“Here they are,” whispered Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death, the blade pulsing with eager warmth. Fire licked the air, shadows hovering around its jagged blade. “They are spread out and unprepared. Strike now!”

Zu Mari needed no second invitation. He lunged forward.

Avashir Xelayi was in the vanguard which suited Zu just fine. Avashir was by far the most dangerous individual on the team, and to take him out away from the others would be ideal.

Zu quietly cast Striding Wind Sustaining and walked up to the nearest tree to the false trail Luzi was leading them down. He held Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death ready, then the moment Avashir stepped nearby he dropped down on the unsuspecting man with a scream of triumph.

"Cast, now!"

Zu had almost forgotten the plan, so caught up in finally defeating his nemesis, but the sword's reminder jolted him back into the right mindset.

Avashir's danger sense clearly detected Zu falling toward him, as he began to twist away and bring his own sword up to block before Zu'd crossed even half the distance.

"Capturing Spirit Vision!" Zu shouted, and time slowed.

"Watch the aura interactions," instructed Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death as Zu fell slowly toward his foe. "See the way his pushes at yours, and yours gives way before it?"

"No, I don't see anything." Zu could hardly sense spirit energy, let alone make it visible. Only when it was strong enough to physically impact him did it make itself known.

"You should be able to."

"I know, thanks for the reminder of how defective I am," Zu snapped. Before they could argue further, the slowing effect of Capturing Spirit Vision ended.

In a blink, their swords clashed together. Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death flared, carving a notch into Avashir's weaker sword, and Zu's weight knocked the tattooed man back a step. But it wasn't the instant kill Zu had hoped for. He reluctantly engaged in rapid exchange of blows, but he'd fought Avashir enough times by now to know they were close matched.

Zu was stronger and better equipped, Avashir was slightly faster. Given time, Zu could wear him down and win every time. But he couldn't be sure their battle wouldn't alert the others. Once he was outnumbered, it would be over.

Would that be so bad? This version of the timeline was useless anyway.

"Don't give up!" Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death demanded, as Zu's attacks slowed. "To impose your aura on another requires incredible strength of will. You will never be strong enough if you give up at the first sign of opposition!"

Zu nodded. "You're right. Even if we must destroy this timeline, right now is not the time to start giving in!" Zu renewed his attacks, slamming Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death down on Avashir's blade again and again with his full strength.

Avashir's blade chipped and bent beneath the tireless onslaught and he began to retreat. Zu pressed the attack, closing in and striking for every opening, however minuscule.

Avashir's tattoos began glowing, the deep red Zu had seen before. He knew this would be trouble.

Zu began imbuing spells into his sword, cursing himself for not thinking of it earlier. There were ways to make his strikes even more dangerous, and he'd neglected them!

His next blow sheared straight through Avashir's sword, sending the tip half spinning away with a resounding ping of snapping metal, then continued on and scored a shallow gash across the warrior's chest. Avashir's tattoos flared blue for a moment, and Zu watched the gash slowly begin to heal over.

He knew better than to give Avashir time to recover. He switched to a one-handed grip, now trying to occupy Avashir's sword while he cast with his other hand.

Avashir began casting Mirror of Soul, and Zu broke off his technique. The reflective power must not be unique to the Mari clan after all, for Avashir to be using it so blatantly.

Then Luzi fired an arrow into the fray. Avashir stared dumbly at the missile sticking out of his chest, and Zu took advantage of his distraction. Sliding his sword beneath Avashir's guard, he slashed the other man's sword arm with a deep gash that caused him to release his broken weapon. Then Zu followed up with a quick stab to the throat. Avashir brought his arm up to block, taking the brunt of the impact on his damaged bracers.

Luzi fired again,. This time, Avashir knew to treat it at a hostile attack, but now it was his turn to be outnumbered and hard-pressed. Without his weapon, with Zu moving in and Luzi harrowing him from the woods, it was only a matter of time.

Avashir saw his minutes were numbered. For a moment, Zu hoped he would surrender. Instead, he began to glow. Not his tattoos, this time, but his entire body. Any exposed skin gave off an aurora of black light, glinting and shifting like a living thing swimming across his flesh.

“Stop him!” hissed Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death. “Stop him now!”

Zu had never heard such urgency. He remembered what the sword had said about him being a container. Was Avashir going to unleash his inner… whatever creature it was?

“It must not be allowed.”

Zu nodded. “Luzi! There’s no time! If you have any special attacks, use them now!”

He began casting, and this time Avashir did not try to reflect his attack. Zu knew only a single attack spell, Windblown Droplet, a weak elemental attack that did almost no damage and was mainly used to teach children how to aim. But in concert with his modification spells, Form of Perfect Sphere, Light Spirit Lifting, and Brilliant Flame, he could turn that simple practice spell into a target-seeking fireball.

Zu knew he had only one chance at this. Avashir's power built steadily, the air around him thickening, making it hard to move. Zu cast the fireball. Avashir didn't dodge, and took the blow full in the face.

A gout of white and crimson light poured from the scorched and melted hole that had once been his head. The light began to take shape, some vast hulking form, limbs too long and body too thick, skeletal wings extending from its back. Then it leapt into the air and flew straight up.

The artifact in Zu's pocket flared suddenly, vibrating and searing so hot it ignited his robe.

The unbound spectre slammed into the top of the time bubble, ripped straight through it, and vanished into the frozen world.

Zu could only stare in disbelief, heedless of his burning clothes.

Then Avashir's body exploded.