I am the Villainess!!!

Seraphina gripped her staff tightly, her mind racing through attack spells as she confronted Jonathan, the Stormblade. The air around them crackled with chaotic energy and smoke, but she forced herself to focus on her opponent. His determined expression and labored breaths painted a picture of a knight pushed to his limits, blood streaking down the side of his face."Is this how far the Stormblade Knights of Eldoria have fallen?" Seraphina demanded, her voice sharp. "Sending their best knight to assassinate me in the dark? Did they truly believe this would work?"Jonathan raised his sword, a crooked grin curling his lips. Seraphina spared a fleeting glance at Felix, her loyal hippogriff, who lay motionless on the ground—a failed rescue attempt leaving him grounded."You haven't given us many other options," Jonathan replied, his voice steady despite the circumstances. "Your armies march on the Concord Alliance, yet you still reach for more. Desperation forces hard choices."Seraphina let out a sharp laugh. What could this knight possibly know of desperation? She didn't waste words, instead lifting her staff and unleashing a powerful stream of fire toward him.Jonathan dodged with lightning speed, countering by charging at her. "Guards!" she called out, hoping for reinforcements, but none came. Panic flared in her chest. Where were they? She was alone in this fight.Jonathan's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "I told you, your attendants have been dealt with. There's no one left to help you."Fury rose within her, slashing the air with her staff to send a razor-sharp arc of wind toward him. He dodged, but not fast enough. The edge of the attack grazed his shoulder, drawing an agonized cry as he crumpled to the ground.Jonathan knelt before her, wounded and vulnerable. Seraphina loomed over him, her gaze cold. "Give up, brave knight. You can't win this."But instead of defeat, Jonathan's eyes gleamed with defiance. To her astonishment, he grinned."I have a better chance than you think," he rasped, his hand moving to a hidden pocket. When he withdrew a small crystal, Seraphina's blood ran cold."You know what this is," Jonathan said, reveling in her visible fear. "I searched far and wide for this little trinket. Quite the adventure, don't you think?"Seraphina stumbled back, her breath growing shallow. Could the crystal already be affecting her? She couldn't tell if it was the artifact or her own realization of impending doom that weakened her.Jonathan began chanting an ancient incantation, and the crystal pulsed with vibrant colors. "No!" Seraphina screamed, her magic swirling chaotically inside her as she fought to resist. "How is this possible? You're not even a magic user!"Jonathan's expression twisted with pain as he clutched the crystal, his voice grim. "Anything is possible if you're willing to sacrifice everything."Her magic drained from her, flowing into the crystal like a relentless tide. Seraphina sagged to her knees, barely holding herself upright with her staff. Panic set in—how could she fight without her spells?Desperation flickered in her eyes as she tried to reason with him. "You're doing the same thing you claim to despise, Jonathan. Sacrificing for change."He didn't respond, consumed by the artifact's power. As the last of her magic left her body, she collapsed, helpless. Jonathan approached her, dagger in hand, the Mage Slayer gone.He pressed the blade to her chest, his voice low. "I take no pleasure in this, Seraphina.""And yet...here we are," she whispered, her strength gone. Darkness claimed her as the dagger plunged downward.Then, there was nothing.When Seraphina opened her eyes again, she gasped for air, expecting to see Jonathan, but he was gone. So was the war room and its destruction. nothing. She searched her body for injuries but found none. To her surprise, she stood with ease. "What is this place?" she whispered aloud. It was... odd. A small unfamiliar place, the walls were covered with images. She walked over to one of the images, a map with a bridge drawn on it. She read the words beneath it: "Welcome to Brooklyn."Confusion washed over her. "What is Brooklyn?"Wherever place she was in, it was not where she had been. Something was terribly wrong.