It’s here!

[Stormy Breeze of My Loneliness, Gather Forth-Gust]

[Frozen Wind of My Soul, Come Forth-Chill]

It’s so simple. A million deadly arrows fall down upon us and I seize control of them with a silent Chill. They gather atop my head, a never-ending supply of ammunition. My Gust spins them together into a weapon, a spear of wind which Janus could normally easily defend, no matter how fast. But this not just empty air and these are no ordinary ice crystals, pre-sharpened, I order them to move, twirl, and dance with the simplest thought. They shoot out with my Gust, like shrapnel from an air cannon. Without having to focus on forming ice at the same time, there’s little time to react. Janus is Janus though. He stomps on the frozen ground so hard that it shatters. The ice helps me though, the perfect environment to fight a Rainstopper. Every bit of ground is frozen. It’s impossible to get a good footing. He slips, slowing down for just a second. And my attack reaches him.

*Klang Klang Klang*

His sword swings up to meet my darts. Dozens of cuts in but an instant. But there are always more raindrops and he isn’t Romy. The stream of arrows passes his blade. And he throws up his free hand to defend his face. My eyes narrow. This is it! If his Qi can block this, then nothing I do can get through! I can barely make out his face as he parries ice shards left and right. A thick white mist forms in front of Janus’s form. I think I see red blossoming in the cloud. And then something explodes out the side! He’s coming!

“Oh crap!” I waste two words as the sound of Janus’s feet cracking the ground reaches me. He must have smashed into the ice so hard that it made a foothold. His face is marred. Streams of crimson blood spill out into the wispy frozen mist clinging to his cheeks. Can’t let him get close-

[Stormy Breeze of My Loneliness, Gather Forth-Gust]

[Frozen Wind of My Soul, Come Forth-Chill]

I chant again, redirecting another roiling cloud of dangerous ice shards at him. My spear of wind shoots out faster than any regular spell since I don’t need to form ice. However, he’s onto me. Instantly, he stamps his feet and the plateau cracks as he deforms the rock. Diverting to my left, he dodges my attack and closes the distance-

Only have time for one more...

My hand tracks his progress. He’s slower now, I can follow him even without peeking into the future. I wait for him to commit to his attack. All around us, my deadly hail drops, locking us in a winter wonderland of my own creation. Will I hit you or will you reach me first? Where’s he going? Left...or right?

“Myrr!” He yells out my name, and I can see the strain on his face now. Janus’s eyes are bulging, a cut vein pumps out blood from his forehead. The arm he used to block hangs lifelessly behind him, almost severed. I clench my fist, lining up the shot. He lands for one more step, the ground explodes in front of me as he blasts off-

Left?

Right?

No...he’s just coming head on!

[Stormy Breeze of My Loneliness, Gather Forth-Gust]

[Frozen Wind of My Soul, Come Forth-Chill]

My fist opens. Point blank, I unleash hell. Janus doesn’t try to dodge. He can’t. Stuck midair, he can only hold his sword in front of his face and bare his teeth. It’s a question of his body versus my magic. A sword slices apart some of my ice darts, but many more go around and thud into his face, his neck, his chest. At first, little white flowers form as his tough body withstands the hits. But then the rain begins to break through. I see his eyes close as he’s enveloped in a storm of hail. He throws his tattered, broken hand up to block once more. A finger gets blasted off, disappearing into the blizzard. But he’s still coming. No way! THIS FREAK IS ACTUALLY-

“MYRR!” There’s a voice from afar. One that actually cares for me. I know her.

Elina...maybe you were right.

Was I too careless with my life?

Perhaps I gambled too hard, using so much mana that I can’t see the future. But it’s the only way I could think of to form an attack strong enough to hurt him. That last sword of his, it’s covered in bits of white frost, and he isn’t even looking. But I can’t evade. There’s no more time for magic. I want to squeeze my eyes shut but Romy’s training won’t let me. I’ll watch to the end, even as it pierces my chest. It’s coming-

Crap!

CRAP!

No way, I don’t want to die twice!

*Thud*

I fall back. My butt hits the cold ground. The last of my ice darts finishes falling from the sky and the storm ends. A horrid pain envelopes my chest, spreading from my heart. Each gushing beat makes it worse. It occurs to me in that moment, that unlike last time, I actually don’t want to die. A strange calm comes over me. It’s time to see the damage. I want to know how I die this time.

Ah.

“Sorry...!” Janus is still in front of me. He stands over me, his eyes still closed, a ghostly spectre clothed in white hoarfrost all over. His skin is pale and cracked, much of it stripped away by ice and wind. “I had to aim to kill!”

It’s over.

*Clank*

His sword falls from his hand, and I feel the pressure on my chest dissipate. The pain doesn’t stop though. Slowly, I unclench my fist, there’s something inside it. Not the hand with Mephis’s glove. The other one I was using to gather ice. It’s pressed up against my chest, a reflex really. The first thing Romy ever taught me, in the last moment before my death, it came out. Rather than how to kill, or how to bury my blade in another man’s heart, Romy always wanted me to know just one thing. Thank you, Auntie. As my frozen palm opens, something glints inside. Mephis’s dagger, turned so that the flat of the blade guards my heart. It’s been smashed into my skin from the force of stopping Janus’s sword. And thank you...Father!

I cough, blood fills my mouth.

Guess Janus still broke a rib...or three.

My left hand is vibrating from the shock of blocking his blade. The numb fingers on that hand can’t move so I have to reach over with my right hand and retrieve the blade of Mephis’s dagger. Slowly, ever so slowly, I creep forwards, onto my knees, with my elbows and advance towards Janus. He’s just standing there, unmoving eyes closed, blood starting to sprout from everywhere as his wounds unfreeze. As I arrive, he finally opens his eyes. Going down to the dagger in my gloved hand, he seems a little sad. But not afraid.

“Nice block...” He whispers. “Go ahead...I tried to kill you. Finish me off-“

*Thud*

Janus topples over. His head thuds against the ground, and he doesn’t move though his sword is right next to his hand. Gently, I clamber over him. His eyes are closed. My hands can’t feel the blood, but it makes his body slippery. I bring Mephis’s knife to his throat. His protective Qi barrier is gone, stripped away by exhaustion and ice. His pulse is gentle, pushing his flesh against my blade.

Done. There’s just one thing though.

“Hey, Janus,” I tell him. He doesn’t answer, but his breath hitches, and I can tell he can hear me. “You never answered my question.”

...

...

“Mnnnm?” Janus groans, his eyes opening just a little bit. Enough that he can blearily stare at me. He seems to notice the knife at his throat. “What...do you want?” He asks. There you are. I contemplate him for a moment. Now is an important moment. But I’m exhausted. Still, I don’t think my judgement is wrong. Yes...let’s do it this way then.

“Tell me...” I lean in. Put my lips against his ear. My dagger presses against his throat. “Between your master and the Sect, where do your loyalties lie?”

...

...

...

He doesn’t answer. Perhaps he doesn’t understand. I lean in again-

“Acknowledge me as your Secthead and I promise...

...

...

...

All these things, I can bring to the Rainstopper Sect. Isn’t that what you want?”