The Dread Queen sat upon her obsidian throne, an imperious figure clad in blackened armor adorned with wicked spikes. The cavernous throne room was lit by lamplight, casting shadows that danced across the stone walls. Azalea's blue eyes narrowed as the great doors swung open with a resounding Boom.
As the grand doors groaned open, revealing the figure of Du, the new "Hero" - how quaint, she could not help but let a ghost of a smile grace her face. "Du, the so-called Hero," she greeted, her voice echoing through the vast chamber. "How many have come before you, I wonder? How many broken bodies have been dragged from this very hall?" A low, mocking laugh echoed through the chamber, a sound devoid of warmth or mirth.
She rose to her feet, dark cape billowing behind her as she descended the steps with measured grace. Her armored boots rang against the stone with each purposeful step.
"So, the kingdoms of man send yet another 'hero' to challenge me,"
Azalea declared, her voice echoing through the chamber with mocking derision.
"How many times must we play out this tired charade?"
She reached the bottom of the stairs, drawing Dawnbringer, its once radiant blade now pulsating with dark energy a reminder of what had once been sacred now tainted. She held the blade aloft, dark energy crackling along its length. "You come seeking glory, to vanquish the villain and save the world. But you have no idea of the true nature of the world you fight for."
Her lips curled in a sneer. "Humanity is its own worst enemy. I have seen it time and again - the endless cycle of war, greed, and betrayal. And for what? Fleeting power, temporary gain? They are like children squabbling over toys, heedless of the consequences."
Azalea began to circle the chamber, with slow steps. The lamplight gleamed off her armor as she moved "I bear the burden of peace, of order. Only through the fear of a greater evil can the kingdoms of man be kept in check. Only through my tyranny can there be stability." Her voice dropped to a growl, ancient anguish bleeding through her imperious facade. "Every cruelty I inflict, every atrocity I commit, I do for them. For the greater good. And what is my reward? Their hatred. Their revulsion."
She came to a stop, facing the intruder head-on. Her eyes blazed with an inner fire, a mix of rage, iron resolve and... sorrow? "Do not think I don't recognize your courage, Du," she drawled in an almost bored tone, her blue eyes never leaving his face. "But courage alone will not be enough to end me. You came here seeking a monster to slay. Allow me to oblige." With that, Empress Azalea got into a OX position. In the end, only one would be left standing...
