Eleanor vs River part 2 (Battle in the Mountains of Keral) 

Eleanor's eyes widen as she realises that it's too late to defend as her knife is far away, and with her balance off, she has lost control over her chains.

GUSH*

With a decisive thrust, the blade found its mark, piercing clean flesh and splattering blood all over Eleanor's face.

"AAAAAA!!"

The sounds of Eleanor's scream echo throughout the surrounding area.

"Arghh!!"

River stood with a tilt to his stance, and after piercing his dagger into Eleanor's palms, her form crumpled upon the ground.

"Very reactive, you are," said River.

Ahh!! Eleanor struggles as River pushes his dagger to reach Eleanor's face through her palm.

Eleanor's gaze flickered towards the glinting knife of her Witchcraft, resting just a little further ahead. She extended her right hand towards it, and the knife materialised within her grasp. Without hesitation, she wielded it, driving its point directly into River's face, but he jumped just in time after seeing the knife in her hand.

Drop* Drop*

Regardless, River sees unknown blood dripping down in front of his feet.

He gingerly brushed his fingertips against his cheeks and glanced at his hand—blood. Eleanor's slashing blade had found its mark, leaving a crimson trail on his face.

*Chuckles*

"Does it hurt?" said River with a laugh, calling his dagger back into his hand.

With a graceful flick, Eleanor smoothed the dust from her long black jacket, her posture like that of an unhinged warrior as she stood upright, Witchcraft clasped firmly in her grasp. Her steely gaze shifted to her left hand, where, in the centre, she sees a breach in her palms with bright blood dripping out of it.

"Master..." said Eleanor, with a mysterious smile that came on her lips. "must've trained you like a soft child if you think this will hurt me."

Eleanor's resolve remained unshaken as she firmly pressed her palms together, making a stronger fist than before, as if the pain in it didn't exist.

"Ahh- yes, yes, yes. How can I forget it?" Said River. "I thought you were a girl, so he must've shown you some consideration, but nope. That geezer won't change."

"He doesn't have to," said Eleanor. "I like him this way." She walks two steps on side.

"Acting cool?"

"Not at all," said Eleanor. "I just have things that I must take care of, and Master's way of teaching is the best thing that can happen to me."

"Masochist Bitch."

"Don't tell me, you want to kill him just because he was too hard on you," said Eleanor as she halted on her toes and glanced at River with a sarcastic smile.

"Do I look like someone who's afraid of pain?" asked River.

"Yes."

"You don't know a shit about him, so it's easy to say for you."

"Enlighten me."

"What's the point of telling a story to a woman who's just about to die?" expressed River, clutching his dagger with a firm grip and taking his stance to attack. A crackling aura of lightning sparks around him.

"Sounds like you are running away," said Eleanor, her hands unfurled and chains gleaming as she shifted into a new stance, poised and determined.

"Shut up!!" said River, infuriated as his veins collected on his head.

Thud*

River dashed forward, his dagger slicing in the air with relentless fury, the metallic sparks echoing in the tense atmosphere. But Eleanor's hands are a blur of motion; for some reason, she is only focused on defence this time. Her chains intercepted each strike with calculated precision. Despite her minimal footwork, she evaded and blocked each of those heavy, furious attacks with a dancer's grace.

River jumped forward at Eleanor, his form a blur as he aimed straight for her. Yet, with a swift motion, Eleanor sidestepped his attack, her chains dancing around her in a graceful defense. However, before she could turn back, River rebounded back with even greater speed, hurtling towards her open back.

"You are dead!! Bitch!!" yelled River, as he charged straight with all of his strength.

—Just then, Eleanor dropped low, making a leg split with inhuman flexibility. As she evaded River's attack, with a deft push on the ground, she hovered just above the ground, rotating herself seamlessly. In a flash, her knife surged upward, finding its mark and thrusting through the River's outstretched hand in the air, which was holding a dagger.

*Gush*

"AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" Screamed River; his dagger fell to the ground, and blood splattered.

"Now, we are even," said Eleanor.

Continuing the fluid momentum of her spin, Eleanor unleashed a powerful kick, filled with her black aura, channeling every ounce of her strength into the blow aimed directly at River's face.

*THUD*

The impact of Eleanor's kick sent River hurtling several metres through the air, his body propelled until it finally crashed into the statue of the god looming at the entrance. His body lay motionless at the back of the statue.

Huff* Huff* Eleanor wipes the sweat from her mouth and stands herself properly. She is tired and has realised that her stamina is almost at its limit.

For a span of 45 seconds, River lay unmoving, blood trickling not only from his wounded hand but also from his parted lips. His gaze remained fixed downward, his eyes drawn to the cross-chain on his neck.

*Tap* *Tap*

Eleanor's footsteps resonated through the silence of the temple as she approached and came to a halt before River, with her Witchcraft in her grasp.

"Does it hurt?" asked Eleanor, taunting in a similar way to what River did to her earlier.

Eleanor was expecting a creepy laugh or something in response, but nothing came out. River didn't let out a tiny hmm. His eyes fixated downward on his cross-chain, lost in some thought, paralysed by the present reality.

"Okay, let's stop running around the bush." said Eleanor, "Tell me, why are you trying to kill Master?"

—No response came.

"What did he do to you?" she asked again. "that you have developed so much hatred for him."

—No response came.

"By the way, are you the one who killed the rest of the students two years ago?" And later, Queen and her forces apprehended you?" 

Eleanor asked casually, her arms folding across her chest with her index finger delicately pressed against her lips. She gazed upward, lost in thought.

—No response came.

"He said, You were his best student, then why did you do all that?" said Eleanor, brushing her hair. "I can't understand any of it Ahh-"

Finally, in the second, River lifted his chin ever so slightly while the rest of his body remained motionless. There's an eerie stillness that is emanating from him, amplified by the absence of any emotion on his face; his expression is dead serious. As his gaze met Eleanor, a chill swept through her, causing a slight tremble. With a gulp, Eleanor fought to maintain her composure, but the intensity of his stare left her feeling unsettled and anxious.

"Say something, will yo-"

*Caw*

It wasn't until later that Eleanor noticed the gathering of crows perched ominously around the temple.

—Why are there crows everywhere? She thought.

Their dark forms cast eerie shadows against the ancient stone walls.

As Eleanor's gaze wandered around, she felt faint vibrations reverberating through the ground beneath her feet.

"What?" expressed Eleanor.

Startled, she watched as a solitary crow swooped past her path, alighting on River's shoulders, unseen until now behind her. As she turned to see the bird, she got shook as she saw River, who had risen to his feet once more, the ground trembling beneath him with sudden intensity and his eyes glaring at Eleanor.