Eve
As I pounced, Hades easily dodged me and circled me like a predator once more, his sharp eyes glinting with an unsettling amusement. "Strength is only half the battle," he said, his tone as cold and detached as ever. "Endurance determines who stays standing when the fight drags on. Let's see if you can handle the real thing."
I barely had a moment to prepare before he surged forward again but this time, he was more unrelenting. He didn't give me space to think, didn't allow a single breath of reprieve. His attacks came in a flurry—strikes aimed at my sides, sweeps toward my legs, and quick feints to throw me off balance. It reminded me of the men that he had fought when he had brought me here. I had never thought to think that I would be at the receiving end of his onslaught.
