Page 225 of Season Warriors & Wolves

There was no longer a barrier around Snow’s magic, concealing and containing it like it had always been. Instead, the ancient power hovered around her in a twirl of terrifying magnificence, composing a tumultuous symphony with roaring thunder.

Aurora hesitated, studying Snow as Snow was studying her. Two of a kind. But all so different. Terribly different. A soldier facing a huntress.

Even though I could not see her face, I knew what was painted on my wife’s features. Rage. Fury. Bloodthirst. “You hurt him.” The words hissed along with the wind, repeating like a whisper all around us, over and over.

You hurt him. You hurt him. You hurt him. You hurt him. You hurt him. You hurt him. You hurt him. You hurt him.

When she drew a breath, the wind drew a breath too.

“I will hurt many,” Aurora’s voice blared like a muffled horn. “It is easier if I started with just one first.” She tilted her head to the side, looking over Snow’s shoulder to me. “He would have done. But you are in my way.”

“Time must have gone slowly locked in that sceptre,” Snow cooed, and thunder cracked over the greying skies, pouring over Isjordian soldiers. Screams blended so naturally with nature almost as if they belonged in it. It wasn’t until Snow drew out her sword that Aurora blinked. Not until the blade lit and heated with electricity did the old guardian frown and draw out her own weapon—a simple staff with flaming edges. “I’d warn you to back away, but where would the fun in that be?”

“There is no backing away. Not anymore. This realm will be the ashes that I raise from with freedom. That sceptre will no longer be my prison.”

“I’d disagree that my father’s accommodations are much worse. Take it from me, I’ve been in your…sandals?”

“I am not his prisoner.”

“Even more unfortunate for you to die belonging to no one—not even a master.”

“And who is your master, might I ask?”

“You’re looking at her.”

Snow bolted, landing right before Aurora who caught the hit of her blade with the staff which cracked and broke in two from the strength and electricity. Snow swung again and Aurora launched up, avoiding her blow. It took my wife not even a fraction of a second to bolt before again and send the guardian plummeting to the ground again. Except that this time, Aurora’s large wings beat once, strong enough to bear the fall and launch her back up in the skies again. Barely halfway up in the air to Snow, lightning rained down on her body, restless bolts thicker than pillars, nailing her hard to the ground that hollowed and cracked into a large steaming hole.

“Skygard,” the guardian hissed, struggling this time to drag herself up. “But not like the others.” Aurora rose again, white flames burning around her, blasting to heat the air and burn the ground, along with all of us on it.

Thora and Eren were just as quick as I, and thin hoar frost froze the air, meeting and touching the white fire in the middle and dowsing it while my darkness surrounded and protected my wife, carefully latching onto her to keep her magic contained.

For the first time since she’d appeared, I saw Snow’s shoulders raise with paced inhales. She had to be in pain. Pain that I could not see.

Aurora’s head tilted again to study the lot of us on the ground. “More Skygard.”

Snow’s smile was ungodly, her eyes were golden flames through the pale glow over them, radiating even in the far distance. “Whatever can kill a guardian, we have it.”

“Kill?”

“I never fight to spare.” She looked over her shoulder at me and nodded.

A dark dome of shadows rose up from the ground, engulfing the two in it. The magic was not perfect, but it was enough, mimicking the dream veil in Nephthys. It would protect her, and weaken Aurora, trapping her mind. Hopefully, enough to have her guards lowered and returned to the sceptre.

The White Flame Guardian looked at the shadows dimming her surroundings, it was too late for her to fly out of, pure darkness fuelled by the purest thunder crashed into her quicker than she could, her mind already locking.

And so it began.

White fire.

And lightning.

Not just lightning.

Cold lightning. Almost frozen.

Snow breathed out frost around us and Aurora shivered, looking around looking utterly afraid.

“I know what your weakness is,” Snow started, ice encapsulating even the dome walls. “Do you know mine?”