir. Her armor steamed, as did her sword, and hair.

  Steam and ash swirled above. The battle had been won, Diana and Tabitha both sighed and relaxed.

  I did not. I did not look away. Lost in rapture at what I had witnessed, as to why… I couldn’t place it. That feeling, that yearning at the deepest part of core.

  Yet, that was why I saw it.

  “GRIM!” I cried out, sensing something, seeing the ash and steam swirl.

  For her part, Grim didn’t idle. Sensing my urgency, she shifted and swung her blade. Her blade swung into what seemed like empty air, but a loud ringing echoed out, followed by a sad snap of steel. What looked like a metal arrow snapped in half, the halves hit the ground and clattered to the ground.

  All at once, the steam and ash dispersed with a mighty gust. Revealing figures, figures with wings, angels… No… their wings were black, their eyes red, with long ears, and fanged teeth.

  For a moment, nobody spoke. Tabitha gripped her spear and took a step forward. Diana hesitantly did so as well, both flanking me. I… I couldn’t move. My body ached. Blood frozen to my face slowly thawed and dripped down.

  Grim, slowly stood and faced the newcomers. Who they were, she didn’t announce, but…

  “The hell is Tartarus doing here?” Tabitha announced on her own. There was a quiver in her voice, but she held her ground. Diana shot her an inquisitive gaze but focused on holding her ground as well.

  Grim didn’t speak as she faced off with the group. There were five of them. One of them, near the back held a bow, a frown on her face. Slowly, one at the front stepped forward. She held herself up like a queen, a princess, or perhaps royalty deigning to speak with the common rabble

  “Oh my.” She tutted. “This is quite an awkward bit of happenstance.” She said, but her face told another story.

  Grim didn’t immediately respond. Her gaze locked on the archer at the back and slowly worked its way through the group. Each of them visibly shivered under her gaze, save for the leader whom frowned.

  “Awkward indeed.” Grim finally responded. “I didn’t think Tartarus was in the business of greeting others with drawn and loosed weapons.” Her final statement was levelled on the archer at the back.

  The leader merely laughed, an imperious ohoho, “I assure you; it was a mistake. We merely sensed a dangerous presence in these parts and sought to take action, nothing more.”

  “The alraune then?” Grim stated.

  “Exactly. Ah, but… I suppose you have it well handled. Seeing as its dead.” Her eyes drifted towards the reservoir. A notable glow could now be seen with the ash and steam dispersed. A golden glow, interspersed with bronze and silver. Her eyes flashed with notable greed as she licked her lips with a long, snaking tongue.

  Her eyes flashed again as she took us in. She looked at us three and dismissed us, but when she looked at Grim, there was wariness. Hesitation.

  The leader hesitated a beat, before continuing. “Originally, we were sent to handle this threat, but seeing as how you already dealt with it, well, we won’t contest your winnings. Of course.”

  “Of course.” Grim replied with, her tone dry enough that a desert could be considered wet in comparison. “And of your subordinate, the archer?”

  “Mistakes happen, and… could you blame the poor girl?” She said with a shrug and a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I mean, it’s only natural she mistakes you for a horrible monster or worse. After all, everyone knows the reputation of Grim, the dog of war. Ruin made manifest. Only a fool would intentionally pick a fight with you.”

  Grim didn’t move. Her eyes trained on the group before us. She didn’t speak back or retort. Just stared.

  “Ahem, well, we’ll be going then. Do stay safe… these are dangerous times, after all...” And with those ominous words, she left. Grim still didn’t move. Nobody moved. Not even when they first left. We all stayed tensed, waiting for them to come right back.

  Only after we were certain they had left, did a collective sigh leave our lips. Grim immediately slumped over and hit the ground. As did Tabitha and Diana.

  Meanwhile, I… I forced myself up and walked over towards Grim. Her armor slowly blew away, revealing her in her untouched police uniform. Her blade still at her side, hand still clutching it. Her eyes looked worn, dulled, and when I extended my frost covered hand out for her to take, she gave me a soft smile.

  She didn’t hesitate to take it, nor did she hesitate to throw herself onto my frozen shoulder. Embracing me in a soft half-hug, even as ice that still clung to me cracked. I stood frozen. Unsure how to react. However, I noticed her legs wobbling. Her shaking hands. Her shallow breathing.

  What struck me most though, was a soft whisper. A whisper that sent chills down my spine.

  “Thank you.” Was all she said.