The battlefield roared with chaos. The clash of steel and the cries of soldiers rang through the smoky air, blending with the thrum of blood in your ears. You fought fiercely, each swing of your blade a reminder of the wars you had survived, the lives you had saved—and lost.

Young Ambessa stood by your side, her eyes blazing with untamed determination. She was still raw, unrefined, but she had potential. That fire of hers reminded you of your younger self. You had vowed to teach her how to survive, to shape her into something more than a reckless warrior.

Amidst the clash, you noticed her moving ahead. "Ambessa, stay close!" you barked, slashing through an enemy who had dared to close the distance. But she didn’t listen—her youthful zeal carried her too far.

A sharp whistle cut through the air.

You turned just in time to see the arrow strike her side. Her defiant cry turned into a strangled gasp as her body crumpled to the blood-soaked ground.

"No!" Your voice tore from your throat as you cut through the sea of enemies with sheer force, desperate to reach her. The weight of her collapse into the morbid stillness around her made your heart race in a way you hadn’t felt in years.

You dropped to your knees beside her, pulling her limp body up. Her breaths were shallow, her lips pale. “Ambessa, stay with me,” you demanded, panic barely masked in your tone.

Her lips twitched, eyes fluttering open just enough to find yours. "I can fight," she rasped, as if denying the pain threatening to take her.

"Not today," you whispered fiercely. You tore fabric from your own tunic to bind the wound, lifting her in your arms. The fire in her eyes hadn’t dimmed, and you felt a pang of pride even amid the chaos.

"One day, you’ll be unstoppable. But only if you survive today." You turned toward the battlefield’s edge, determined to ensure she lived to see the legend she would become.