Flames flickered off the snow, casting dancing shadows over the chaotic scene.

  Kaavi stood amidst the ruins of the enemy camp, his breath controlled, even as his heart raced. Oleg advanced with a deliberate pace; his sword clenched tight in his calloused hands. Behind him, the fire crackled, the last remnants of tents collapsing into ash. The Oleg's cold eyes reflected both the flames and his rising anger.

  “You thought a little fire would save you, old man?” Oleg sneered, circling Kaavi slowly, boots crunching in the thin layer of snow. “You’re slower than I imagined. It’s only a matter of time before you slip.” His voice carried a sinister edge, every word laced with confidence.

  Kaavi’s gaze darted around the remains of the campsite. The terrain was rough—burned logs, debris, patches of snow—and he could use it. His body, however, reminded him with every movement that his energy was dwindling. “I can’t let this drag on...”

  Oleg lunged suddenly, his massive sword sweeping in from the side with brutal force. Kaavi sidestepped, using the uneven ground to his advantage, positioning a fallen tree stump between them. His sword connected with the stump, sending shards of wood flying.

  Kaavi moved quickly, hopping over the remains of a burning tent. His eyes stayed sharp, reading Oleg movements. He knew Oleg would try to force him into the open, to wear him down.

  The Oleg growled, pulling his sword free from the debris. “Running? Or are you just afraid of facing me head-on?”

  Kaavi didn’t reply. He wasn’t here to trade barbs. His eyes flicked toward the distant cliff he had noticed earlier when he arrived. It wasn’t far, but getting there without expending too much energy would be the real challenge. “I need to make him lose control.”

  Oleg charged again, this time with more reckless fury. Kaavi twisted away, dodging past a burning log, the heat singeing his arm. The flames were spreading, consuming what little was left of the camp. Smoke billowed around them, obscuring vision. But that’s what Kaavi needed.

  As Oleg swung wildly, Kaavi ducked low, slipping behind the remains of a wooden cart. Oleg followed, eyes blazing with frustration as he kicked the cart aside, splintering it into pieces. His movements were powerful, but growing more erratic, less precise. The frustration was eating away at his composure.

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  “You won’t run forever, old man!” Oleg’s voice was a mix of rage and desperation now. “Face me! Fight like a warrior!”

  Kaavi crouched behind another pile of debris; his breaths controlled.” Come closer. Lose your balance.”

  He glanced around, noting the unstable ground beneath the snow—a patch where the flames had melted the surface, revealing the soft, loose soil underneath. Perfect. He shifted slightly, positioning himself in front of it, waiting.

  Oleg barrelled toward him; sword raised high for a crushing blow. But as he neared, Kaavi feigned another slip, appearing vulnerable.

  Oleg’s eyes lit up with the promise of an easy kill.

  He swung down, but Kaavi rolled aside at the last second, leaving Oleg’s heavy boots to slam into the loose soil. The ground shifted beneath him. Oleg cursed, his footing unstable, and Kaavi moved in, striking with quick precision.

  His sword slashed across Oleg’s arm, drawing blood. He roared in pain, staggering back, his balance faltering. But Kaavi didn’t stop. He used the thick smoke, the uneven ground, and the surrounding debris—to his advantage, striking swiftly and retreating into the cover of the fire’s shadows.

  Oleg’s rage grew with each missed strike, his frustration boiling over. “You coward! Fight me properly!”

  But Kaavi wasn’t interested in a fair fight. He needed to end this before his body gave out. “Let him burn himself out.”

  Oleg swung again, his sword clashing against a half-burnt tree, sending sparks into the air. He gritted his teeth, his breathing ragged. “You think hiding in the flames will save you? You’re finished!”

  Kaavi saw the opening. With Oleg distracted by his own anger, he darted toward the cliff, the path clear. He moved swiftly, weaving through the burning wreckage, his eyes fixed on the distant edge. The wind whipped at his face as he ran, his legs aching, but he pushed forward.

  Oleg, realizing Kaavi was escaping, gave chase, his feet stumbling over the uneven ground. “You’re not getting away!”

  Kaavi sprinted toward the cliff, the icy wind cutting across his face as he neared the edge. His eyes quickly scanned the drop—it was steep, but there was a way down. He would need to move fast. **This is it.

  Behind him, Oleg roared, charging blindly. “You think you can escape me, old man?”

  Kaavi turned just as Oleg reached the cliff’s edge, his sword raised. For a moment, the two locked eyes—Oleg’s filled with fury, Kaavi’s calm and unreadable. As he lunged, but his footing slipped again, the snow-covered rock giving way beneath his heavy boots.

  Kaavi moved, using the last of his strength to sidestep the attack. Oleg’s momentum carried him forward, his boots slipping on the ice and loose rocks. His arms flailed, desperately trying to regain balance, but the cliffside betrayed him.

  Oleg let out a strangled cry as his body toppled forward, disappearing over the edge. His scream echoed briefly before it was swallowed by the howling wind.

  Kaavi stood at the cliff’s edge, his breath laboured, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. He glanced down into the void below where Oleg had fallen. The wind bit at his face, but Kaavi remained still, staring into the abyss for a long moment.

  His muscles ached, the strain of the battle catching up with him.” In my prime, this would’ve been over in seconds.” The thought came unbidden, but it lingered for only a moment. He had no time for nostalgia.

  Turning away from the cliff, Kaavi hurried into the snow-covered wilderness, disappearing into the storm. There was always another battle waiting.