"Mia just leave it, we have to go!"

"Wait, no hold on! I..."

"Mia!"

The rumbling continues as the roof opens and reveals Vermidia. She holds onto the sides of the hole she's created, like a spider in her web.

"I got it!" Mia shouts as she then turns and sees Vermidia lowering down into the room. Mia stumbles and staggers back towards me, clinging the book to her chest.

"You know I came here looking for that ages ago. The only problem is that I could never get in this building. Must have been some sort of barrier your dear Zen had placed."

"Well too bad, beat you to it!" Mia taunts as I grab her hand and run down the steps behind us towards the door.

"Hmph." I hear echo through the halls behind us.

We reach the door and burst out it into the woods. Mia trips and falls to the ground. The book slides across the grass and into a bush. I run to it to pick it up but Vermidia lunges towards me with her blade drawn. I pull mine out and in a second, her blade strikes mine mear inches from my face.

"Quick timing, maybe dear Zen did some good after all when he trained you."

"How dare you keep saying his name." I pull my blade to the right and out of the lock she had me in. I then move back to my left, bringing the blade back at her.

She dashes back and cackles. "Why? Bad memories I presume?" She laughs and taunts.

I feel the hum of tension, she's playing games but she's about to switch it up. The air thick as the shadows of the night coil around Vermidia. Her eyes flash with malice as she stands poised, her blade gleaming like it's cut from the void itself.

The book, lies in the dust between us, untouched but within arm's reach. I grip the hilt of my sword tightly, feeling the cold metal press against my palm. We both know that book holds the key to the Crux. Vermidia's smile is sharp, venomous.

"Do you really think you can stop me, Hail?" she sneers, stepping forward, her sword flickering with dark energy. "You can't even control your own power."

I don't respond, focusing instead on her every movement, her every shift. The tip of my sword angles toward her as I circle to the right, eyes locked on hers. Suddenly, she strikes.

Her blade moves like lightning, slashing toward my chest. I block just in time, metal clashing with a deafening clang.

The force sends shockwaves through my arms, but I grit my teeth and shove back, forcing her a step away.

"I don't need to control my power," I growl, stepping forward to swing at her side. "I just need to stop you."

She parries effortlessly, her sword spinning in a blur, and I barely dodge a counterstrike aimed at my neck.

Vermidia's grin widens.

"Such fire," she taunts, her voice smooth, mocking. "But you're still a child playing at being a god."

She feints left, and I fall for it, too slow to react as she lunges right. Her blade grazes my side, cutting through my shirt. I hiss in pain but don't falter. Instead, I press forward, swinging in a wide arc aimed at her legs.

I manage to graze her thigh, and she snarls, but the satisfaction is short-lived as she slams her boot into my chest, knocking me back.

I stumble, but before I can fully regain my footing, she's on me again, striking with a furious flurry of blows. Our swords clash again and again, sparks flying in the dim night. Each time I block, her strength nearly overwhelms me. She's faster, more experienced, but I refuse to let her win.

I glance to Mia as she remains laying on the ground, motionless. Then quickly at the book, still lying mere feet away, its pages fluttering slightly as if alive with the energy surrounding us. I can't let her get to it. Vermidia notices my glance.

"Oh, yes I almost forgot about that with how much fun I'm having at the moment." she laughs coldly. "That book, you're not worthy of it."

She lunges for the book, but I react, diving in front of her just as her fingers brush the cover. I roll to my feet, swinging my sword upward in a desperate slash.

She blocks it, but I press forward, not giving her any room to recover.

I channel everything into my strikes, pushing her back toward the wall of the temple. Each blow lands harder than the last, driving her into a defensive stance. My arms burn, but I keep going, knowing if I stop, if I give her an inch, she'll take the book and possibly, my life.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

She's nearly at the wall when she suddenly shifts, sidestepping one of my attacks and slamming her sword down toward my head. I barely block in time, and her blade skids down mine, sending a jarring vibration through my body. In that moment, she grins wickedly, and I know something's wrong.

"Enough games." Her voice echos.

The air shifts.

She summons a dark tendril of energy from the ground, and it wraps around my leg, pulling me off balance. I stumble, crashing to my knees as she raises her sword for the final blow.

But before she can bring it down, I reach deep inside, drawing on the power within me. The ground beneath us freezes in an instant, the cold seeping up through my body. The frost travels up Vermidia's legs, slowing her movement for just a second but it's all I need.

I wrench my leg free from the tendril and slash upward, catching her sword with mine. The force knocks her back, and she stumbles.

In that moment, I dive for the book. I hit the ground hard, rolling to my feet with it clutched in my hand. Vermidia snarls, pure hatred flashing in her eyes as she sees the book in my grasp.

"This isn't over," she hisses, dark energy swirling around her. "I will have what's mine."

She turns around and with a final slash of her blade, she cuts through the fabric of reality itself, stepping into a shadowy portal before vanishing, leaving me alone in the frozen forest, battered, but victorious, the book safe in my hands. I clutch the book to my chest, breathing hard.

"It's over for now," I mutter to myself, knowing full well this is only the beginning.

I turn to Mia as I hear her whimper. I walk to her as she raises her head. She pulls her hair back from in front of her face and her eyes meet my wounds.

"What happened?" She whispers.

"I fought her, and I won." Her eyes meet mine and begin to glow.

"And I missed it?!" She pulls me down to sit beside her. "By the gods, you really did it? How did it feel?"

"Terrifying, I was afraid in that moment that I would forget everything Zen taught me but, I remembered it all. I was even able to cast frost over her without deep freezing the entire forest. More importantly, I got this."

"Navigating the Nexus..." her eyes meet it but drift to the left and see my wound where she cut through my skin. "Hail..." she brushes her hand over the wound. I look down and wince.

