Light and sensation steadily returned to Iseldis. At first she only registered pain and the aching throughout her body, but before long she was able to take in the situation, the hideous dark magic arachnid hovering above her, battling Roland. She was still ensnared by its web, and since Roland was preoccupied, she'd just have to keep ignoring her exhaustion and free herself.

Iseldis managed to sit up, and crafted a small blade of white light, little more than a dagger. It was about all she could still muster, but for this purpose it was efficient. She sliced through the web, and then carefully split the bonds holding her feet together, freeing herself. She did so just as Roland was flung through the air to crash harshly against a mushroom. The spider advanced on him, ignoring the priestess beneath it. Iseldis had one chance, and she steeled herself, intent on making the most of it.

Rising slowly but surely, she stabbed straight up into the beast's abdomen, her blade of white light cutting right into it. She couldn't pierce very deep with such a blade, but the monster clearly felt it, immediately screeching in pain. Gritting her teeth, Iseldis tore the blade sideways, cutting open as wide a wound as she could before the dagger came free.

The spider staggered several steps away, sudden winds of dark magic swirling around it. It seemed to shrink as the clouds of darkness intensified. Iseldis dared not approach while the magic lashed out at everything near. Quickly it cleared, and where the massive spider previously was now stood the dark elf witch, the spear-like spider limbs still present upon her back, only now she sported a new bleeding wound in her side. She was pained, but if anything she only seemed angrier for it.

The witch advanced on Iseldis, who stood her ground. She still had the light dagger conjured, and refused to let it go for fear she wouldn't be able to call it again. The witch had taken her staff, the handle of which swung from her belt, but until she could beat her the knife was all Iseldis had to use.

She tried to use the brief moments before the fight to calm herself. Roland was still recovering, and there was no more running they could do. Iseldis would have to hold her off alone. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her breaths came in pants that she tried to steady. Sweat dampened her dark hair and dripped from her chin. No training could have prepared her for this, but by the goddess she would do her best to endure. She flipped the knife backwards in her hand and settled into a fighting stance.

"By Eruvar and Baelyr," the witch spat with derision, stalking forward. "By my murdered ancestors, I will make the two of you suffer."

She struck swiftly, forcing Iseldis to dodge. It seemed to take great coordination to use her hands and feet in tandem with the spider limbs, but she did so well, and always seemed to have the advantage, never giving Iseldis a chance to make a strike of her own. She danced away from strike after strike, a whirl of muddied white robes and silver ribbons in the air. She thought she finally had an opening, and tried to drive her knife down on the witch's neck.

Spider legs blocked her arm a few inches from the target, and Iseldis didn't have the strength left to force her way through. A punch from the witch found her ribcage, striking hard, and a cry of pain was caught and cut short in Iseldis's throat. Trapped at an intimate range with the witch, Iseldis desperately tried to defend, but the dark elf overpowered her guard. An elbow caught her jaw, dazing her, and another punch hit her head from the other direction, spinning her about. Dark magic then surrounded the elf's closed fist, which she slammed against Iseldis's lower back. Her back arched and became rigid as the magic surged through her body with an all-too-familiar pain, causing her to cry out in agony, tears blurring her vision again. She staggered forward away from the witch, her dagger dissolving from her hand into the dark, as the magic had taken the last of her energy.

When the dark magic had run its course, Iseldis's legs shook and then gave out, sending her falling heavily to her knees and elbows. Over the pounding of her heart she heard the witch laughing softly. She couldn't let it end like this. She [i]couldn't[/i]. She [i]needed[/i] to escape with Roland and bring some warning of this darkness to those it threatened. But no matter how desperately she gasped for air, she couldn't find the strength to keep fighting. All that remained was for the witch to finish her off.

"Are you spent already, princess?" she teased, stalking around to Iseldis's side. "I'd hoped for better, and you were so confident before. Now look at you. You humans are so frail."

Her bare foot shoved against Iseldis's hip, spilling her over onto her back, and there she remained, limp beneath the witch and clinging to consciousness by a thread.

"Be a good girl and stay put while I deal with your friend. Then we shall see how the Master wishes to make use of your pitiful lives."
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