The gap between Alexis and Urtica narrows as Alexis strikes at the Elf first. Blade crossing staff Alexis tests the limits of her reach as Urtica’s staff keeps her at the outer bands of his range. tip-toeing an inch at a time before striding forward. Her blade gave exploratory jabs while Urtica bats her strikes away with the end of his staff. Bringing her blade back, Alexis goes to stab, the unbalanced edge of the blade going wide as Urtica thrusts his staff high. The bronzed cap pushes the flat blade to the side as the length of the staff extends. Catching the extension at the last moment Alexis tilts her head away as the butt end of the staff clips her temple. Stumbling back as her left hand clutches her left temple. A dull numbing pain throbs at her head as she collects her breath while the two eye each other.

  Behind Alexis, the sound of shattering ice can be heard. Mary’s blade fanning her as icicles are shot forth from Lychnis. The points are like needles as Mary deflects the spears of ice that fly towards her. Mary ducks down as she reaches within striking range of Lychnis. Thrusting her blade forward, Lychnis produces a parrying dagger from within his cloak. Deflecting her blade away from him, his free arm goes to strike Mary with another dagger as she catches his strike with her hand. Locked together, Mary switched to a reverse grip on her sword. Prying the parrying dagger out from his hand before kicking him in the abdomen. Causing him to stumble backwards, his feet at the edge of the train car.

  Alexis steadies herself. Vision blurry from the glancing hit to her head. “Weak,” Urtica speaks. “This is the best that the runaway princess could do?”

  Urtica prods and tests Alexis. Seeing how jumpy and spastic her movements are as he fakes and feints. Flinching at convincing fakes as her blade reacts to the false blow. Punishing the girl as the staff changes length and jabs into her torso. Her padded coat absorbed the brunt of the blow, but her breath was felt like it was squeezed right from her lungs. Urtica closes the distance while Alexis’ balance is thrown off. Striking the guard of her blade and knocking it from her hand as it skitters along the floor and disappears over the edge of the car. “You’re no match, Altan. And your end will be because of her.”

  Urtica sweeps the staff to Alexis’ left side, the air bellowing while the staff runs through the air. The staff connecting as a flurry of snow blows across Alexis. His staff halting as Alexis clutches the midsection of the staff. Feet planted as the metal beneath her buckles. Groaning as she pulls the staff towards her. “Impossible, how did you-”

  Alexis grips the staff, wood snapping as the outer layer splinters apart. Alexis’ hand is encased in a thin gauntlet of her bracelet. Drawing Urtica in while she plants her feet firmly. Lining him up as her free hand reels back and loses a punch. Connecting with his cheek as the punch throws him back to the end of the car.

  Mary catches Urtica sailing through the air as the wisps within her breath flutter into the air. “Your friend isn’t having a good time of it,” she says as she and Lychnis clash blades.

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  “He took her lightly, but she’s still unskilled. Just as you have since we’ve started.”

  Mary gives a coy smirk but notices her grip on her handle weaken, her sense of touch gone numb as she realizes what’s happened. Her concentration waning before Lychnis takes her arm. He throws her over his shoulder and her back connects with the frozen metal roof. Catching herself on her pack as Lychnis bears down onto her. Dagger in hand with the other on the back of the knife as Mary throws her arm up. Catching Lychnis’ wrist as the two struggle on the floor.

  Urtica lifts himself, a ringing in his head from the blow taken from Alexis’ fist. “You insolent prick,” he says as he grips his staff. “I should’ve ended this long ago, I suppose I’ll remember this, Altan.”

  Urtica raises his staff, the emeralds inlaid in his armor glow, cutting the gray of the world with green light as the staff enlarges to five times its width. The brass endcaps snap off as he holds it above his head before bringing the staff down. Alexis narrowly dodging the immense truck of wood coming down on her as the end caves the roof of the car in. Throwing Lychnis and Mary into the air as Alexis falls into the car below.

  Powdery dust kicks into the air as Alexis lands on broken boards and hemp sacks. A dull pain in her sides as she rolls off the pile. A hand reaches out from a pile. Noting the band of gold that glows with a faint orange, Alexis crawls over and grasps the hand. Pulling Mary from the pile, Alexis sits her up as the two can hear the two others shifting around in the dimly lit train car. “I’m sorry Alexis, seems I got a bit careless. There was something laced in his leaf petals... Maybe a paralytic; it smells like grain in here.”

  Alexis looks about, noticing powdery dust kicked up in the flowing air while grain pours out from bags. “T-this is a dangerous spot, Mary... A spark could set this place off,” Alexis says.

  Shifting metal sounds from across the pair. As they spot Lychnis and Urtica digging through the debris as they comb through the car. Mary looks at Alexis, the two locking eyes as Alexis can see the gears turning in her head before she resolves herself. “Move away from me and cover your face and ears. This is going to be dumb of me,” Mary says as she pushes Alexis away.

  The purple-eyed girl looked at her companion in bewilderment before connecting the dots. Slinking as far back into the car as she can while putting pallets between her and Mary as the two elves approach. Lychnis approaches Mary, with Urtica following behind. Lychnis’ voice cuts through the dark. Eyes fixing on one another, he speaks. “Despite my partner’s best efforts to ruin your capture you can’t run anymore,” Urtica says, taking a needle-like tool as it shines with yellow liquid within.

  Mary struggles to move her arm, the muscles twitching as they refuse to listen to Mary’s signals. Her left hand forms into snapping fingers as she holds it in front of herself. “Not quite out of options,” Mary mutters, the gems within her bracelet flickering for a moment as her fingers snap.

  A spark flashes in the dark, the world going quiet while flames spread out into the car.