My eyes widened in terror as I kicked Suzan in the leg, throwing her off balance. Without wasting another second, I bolted for the door, adrenaline pushing me past the pain in my injured leg. Her manic laughter echoed behind me, each step of hers sounding closer than the last.

Panicking, I snapped my head back and hurled fireballs in desperation. The first one missed, but the others struck her squarely. Smoke filled the air, and I dared to hope it had worked—until she emerged, unscathed and faster than before. My stomach sank. I couldn’t outrun her, not like this.

“Ah, shit.”

“Oh, Axy-Axy! I’m coming for you!”

She retaliated with fireballs of her own. Two slammed into my back, searing pain ripping through me. I hit the ground hard, tumbling uncontrollably as I slid down a steep slope. My body twisted and rolled, slamming into tree trunks along the way, the impact jarring me with each hit.

Gasping for air, I scrambled to my feet at the bottom of the slope. To my right was the bridge—my only chance to escape. I limped toward it as fast as I could, but Suzan was faster. With an inhuman leap, she landed in front of me, cutting off my escape. Her eyes gleamed with malice as she clapped her hands. From thin air, a sword materialised, floating briefly before she grasped it with a wicked grin.

“Who are you?!” I demanded, stumbling backward.

Her voice deepened unnaturally, layered with something dark and otherworldly. “Who am I? I’m your nightmare, Axy-Axy,” she hissed, the twisted grin on her face growing wider.

“Stay away from me!” I shouted, throwing more fireballs.

She laughed as my spell hit her. “I’m weak. I haven’t fed in a while. I need something… I need you.”

I launched fireballs at her in rapid succession, pouring every ounce of energy I had into the attack. Flames burst around her, dozens—no, hundreds—striking her. Finally, she fell to the ground, her body consumed by smoke and heat.

I didn’t wait to see if it had finished her. I sprinted for the bridge, ignoring the stabbing pain in my leg. My heart pounded as I reached the midpoint, the planks creaking beneath my weight. But she wasn’t done.

“You won’t escape me this time!” she shrieked.

A fireball hurtled toward the bridge, the impact sending it swaying wildly. I lost my footing, stumbling forward. Another blast came, snapping one side of the ropes entirely. The bridge collapsed, leaving me dangling by the remaining line. The planks swung violently, slamming into the dirt wall on the other side.

Disoriented, I clung to the planks, my grip slipping. But Suzan wasn’t finished. She appeared above me, her sword gleaming in the faint light. She raised it high, ready to strike.

“Crap,” I muttered, and then... I let go.

The world spun as I plummeted into the river below, the icy water shocking me into full awareness. The current swept me away instantly, its force dragging me toward jagged branches sticking out like deadly obstacles.

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“Shit!” I sputtered as a branch struck my face, knocking me under. I fought my way back to the surface, only to be slammed by another. This time, I grabbed hold of it, the rough bark digging into my palms as I gasped for air.

The relief was short-lived. The branch snapped, sending me careening downstream again. I tumbled through the chaotic waters, my limbs flailing as I struggled to regain control. My leg slammed into something sharp—a rock. Pain shot through me as blood clouded the water. My foot was stuck, wedged tightly beneath the rock.

Desperation fueled me as I pushed against it with all my strength. “Come on!” I shouted, bubbles rising as I screamed underwater. Finally, I freed myself and surfaced, gasping. My hands found another branch, this one sturdier. I clung to it, coughing and trembling, but an ice shard whistled past me, slicing into the wood and forcing me to let go.

The current dragged me toward a looming log. Eyes wide, I ducked under the water, letting the force carry me beneath it. When I surfaced again, my surroundings blurred with motion, and then I saw it—the edge of the waterfall.

“No. No. No!” I shouted, clawing at the water, searching for anything to stop me. The roar of the waterfall grew deafening.

And then it happened. The current hurled me over the edge, and for a moment, I soared through the air, weightless and helpless. My body tensed as I shut my eyes tightly, bracing for the inevitable impact.

This was going to hurt.

I hit the water with a deafening splash, the cold biting into my skin. My back slammed against jagged rocks beneath the surface, and I let out a guttural scream as pain coursed through my body. The water wasn’t deep, barely reaching above my knees, and I struggled to roll myself upright. Every inch of me felt numb, my limbs unresponsive, and my chest heaved as I fought to catch my breath.

Finally, I managed to stand. My legs wobbled as I trudged forward, every step agonising. I reached the shore and collapsed onto the damp sand. Lifting my head, I glanced around. I was near a forest, the trees towering ominously above me. The area was unfamiliar, the shadows swallowing any hint of where I might be.

“Shit…” I rasped, my voice barely audible.

With trembling hands, I unsheathed the Queen’s dagger. Relief flooded me as I found it intact. Clutching it tightly, I exhaled a shaky breath and let my exhaustion take over. My vision blurred, and I surrendered to the darkness.

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When I opened my eyes, it was night. The sky above me glittered with stars, their light barely piercing the branches of the thick trees. My body throbbed with pain, every wound demanding attention. Old injuries ached alongside the fresh ones, while scratches from the branches earlier stung relentlessly. My face felt caked with dried blood, my vision tinted red from the cuts near my eyes.

I groaned, rolling onto my back. The cool night air did little to soothe the fire coursing through my muscles. Reluctantly, I pushed myself up, biting back a grunt as I dusted off my torn clothes. The Queen’s dagger lay half-buried in the sand beside me. I snatched it up, inspecting it for damage again. It was still intact, its edge gleaming faintly in the dim starlight.

But as soon as I stood, dizziness washed over me. My world spun violently, and my legs buckled beneath me. I hit the ground again, my face inches from the sand. My chest heaved as I tried to steady myself.

“No, no, no,” I muttered, my voice hoarse. “I can’t—I don’t have time for this.”

I pushed myself to my knees, ignoring my body’s protests. My arms trembled as I dragged myself upright again. Every muscle screamed at me to stop, but I couldn’t afford to. The Queen had demanded her dagger back by tonight, and judging by the position of the stars, it was already late.

“I have to go,” I whispered through gritted teeth. “Come on, Ax. Get moving. You can do this.”

I sheathed the dagger and took a shaky step forward. Pain radiated through my injured leg, but I forced myself to keep going. Turning slowly, I scanned my surroundings, piecing together where the current had taken me. East. I needed to head east, back toward the city. But judging by the dense forest and unfamiliar terrain, it was going to be a long journey.

My breath hitched as I took another step, my injured body screaming in defiance. “This… better be worth it,” I muttered under my breath, limping into the night.

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