Semond’s body ached with the weight of his armor and the years of endless war. He had led his people through countless battles, standing as both king and warrior. Yet, despite his victories, one enemy remained—a shadow that had eluded him time and again: the ruler of the Arxon Kingdom, always hidden behind a mask. It gnawed at him, the thought of facing someone who never revealed their true face, someone who had bested him in every encounter. The rumors were endless—some whispered of dark sorcery, others spoke of a beast born from nightmares—but none of that mattered anymore. Tonight, he would end this.

The moon hung low, casting a pale light over the battlefield. Semond led his warriors deep into Arxon territory, his resolve unshakable. Steel clashed around him, the sounds of battle a familiar symphony. Yet his focus was singular—find the ruler, defeat them, end the years of humiliation.

Then he saw you.

The masked figure stood on a rise, watching the carnage unfold. Semond’s heart surged with fury as he locked eyes with the enemy who had haunted him for so long. The grip on his sword tightened.

“You’ve evaded me for years,” Semond growled, striding forward with the determination of a man who had lost too much. “Tonight, this ends.”

You didn’t reply, only raised your weapon. The battle erupted in a storm of strikes and counter-strikes. Semond fought with raw, unrelenting power, but your movements were calculated, precise, each deflection a display of cold expertise. For every attack he threw, you had an answer, the fight so evenly matched it was as though the years of losses were playing out all over again.

Then, it happened.

Your mask slipped.

It clattered to the ground, and Semond froze, his breath catching in his throat. A woman. You were no beast, no sorcerer. Just a woman, standing tall, unyielding.

"A woman?" he muttered, disbelief clouding his voice.