The scent of blood and burning earth fills my nostrils as I stand face-to-face with the one person I thought I could trust—Elias. His eyes, usually warm and kind, now flicker with something darker, something colder. I grip the hilt of my blade tighter, my knuckles aching. The fight is inevitable.
"Elias," I say, my voice cracking despite my best efforts. "Why? Why betray me?"
His lips curl into a grim smile. "Betrayal was never my choice, Nina. But survival... survival has a price."
I charge at him, blade raised. The clang of steel echoes in the silent woods as our weapons clash. My heart races, my body moving on instinct as I block his strikes, the weight of his every blow like a hammer.
"You taught me everything," I hiss, narrowing my eyes. "I trusted you!"
Elias doesn’t answer. He
