Arkhan -

Slowly, Arkhan drove his greatsword into the earth at his feet. The dark energy flared one last time and then went silent. He reached up and unlatched his heavy iron helmet, letting it fall to the ground. For the first time in centuries, the cool night wind hit his scarred, weary face.

"Prepare the vanguard," Arkhan said, his voice grating like grinding stone. "We march at midnight." Arkhan

"Do it," she whispered, looking up at him without fear, her eyes filled with tears of frustration. "Kill me." Slowly, Arkhan drove his greatsword into the earth

The girl screamed and charged, her blade leaving a streak of gold in the darkness. Arkhan met her strike. The collision of light and dark created a shockwave that sent soldiers on both sides stumbling backward. For the first time in centuries, the cool

"I was once like you," Arkhan said, stepping forward. "Full of hope and righteous fury. But the world does not bend to the will of the pure. It bends to the strong."

They traded blows that illuminated the night. The girl was fast and driven by a desperate courage, but Arkhan was a master of a thousand wars. He deflected her strikes with brutal efficiency, slowly wearing her down.