Chapter 4 - Flight or Fight, Wisdom and Seek

'Damn, it's so much colder than I thought it would be on Sentinel', I'm so glad Shiver threw me those extra clothes for this trip and literally threw them at me; I really needed them. Thinking to myself, I walk endlessly through the knee high soft white glittering snow, with my thick heavy leather snow boots lined with fur on the inside, as the snow crunches beneath my feet.

Looking around cautiously over my shoulder and peering through the giant ice crystal trees, checking for any sighting of my enemies who may be in sight and watching my every move.

Pulling my dense black cloak hoody further over my face to concealing the rest of my soft lavender hair and to hide my facial features from both the blistering cold and hidden eyes; even with my hair tied up tied up into a loose bun some of the hairs sneak out from under the hood.

Sinking into a pit of deep soft flurry snow I pull myself out before shaking and brushing the snow off.

Prudently wandering throughout the giant ice trees and around the forever frozen flowers as their petals glisten in the weak sunlight; the scenario is beautiful even if the journey is long. Finding my way to a nearby city, it's the only safest place I can think of to hide out in as the endless night comes welcoming with a freezing embrace. Keeping myself warm from the cold weather and blizzard nights as well as having something descent to eat is the only thing on my mind. Just thinking of food my stomach starts to growl.

I've been here for six days looking for this city and I'm luckily that I haven't run into any trouble or had anything horrible happen that I have needed to call and summon my partner to me.

Yet.

Breathing calmly, I watch my breath turn to steam in front of me.

Turning sharply in the direction of the sound of a fallen ice branch snapping under something or someone's foot, as I turn my breath leaves me in a rush as I sigh in relief as it's only a lone wildoe stag; its frost-bitten wispy tipped ears pricked forward and its smoke eyes watching and waiting.

Before I manage to turn away from the stag, I hear the voices.

Their voices. Within the trees.

"Get her Now!" Someone barks from behind amongst the trees. Never turning to look, I run for my life in the other direction.

Sprinting as fast as I can to get away from them as they chase after me, I only have enough time to turning my head quickly to get a glimpse of them. The first thing I notice is there's no brawlers just a group of humanoid and pantherinae bakugan chasing me.

I won't be able to outrun or fight these guys for long.

"Shadow sprint", I murmur to myself grasping my ice blue crystal necklace in my left hand, as it changes colour to a rich blood red before it disappears within my body. My sprint increases as my strides become lighter with each step, running into the trees they should hopefully give me a little bit of cover at least, but I'll never be able to outrun them.

Even if I manage to get away from them now, they'll track and hunt me down like a predator hunting its next prey. Running swiftly through the trees, my enemies are already on my tail again.

Groaning, I push myself to run faster and harder in hopes to gain more distance so they can't grab me, that idea soon dwindles as the small five-man group of bakugan crashed through the ice tree forest in desperate hope of capturing me.

Glancing up at the trees I get a stupid idea to climb up the limbs of one and hide within its crystal canopy, it's a silly idea because they'd capture me before I ever got to the leaves.

Inwardly shaking my head, I focus onward at the task at hand, while my mind tries to come up with the best solution of escape. The shadows could hide me but they'd sniff me out, hiding in the snow wouldn't work because my clothing would give me away; black clothes and white snow equal a bad idea.

Grumbling, the temperature drops below minus more, partly freezing my exposed skin and making my breath smoke viciously.

Flicking my eyes in the direction that another shadow looms, it shifts behind one of the giant ice trees and the flash of metal catches my eyes attention. Assassin?

Changing directions, I head towards the shadow in hope that it's who I think it is. Feeling my energy vanishing, I push myself until I'm in hearing range of the shadow. The shadow's eyes are the same colour as Assassin and the bright golden eyes smile at me before turning their attention to the enemies leaking behind me.

"Please keep them busy for me Assassin" mumbling as I run past him catching his smile. The next sound I hear is a cry of shock and crashing sounds as Assassin keeps them occupied as I disappear. Running behind a tree for cover and placing my gloved hands against the freezing bark, I whisper against the tree willing and summon a shadow portal. It soon appears swirling with life as black gold ribbons swirling outside the opening.