She pulls her hand back and in her palm I see a snow flake appear. It slowly dances through the air and lands on my cut. Slowly the cut fades and the blood disappears.

"You, you healed me?" I look back up to her.

"I guess what knowledge Draco gave wasn't completely useless. My head still hurts though, I could feel her in my mind while I was unconscious, searching for something."

I nod. "Probably doesn't help that we've been awake for so long. Let's head back into the temple, maybe we can sleep in the dining hall since it still has a roof."

She giggles. "That poor library." She turns to me "are you sure sleeping is such a good idea though? What if she..."

"We haven't looked at the book yet, even if she does try to get in our heads, there is nothing she can find yet. She knows everything we know already, the only thing she can do is taunt us."

"Right, yeah you're right."

I step inside the temple and walk up the stairs. I walk into the dinning hall on my left and move to the fireplace at the back of the room. I grab logs from the reserve stack at the right of the chimney and throw them into the pit. I then strike my sword across the stone and watch as a spark tosses itself into the wood pile, catching flame.

Mia lays down in front of the fire and I lay next to her. The warmth of the fire envelops us as the flames crackle, casting flickering shadows across the walls of the dining hall and providing a brief moment of comfort amidst the chaos. I can feel the exhaustion creeping into my bones, the adrenaline from our confrontation slowly fading away as I take a moment to breathe in the comforting scent of burning wood, allowing it to soothe the tension still lingering in my muscles.

Mia shifts closer, her eyes reflecting the firelight,the flickering flames dancing across her face.. "Do you think we'll be safe here?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Well it's better than out there with the Daem hunting us," I reply, watching the flames dance. "But we need to keep our guard up. Vermidia is cunning."

Mia nods, her brow furrowing in concern. "I don't like the thought of her getting into my mind again. Last time... it was like I was trapped in her web."

I reach over and take her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We'll face her together, whatever she throws at us. But for now, we need to rest."

She smiles faintly, the tension easing a bit from her features. "You're right. Just a quick nap, and then we can dive into the book."

The warmth of the fire is comforting, and as I listen to its gentle crackle, my mind starts to wander. I think of our last encounter with Vermidia, her cruel laughter echoing in my ears. I shudder, pushing the thought away.

"Hey," Mia says, breaking the silence. "What do you think is in the book?"

"I don't know," I admit, rubbing my temples. "Stop worrying, get some rest please. We can figure it out tomorrow. "

"Tomorrow." I hear her say as she turns over now.

I close my eyes, but the moment I do, thoughts swirl in my mind, visions of Vermidia's malevolent grin and the dark energy she wielded. I push them away, reminding myself of the warmth of the fire and the safety of the moment.

I take a deep breath, focusing on the sounds around me-the crackling fire, the rustling leaves outside, the occasional hoot of an owl. But amidst these familiar sounds, I can't shake the feeling that something lurks in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. I try to let it pass for a second and just focus on the sounds.

Mia's breathing slows beside me, her warmth comforting as I begin to drift. Just as I start to relax again, a shiver of unease crawls up my spine. I need to stay alert.

I open my eyes and glance around the room, my instincts kicking in. The temple feels too quiet, too still. I shift my position slightly, allowing the soft light of the fire to keep me grounded.

"Mia," I murmur, just above a whisper. "Stay close, okay? I'll keep watch."

Her eyes flutter open, blinking sleepily. "I thought you wanted to sleep?"

"I do," I admit, running a hand through my hair. "But I can't shake this feeling. Just promise me you'll stay alert."

"I promise," she replies, propping herself up on one elbow. "We'll keep each other awake."

We settle back into our positions, the fire crackling softly as the warmth surrounds us. I keep my eyes trained on the shadows, listening for any signs of movement.

Minutes pass, the fire crackling rhythmically, and despite my best efforts to remain alert, fatigue begins to seep into my bones. The flickering flames blur into an enticing lullaby, and my eyelids grow heavy.

I shake my head, fighting against the sleep threatening to overtake me. Just a few more minutes.

Suddenly, a cold draft sweeps through the hall, extinguishing the flame momentarily before it sputters back to life. My heart races as I sit up, scanning the room.

"Mia..." I start, my voice strained.

But she's already alert, eyes wide and searching. "Did you feel that?"

I nod, feeling the tension rise again. "Yeah, it's like something shifted in the air."

Mia reaches for my sword, and I grab it, the familiar weight steadying my resolve. "If she's coming, we need to be ready."

We both sit up, alert and vigilant, the warmth of the fire feeling distant now. We can't let our guard down.

As I peer into the darkened corners of the hall, I can't shake the feeling that Vermidia is out there, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"Whatever happens," I say, my voice steady, "we won't let her win."

Mia nods, her determination matching mine. "Together, right?"

"Together."

A black arm reaches out from the darkness and grabs Mia by the throat. She struggles to breathe and reaches out towards me. I reach out to grab her hand but it passes through hers as if she wasn't actually there.

"You'll bring me that book or else she's mine Hail! Don't make me tell you twice." Vermidia's voice growls deep. "I can take her from you so easily, just like Zen, just like Eluna, just like your father. Not even he could stop me Hail! What makes you think you can?"

"Hail! Help me!" Mia screams.

Vermidia tosses Mia to the ground and she slides back and hits the wall. She's not moving. Vermidia cackles.

"Mia," I whisper urgently, but her eyes remain closed.

I scan the room, and the shadows seem to grow thicker, curling around the edges of the firelight. I can feel it the presence of Vermidia, creeping closer. I walk to Mia and fall to my knees as I brush my hand across her cheek.

"Mia, wake up!" I shout, desperation creeping into my voice as the darkness swirls around me.