Rebirth System: Blood and Ash

"How dare your kingdom harm our people and trick us," Yrsa spat, her voice seething with rage as she swung her arm, her fist aimed at Aric\'s ribs.

Aric barely managed to block it, the force of the blow still driving him back several feet, his boots dragging through the snow. His arm trembled from the impact, but he grit his teeth, refusing to falter.

"That is not my kingdom," Aric said, his voice strained but resolute. He shot forward, delivering a swift punch to Yrsa\'s side, but she barely flinched.

"Oh, you denounce them now?" Yrsa sneered, effortlessly catching his next strike with one hand. Her grip was like iron. "The very people you\'ve gone to war with?"

"I told you," Aric grunted as he struggled to free his hand, "I did this solely for my revenge."

Yrsa\'s eyes flashed with fury. She twisted her hand, pulling Aric off balance before slamming her knee into his abdomen.

Aric gasped, doubling over as the air was knocked from his lungs. He stumbled backward, blood spraying from his mouth, splattering across the already crimson-streaked snow.

"And you expect me to believe you have nothing to do with this?" Yrsa\'s voice was laced with disbelief as she advanced on him, her fists raised. "That you are innocent in all of this?"

Aric wiped the blood from his mouth, his vision blurring for a moment. His body screamed in pain, every muscle aching from the blows he had taken. Still, he stood tall, defiant. "I can\'t force you to believe me," he said, his voice softer now but no less determined.

"But I urge you to use logic. You know I\'m not of Byzeth. My alliance with them holds less significance than even yours. They are simply a means to an end—a tool for my revenge against my empire. Nothing more."

Yrsa paused for a moment, her brow furrowing as she weighed his words. But her hesitation was brief. With a snarl, she lunged at him, delivering a brutal uppercut that sent Aric sprawling to the ground. His back hit the snow with a dull thud, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

"If the king of Byzeth has truly wronged your people," Aric continued, struggling to push himself back to his feet, "then you may act as you please when you reach him. I\'d wager it would be better if you killed him."

Yrsa\'s eyes narrowed dangerously. "What did you just say?"

Aric coughed, spitting out more blood as he finally stood, his legs shaking beneath him. His vision swam, but he kept his gaze locked on her. "I received word from the empire," he said, each word a struggle to force out. "They\'ve acted in ways we couldn\'t predict. The imperial squad left the city. They\'re heading for the settlement Aszer occupies."

For a moment, Yrsa hesitated, her fists lowering slightly as the weight of Aric\'s words sank in. Her expression darkened, but it wasn\'t directed at him this time.

"You know about the imperial squad, don\'t you?" Aric pressed, his voice hoarse. "Even the Northrenders have heard of them. If we encounter them, regardless of how many thousand men Byzeth has, or how strong you and your legion are… we will all die. Every single one of us will be eradicated in mere minutes by just a single one of them. Now, imagine an entire squad."

Yrsa\'s punches became heavier, each one driving Aric closer and closer to the edge of his endurance. Blood now dripped freely from his nose and mouth, staining the snow beneath him as he struggled to remain upright. Despite the onslaught, he pushed on.

"But this was your plan, no?" Yrsa growled, frustration in her voice as she caught him with a hard right hook that sent him staggering. "They\'ve sent their strongest defense out of the city. If we attack the imperial city now, we could take it!"

Aric let out a bitter laugh, though it cost him more blood. "Yes," he admitted, his voice low, "but how can we do that? Northrender reinforcements, if called, won\'t travel to the south faster than the squad can return to the imperial city. And don\'t underestimate the strength of the imperial army… or my father."

Yrsa\'s gaze hardened. "So, you plan to betray Aszer now that everything has gone to shit?"

"No," Aric replied, his voice firm despite the pain wracking his body. "I planned to betray that coward from the start. But now I can do it faster. If he has indeed cheated and robbed your people, then isn\'t it best we kill him? When I take his crown and his kingdom, I promise you fair trade with the north, lowered prices, and the land of the settlements we\'ve taken. Just as I promised."

He paused, his body swaying on the spot, his bloodied face contorting with pain, but his voice remained steady. "I will tell my empire that I killed him for his rebellion. Then we can regroup and attempt to take Valeria another day."

Yrsa was silent for a moment, her breaths coming heavy, her chest rising and falling as she regarded Aric.

His entire face was covered in blood, which dripped steadily from a deep gash on his head. His vision was failing, and he could barely see through the crimson haze clouding his eyes. In contrast, Yrsa looked nearly untouched, her body barely bearing any signs of the fight.

They stood there, staring at each other for what felt like an eternity, the battlefield eerily quiet around them.

Then, in the Northrender language, Yrsa spoke. "I will trust you again, prince," she said, her voice low and dangerous, "but if that trust is broken, I will make you pray for death."

Aric\'s body finally gave in. Exhausted and wracked with pain, he fell back into the snow, his arms spread out at his sides as he stared up at the pale, gray sky above. His chest heaved with every ragged breath, and the cold snow beneath him soaked into his clothes, numbing the pain only slightly. But he was still alive. That was all that mattered.

He watched as Yrsa turned to the soldiers, her voice booming across the battlefield. "Prepare to march," she ordered, her tone commanding, "we depart soon."

As the soldiers prepared, Aric\'s vision began to blur, the sounds around him growing distant. The crimson snow beneath him felt almost comforting now as exhaustion pulled him deeper into unconsciousness.

But even as the darkness closed in, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Everything was going according to plan.