Three wolves tried to attack her but they were all sliced in half with her crescent moon attack. Her eyes glowed in the darkness, and they were directed toward me. I lay on the ground still, struggling to breath. My leg was bleeding, my side hurt, my head throbbed. All in all, I was in a sorry state, and I didn't like my odds against this psychotic woman.

"You'll die tonight Darkstar," Wanda said as she slowly approached me. "You should've run away when we all thought you died."

I didn't answer. I was struggling against the hostile energy that invaded my entire being.

'You shouldn't have a.s.similated my Fragment. I could have helped you contain this situation.' Eva, as was her custom lately, had to make a hurtful comment.

'Zedd,' Nag reached out to me. 'Hold on for a little longer. I'll soon get out of this and come land a hand.'

Wanda was a few paces away from me now. Sword in hand, eyes glowing, she slowly walked and sliced any wolf that dared come between us. Her men were all scattered, dying or already dead. I heard more grunting behind me, and turned just in time to see giant silhouettes running toward us.

I blinked faster, unsure of what I had just seen. Three full grown bears were running at us, bellowing and grunting. Wanda stepped back, drew an arc with her sword and brought it down. I rolled to the side just before the crescent moon shaped shockwave was unleashed. One bear bawled – a heartbreaking sound I must add– as its body was torn apart.

The others roared and ran faster. The earth below us shook as they charged, like angry bulls, the woman that had just killed their comrade. One of them hit Wanda and sent her flying backwards. She fell down with a high pitched squeal. The bears didn't stop at that. They followed her and sunk their teeth deep into her legs.

Wanda screamed. I winced as I heard her squeals and shrieks. The bears shook their heads as they tore her flesh. I thought all was over then. I tried to calm down and channel what remained of my energy to redirect the Fragment's. I had to survive that night. If I could reach Elsa's estate, all will be well.

But things never go as I hope them to be, do they?

The bears bellowed. Earth shook beneath me as both of them fell to the ground in loud thuds. Wanda, groaning and cursing, got to her feet. She retrieved her sword then proceeded into cutting the bears in pieces. I didn't know how she could still move with those injuries, but she did. She turned to look at me then. Her eyes glowing like a feline predator's.

"You think your petty tricks will stop me?" she yelled. "You'll rue the day you crossed my family."

Her sword started glowing then. I could barely move, let alone dodge her next attack. She drew another arc and was about to bring her sword down when she squealed once more and fell to the ground. I squinted to see what happened.

Another bear, bigger than the others and full of scars, had just charged Wanda from behind and knocked her off her feet. She fell to the ground and rolled several feet away. The bear sprinted toward me then.

"Are you alright?" Nag's voice reached my unbelieving ears.

The Child of the Forest was riding the big bear. He was holding his staff on one hand, and a long sword on the other. "Regulate your breating or you'll break from the inside," he told me. "It's time to finish this."

"Where's Beatrix?" I asked.

"I left her there," he said, jerking his head toward the rubble. "She doesn't seem in a cooperative mood. We'd better finish this ourselves."

I nodded.

"Get out of here then," Nag said. "Things are about to get real messy now."

I crawled away from the battlefield and toward the destroyed house. I tore some of my clothes and bandaged my bleeding leg and chest. I never expected Wanda to be this dangerous. She was a good fighter, and seemed to have infinite amounts of energy.

Nag, looking like a total bada.s.s, rode the gigantic bear and charged Wanda.

"So it's you," she said, struggling to her feet. Her sword was knocked away when she fell. She was unarmed, more vulnerable than ever. "And to think a Sebyan would have seen reason and run away when he could."

'Make sure she doesn't disappear,' I told Nag through our psionic link. 'She can blind you like Beatrix does with her darkness.'

'I have eyes in the sky,' Nag said. 'She won't get away from me tonight.'

"You're full of yourself Wanda," Nag screamed at her. "You shouldn't have messed with us."

"You were but p.a.w.ns for a bigger game," she said. "Bring it on Sebyan. Let's see if the forest can triumph against my might."

