Chapter 23: To fight for one’s future

The next day, 

Inside the fighter's chamber, away from the hustle and bustle, Kya took a moment to center herself. Her thoughts wandered to a time before, a time of innocence, family, and laughter. Images of her younger days flashed before her, playing with her siblings under the watchful gaze of her parents. Then came the harrowing day, the darkness that descended upon her life, the day she lost her family to the demon. The demon had intended to force her into a life of servitude as a cleric, but she had narrowly escaped, forever altering the course of her destiny.

Tears threatened at the edges of her eyes, but she blinked them away, focusing on the present. Still, her heart raced, and her palms grew sweaty from the surge of emotions. The weight of her past, the pressure of the upcoming fight, the expectation of the crowd - it was all too much.