As the Mage got up, Yew sent another Piercing thorn racing towards her. She jumped out of the way, but the thorn caught her across the side, leaving a nasty gash across her side and tearing some of her robe. She let out a groan and grabbed her side.
"Ha, your trying to get me out of my clothes after all." She said, trying hard not to sound pained and not doing a great job.
"Hardly. I hate to destroy your robes actually. They're kinda pretty." Yew said.
"Oh? Thank you. I pride myself on maintaining some degree of fashion sense. Too many mages lock themselves into one boring set of robes. It's really a disgrace to our profession." The Mage said.
"I agree. Sadly, I only really have one set of robes with me. You wouldn't mind recommending a good tailor, would you?" Yew asked.
"All the best ones are in Solitude. Shame you won't get a chance to meet them." The Mage said.
"Your pretty cocky for a woman who-" Yew began but was stopped when the Mage threw another firebolt, this one singed his hair a bit, burned his cheek and set his hood on fire. Thankfully the enchantments in the robe stopped it from lighting his entire robe on fire, and it quickly died, but his robe was still in bad shape.
"That was a real bitch move you know that?" Yew said.
"Do something about it." She said.
"Gladly." Yew said, and began casting a sigil.
Freya kept up her merciless assault. Ivan was beginning to stagger at most every blow. He was getting weaker, she just needed to push on through.
"Yield. I don't want to hurt you." Ivan said.
"I can't...I swore a vow." Freya said.
"Vows are words." Ivan said.
"Of course...you'd think that way." Freya said.
"Last chance." Ivan said.
"I'll never give up." Freya said. Taking a moment to catch her breath and regain her balance.
"That's two bad. Your truly an artist." Ivan said. Then he was gone.
Freya felt a sharp pain in both of her legs. Then warm liquid gushing out of her knees and flowing down them. She fell on her face, and she heard a terrible scream.
It took a moment to realize it was her own scream, crying out in pain.
"It's been a while since you've faced death, hasn't it?" Ivan said.
"Fuck you." Freya said curling up on her side. She had to staunch the flow of blood. Thank the gods she knew healing magic. A flood of healing energy came to her, powered by mana and stopping the flow of blood. Soon it would stitch her wounds back together.
She heard another terrible clang. More pain, and this time a fountain of blood erupting from both of her elbows. She screamed again.
"I'm sorry. If it was my choice I would have ended it quickly. Sadly, it is not." Ivan said.
"Daedra." Freya wheezed.
"Your right. I am." Ivan said.
"Fus!" A yell once again resonated and Ivan was forced to his knees, a sword was quickly placed on his throat.
"Dragonborn." Ivan growled.
"Or a spoony bard. Call me what you will." The Bard said.
Yew finished casting Vile thorns and three thin, long, poison covered thorns went shooting straight for her chest. At the last moment, the mage put a ward up, deflecting all three thorns. Two of them stuck into the floor, the third went rocketing back to Yew, and he had to practically roll out of the way to avoid getting hit.
"Clever. But very risky. If you hadn't put your ward up at the right time, you'd be dead." Yew said.
"I know, but we all have to take a certain number of risks. Otherwise, we'd get nowhere would we." She said, lowering her wards.
"I suppose so. Still, it would be better if you just surrendered. Nobody has to die today, you know?" Yew said.
"People have died today. Quite a few, I think. And more of my people than yours." The mage said.
"Then give up. It's over for you." Yew said. Indeed the battle was finishing. Soon his allies would close in and surround the mage. There'd be no place to run then.
"While I still draw breath I will never give up. In that way, I am just like you." The mage said. The two smiled at each other, a look of recognition. One of them would die, but they knew, at least, that they were kindred spirits.
Then lightning leapt from the Mage's finger was fast, too fast for Yew to dodge, and he had no counter. He felt a surge of electricity shock his body, and then Yew banged his head against the corner of a nearby table and collapsed.
Yew was out cold.