Jumping through the portal while the chaos continues behind me, Assassin helps me to get away from my enemies. The portal teleports me into the opening mouth of a dark cave with crystal icicles dripping down from the top of the caves mouth giving the impression of teeth.

Walking inside the temperature of the cave isn't much different from the temperature outside, but at least though I'm away from the blizzard winds. Peeling off my back pack attached to my waist, I sit on the stony cold ground of the cave as I rummage through the back pack looking for an energy bar or something that isn't frozen.

I'm so hungry I haven't eaten a proper meal in over. . . I don't know how long five, six months, I've lost so much weight in that time too. My stomach growls yearning for something full of energy and warm in my stomach to keep me warm so I don't freeze to death in this blizzard climate.

Frowning down at the last half of frozen energy and nutrition bar in my cold gloved hands, it's the last bar I have to survive on until I buy more food. Curling up into a ball against the cold cave wall, I pull my cloak tightly around me to keep my warmth within my body. Eating the last half of frozen bar packet, I slowly chewing hoping to try and decrease my hunger.

Swallowing the last of the frozen bar, I scrunch the rubbish up and stuffing it back into my back pack before resting my head against my knees breathing softly until I fall into a restless sleepless state.

Cracking my tired heavy eye lids open and waiting for my eyes to adjust to my surrounds. I find myself curled up tightly on the cold hard floor of the cave as the icicles hang above me dripping water down from their points, encircling me before I notice the chill of the cold air biting at my skin. My black cloak flared out behind me on the ground.

Shifting my cloak to cover my freezing body and groaning as my stiff limbs try to flex and retract painful. Huffing out sharply when my finally decide to sit up and stretch my arms over my head, rolling my neck and shoulders feeling all tensing and tightness slowly loosen little by little as my blood slowly circulars the blood around my body.

Pushing myself up with my hands on my thighs, my back aches like an old woman's from sleeping on the hard uncomfortable ground. Stretching my legs and the rest of my body to get the blood circulating around my joints again it feels good to be off the ground.

Glazing outside, the blizzard still rages on whipping the snow high in the sky and falling back down like tears. Picking up my back pack and clipping it back around my waist. I pull the hood over my face with just enough covering my eyes that I can see the ground and the bases of the trees.

Braving for the blizzard outside and grabbing my cloak in my freezing hands, I venture out into the blizzard hoping to get to the Sentinelian city of Whitebourne under the cover of the blizzard undetected.


I keep one hand held tight onto my hood to cover my face, the other hand pulling my cloak closer around my body trying to fly away in the wind. The cold air beats at my cheeks making them red icy cold; my skin feels like it's going to draw blood from this wind.

Looking up every so often into the distance, I can just see the outline of the city beyond this blizzard with a protective barrier surrounding the city. The roaring winds rage as I force my eyes downwards to prevent the wind doing a lot of damage, my foot-steps are slow and clumsy as I struggle against the wind. Breathing slowly and deeply through my nose and out my mouth; I feel icicles forming in my nose.

Everything is snow white; nothing can be seen through the blizzard winds of white. The ice trees are blended in but the ice trees won't shatter or break, they've been through these blizzards for hundreds and thousands of years.

Whitebourne looks like a city of glass which is partly true, the walls and structures are built of the purest clearest ice, giving the illusion that nothing exists out here among the snow and ice trees.

Walking through the barrier of the city that divides the blizzard from the delicate city, the temperature and weather changes dramatically, I end up having to give myself a minute or two to adjust to the conditions.

The cool gentle breeze within the dome like glass city is beautiful as it grazes against my frost bitten skin without damaging my skin any further. Looking up at the central pillar it looms overhead like a bird looms over the land as it flies, at the heart of the central pillar is a diamond shining brightly against the white snow.

