Celestial peaks of ice loomed over the glowing, arctic tundra, the powdery snow more like dust as it was blown about by powerful winds. The sky was hardly contrasted by the horizon line, ivory and forbidding. Snow swallowed up the sky, piled up by the Gods and solidified into tall, thin obelisks. It was as if the frozen towers were set there to signify your entrance into the gates of some glacial Hell, where you were to freeze to death, instead of burn.

Eyes like two puddles of freshly spilt blood drew lazily across the colorless plains of ice, finding nothing but a white horizon and those two large citadels, which had withstood the harsh conditions for centuries. Each step that the young heiress took drug through the deep, dusty ice; the snow reached just above her knees, causing her to become irritable quite fast. Stopping, her cloak whipped madly in the blistering wind, the silk scarf adorning her face following in suit.

Slowly, Knives drew up a hand. Her cloak was blown to the side, allowing the impetuous slivers of ice to immediately slice up her arm. Blood splattered from the wound and was whisked away by the now caustic wind. The unnatural elixir fell to the snow behind her, sizzling and scorching small holes through the packed layers of ice. Pausing for a moment, her dark eyes flashed, an invisible force blasting away the snow in two directions before her.

She was waiting for them to arrive.

It took her a matter of hours to travel there from realm to realm, and it was time for the events that would decide their fate to transpire. They had accepted her challenge, and they had yet to live it down. The peaks and treacherous climbs were enough to exhaust any mortal, regardless of how much endurance they thought they had, and the altitude was high enough to make even Knives’ breath shallower.

The vampiric woman could feel the raging spirits of the contenders as they made their way closer, the inspiration drawn out in every step she took.

Vivid images of how she would kill each and every one of them bled into her mind. Phantom sensations of being drenched in the sweet ruby liquid caressed her body, easing her slightly onto her toes at the tantalizing illusion. The scent of burning flesh, and the sound of resounding, bloody screams fell upon her ears. Her eyes lit up, a passionate, sinful glint now shining within them. The vicious images caused a pleasant smile to grace her pale, ice-chapped lips.

For a while she tred across the smoothed trail her energy had carved, then stopped and turned on her heel, spotting the grayed out silhouettes of humanoids in the distance.