The Strong Lady [Part 2]

The chill of the arena bit into Raven's skin, but the cold was the least of her concerns. Her focus was riveted on the imposing figure across the icy expanse.

Krullgath's massive frame was almost statuesque, his bone axe glinting under the frost-coated torches that circled the arena.

Every inch of him exuded a raw, almost primal power that belied a cunning intelligence.

Raven's grip tightened on her swords.

Nightfall—which she had always wielded before coming to Stelia—and Edge—which she gained after one phenomenal battle—hummed with a barely restrained energy, a dim white light enveloping their blades, a stark contrast against her ebony armor.

She could feel their subtle weight, which had become an extension of her very will and body, ready to slice through the air with lethal precision.

As the silence hung thickly in the air, Krullgath made the first move.