Letting go of my cloak around me, I head off into the heart of the city in search for food and an inn to hopefully get some sleep in. The streets rush by in a blur of crystal white; as the ice furies going about with their daily life without any worry of the world around them and the chaos that may be raging on out of their sights on this lonely planet.

Their tall graceful ice like figures move freely, their skin tight clothing is all the covers them against the freezing cold but then again the cold doesn't bother them.

Weaving in and out of the long curving streets the scenery is beautiful, even in its crystal like form. Sneaking glances at the food stalls most of the food I can't eat or the sellers just won't sell to me.

'Stubborn as expected before I'm not one of them.'

Looking around in some of the streets off the ice cover road an inn in one of the side streets appeals to me, looking in both directions I slowly make my way down the side street. The sign swings smoothly on its hinges with the name "Stapled Winged Stag".

Looking over the building, the walls are a crisp foggy grey crystal with sleek pearl white trimmings around the front door and windows on the upper floor. Multiply icicles hang from the windows and the doors.

Softly touching the light blue crystal around my neck, it's cool against my fingers telling me there is no sign of danger in or around this inn that it can detect; but the necklace has a mind of its own and occasionally challenges me. It cool embrace gives me some comfort, grabbing the cold door handle I go inside.

"Can I help you little one?" one of waiter's insides the inn asks politely.

Startled I look up at the waiter that called me out. "Yeah, I want to stay in a room for tonight and hopefully if I can get something hot that I can eat, please." I smile up at the too kind ice fury waiter.

I look around the room everything is carefully and skilfully made of ice, from the artworks on the walls to the bar tables and kitchen in the background. The air in here is cold, but warmer than it is outside. Most of the chairs are filled with people chattering and laughing, with a relax atmosphere.

"Okay little one, come this way please. I'll get everything sorted out for you." He insisted.

Before walking to the bar and telling the bar keeper that he'll be back soon and that he's taking the little lady to a room for her to stay in for the night.

Easing my cloak hood off of my head to reveal my face and have another look around. No one in the whole inn takes notice that I'm not an ice fury or that I'm even there. Most people would have at least noticed me and looked at me for a glimpse.

Turning back to look at the waiter, he is waiting at staircase for me. "This way Miss." He politely insists.

Paying no heed to hesitating I casually follow him up the staircase to the second floor where he shows me to my room and opens the door for me. Wandering in and having a look at the room it very lovely.

The bed is made of solid ice with an animal pelt draped over it, the window is large and open, with a trunk at the end of the bed to put any of my gear in.

"This room is very lovely thank you". I remarked running my gloved fingers over the ice.

"I'll be back soon with your food, I hope you settle in and relax" he chimed before shutting the door behind him, but I caught the glimpse of the smirk on his face before he finally shut the door.

This is bad; I really I shouldn't have come here. I think to myself.

*Flashback*

"Alina, when you are on Sentinel you need to be careful. That planet and race are one of the few races directly linked to 'Him' and will unwilling serve 'him'. You mustn't, no matter how hungry or how cold you are don't at any time eat the food the people in the inns give you.

"If the ice furies don't give you any attention not even a glance at you, then you need to leave. They'll all know about us and those beings won't hesitate to harm you."

Shiver's scales shift and shine as the soft moon light hits them as she turns her head towards me. Her crystal clear blue eyes are hard and serious before she turns back to watching the night sky.

*End Flashback*

Walking around the room slowly running my fingers over everything I act as normal as possible, wondering if there is a camera somewhere hidden in this room watching me. Looking around through the window; which has no latches or opening, with the glass city surrounding me it's so gorgeous, but I won't be staying here much longer.

Looking over my shoulder as the waiter brings some warmish food into this room he sets it down on the bed. By the time I feel like turning around and walk over to the bed he's still standing in the room watching me and smiling.

"Thank you for the warm food. You can go back to work now." I advised him, watching him closely.

Nodding, he finally makes his way out of the room and shuts the door. Sitting there for a few moments I make sure that he's left before heading over to the door and checking to see if the door's locked. Not to my surprise it is.

