Gertrude leapt away, pulling her staff from the Deborn's grip. Though I was sure she only managed it because he let go.

"Stay back!" shrieked Gertrude pointing her staff at the Deborn. "O-or I'll—"

"You'll what?" he said as his rags fell from his torso, exposing his muscles. "What are you going to do to me?"

The cracks in his face shifted as he leered at her.

"I-I'll burn them!" She pointed her staff at Lina and me.

"Bzzzt, wrong answer. You've lost your magic privileges." He snatched Gertrude's staff again. Gertrude held on, though, and the two erupted into a pillar of fire.

Had I not seen the Deborn take a fire blast to the face, I might have been worried. But I sighed in relief. I could see the vague flashes of silhouettes as the two wrestled over control of the staff.

"Um, Anno?" said Lina.

"Yes?" My eyes remained fixed on the fire. The Deborn had no doubt touched Gertrude's as he seized the staff, and yet, she had not disintegrated. Did she have the same protection as Lina or—

"I appreciate your willingness to protect me, but I must ask. Would you please get off?"

I quickly looked down at the prone Lina, whom I was kneeling over like some sinister letch, and quickly jumped to my feet. She sat up.

"Oh, please forgive me!" I held out a hand to her. "Are you all right?"

"I could say the same to you." She looked at my arm, which bore rope-like burns across my forearm. I had forgotten I was injured.

"I'm all right." I said, "I've had worse."

Of course, I was lying through my teeth. Now that she had pointed it out, I wanted to scream and cry from how much it hurt. But I was a prince with dignity. And I held it in as I proffered my other hand, which she took.

"Poor Gertie…" Lina stared sadly at the column of fire.

Poor Gertie? What about poor Anno? Or poor Deborn? He was in that mess as we watched the flame column dance, like two onlookers gawking at a carriage wreck. Why are they still fighting, anyway? The Deborn should have easily pulled the staff from Gertrude.

"How can you possibly feel bad for her?"

"I already said. I know she's a good person."

"She burned down a town, and Iliana knows how many others! She was about to kill us!"

"I know."

"If you know, then how—"

"I just do!"

I scratched my head in bewilderment. Or at least, I tried as I realized I had used my burned hand. I pulled it away and cradled it in my other hand.

Lina's attention turned back to me. "Let me take a look at that." Her fingers brushed my palm.

I pulled it away with an inhale of pain.

"Sorry, did that hurt?"

Did that hurt? Did a Rhinoceraxe enjoy smashing boulders?

"Show it to me. I'll be gentler this time, I promise."

Reluctantly, I obeyed. Her fingers were soft as she opened my palm. "I'm sorry you had to save me again. Thank you."

"I said I'd protect you, didn't I?" I felt sheepish remembering how I'd thought about abandoning her, "A prince always keeps his word."

She was silent for a moment. Then bent down. I heard a series of rips, and she stood, holding a dirty red cloth. "I don't have any medicine, but that'll have to do for now."

It took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize that she had torn the hem from her dress to use as a makeshift bandage.

As she carefully wrapped my arm and hand, I couldn't help but flinch in pain. "Stay still!" she said, "I have to cover it all, or it might get infected!"

My arm was more likely to get infected with how filthy that cloth was. I was also confident that this was not the way to treat a burn, but I kept my mouth shut and let her wrap my arm.

Really, it was the intent that mattered. And who was I to refuse such a kind gesture?

When she was done, Lina stepped away, looking rather pleased with herself. My whole hand and forearm were completely wrapped. She had even covered each finger. "There. That should hold until we can treat it properly."

I could feel the bandage already slipping, so I pressed my arm to my side to hold it in place. "I appreciate it."

She gave me a delighted smile, which made me want to smile back.

Just then, my eyes caught a change in the flame pillar. As the heat intensified, the color slowly shifted from orange to red, then to blue. Using my good hand, I pulled Lina back as we watched the flames become more erratic.

Then the pillar burst, sending blue fire in all directions. I shielded Lina, but luckily, the flames did not come near us.

Meanwhile, Gertrude and the Deborn struggled over the magic staff, both pushing and pulling like a sinister tug-of-war.

The Deborn bared his teeth in a grimace. "Wow, you're stronger than you look. I'm pretty sure I'm the kind of guy who won't hit a girl, but I might have to make an exception for you."

"And you really are fireproof, Ash Fiend!" said Gertrude, "Can't believe you took my most powerful attack!" Then she let go, much to everyone's surprise. The Deborn staggered back, still holding on to the staff. "Too bad I'm not just a fire mage!"

Ice began to coat the staff, then the Deborn's hand, slowly working its way up his arm.

Gertrude leered at him, "And I don't need a staff to use my magic either! That only amplifies it. My normal level is more than enough to beat you!"

