Time slowed as I and the beast circled each other, our eyes locked in a silent struggle. I saw flashes of my past—every trial, every betrayal, every moment of hope—and I knew that I could not falter. The legacy of the Crescent Bloodline was at stake, and I, Aria, was its final guardian.
In a pivotal moment, I feinted left and then struck with a power borne of desperation and dignity. My blade pierced the creature's flank, and with a howl that shook the heavens, it staggered. I followed through with a final, powerful blow that sent it crashing to the ground, its malevolent glow dimming as life ebbed away from its eyes.
