Around the house of the Sword Mistress, a considerable number of people had gathered, many of whom were newcomers who had just joined the ranks of the brotherhood from surviving peasants and other commoners. Knowing the capabilities of our enemy, the head of the brotherhood preferred not to risk our lives unnecessarily and ordered the house to be set on fire. Several lit torches flew towards the house, leaving behind bright fiery streaks that illuminated the dark night. Quite quickly, the entire house was engulfed in flames, and black smoke rose into the sky, from which a winged creature emerged and headed away. Servilia Decidiana, standing inside a magic circle drawn earlier, quickly recited some kind of spell, and the Sword Mistress fell to the ground. Enraged, she realized that she could no longer run, so she decided to accept the final battle, hoping to take as many lives with her as possible. And if she can fly again...
- Hurry! - Servilia's order was carried out immediately: six recruits went to finish off the enemy, but... Her skill turned out to be beyond praise; without receiving a single scratch, she dealt with them all, gracefully wielding two blades in her hands.
The River Knight, who had been waiting for a good moment, seized the opportunity and attacked from behind; the blade of her weapon plunged deep into the shoulder of the Sword Mistress, but this did not stop the proud woman at all; overcoming the pain, she attacked her new opponent. The River Knight hastily pulled the guandao out of the other person's flesh, and she had nothing left to do but parry numerous blows.
"She will lose," the feeling of fear and delight from such a magnificent battle fascinated me,
"she will lose," but despite this, I realized that the River Knight had no chance against this monster, so skillfully wielding her swords.
"Will lose, will lose, will lose." She will lose. And when it happens, there will be no one left who can stop this woman. The newcomers stood stunned by fear, and when the River Knight is defeated, they will run away.
The clatter of metal attracted the attention of the recruits, and they saw me draw my virgin sword from its scabbard, a sword that had not shed a single drop of blood since I joined the brotherhood.
- White cloaks behind our backs, - I began, not believing in the determination that I felt at that moment, - we received them on the day we took an oath to the cause of the brotherhood, and they symbolize the righteousness and loyalty of our path. Let us remember our vows and destroy the monster so that we can meet dawn with a clear conscience and start a new life!
I raised my sword and ran towards fate. My hopes were justified, and, turning around for a second, I saw the recruits following me.
When we reached the scene of the duel, the River Knight was not seriously injured, but she was noticeably exhausted and clearly could not continue the fight at such a pace. Together with ten recruits, I surrounded the Sword Mistress and engaged her in battle. Steel met steel, sparks from their collision shone brightly in the night shadows, and the smell of battle hung in the air. I continued to be amazed by the inhuman strength of our opponent. The battle dragged on, and fear returned to me. Will we lose? The recruits either fell or began to retreat from the enemy, apparently sharing my feelings. Unexpectedly for us, the Sword Mistress simultaneously swung both arms and wings, and a strong gust of wind threw everyone away. I felt my body hit a wooden wall. A sharp pain echoed in my back, everything swam before my eyes. Did we kill the enemy? I couldn't see anything, but when it became clearer in my head, it became clear that no. I reached for my sword, but found that it was not there. Apparently, I lost it during the fall. Meanwhile, the Sword Mistress was ready to finish off the River Knight. I must help! But how can I attack with bare hands... Suddenly, I realized that I was in a small room that used to belong to a servant of the brotherhood. Looking around, I found what my eyes were looking for - a heavy war hammer. Taking it with both hands, I rushed into the attack again, and before the Sword Mistress could strike a fatal blow at the River Knight, I struck her with the hammer. An enormous force crashed onto her back, and, unable to withstand it, she first knelt down, still holding her swords. Not waiting for her further actions, I raised the hammer for another blow. This time on the head. The other person's blood splashed on my face, and the white cloak turned red. I killed her, once and for all. Behind me, the sun began to rise; dawn was approaching. And although this day ended in victory, a strange feeling made me think that this was only the beginning.