Eyeing the food on the tray my stomach growls loudly. Grabbing and sniff the bread on the tray, I stuff it into my back pack.

Carefully lining myself up with the window and my back against the door I push off and sprint at the window, gritting my teeth I wait for the pain to hit me. The ice shatters and falling below me and I manage to land and slide on the neighbouring rooftop before stopping myself from getting propelled off. Dusting myself off, I make my way along the rooftops.

The people move freely below, no one suspects me or even notices as I hop from roof to roof with ease in this beautiful ice glass city. Not long after I'd jumped through the window of that inn, I heard the commotion behind in the direction of the inn.

"Guess they aren't happy", I quietly laugh to myself.

Humming to myself and easily stepping along the edges of the roofs without any fear of falling; its calming not having to worry at the moment for being caught by those people.

Feeling the presence of the moon high in the sky, I stare up at its sweet features smiling to myself I close my eyes and hold my necklaces feeling a wave of pure calmness wash over me. The noise of people chattering pulls me out of my calm state of mind though.

Cracking my eyelids open and sending a pointed-dagger look in the direction of the chattering below me, what I see surprises me. Smirking, I crouch as low as I can on the rooftop and listen to their quiet chit-chatting.

"I seriously can't believe you lost that stupid girl! The king is going to kill you slowly after he kills all your family before your eyes." The venom of their voices fills the cold air as a group of four men all from different races, shove the waiter against the cold hard wall.

"She didn't seem like much of anything. She just looked like a stupid human girl; I didn't think she'd be strong enough to jump through a window of ice." The waiter cried.

As he's pinned against the wall, one of the other guys standing next to the leader who's got the waiter pinned and punches the waiter continuously in the stomach over and over again before they release him. He doubles-over in pain and watch him slide down to ground.

"You don't know what that girl is capable of and we needed her badly! And yet you let her get away. I'd rather kill you myself, but that is for the king to do it himself. He'll happily enjoy killing you slowly. If we capture that child, we'll almost have all the pieces." The leader of the group sneered with acid.

"Sir, we need to destroy the Bakugan Battle Brawlers as well before they bother to get involved in our plans. I'll quickly go and sent a message to our king telling him what happened." A humanoid like person with lizard like eyes and scales running up her arms and neck with two small fins of either side of her head, she runs off down the alley way before disappearing into the street full of people.

Before the other's leave they kick the already down ice fury waiter a couple more times for enjoyment before stalking off. Staring down at the guy as he hugs he's stomach with blood seeping from his mouth. I finally stand up, rummage through my back pack and grabbing the bread out, before toss it into the alley at the waiter.

Once the bread hits the ground and breaks up slightly, he tilts his face upwards over the wall until he sees me, standing there. My black cloak floats gently around me with wisps of hair as I glare at him with my purple eyes. He face is shocked with surprise and horror as I stand there looking down at him. Blood drips down from his forehead as well as he stares.

Turning my back to the waiter, I walk off into the city over the rooftops and make my way around seeking anymore information that may linger here in this frozen city.


Days slowly passed in the Whitebourne, the days were chilly inside the dome but the nights were still freezing cold; not as cold as they were outside in the dome in the harsh conditions but still freezing nevertheless.

After the incident at the 'Stapled Winged Stag' inn, news spread quickly throughout the city, even if the city is miles long just as it is wide. However, by the time nightfall every citizen knew about my existence and we're willing to find me for an honourable bounty was placed on my head if I was captured alive; the transparent iridescent flyers were posted up on literally every single wall, window and sign right around the city.

No inn or person would take me into their home as a guest now or let me buy food from them.

Leaning back against one of the many frozen rooftops, the frozen roof against my back slowly seeps its coldness through both my cloak and winter clothes; slightly chilling my skin beneath. Resting my head on one of my gloved hands I stare thoughtlessly up into the night sky, while pulling the cloak tighter around myself to keep warm as a breezes blows in.

Over the days I'd spent here the full moon vanished from my sight as it does on most planets and won't be coming back around for a while. Even so, the night sky on Sentinel is still very beautiful, as an aurora borealis just like on Earth fills the night sky shinning a faint rainbow of colour on everything.