I had a bad feeling about this. Wanda was cornered, sure, but I suspected she had something up her sleeve. If only I could move. If only I could help Nag finish this off quickly. I couldn't though, and Nag rode on. Wanda planted her feet firmly on the ground and waited for the beast and its rider to reach her.

Her body started glowing. Observing her fight filled me with dread and admiration. Two things that shouldn't go together, I know, but I couldn't help but respect her fighting spirit. She wasn't one to give up easily. Not once, did the thought of running away cross her mind. She was either confident in her ability to get out of this situation victorious, or she just wouldn't give up.

Bear and human collided. Wanda managed to stop the charging creature with her bare hands, then punched its muzzle. The bear grunted and retaliated with its claws. Wanda jumped back, only to get propelled backwards by a powerful shockwave sent by Nag.

The bear followed up with another charge and attempted to munch on her throat, but Wanda had read through the follow up attack. She nimbly ducked under the bear's open jaws and sent a powerful uppercut that sent it toppling back. Nag lost his balance and fell off his mount.

Wanda didn't stop there. With her glowing arms, she sent a flurry of punches at the bear's throat and chest. The bear bellowed, tried to counter attack, but Wanda was small, nimble, and fierce. I watched, as her glowing arms illuminated the fight for me. The bear got pushed backwards, groaning, bellowing.

Nag got to his feet and sent two shockwaves toward Wanda. She dodged one and deflected the other with her bare hands.

"How the h.e.l.l are we supposed to bring her down?" I muttered to myself.

If I let this go on any further, Nag would find himself in the same sorry state I was in. I gritted my teeth and got to my feet. I limped toward them, sword in hand. I needed to surprise the unsuspecting Wanda. It was the only option I could think of then. It was dark, she wouldn't see me coming. I highly suspected she wouldn't sense me either. She was too busy deflecting Nag's spells and countering the beast's swings.

As I got closer, my head throbbed harder. My body shook as though I was about to have a seizure. My Fragment's energy was wreaking havoc inside. My conduits expanded furiously, but I didn't care. I had to finish this. If Nag was in good shape after the fight ended, he'd be able to get me to Elsa's estate. Everything would be fine then. I just needed to reach her and finish this.

Wanda had just landed a heavy blow at the bear's chest. Light glowed in its hairy torso, then it unnaturally expanded. It kept growing in size, like an oversized balloon, then it exploded. Flesh and blood showered all of us. I heard Nag curse then send multiple spells at Wanda. She danced around them, jumped right and left like a practiced acrobat.

None of the spells. .h.i.t her. Nag, on the other hand, had prepared another surprise for her. He followed her movements, and with calculated steps, thrust his long sword toward her belly. I was getting closer too. Even if Wanda were to miraculously dodge Nag's attack, I would be able to cut her head off. It was my chance to finish the fight. I mustered all the remaning strength I had and sped up.

Nag's sword hit, but it didn't penetrate.

"I wouldn't go to battle without protection," she hissed at him, grinning.

She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward her. Steel flashed before my eye then I heard Nag groan. Wanda had a hidden blade within her sleeves. Nag looked down at the fresh wound as Wanda twisted the blade. He screamed, and I fought not to scream too.

I was behind her then. I drove my sword in a thrusting motion toward the nape of her neck, the only exposed area that would guarantee a kill. A flash of light blinded me then. I s.h.i.+elded my eye and jumped backwards. My body complained as I landed. My injured leg gave way and my head hit the ground.

"You really don't know when to give up," Wanda said as she walked toward me. Her voice sounded distant. I knew I was beginning to lose consciousness. "Let's bring this silly squabble to an end."

Her hand closed around my throat, and she heaved me up. It was the end and I knew it.

'What did I do wrong?' was my last thought as Wanda got ready to stab me with her hidden blade.

The world around me grew dark, and I readied myself for the end. I didn't want it to end this way, but Wanda was more powerful than I expected. I shouldn't have underestimated her.