“Here!” Ola called back. Finally; she found Vinia’s cottage. Ola steadied herself, out of breath after the sprint through the forest. They encountered more ghosts along the path, each making her suspicion stronger and her thoughts darker. Was she too late?

  Ola turned when she felt Alexandrus float next to her. Ghosts didn’t really make sound when they moved, but there was a certain presence that came with them. Sort of coldness, as if the air stilted and the hair on your back stood up. All that just slightly on the edge of her mind; she missed it before, but she noticed she could tell when ghosts were close if she focused on it.

  She looked at her unlikely, but not completely unwelcome, friend in arms and nodded. Alexandrus nodded back and unsheathed his sabres. Ola turned and just as she was about to knock, the door opened; Vinia standing right in front of her.

  Without thinking Ola jumped back, a spell on her hand, prepared to attack. “Oh,” Vinia said, putting her hand in front of her mouth. “I am sorry dear. Did I startle you? I heard someone talking outside the house and I wanted to see what it was about.” She lowered her hand and smiled at Ola.

  Ola took a deep breath and let go of the spell, straightening from her stance. You don’t know if she is responsible… You can’t attack her. Maybe they just fell asleep in the forest. Ola repeated to herself. It didn’t help. All her training screamed at her to attack this woman.

  “I am looking for my friends,” Ola said, clinging her fists. “The necromancer and a young noble. Have you seen them?”

  “I am afraid not,” Vinia shook her head. “Maybe they have returned to the tavern?”

  “I have already looked there,” Ola said absently, then she hesitated before continuing: “I- I have heard a report, that I have to investigate. Would you mind if I had a look inside your cottage? Just- Just to be sure there is no truth to the reports.”

  “The reports you say,” Vinia said, her face falling into a worried scowl, but before she answered her eyes flickered to Alexandrus, just for a second, but Ola noticed it still. “There is nothing to hide,” Vinia sighed. “I am but an old woman, living the rest of my life in peace. Please,” she stepped aside and gestured. “You are welcome to do what you feel necessary.”

  Ola nodded and walked towards the door. She was about to pass Vinia and enter the cottage when everything happened at once. At one moment Vinia was on her left, smiling warmly, at the other her face twisted and smaragd shined through her eyes. Ola’s training took over. She jumped back and pushed all the air in front of her. That gave her enough velocity to push her all the way back to the bushes by the trees, several meters away from the door.

  “Ah, you poor child,” Vinia cackled. Her face twisting and blending into a much younger version of herself right in front of Ola. “It would have been so much easier, if you just fell asleep like the other two. No matter now,” Vinia sighed and waved her dismissive hand.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “Now!” Ola roared and was about to launch herself when she realized the ghost warrior wasn’t moving. “Alexandrus…” Ola whispered weakly, but she knew it didn’t matter. The ghost floated in place, his hands unmoving by his side. He was frozen in mid-flight. His expression an anger mixed with disbelief. But the worst were his eyes, the smaragd glow was unmistakable.

  “We can’t have that,” Vinia giggled again, her hand resting on the skull shaped necklace, its empty sockets glowing the same color as Vinia’s eyes. “Kill her,” she waved her hand towards Ola.

  For a precious second, nothing happened. Ola actually started believing the curse had no effect on the warrior, but then Alexandrus turned towards her. His tortured face told her, any hope was pointless.

  Alexandrus raised his saber, aiming directly at her and disappeared. The next second he was standing on top of her, slashing down.

  Ola reacted faster than her conscious mind could process. She raised the stone below her feet propelling herself upwards, missing the saber by barely a few centimeters. She was up in the air, trying to orient herself when Alexandrus appeared again; she barely blocked his slash with the rock she picked up on the ground.

  He was about to slash her again when she clapped her hands and concentrated light enveloped everything. She knew she didn't have much time. This blast took a lot of mana and she needed to figure out how to defeat him and free her friends.

  Ola glanced down and as she expected Vinia was leaning against the door, casually watching the spectacle above herself. Ola gritted her teeth but already had to dodge as Alexandrus fell on her from the top.

  She dodged and cowered, jumping from tree to rock and then back into the crowns of trees. None of that helped her. This wasn’t like their first battle. She felt as if she was fighting a tsunami wave, overwhelming her from all sides at once. Alexandrus didn’t give her a moment to breathe. Finally a plan formed in her mind. It was risky, but did she have a choice? Ola took a deep breath and prepared herself.

  She jumped back to create more distance between her and the warrior, and leaned against the tree, breathing heavily. “Stop this Alexandrus!”

  “This isn’t you! She is controlling you. What warrior are you when you can be controlled!?” Her words barely scratched the surface of Alexandrus mind, he kept on advancing on her, getting dangerously close.

  “Foolish child,” Vinia laughed from the door. “He can’t control his mind now.”

  Ola fell down, one of her hands still holding the tree for support, the other one placed on the ground. “Please, Alexandrus!” She called, real despair crawling into her voice. The warrior reached her and raised his saber. “You are a warrior!” Ola screamed. “You fight till the end, stop this!” The hand chivered. He hesitated, just for a moment, his grip lessened and the saber fell from his hand. Ola’s eyes widened.

  Vinia frowned and walked closer, touching her talisman. “Kill her!” She spat.

  Alaxandrus’ saber floated back into his hand and he raised his hand for another swing. He looked down on Ola, prepared to regret what happened next for the rest of his existence; what he didn’t expect was Ola grinning back at him.

  “Thanks,” she whispered. “Just the time I needed.” And then a scream behind him.

  Ola saw as the spike she was forming underground finally reached its target. Vinia screamed as the hardened dirt pierced the talisman on her chest. She screamed and panicked, bubbles forming around her mouth until her eyes rolled up and she lost consciousness.

  Ola saw as the smaragd glow slowly decreased from Alexandrus eyes, his face losing the cruelty she saw there before. “You doing okay?” She asked. He nodded and covered his face with his hands. “That’s good,” Ola smiled at him. “Let’s go save my friends”