The streets of Spider Miles were a labyrinth of shadows and steel, their twisting alleys hiding dangers that lurked just out of sight. Kaden's breath came in ragged gasps as he fought to keep his footing, the cold air burning in his lungs. His vision was blurred by sweat, and the constant clanging of steel echoed in his ears.
'We should have foregone the provisions and gotten out of this hellhole' thought Kaden.
The fight had started like any other—a group of thugs thinking they could ambush two travelers. But this was different. These men were stronger, more organized, and the ambush had been carefully planned. It wasn't long before Kaden and Geralt realized that they weren't facing simple criminals—they were being hunted.
Kaden ducked just in time as a heavy blade swung toward his head, the force of the attack sending a shockwave through the alley. He countered with a swift slash of his own, but the enemy was fast, parrying the strike with ease.
"These guys aren't like the others," Geralt muttered, sidestepping another attack as he struck back with brutal efficiency. "They know what they're doing."
Kaden could see it, too. The thugs weren't attacking recklessly. They were moving with precision, surrounding them, cutting off any chance of escape. It felt less like a street brawl and more like a tactical hunt.
"They're after the bounty," Kaden said through gritted teeth, his sword clashing against an opponent's blade. "They must have heard about it."
"50 million Berries," Geralt replied, blocking a strike aimed at his side. "That's enough to make anyone greedy."
Kaden's heart raced as he pushed back, his mind trying to keep up with the speed of the fight. He could feel the familiar pull of his black frost, cold energy building inside him, begging to be unleashed. But he didn't want to lose control—not here, not now.
A roar from behind pulled Kaden's attention. One of the thugs—a massive brute covered in scars—charged at him with a war hammer, swinging it down with terrifying strength. Kaden barely managed to roll out of the way, the hammer crashing into the ground with enough force to send a shockwave through the street.
"We can't keep this up!" Kaden shouted, struggling to find an opening.
Geralt blocked another attack, his face set in grim determination. "We'll have to make a break for it. There's too many of them."
Kaden nodded, his mind racing as he looked for a way out. But the thugs were closing in fast, and every exit was blocked.
The brute with the war hammer lunged at Kaden again, but this time, Kaden was ready. He sidestepped the blow and delivered a quick slash to the man's arm. The brute roared in pain, staggering back, but it wasn't enough to take him down.
Kaden's heart pounded in his chest. His body was screaming for him to use his powers, to let the frost take over. But he knew the risk—he knew that if he let go now, he might not be able to stop.
Suddenly, one of the thugs threw something—a small, metal object that whizzed through the air and landed near Kaden's feet. There was a sharp hiss, and then the object exploded in a cloud of thick, choking smoke.
"Smoke bomb!" Geralt shouted, covering his mouth as the street filled with smoke.
Kaden coughed, his vision completely obscured. The smoke was so thick that he couldn't see more than a few inches in front of him. Panic began to creep in as the sounds of the fight faded into the distance, replaced by the muffled footsteps of their attackers moving through the smoke.
"We need to move, now!" Geralt's voice came from somewhere within the smoke.
Kaden tried to respond, but the smoke was making it hard to breathe. He stumbled forward, his hands outstretched, trying to find Geralt in the chaos. But the footsteps were getting closer, and the sound of weapons cutting through the air was all around him.
The cold inside Kaden surged again, more powerful this time. He could feel the frost creeping up his arms, spreading through his body like a wave. His mind screamed at him to stop, to hold it back—but the power was relentless.
Suddenly, the smoke parted for a moment, and Kaden saw one of the thugs charging at him, blade raised high.
Without thinking, Kaden raised his hand, and the black frost erupted from him in a violent wave. The cold crashed into the thug like a tidal wave, freezing him mid-stride. The man's eyes went wide with shock as his body turned to ice, and then he shattered into a million pieces, the sound of ice cracking echoing through the street.
Kaden gasped, his vision swimming as the frost receded. His body felt like it was on fire, the strain of using his powers tearing him apart from the inside. But there was no time to stop.
"Over here!" Geralt's voice cut through the haze, and Kaden staggered toward the sound.
They had to get out. They couldn't win this fight—not against these numbers, not when Kaden was on the verge of collapse. The smoke was thinning, and Kaden could make out the shape of Geralt ahead, his sword cutting down anyone who got too close.
"We're breaking through!" Geralt shouted, slashing at another thug who came too close. "Now!"
Kaden nodded, pushing himself forward with the last of his strength. They fought their way through the remaining attackers, their bodies aching from the effort. Kaden's sword felt like lead in his hand, and every movement was slower than the last.
The smoke was almost gone now, and the street was littered with fallen bodies, frozen in place by Kaden's black frost or cut down by Geralt's blade. But there were still more coming—always more.
Just as they reached the edge of the alley, a massive thug appeared before them, blocking their path. He was larger than the others, his body covered in scars, and he wielded a giant axe that looked like it could cleave through steel.
Kaden barely had the strength to lift his sword, but he wasn't backing down.
"You're not going anywhere," the thug growled, raising his axe.
Geralt stepped in front of Kaden, his eyes narrowing. "Stay behind me."
The thug swung his axe down with terrifying speed, but Geralt was faster. He blocked the blow with his sword, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through the street. The ground beneath them cracked, and for a moment, it looked like Geralt might be overpowered.
But then, with a roar of effort, Geralt pushed back, his sword slicing through the thug's guard. The man staggered, his axe slipping from his hands, and before he could recover, Geralt delivered a final, brutal strike that sent him crashing to the ground.
Kaden stood frozen for a moment, his chest heaving with exhaustion. The fight was over—but only for now. More would come, and they weren't ready for another round.
"Let's go," Geralt said, his voice rough from the fight. "We need to regroup."
Kaden nodded, his legs feeling like they could give out at any moment. They moved quickly, leaving the carnage of the fight behind as they slipped into the shadows of the city, heading in the direction of safety—or at least, whatever passed for it in Spider Miles.
---
As they ran, Kaden's mind raced. His body ached from the strain of the battle, and the frost inside him was barely contained. He knew he was close to collapsing, but they couldn't stop now.
"We need to find somewhere to regroup," Kaden said, his voice hoarse.
Geralt glanced at him, concern flickering in his eyes. "You're in bad shape. We can't keep running forever."
Kaden reached into his pocket, pulling out the Compass. It hummed softly in his hand, the needle spinning wildly before pointing in a new direction.
"The Compass is guiding us," Kaden said, his voice low. "We have to follow it."
Geralt hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Lead the way."
They followed the Compass, its glow leading them away from the chaos of the fight and toward something unknown. Kaden didn't know where it was taking them, but he trusted it. He had to.
But as they moved, Kaden could feel his strength fading. The frost was creeping through his body, threatening to overtake him. His vision blurred, and his legs felt like they could give out at any moment.
"We're almost there," Kaden muttered, though he wasn't sure if he was reassuring Geralt or himself.
But the truth was, he didn't know how much longer he could keep going.