Chapter 19

19

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When she was within hearing range, the woman spoke, "You...go...to...i..." To even the odds, The Maiden of Two Swords smacked her weapons together as hard as she possibly could whilst Caste was focused on reading her lips. The ringing that reverberated from them was unbearably painful. So deafening it caused Caste's ears to bleed. She'd warned Caste that she was going to die by her hand. The blind attacker was well versed in her skill to feel the vibrations of her opponent but Caste was still able to see clearly so she assumed the next onslaught would be direct and to the stomach. She blocked her torso off in a protective stance. "On..." She desperately tried to read her attacker's lips again. She understood, but a split second too late. The Maiden had warned her. She'd mouthed the word "wrong". And menacingly tilted her head upwards. Caste, now thoroughly deafened, felt a force pulverize her body from above. Blades of Wind swept her high into a ferocious, unforgiving twister. Air...she'd forgotten the element of the Swords in tarot was associated with the element of Air. The pressure was so intense that she struggled just to keep her eyes open as the sharp Wind Magic sliced at her skin. Her clothes were ripped and torn. Her hair was a bedraggled mess. She'd become so thin and frail from Fiaerna's training that the Cards surely all underestimated her ability to fight back and win. How could she stop the treacherous tornado? How does one possibly slice through thin air? She ran at the Sword Maiden full force. The ensuing sword fight was graceful and elegant like a deadly dance of ballet. The second a bead of sweat escaped the Maiden's brow, Casterline took the opportunity to strike. She forced her mind to focus on freezing Ice and sent a wave of mental intention toward the Maiden. The Ice Magic spell had caught, freezing that one small bead. The ice began to spread like ivy all across the Swordswoman's skin, creeping like spindly spiders' legs to encapsulate her entire being. The moment The Maiden of Two Swords froze over, Caste bashed her broadsword down upon her head...leaving nothing but crushed ice and shattered shards in her wake.