At the borders of Zestella, Alicia faced Kendel.
The disparity between their abilities was evident. Alicia had reached the seventh Ascension, an impressive feat by most standards at her age. But Kendel stood at the pinnacle of the eighth, his strength and skill radiating a clear gap in experience between them. Despite the odds, Alicia held her ground. Her years of rigorous training and her innate talents as a royal Princess were the only reasons she had lasted this long.
Vampires were renowned for their resilience. As long as blood coursed through their veins, they could endure. And Alicia, as a royal, possessed an extraordinary reservoir of both blood and regenerative prowess. Yet even with these advantages, the pace of the battle was wearing her down.