#leialoha

Phi’s face is set to neutrality, as cold as the magic snapping around her like a cloak, and every swing she makes is utterly intent on death. The fire burns away the ice quicker than it grows, but with the mage now on the defensive, she has no time to focus and deliver a strong enough blow to stop the princess. Magnus wrestles free of the arms holding him, and seeing an opportunity, races forward and wraps both of his arms around the mage, yanking her down. The fire dancing around her only catches at his calves and his tail. Strong arms wrap hard around her chest, her jewellery digs into his skin, and out of sheer surprise, there is no retaliation. In return, Phi’s scythe ends up flush with the mage’s neck. Checkmate. Or stalemate. Magnus isn’t sure, he doesn’t play chess.

“Oh,” the mage says, quietly. “You’re crushing my favourite necklace.” “I think you have bigger problems right now,” Magnus says, and with his heart rate slowing just a little, he is aware of how tightly he’s pressed against this woman, and is also aware his words were said right next to her ear. He wonders if he’s intimidating her or annoying her. “Shade-touched,” comes a voice from behind him- the one who pulled him out of the way, of course, Marjani, like she’d let him throw his life away because he forgot to grab a shield. “She’s a bane on this world.” “You’re a bane on this world,” comes the muttered response. It’s so petulant that Magnus has to suppress a laugh. “No,” Phi says, cape fluttering behind her in the breeze. It’s looking a little singed. “That’s not Shade-touched. I’ve seen how the Shade can be used to override magical abilities. That’s not what you were doing, is it?” “No,” the mage says, slowly. “It is not. I am Shade-Touched, as you ignorants call it, but it does not control me. I use the Shade’s power to boost my own. The fire is fire, like any other. It is simply more.” “Hurts like a bitch,” Magnus adds. He feels Marjani’s eyes on his back, and Phi’s flick to his for a moment, a small sympathetic smile on her face. “Just saying.” “It is meant to,” the mage says, “You held up longer than most. And not once did you scream.” He can see, and feels her attempt to twist around to look him in the eye, but Phi has not moved her scythe and the movement is currently impossible.

“Who are you?” she asks him. “Me? I’m the War Chief,” he says, proudly. The silence stretches, and he can just feel her interest waning. “My name is Magnus,” he says, awkwardly. “What’s your name?” She chuffs, a surprisingly sad noise all things considered; she shuts her eyes, though Magnus cannot see that from this angle. “What does that matter if I am to be killed by you? Let me be another nameless victim,” she says, softer than before. He knows it a fool notion but the acceptance stirs something inside him; how ready he was to give in too, once, with nothing to stand for. Nothing to live for, except himself. He says nothing for a moment, looking at Phi, silently imploring her. She looks away, across the battlefield as the last stragglers are cut down. He knows why, vaguely. Phi said that they let a Shade-Touched dragon in once, and it had led to a great many deaths, and had triggered the events that led to their currently brewing conflict with some batshit cult to the west. But Magnus has never been a man for politics, or plans. “I won’t kill you,” he says, earnest as can be. “That’s not your decision to make, Mango,” Marjani says, equally affection as stern. “No, it is not,” Phi murmurs. She slides the scythe away- Magnus feels the mage exhale in relief, and Phi kneels down, curious. “You’re no mad beast, and you are powerful. What are your intentions?” “The same as everyone’s in this forsaken place,” the mage says, opening her warm orange eyes once again, “To survive.” Phi’s gaze narrows a little. “I take it you hold no loyalty to the men you’ve been employed by,” she says. It’s not a question. It doesn’t need to be, and certainly doesn’t need an answer.