The battlefield stretched out before them, a sea of chaos and bloodlust. Xypheron stood at the forefront of his army, his cloak billowing in the wind as the battle cries echoed through the air. The sun had barely risen, casting a dim light over the field, painting everything in shades of crimson and gold. It was a fitting omen for what was about to unfold.
Beside him, Vexaria stood tall, her eyes steely, her face set in determination. Her armor gleamed under the weak sunlight, and the sword at her side was an extension of herself. The scent of earth and metal filled the air, and the distant sounds of clashing steel and screams of war only intensified the tension that held them both captive.
Xypheron glanced at her, his jaw tightening. There was something in her gaze—something deeper than the usual fire of defiance. She wasn't just ready for this battle. She was ready for what came after. Whatever that was.
"I'll fight beside you," she said, her voice low, but resolute. "I'm not leaving you behind."
He turned to her fully, his gaze unwavering. "You never have," he said, his voice low with an intensity that mirrored her own. "But you don't have to be here. You could wait for me. You could—"
"No," she cut him off, her hand gripping his arm. "I'll fight beside you. I'm with you until the end."
There was no room for argument. And in that moment, he realized she wasn't just standing beside him out of loyalty or obligation. She was there because she believed in what they were building—what they were fighting for. And perhaps, for the first time, he believed it too.
The battle began in earnest.
Steel clanged against steel, bodies collided with brutal force, and the ground beneath them shook with the fury of war. Vexaria fought with precision, her movements fluid, almost like she had become part of the chaos around her. Xypheron, too, was a force to be reckoned with. His commands rang out like thunder, guiding his troops with deadly efficiency.
But as the battle raged on, something began to shift. The air