Closing my eyes an enjoying the breeze and darkness, I feel almost at home with myself; almost but never totally. The noises of people chattering, laughing and music from the main market behind me slowly fade from my consciousness and sleep washes over my mind, body and soul.

Peace radiates from my necklaces and slowly eases my mind to rest, but I don't dwindle off to sleep just yet, even if my mind is foggy from the lack of sleep and food I know for a fact that I can't sleep yet because I'm out in the open too much.

Lying there on the rooftop gentle snow starts to fall through the city's dome barrier, one snowflake lands on my nose causing me to sneeze and smile. Sitting up I reach my hand out to the snowflakes and watch as a few gather in my gloves and slowly melt over a short amount of time.

Looking at the scenario around me, everything seems lovely but something's off. The casual every night market still has the same atmosphere as it's had since I first arrive here, but I can sense something looking and coming for me in the shadows.

'They thinking they can seek me out in the middle of the night, predicting I'm asleep just because I'm human. Ridiculous!'

Lightly touching the ice blue crystal on my necklace while closing my eyes and extending my senses as far as possible for any nearby danger, I murmur to myself "Eyes of unseen shadows." Quickly opening my eyes after murmuring the command, ice blue light erupts from my eyes for a moment. The light can easily give off my location for the moment it appears if they spot it but it's worth the danger to see what's lurking in the darkness beyond my natural eyesight.

Raising my arms in front of myself, they waver as dark shadows weave their way around and over me slowly but beautifully like non-harmful flames. Peeking over the crest of the roof and looking at the night market beyond, it shimmers white, yellow and grey from the lights, market stall and the people as they casually go on with their business.

Focusing my attention back to the city behind me, it doesn't take very long before my eyes catch the flicker of multiply faint blue shapes moving in my direction. Some of the shapes resemble humanoids while others are small sphere shape; most likely ice furies or the guys that I encountered in the alley beating the poor waiting the other day, while droids trying to track me down.

They must have spotted that flash of ice blue light from me and want to investigate what the light was.

Crouching against the roof, carefully and slowly as possible to not disturb the faint snow or make any noise I make my way across to the other rooftop next to the one I'm on, while trying to keep my eyes on the ice blue figures as they close in.

Within a short amount of time of slowly crouching and creeping across the rooftops along the market, I manage to reach the end of the market where the stalls stop and the sleep of the city begins. Looking around, the ice blue figures have changed direction are and still heading towards me and their numbers have increased from a handful to possible twenty or so humanoid figure that are coming from both sides.

Inwardly groaning and taking I deep breath, I might not be able to get away from this many people but this time I don't mind fighting back against them.

Standing up on the edge of the last rooftop in the night market I jump, roll, crouch, check the figures surrounding me to see their locations; even through the buildings I can still see their faint icy blue colour because I've identified that they and any soldiers that are patrolling the city are my enemies, I start running into the darkness of the city where there are no lights and everyone is sleeping.

It doesn't take long for the effect of me noticing them to kick in and the chase to begin. Before I jumped down from that rooftop, I already organised the plan I was going use against them but that needed me to get them all out in the open; like the city's square. Once out in the open they'll be easy to deal with.

Focusing ahead, two ice blue figures are walking down an alleyway which opens up onto the road I'm running down and that an alleyway I need to take to get to the square faster. Keeping tabs on the two soldiers, I reach back into my cloak to mind my slim fanny-pack and pull out two small but harmless sleep darts, holding them in between my fingers I get ready to throw them.

Using the momentum, I gained from running, I turn my feet sidewards and slide across the icy road into the front of the alleyway and throw the small sleep darts at the soldiers as they notice me. The darts aim true and strikes them in the arms and it doesn't take very long for the soldiers to collapse on the ground unconscious and sound sleep next together.

Running pass, them, they look better asleep than awake.

Without having to look behind me, I can feel the presences of the other figures chasing me above the alleyway on the rooftops. Silent but no good as assassins if they can't disperse the atmosphere that surrounds them.

