Kat lashed her tail out behind her hoping to catch Eva before she recovered her balance, but she didn't feel an impact. She could just barely hear someone taking a step back but focusing on the sounds of everyone nearby was extremely hard.
The ice limited Kat's hearing drastically and it was only with the generous use of demonic energy that she could even vaguely hear what was going on. *I need to do something about this ice. My wings are trapped, my hands are trapped and I can't see anything.*
Kat heard the clinking of metal in front of her and knew that Kutruph was making a move. However his technique was much better than Eva, Kat couldn't hear any trace of the draconian's weapon so instead chose to jump sideways, hopefully away from Eva and Kutruph.
Kat's jumped carried her away from the melee, but when trying to stop in place found a slight issue. Her wings tried desperately to arrest her momentum, but they were rather tied up. Tripping sideways Kat tried her best to regain her balance.
This failed though, Kat's tail wasn't quite enough to offset Kat's own weight along with a large chunk of densely packed ice. Crashing to the ground, Kat didn't hear so much as a crack from the ice around her.
*Shit got to get up.* Throwing her knees back Kat threw her body weight forward, trying to right herself. While successful though, she heard a thunk. Straining her ears Kat tried to identify what she'd run into.
All she could hear was the whistling of wind. Bringing her knee up and coated it with flames, Kat hoped to block whatever follow-up strike she could hear… but nothing came. Kat's tail flicked in annoyance as she backed up further towards the wall.
*Ok, new idea, attack the ice again.* Hearing no forthcoming attack, Kat used the moment to try and break more of the ice away. Slamming her head down towards her knee as she brought her leg up, Kat heard a satisfying crunch.
Righting herself, she heard shards of ice drop around her, and the vision in her left eye cleared up ever so slightly. She could now vaguely make out the outline of Kutruph in front of her but not much more.
He seemed wary of her now but was still ready to attack. As Kat was still examining her surroundings with her slightly returned sight, Kutruph charged in. Deciding to take a chance, Kat let him approach.
Just as be brought his sword around, looking to cut into her side Kat bent her knees, dropping in height. Kutruph's sword clashed against the ice, but before he could regain his balance Kat launched herself straight at his chin.
Ice collided with scale, and a cracking sound could be heard. *I'm not sure if I want that to be the ice or his jaw*. Kutruph stumbled back regardless. Kat was about to push her advantage when she felt a heavy cut to the back.
Kat stumbled forward but didn't fall and sent energy towards the cut area. The slice had been much quieter, and Kat hadn't noticed it in the heat of the moment. Straining her ears further to here if Eva was following up Kat heard nothing.
She could hear, her blood as it slowly dripped to the ground, she could see the deep breaths Kutruph was taking… but something was missing. Suddenly a blinding light engulfed Kat. Shutting her eyes instinctively she strained her ears and waited for the follow up.
And yet still nothing. *Um… what was the point of that?* Opening her ears slowly though revealed the answer. Kutruph now stood steady once again. Any trace of damage on his face had been healed, and he once again charged at Kat. *Oh right they have a healer.*
Kat was about to step backwards again but remembered the wall behind her. Eva had cut off her left, so Kat had no choice but to dodge right. Slipping past Kutruph's strike, Kat continued to back away as he followed up with a series of light slashes.
Kat watched his rhythm closely as she backed off. Left, Left, Right, Left. Kat watched the swings intently and just as they came in for another left hand swing Kat thrust her face forward right where she'd created the crack. *Boy I hope this works.*
Kutruph's sword bounced off the ice with a ringing sound. Kat could see the shallow gash the sword left and was rather disappointed. Ok so clearly, I have to do this all myself.
Kat turned and tried to sprint away, heading away from the fighting to take a moment to break open the ice shell… This was no to be however as after Kat had taken a mere six steps an ice wall rose up in front of her.
Slamming into the new obstacle, Kat let her head swing around to the side to bring herself face to face with her attackers again. Skye was still missing from view, but Eva and Kutruph both eyed her cautiously.
Kat tried to take a deep breath to steady herself but found that impossible. Starting to panic a little Kat tried again to breathe in what air she could before it hit her. *Oh no. My head is frozen, that means I'm not getting any air.*
Now that Kat was aware of the problem, she could feel her lungs revolting. Demonic energy had automatically tried to fill the void, but it was burning through her reserves much faster than she'd like. Already now, Kat was down to around one half of what she started with.
Kat decided to take a risk. Kat slammed the ice down on her knee once again. Repeating the action multiple times, breaking off pieces and sending it flying everywhere. She could feel the force of the impact cutting away at the skin on her knee but now wasn't the time for halves.
Kat could vaguely hear Eva and Kutruph approaching but chose not to stop. This ice needed to go, otherwise it would be an easy end to her. Bringing the ice down one final time, Kat heard a satisfying crack as the ice shattered.
Shards of ice flew everywhere, forcing Eva and Kutruph, back and impacted Kat's own body in multiple places, not the least of which her own face. Kat backed herself up against the ice wall and tried to get some vision on her adversaries as blood dripped down and covered her view.
Kat brough up her arm and tried to use the tattered remains of her kimono to wipe away the dark blood staining her vision. Luckily the stuff came away rather easily, it seemed her blood was more willing to stick to her than most things, but a little push was all it took.
What Kat saw shocked her though. Kutruph had stepped in front of Eva to take her hits for her. Most must have bounced harmlessly off his armour, but one particularly large piece was imbedded halfway through his wrist.
As Kutruph's sword dropped to the ground and Eva's face widened in shock and horror Kat charged the two. Unleashing a kick straight to the draconian's head, Kat put her full body weight, bringing even her wings and tail into the motion.
The draconian flew backwards into Eva who looked torn between dropping her sword and catching him and blocking to stop the momentum and keeping her guard up. Interestingly though she chose a third option.
Stepping around the falling Kutruph, Eva swung heavily towards Kat, who danced backwards, not willing to block the full swings of Eva. The swordsman danced forward, linking her swings in various ways.
Eva traded hands, used one or both, and kept her momentum going. Kat could do nothing more than back away. There was a fierce glint in the warriors eyes once Kutruph fell, and it seemed she was really going for it now.
Above Kutruph a big number appeared reading 10.
It started counting down the seconds.
9
8
*What could that possibly be about?*
Just as Kat was going to consider it further, Skye ran over from the sides. She now had an arrow stuck in her shoulder. The shaft had been broken but the tip left in. She skidded to a stop and summoned three sigils around Kutruph.
As she did so she ripped the icicle from the warrior's arm who didn't elicit so much as a grunt. As the light enveloped him, and his wounds closed, Skye herself looked increasingly more ragged.
Kat looked for a chance to interrupt the healing but didn't see anyway for her to get past Eva... it didn't matter though because an arrow came whizzing past going straight for Kutruph's eye.
Skye's face contorted in horror as she saw the projectile.. She tried to reach over and block it but wasn't fast enough. The arrow flew true, and just as it hang over the downed warriors face ready for the final impact he vanished