The Deborn's eyes widened as he waved his hand, trying to shake off the staff that was slowly freezing him. He tried to open his finger, but that, too, proved useless.

"Fire is scary," said Gertrude, "It burns and consumes everything around it. It'll eat and eat but never be satisfied. And it wants us to know it. That's why it shines so bright, crackles so loudly, and signals us with smoke. But ice. Ice is the silent killer. Right now, every cell of your body is exploding. We cannot hear it. We can barely see it. It's patient and likes to take its time…."

I ran at Gertrude. If I could get her to break her concentration, then perhaps that would halt the ice's progress. But she barely acknowledged me as she lashed out with a leg.

"You're too late, prince. Once the ice has started, it doesn't need me to control it."

I managed to dodge her attack. And quickly changed my tactics, running to the Deborn as the ice climbed to his shoulder. The rate of freezing had grown from a creep to a race. He would be completely covered in less than a minute.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Don't touch me!" said the Deborn.

I stopped. If I lay a hand on the Deborn, would I turn to ash?

"If you touch the ice, it'll spread to you. And we'll both be dead!"

That surprised me. He really did care. The Deborn had saved our lives. And if it was true that he was free from the Demon King's control, perhaps his power was gone. I breathed a sigh as I hardened my resolve. "No. I can't just do nothing!"

"Look after Lady Lina. Can you do that for me, guy?" His eyes were serious.

"Absolutely not! Lina wanted you to join us in Grenna. I'm going to make sure that you do!"

I grabbed at the Deborn's fingers with the hand that Lina had bandaged in an attempt to pry them open. The wrappings gave me some protection, but the ice began to form upon my hand as well. I ignored the pain of my burns as I beat at his fingers in hopes of cracking enough of the ice for him to open them himself. Nothing worked.

I stopped before my hand, too, froze in place. In desperation, I looked for something to use as a bludgeon. If I could not force them open, I doubted the Deborn would object to me shattering his fingers to save his life. My eyes fixed on a flaming shovel.

Perhaps I could melt them with Gerturude's own fire. I began to move toward it, only to be met with Gertrude's grinning face.

"Sorry, not going to happen." I felt her fist sink into my abdomen.

The Deborn was right. This girl was stronger than she looked.

I fought the impulse to clutch my stomach in pain as I felt the place Gertrude punched grow cold. I staggered back. Ice was spreading across my shirt. I could feel it begin to sting the skin beneath.

Gertrude laughed. "I guess Lina's stupidity is contagious. Take this!" I raised my arms in defense as her foot connected. Her kicks were as powerful as her punches. Then her foot smashed into my shoulder and then my knee, causing me to drop. "How about I turn you into a prince-cicle! I think you'd make a pretty good statue!" Ice began to form and spread on each spot she struck.

I heard the Deborn bellow a war cry as his footsteps charged toward us. He raised his frozen arm to use her staff as a crude weapon, only to have Gertrude grab it and redirect his momentum so that the Deborn flew past her to fall and skid across the ground.

"And one for you!" laughed Gertrude as she kicked his frozen arm. The Deborn grunted in pain as blood seeped between cracks in his frozen skin. "You're not as handsome as the prince, but you'll just be here to make him look better!"

She thinks I'm handsome? I shook myself and focused back on the battle.

I was in disbelief. How was this young girl getting the best of us? The Deborn I could understand, but me? Silva and I had been trained by the same master, and yet I was being outclassed by a girl a head shorter than me!

But I had to admit; few mages could use magic with their hands, let alone their feet. That was in addition to her fighting prowess. It was hard to swallow, but Gertrude was powerful.

Then all thought left my head as Gertrude turned her attention to Lina.

"And don't you think I'd forgotten about you!" A frosty mist rose from Gertrude's left hand while flames rose from her right. "How should you die? By fire? Or by ice? Why don't you choose?"

Lina!

I tried to stand, but my icy knee prevented me from straightening my leg. I had to admit Gertrude's magic was powerful. If only I had my sword… I had no powers to speak of, yet I was nearly unparalleled with a blade. The only one who equaled me was Silva.

If she were here now, she would be ashamed of me for being in this sorry state.

"Come on, Anno," she would say. "If you were to fail, what does that say about me?" Silva had sworn to take the lead in our sparring matches. So far, we were 146 to 146. I couldn't just die here leaving that tie unbroken.

With great effort, I dragged myself with my good leg to grab at Gertrude's dress.

She rounded on me before I could so much as lift a hand. "Do you have a death wish, prince? Or did you want to choose for her?" She raised both hands. "Or perhaps we should see what happens when I use fire and ice together. I haven't tried it on a person yet." Her smile grew more demented, far past human, "I bet you'll be vaporized on the spot! That sounds fun! Let's do that!"

"Stop…" Lina was quiet. But her voice was clear. "Stop it!"

