The once featureless, snow covered hilltop was now full of a group of stocky ponies and their riders. Those stocky, and frankly boring looking ponies were completely unlike the graceful chargers our group had. Their riders were elite soldiers, most of them anyway. That much was clear from the breastplates beneath their red and white quartered surcoats with the stylised image of a temple on the upper red quarter.

One of the elite temple guards was now being healed by one of the two who looked different. The crimson robed, slender and pale skinned Olvald.

In front of them was the trampled and blood stained snow, which was all that remained of Alis' quick fight with one of them.

In the aftermath of the fight another of the group, the second of the non-elite soliders spoke up.

Now that I saw them, I was surprised just how easily I had overlooked them until now. They were yet another slender figure and wore plain padded armour with no surcoat. It was difficult for me to know if it was a male or a female. Whatever distinctions could be made about their sex were hidden by the stubble of flaxen hair on their head, the padded armour, and the formless leather mask which wrapped around their face.

All in all this First Watcher worried me. Especially when they had the Hallvard's acceptance. Just who was this person? My worries were given greater form when Hallvard spoke next.

'Klarric,' Hallvard said to me in a low tone, his gravelly voice falling flat. 'I do not expect you to win this fight. Do not hold back. Fight as if you were fighting against me.'

It seemed as if we were going to be using the same blooded and disturbed patch of ground from Alis' fight. This time I hoped it wouldn't be my blood staining the snow. Even though I knew Olvald would be able to patch me up.

Knowing I shouldn’t hold back I took my axe into my hand. The comfortable weight of this gift from Hallvard settled my slightly nervous stomach. Even with this slight comfort, my legs felt heavy. Two knife length blades sprung to life from the First Watcher's hands. I felt the faint echo of mana pass through my chest.

So this was magic. It was not as flashy as it seemed from the fantasy movies I had seen back on Earth. The blades were no blades of fire, or of a glowing electric current. If anything, they looked like normal knife blades, just tinted a a unique colour.

It was hard to see anything through the eyeholes of the mask, and I wondered if the First Watcher was indeed ready. They were still standing with their hands down by their side.

Hallvard had already warned me I wouldn't win, so I guessed that the First Watcher would be fine if I attacked at any moment.

So I did.

Thanks to Hallvard's training, I had learnt the best way to move through the snow in combat. So I closed the distance as quickly as I could, bringing my axe in a cross body slash.

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It only took a single knife for the axe to be diverted away from the First Watcher's torso.

Using that moment of defence, I moved into my second attack: a knee strike.

It seemed as if the First Watcher knew I was going to do that and they shifted their body a slight distance. The knee strike failed to land with any strength.

And so it went. With every attack, or series of attacks I could muster, the First Watcher either diverted them with a slight movement, or avoided them fully or in part by moving their body slightly.

I had no idea how long I had been attacking for, keeping focused for the occasional mild counter attacks the First Watcher threw using their knives or body.

In the end, the impromptu, trampled snow arena was covered with faint streaks of my blood. On one side of the arena stood Alis, her pretty face flushed from her victory, next to Hallvard. On the other side were the elite temple guards and Olvald.

It annoyed me I had yet to land a single solid strike. Yet I kept on pushing on until the First Watcher held up both their hands and dismissed their magic knives. They then turned to Olvald and the guards, made a sweeping motion towards the city, and did a bobbing head bow.

All of them bowed deeper and climbed onto their stocky ponies before riding off.

With what little strength I had remaining, I put my axe away into its holder on my belt. My whole body felt weak, tired, and drained. Still, I was boiling hot and sweating despite the frozen sea air. It was all I could do to find the strength to stand still. Alis rushed over to me, her freckled face still flushed with excitement. Those cute dimples springing to life with her beautiful smile.

'That was wonderful, Klarric, I never knew you had come so far. It really was remarkable.'

She then wrapped her arms around me and rested her head next to mine. Her fiery red hair so soft and gentle against my cheek. Unable to hold my head up high I rested my head onto hers and accepted the love she gave me. Being so close to her I took a moment to breath in her natural perfume allowing that to give me back some of the strength I had used in the fight.

'Truly, Klarric, that was indeed magnificent. You have progressed so much in such a short period of time.' Hallvard's gravelly voice rumbled through me, giving rise to a different kind of pleasure than being wrapped up in Alis' arms.

'So you knights are allowed to fall in love then?' A sweet voice, sounding much like gentle ringing bells. 'I thought that all of you were just as dour and loveless as our goddess and that Mighty Bishop of yours.'

Moving from a full hug to holding hands, I turned to look at the First Watcher.

With the mask removed, I could see a cute, yet unisex, face looking at me. What was most surprising were the slightly pointed ears that the mask had once covered.

'I am the First Watcher, Celameth, the last empress of the Fallen Empire. Long have I awaited for you, my Fallen Paladin.'