Turning down another corner, I can faintly see the soft yellow of the ice trees with the Eyes of unseen shadow vision just up ahead but ice blue figures loom in that direction as well.

I investigated the square the other day, there are very few trees in the square and the tree that are there circle around the perimeter of the square which leaves the centre wide open with space to move. Running, I flick my eyes up towards the roofs and spot five ice furies on either side, looking down at me and looking in the direction they are running.

Sprinting through the trees and into the centre of the square, the ice furies chasing me all spread out among themselves as their friends appear from behind them and circle around, creating no way to escape; that's if I wanted to anyway.

Looking at each of the ice furies, the guys I spotted from the other day are here as well stranding among them. The lizard-fish girl stands off to the side crouched on the ground, while the others; a humanoid being with multiply teeth sticking out of its circular mouth with a tongue like a snakes and gold eyes, another being has two ram horns curling around his ears with fur creeping up his face.

The second to last being is the tallest out of the group; even taller than most of the Ice Furies, a horn sticks out its forehead as well the bud of what should be a wing, bird talons for hands and feet and one eye closed over.

The leader of the group human body wise but he wears a white and red mask that looks like its crying and has cream hair. His clothing is dark but not black and he's fully covered.

In sync the ice furies each drew their swords from the scabbard at their waist belts, holding them steadily in front. Long and thin, the swords closely resemble an o katana as mist swirls from and around each individual blade.

Standing off to the side behind the ice fury soldiers, the lizard-fish girl is crouched on the ground holding weapon that resembles both a bow and a heavy duty twin-blade sword. The handle is made from some kind of leather material, while the metal is green with red strips etched into the blade and a thin spider web like string slightly bends the blades back at the tips making a bow. Her bow arm is relaxed but her eyes are intently watching my every move like a hawk.

Standing in the centre of the city square the snow falls heavier and the ice tree are still and silent with no wind as they line the border, protecting any stand-byers from getting mixed up in the combat. Breathing deeply my breathe fogs and my nerves disappear with any worry or concern.

Slowly I crouch down to the ground placing my hands up in the air and cast my face downwards while closing my eyes. The group of mismatch beings all laugh at me, the leader even calls out that I am pathetic just as that waiter said and doesn't understand why they had to be so careful when trying to capture me.

I can sense the ice fury's stay in a circle around me, no moving but not expecting anything to happen before I'm captured and in chains. The snake-guy, ram, horn-wing and the leader make their way towards me showing no concerns that I might fight back.

Smiling, I mumble to my necklace in an ancient language just as they get into hearing range.

"Whatcha…. hiss…. mumbling about girly…. hiss?" The snake-guy asks just about to crouch down in front of me. Smiling, the shadows surrounding me draw strength from the darkness as their energy flows into my muscles and bones.

"This will be fun," I snicker before looking up at the snake-guy smiling as my eyes radiate ice blue light.

'That always seems to get them stunned I swear.'

Dropping my arms, I grab his head and slam it on my knee as I drive it upwards. Releasing my grip, I swinging my right leg around as it connects into the side of his face, groaning, he slams into the cold ground.

Spinning and standing up, legs spread a hips width apart and hands fisted, I'm prepared to fight. Surveying the soldiers and bounty hunts, the fury soldiers quickly close in and the bounty hunts wait to see if they can capture me.

Ducking out of the way as the first ice fury lunges forward, I swing around and grabbing his frozen hand twisting his wrist I bring my freehand down into is arm forcing his hand to release. As the sword fall, my elbow collides into his chest winding him.

Leaping back as more fury's jump in protecting their friend and wield their sword, swiftly putting out multiply sleep darts in both hands, I throw them in each direction easily defeating the nearest ones. The sleep dart will wear off in a couple of hours.

Driving out of the way as more swords are swung at me; evading as many as possible some do slice my clothing at the shoulders and legs, lucky none have scratched my cheek yet. Dropping to the ground, I plant my feet into one of their stomach forcing them back into each other. Rolling out the way a sword just misses my arm.

