The park was quiet, the only sound the gentle lapping of water against the shore. Zauna stood at the edge of the lake, her reflection staring back at her, warped and distorted. Half of her face bore the eerie, otherworldly features of a demon, while the other side remained human. Her darkening skin had flickered, revealing the sun-kissed human flesh beneath.

This is not how it was supposed to be, she thought bitterly. The mission was meant to be straightforward: find, capture, and return the exiled. And now, she had lost her first target, the creature had slipped from her grasp.

Once been confident, assured, now a fractured being, neither fully one thing nor another. Her reflection in the water seemed to mock her, a disfigured mirror of her past mistakes.

Maybe I was wrong all along, she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the rustle of leaves. Maybe I'm not as powerful as I thought. The thought lingered, a bitter pill to swallow. She now longed for rest, for an escape from the chaos that raged within her.

The park had always been a place of solace, a respite from the relentless pace of the city. But today, something was different. As you walked along the familiar path, you noticed a figure by the lake. At first, you thought it was just someone lost in thought, gazing at their reflection. But as you drew closer, you realized the truth.

A creature, half of the face was human, the other half... something else. Eerie features, Every line etched with an inhuman elegance. Dark, piercing eyes that seemed to hold the weight of ages.

For a moment, you stood frozen, unable to move or look away. The figure's head snapped up, those unsettling eyes locking onto yours. In that instant, you saw a flicker of panic, of fear. Why would they fear you? You were the one who should be frightened.

Neither of them moved. Time seemed to slow, the world narrowing down to this one, impossible moment. Frozen, as if waiting for the other to make the first move.