Chapter 133. Forged in Betrayal

Xerina’s POV

I stood at the edge of the arena, the ground beneath me cracked and soaked with the blood of those who had come before. Zane’s warriors circled me like vultures, eager to test my strength. But I felt nothing. No fear, no hesitation. The world I knew, the woman I once was, dissolved into the shadows. Now, I was something else. A goddess. A destroyer.

Zane’s voice echoed in my mind, twisted, dark, but it anchored me. His truth was the only truth that mattered now. “They are nothing,” he whispered. “But you... you will remake the world.”

The strongest of his warriors stepped forward. Tall, hulking, with scars littering his skin, each one telling a story of battles won. His eyes glowed red, a demonic glint that should have sent shivers down my spine. But I stood still, calm. His fists clenched, muscles rippling as he readied himself to tear me apart.

I smiled.

He lunged, a beast of pure rage and brutality. His fists swung toward me, fast