Flipping up and tossing paralysing darts at the furies looming over me, they freeze unable to move. Slithering pass, the last few standing furies' put up most of the fight. Their skills for attuned and their speed faster.

'Most likely their fresh recruits.' I think, slowly but managing to take down the last few tougher furies'.

Kicking a fury's sword from his hand, the whistling sound of something flying catching my senses before the ice cold feeling of metal slices through my skin and clothing radiates through my body as the freezing air kissing my skin.

Jumping, spinning and kicking I knock the fury out cold, landing on one knee I check the arrow wound on my shoulder. It's a deep graze but it'll heal. Pulling the sleeve down over the wound, I focus solely on knocking that girl out.

Spinning, kicking, punching, evading and throwing darts the last of the furies are either asleep or paralysed. The sound of arrows comings forces me sidewards to avoid them. Sliding behind a tree, the arrows imbed themselves into the tree with a thunk.

Taking a deep breath, I peek around the trunk. The bounty hunters make their way towards the tree while unsheathing their weapons. The snake-guy wields two long and gold murgleis like sword with a white substance lining the blades; some kind of poison perhaps. The ram-guy drags a cleaver with a ball and chain, the ground shrieks as it's dragged along. The eagle dude doesn't carry anything but his talons would be dangerous.

Their leader stands back watching, nothing in his hands but he could easily be hiding something somewhere; which makes him the most dangerous.

Pulling my head in quickly another arrow flies pass barely missing my face. Looking up at the ice tree, I silently climb into its icy branches and wait for them to turn up.

The ram will be dangerous because he'll be able to throw his cleave while the snake-guy might be deadly if those blades of his pierce my skin. Then there the lizard-fish girl which her bow, if I can keep close to the other hunters while attacking she won't shoot I hope.

Calming my heart rate down and breathing while focusing my mind and energy, the cleaver flies in out of nowhere and collides into the ice trees base causing it to crack. The cleaver's pulled back and they all appear around the trees base.

"Where'd that girl go?" the ram-guy grumbles, no pleased.

As the eagle dude looks upwards, I drop down onto the ram-guy's head, grabbing his horns before stabbing a handful of sleep darts into his neck hard and jump before he falls. Sprinting out into the open, the snake-guy easily catches up.

Dodging each of his strikes as fast as possible, it's hard because of his speed. Spinning down to take out his legs, he jumps back as talons come down. Rolling backwards out of hands reach, the feet talons lash out and shallowly glide across my cheek. Hissing, I throw darts at him but he sweeps them off with his talons.

Something semi-wet slides up my cheek before I realise it's the snakes tongue and he mutters "Yummy". Glaring at him with dagger eyes, I grab his tongue, pull and kick him fair and square in the chest, causing him to become short of breath before sticking paralysing and sleep darts into his hands.

Grabbing his murgleis blades, I throw them as the eagle dude rushes forward. One pierces his shoulder and the other his left shin causing him to fall. Turning my attention elsewhere, arrows start swooshing past.

Spinning around, their leader looms over me, reaching back into my cloak I swiftly pull out my black and red handled dagger as it connects with his spear. Pushing against it, I manage to jump back out of reach.

"You're rather strong to be able to take my men out. I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't human." His voice is smooth like well-oiled leather and full of authority.

"The last time I checked I was definitely human." I chime, before shooting forward and the shriek out metal against metal fills the air around us.

Dagger against spear, the lizard-fish girl constantly releases arrows every time we break apart. He's strong, fast and has a good defence and offense. Continuously dodging, slicing, defending and advancing, my muscles slowly start to ach from the stain and pressure he bring down and across with each of his strikes.

Sneering, I lung forward pretending to aim high for his abdomen as his spear comes across blocking his abdomen and slicing through the air for my arms and breasts. Letting my legs buckle before the blade is within range, sliding along the icy ground on my stomach before summersaulting up; using my hands and feet. Sliding to a stop on my feet in front of the Lizard girl, her bow blades drawn and notched with an arrow.

