Chapter 3

Malachi stood in the middle of the deserted street, surveying his surroundings. He had just completed another successful mission, and he was feeling quite pleased with himself. Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.

"Malachi," the voice said. "We need to talk."

Malachi turned around to see a woman standing there. He recognized her immediately - she had once helped him with a few of his villainous acts. But she had betrayed him, going over to the hero's side. He had always wondered why she did so, but he didn't care. She was no longer important to him.

"What do you want?" he said, his voice dripping with contempt.

"I just wanted to talk to you, Malachi," the woman said. "I wanted to explain why I did what I did."

"I don't care," Malachi said. "I have no use for traitors."

The woman's face turned cold. "You don't understand, Malachi," she said. "I didn't go over to the hero's side because I believe in their ideals. I did it because I wanted to destroy you."

Malachi raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he said. "And why, pray tell, do you want to destroy me?"

The woman smiled, a cold and calculating smile. "Because I know your weakness, Malachi. I know that you think you're above everyone, that you're invincible. But you're not. You're just a man, with all the flaws and weaknesses that come with being human. And I'm going to expose those weaknesses, one by one."

Malachi felt a surge of anger rising within him. He didn't like being spoken to like this, as if he was nothing but a mere mortal. He drew his sword, ready to fight.

The woman drew her own sword, her face a mask of cold determination. They circled each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Malachi struck first, his sword slicing through the air. But the woman was fast, and she parried his blow with ease. They continued to fight, their swords clashing and ringing in the empty street.

Malachi was almost winning, but then he felt his mana running low. He had expended too much energy on his previous mission, and now he was paying the price. He realized that he couldn't win this fight.

Just then, a group of heroes appeared on the scene, led by the woman's former ally. They charged at Malachi, their weapons drawn. Malachi knew he couldn't take them all on, not without any mana left. He turned and ran, disappearing into the shadows.

The woman watched him go, her face still cold and calculating. She knew that she would get another chance to destroy him. And when that chance came, she would make sure that he would never rise again.