I stared at the closed door in resignation. Even if I could open it again there was no way we could stop the statue from having its way. Frustrated I smashed my fist against the door, flames scorching it black.

“Damn.”

“We should go. The faster we get this done the faster we get to help her.”

Turning around I saw Homura’s bitter expression. Just like me she didn’t want to leave Narva alone with it, but our only chance was to end this stage so that we would get out of here.

“Yeah.”

I took a last look at the door before we walked down into the new corridor. Opposed to the ones before this one wasn’t made of processed stone, built be draconoid hand. Instead it was more alike the natural caves we were in before, leaving even the floor in its natural state, making our journey more strenuous than before as it continued further down.

But it was thanks to this floor, that we could simply continue down this path. With the cold, that grew with each step in this tunnel, ice formed at the walls and ceiling, even covering the ground, turning a slide that continued till a sudden end towards something manageable.

Carefully we made our way downwards, until eventually light began to shine from beneath. Stepping into it I was blinded momentarily, but as my eyes began to adjust towards it, I soon saw what was hidden beneath.

An enormous cave opened up before us. Above at the ceiling were hundreds of whisps, shining brilliantly like stars as the ice glittered in their light-blue light. Before us a cliff opened up, reaching down like an abyss. Only a single set of stairs, etched into the walls continued downwards. Following them we reached what seemed like the bottom of the cavern.

There, illuminated by the whisps light, shone a white dome amidst the otherwise darkened stone that I came to know as hardened magma. It should’ve surrounded the dome prior, blocking it from every access, but the now cold stone could do little to stop us.

With every step closer the temperature dropped by another degree, making it clear that this was the source of the spreading cold. But as we got closer something began to change, as all of a sudden a gust of wind passed by us. And in front of our eyes ice began to grow around the dome, blocking us out.

“Are there still some of these creatures alive? Was taking so many of their lives not enough?”

An ethereal voice spoke out, echoing from the cavern’s walls without a clear beginning. My eyes flicked from side to side, in search of whatever spoke to us, but I couldn’t find it.

“Watch out!”

Homura’s voice rang out. Before I could react towards it however, she already pushed me aside. Our feet didn’t even touch the ground again when a loud cracking resounded beside us, an icy spear sticking out of my earlier position, forcing its way into the rock beneath without a single crack inside it.

“My dear, when will it be enough? This life that you gave yours to bind to this world still continues.”

Seeing a glint in the dark I released my flames towards it, fire crashing against dozens of needles like icicles, making short work of them, only to continue onwards until it faded again. Keeping watch of my surroundings I released my flames like fireflies, lighting the darkness with a golden shine. Only now we could see the creature hiding in the dark.

A slender body, glinting with a frosty sheen, draped in a dress made of snow. Eyes clear like crystals. Each strand of her white hair sparkling against the golden light. She stood amidst the air, just above the dome, floating in a breeze that let the dress flow around her. Yet, as beautiful as her appearance was it could not hide the cold that came from her.

Releasing my flames towards her she stepped aside, walking through the air. Each tap of her bare feet released ice crystals that fell beneath, only to amass into long, sharp spears that sped towards us.

“So long has it been since we began to keep watch over this place. So long, since we encased what you wished to protect. Since you left me.”

Her gaze wasn’t focused on us at all, but her attacks struck towards us with pinpoint accuracy. Erecting a barrier, I blocked the first spear, only for the second to break through it, nearly piercing through me if it hadn’t lost most of its power, coming to a halt in front of me. But when the barrage of spears continued, we were forced to dodge again and again.

Compressing my flames into orbs I shot them towards her, but before they could even reach ice crystals appeared in their way, quickly growing into shields. When the orb struck into the shields, they released the flames, swallowing them whole, but they served their purpose as they stopped them from continuing onwards.

Still, for the first time the woman stood still, making her onslaught stop for a brief moment. Using the momentary lull Homura shot forward. Gazing at her the woman let dozens of needles crystalize around her, shooting them towards her. Stretching my hand towards Homura a barrier flickered into existence around her, the needles hissing as they struck against it, only to vaporize afterwards.

Now, within reach, she jumped upwards, claws ready to tear into the woman. Yet, the woman only raised her hand towards her, raising a gust of freezing wind that blew her away again, throwing her into the ground with a loud crash.

“Homura!”

Releasing my flames, I attacked the woman, stopping her from a follow-up attack. But just like before ice grew in between me and her. Explosions rang through the air, leaving behind a watery mist that soon froze over.

“I’m okay!” Homura shouted before a spear crashed down onto her, shattering while she jumped away to shower her in a rain of needles. Lifting her hands in front she protected her vitals, only for the needles to tear and nick at her unprotected areas.

She let out a pained yelp before she continued. “Or not.” Yet, while she spoke, I could already see the little gashes closing themselves once again, leaving little behind apart from a momentary pain. “Damn, that stings.” She spoke as she backed away once more, this time further in case the spear exploded once more, only for the next one to simply drill into the floor again.

The ice woman simply continued to stay afloat, as one icicle after another crystalized besides her. Only that this time they stayed beside her, instead of coming one by one, gathering for a bigger strike.

“Hey Agni.” Homura spoke with a beastly grin.

“Yeah?”

“Keep her busy for a moment.”