Closely watching the muscles in her and the twitch, ready to either release, relax or to swing. Relaxing and breathing deeply slowly, I grab the arrows point within my right hand, shoving it sideways using the momentum to spin myself, grabbing a sleep dart and pricking her in the back of the neck.

Releasing the arrow, it cuts the thick glove slightly as the lizard girl collapses onto the ground in a very non-elegant way.

Turning back to the last man; half man standing, he doesn't look surprised at all, if anything he looks disappointed in his comrade.

"Pity we aren't fighting on the same side, I bet you could replace all of my comrades." He chuckles not caring.

Throwing some useless darts, he uses his spear and easily knocks the darts away without much of a sweat.

"Oh come on. All you have to do is answer my questions and we can pretend this didn't happen you know." I grumble, watching him as he stalks around.

"That would be too boring and no fun mortal. Let's dance a little while longer, shall we. I'll lead." A wry like grin appears, just as he lunges.

Leaping back and dancing around his strikes, it's nearly impossible to get close enough to jab a dart in somewhere; but at some point he will mess up by either slipping or becoming unbalanced. One way or another this fight will end.

Carefully watching, the slightly shifts and movements of his muscles beneath his clothing, it's easy to see he's not tiring and won't be for a while yet. Moving as swift as possible with my legs sluggish to get out of the way as the spear circles around his body and preparing to lung again, a fault appears in his feet placements.

Sliding around and under the blade, as his body moves the weight is unbalanced. Sliding close up that the blade has trouble reaching, I slip a paralysing dart into the soft arc of his knee joint. As he falls he unexpectedly falls backwards. 'So heavy, I swear he fell backwards on purpose.'

Slithering out from underneath the guy, I casually look around for anyone that is still conscious.


Glancing at the still conscious eagle dude, I casually walk over to him before sitting down beside him.

"You're going to tell me everything you know or you'll be in a lot of pain." Pulling out a pain dart, I hold it over his thigh and watching him closely.

"I'll never tell you anything, mortal." He squawks out as the pain dart slides into his skin causing him to yell.

"We'll see." I sweetly answer before removing it, yet holding it threateningly.

After a couple of time, he spills everything about what's going to happen on Earth and other plans to capture us. After hearing enough, I ease a sleep dart into his thigh and he falls asleep peacefully finally at ease.

Wiping my frozen blood off my cheek and rubbing my arms to warm them as the cold air seeping in through some of the tears. I walk off in the direction I came from and slowly climb over the rooftops, making my way back to the soon to be if not already empty market to retrieve my backpack.


Looking around carefully to make sure that everyone in the night market has left to investigate the commotion in the city square, I skilfully ease myself down the gentle slope of the rooftop as it looms over a food stall belong me with food that I can eat.

Dropping behind the stall and peeking into the stall, it's empty and the whole market is silent. Just the aurora borealis and the lanterns in the market are alive per se for the time being. Creeping up the three ice stairs into the stall, the marvellous lanterns make everything in the once full market sparkle against the ice.

Rummaging through the food in the stall, I take out what looks to be misshaped apples. Closely looking at them before rubbing them against my cloak's sleeve, I smell where I rubbed them to make sure that no poison has coated the apples skin. After grabbing a small armful of apples I quickly shove them into the backpack. Looking both ways to check if anyone is back yet, I jump out the ice stalls customer window.

I enjoy the last few minutes of Sentinel, Whitebourne, before I leave and head off to my new destination. The lights, stalls and the falling snow would all look amazingly beautiful if I just had a camera to capture everything. The market filled with lanterns and precisely carved ice stalls, with the snow falling giving the impression of a winter wonderland and in the background the aurora borealis weaving its way in the night sky.

Sighing, I really regret not bring a camera just for this one photo, 'Maybe one day I'll come back and take it.'

Carving this scene into my mind, I turn away and leave this world behind.


I hope you guys enjoyed the fight scene. Hopefully as i get back into writing the fight scenes will get better. :)

R&R Thanks :)