[i]“Oh Light…”
[/i]
A cold knot of dread had wound its way around her heart like a snake. Liaena took a step back, only to find the cold wall of the cavern pressing against her back. In reality, the girl had now flattened herself against the back wall of Sharon’s study. 

“Y…you’re [i]dead[/i]” she informed the Reaper, hating how weak and scared her voice had become. Unsurprisingly, the monster had no comeback for this, instead choosing to drift closer in a manner that very pointedly illustrated the invalidity of her statement. 

How could this have happened!? How long had she been unconscious? Was Sharon still out there somewhere, fighting Sherpa, or….Liaena did not want to consider that other option. The sensation of dread constricted further at the thought. 

The thing she was facing had not conducted any aggressive actions other than to drift closer inexorably. She needed a weapon, anything to help her. But her hands were empty, and it was unlikely a potion would assist her with the thing she was facing anyway. 

She had to move. The fear in the command sent to her frozen legs jolted them into life, as she bolted in a desperate attempt to circumferent the Reaper and reach the mouth of the cave they were in. The lunge was almost immediately aborted as her legs exploded in pain – in reality, crashing straight into Sharon’s heavy mahogany desk – and falling to the ground.

Gasping, Liaena flailed around as she tried to clamber to her feet, but her limbs did not work in the way she attempted to force them – being hopelessly tangled in the chairs set in front of aforementioned desk. She had little to no time to try and pull herself together and try and think her way out, as freezingly cold skeletal hands coiled around her neck and midriff – an awakened and somewhat annoyed Malizia hoisting the girl out of the mess of broken wood by the scruff of the neck. 

Flailing and writhing in the creatures arms, Liaena lost all sense or pretence at composure to scream with abandon as icy cold mist enveloped her, tendrils invading her eyes, nose and mouth. An echoing voice spoke into the panic that was her brain, appearing to freeze even that and drop it to sub-zero temperature. 

[b][i]“Welcome home, priestess” [/i][/b]