But Gertrude did not listen as her hands inched closer. I fell onto my back. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the Deborn one-handedly dragging himself toward us. But his progress was far too slow to make a difference.

"Please stop!" said Lina again. The desperation grew in her voice. "I'll do anything!"

Gertrude spared Lina a glance with an expression of sick amusement, "Anything?"

"Yes! I'll go with you. You can kill me, whatever you want. Just let them live!"

"Hmm…" Gertrude pursed her lips in mock consideration. "How about I kill them, then I'll kill you! That sounds like a pretty good deal to me." I did my best to climb to a sitting position. That was all the strength I had. All I could do was watch as Gertrude's hands slowly approached me.

But Lina stood her ground. "You don't want to do this, Gertie!"

This time, Gertrude turned fully to look at her. I breathed a sigh as her hands went with her, "And what makes you say that?" she asked.

"Because I know you! And I don't care what you say. You don't hate anyone."

Gertrude's pigtails flopped as she shook her head, "You're wrong! If I had my way, this world would be gone already!"

"You say that, but I don't believe you." The fire reflected in Lina's eyes, and her stare became harsh. "I see it. Your heart is being controlled. Infected by hatred that's not your own. But beneath that, you're just Gertie!"

"If you're so sure, then I'll prove you wrong!" Gertrude whirled around and bore down on me. She raised her hands to release her spells. "Now die!"

"Gertrude von Beltzer."

Lina's voice took on a tone I'd never heard from her. Or from another human, for that matter. At just the sound of her name, Gertrude froze mid-cast as if she had been hit by her own ice. Though she twitched slightly as Lina said, "The time for judgment is at hand."

She did not yell. Or even sound angry, but at the sound of those words, Gertrude began to shake violently as her arms fell limply to her sides. "No… You wouldn't. I-I thought you—"

"Silence!" An undefinable aura burst from Lina, more powerful than anything I'd seen in my twenty years. This was not a power that belonged to a young woman. It felt far more ancient. Almost divine. I could barely stand to look at her. The heat and light that radiated from her were more intense than any flame I'd ever seen. My eyes began to water, but I kept them fixed on her.

Gertrude fell silent immediately. Or perhaps she was struck dumb.

Lina began to walk forward with a command and grace of a woman twice her age. Her eyes were most un-Lina-like, sharp, and cold. It was as if she were a completely different person.

"I was not certain you were acting of your own accord. And I feared what would happen if I touched you directly. But your tears reached me. I could hear your desperate cries for help. Your heart begs to be free."

I had heard them as well. The wails of a young girl deep within the flames.

Lina raised a hand, which I could swear almost shone as it radiated power. "And now, I can see the wickedness infecting your spirit. It festers and clings as a filthy virus."

Gertrude's body began to spasm as if she were fighting against a force that kept her frozen in place. And yet another force seemed to turn her toward Lina once more.

Lina smiled, and I could see the woman I knew within it. "You don't have to be afraid. You will be able to withstand my touch. Your pure heart has been tainted, but that evil will be purged, I can promise you, Gertrude."

Gertrude jerked more violently, like something was trying to escape her flesh.

But Lina was not deterred as she pressed her fingers to Gertrude's cheek. Then I saw Lina change. And not just her disposition. Her eyes and hair lightened. What was once red was now gold. Her hair began to shimmer and wave like it was alive!

The other girl spasmed, then her body relaxed.

All was silent, even the flames.

Lina's expression softened as the aura vanished. And what was gold was red once more. "I told you." Then she threw her arms around Gertrude and began to sob.

I could no longer see Gertrude's face, but I saw her shoulders begin to shake and heard her own sobs. Then the ice on my body started to melt before my eyes, as did the surrounding flames. The now-thawed Deborn and I exchanged astonished looks.

"Liiiiiinaaaa! I don't know what I'm doing anymore! I've hurt so many people! But—"

"Gertie… It's not your fault! I'm here. It's not…."

We men just watched as the two women sank to their knees. At first, I thought they were overcome with emotions, but then I realized that Lina had gone limp. Gertrude was shaking her by the shoulders, but Lina did not stir.

"Lina? Lina! Wake up!"

The Deborn and I got to our feet, ran over, and knelt beside Gertrude.

"What happened?!"

The girl looked up at us; her cheek, where Lina had touched, was stained with soot, which was being washed away as tears fell heavily down her face. Her reddened, puffy eyes made her yellow irises shine all the brighter.

"S-she actually used it. Her power. It takes a heavy toll on her. But she did it… she…she did it for me! Lina, I'm so sorry!"

Gertrude pressed her face into the unconscious Lina and sobbed violently. Lina's eyes were closed, but the corners of her mouth were turned upward. I looked down at her and saw that she wore a pleasant smile even in sleep.

We knelt there, around the two girls, and were silent as Gertrude cried.