Twenty-five years ago... The world was much different from what we know now; in the past, things were more... different, for the worse.
The world was ruled by the strong, much more so than currently, where there is a certain balance, and twenty-five years ago, the world was more complicated, a dangerous and deceitful place.
Gigantic battles were commonly seen, mainly because of a few women... Lyrianna Vortex, Valentina Scarlet, and Siren Sirius Stela.
Many strong men existed... but this combination of women was beyond comprehension.
Valentina Scarlet, the Strongest Vampire Woman in the World, do I need to tell you about her? We all know her like the back of our hands; she's our lovely Fierce Vampire.
Siren Sirius Stela, better known as Siren or Stela, she was a woman unlike the norm, her ferocity was truly something to admire. Moreover, she wasn't someone who could be underestimated; all those who tested that never returned to their families. The strongest Alpha of all, that was her...
And finally... last but not least... the true woman we need to focus on now.
Lyrianna Vortex, the Strongest Human Woman in the World, the one who fought with dual swords and used ice in her martial arts, her coldness was so intense that her enemies died before even touching the Ice Goddess.
Lyrianna didn't have a common childhood; she was born in the Valley of Lorian, a region marked by the war between the Murim and Demon Alliances. She grew up amidst devastation. Orphaned since childhood, she barely remembered her parents, whose lives were taken by the conflict. Her village, Orenth, took her in, but life was tough.
From a young age, she was the center of attention with her unwavering strength, working in the fields and listening attentively to the elders' stories about times when life was more peaceful.
"Damn... I should have gone with my daughter," Lyrianna murmured, her arms covered in cuts and her torn dress serving as an improvised bandage for the deep wound on her leg. Her clothes were in tatters, but she couldn't stop; she kept running through the forest.
"Damn... Since when did I become so weak? Damn cultivation! Why did I reset my foundations to become stronger!" She questioned herself as she ran through the darkness, trying to shake off whatever was behind her.
"Curse it, if only I stopped being arrogant with people I don't know! Why did I have to get stuck in this damn empire! I should listen more to my dear daughter!" She shouted as she began cutting through all the branches and trees in front of her to go even faster.
Behind her, sounds of fleeing animals mixed with the threatening noise of pursuers. Something was coming. Something relentless and fierce. Lyrianna knew she needed to find a safe place to hide and regroup, but the forest seemed to offer no refuge.
She continued to run desperately, without looking back, only forward. Thus, the night grew darker, and Lyrianna finally found a rudimentary shelter in a small cave hidden among the rocks.
Fatigue was overcoming her, and she huddled against the cold wall, trying to regulate her breathing. But rest was brief.
"It seems the prey walked right into the trap…" A deep voice echoed through the cave, followed by the sound of firm footsteps.
Lyrianna quickly rose, her dual swords materializing in her hands through a simple Ice spell.
Standing at the cave entrance was a tall man, dressed in battle attire. His eyes gleamed, "Demon Cult." Lyrianna murmured.
"You're far from home, Ice Goddess," he smiled, and the moonlight illuminated his face, revealing a scar halfway across his head.
"Who are you?" Lyrianna asked, gripping her swords tightly. Her body was tired; she couldn't fight now, she would probably injure herself even more if any misstep occurred.
"I'm just a hunter, seeking a valuable prize," he replied. "And you, my dear, are the most valuable trophy of all," he said, his eyes seeming like they could devour Lyrianna's body, who quickly tried to step back, but...
The man's sword was drawn, and Lyrianna had no choice but to fight.
The cold gleam of Lyrianna's swords was the only light in the cavern's dark space, her hands trembling, not just from exhaustion but from pure fear.
The aura she felt emanating from this man was nothing but pure horror, a bad feeling emanated from him, a feeling of death.
The hunter advanced slowly, each step a promise of imminent confrontation. "So, you've decided to fight, Lyrianna. I expected more prudence from the Ice Goddess," he taunted, "Don't underestimate me," Lyrianna responded.
Lyrianna barely had time to react. The hunter's blade cut through the air, striking her remaining sword and making it resonate with a metallic sound. She staggered backward, feeling the cave wall pressing against her back.
"Did you really think you could defeat me?" He growled.
"I've defeated worse than you before," she retorted, the pain in her leg intensifying with each passing second. The cold within her was starting to dissipate.
The hunter advanced, striking with force, and fortunately, Lyrianna narrowly dodged, his blade cutting a lock of her hair. "You're weakened. A pathetic failure."
Lyrianna didn't respond; in a way, it was true.
With a quick movement, she kicked a stone towards his face, gaining a precious second to retrieve her sword. Without thinking, she spun and struck horizontally. The hunter easily blocked, his smile widening.
"You're not at your peak, Ice Goddess, is the once famous strongest woman just a child now?" he taunted. Every word from this being was making Lyrianna even more irritated. "Damn it, shut up!" She roared, lunging with all the strength she had left. Her swords sliced through the air, but he was fast, blocking each blow with annoying ease.
Lyrianna was running out of time and strength. Each attack she launched was weaker than the previous one, and the hunter seemed to know it. "You will lose," he murmured, his eyes fixed on her.
"Not yet," she whispered, her words almost inaudible. Gathering her last drop of energy, she focused all her power into her blades, which glowed with a chilly blue light.
She leaped, reopening her wounds fully, and delivered a strike with both swords in a downward arc. The hunter tried to block, but the impact sent him crashing into the wall, shattering the rock around him. He fell to the ground, dazed.
"You should have stayed out of my way," she murmured, breathless. She looked at him, her swords still gleaming with ice, but they began to fade, her mana had run out.
The hunter got up, staggering. "Truly Weak," he said, struggling to rise. But before he could attack again, Lyrianna spun, delivering a heavy kick to his chest, and he slammed into the wall, seeming unconscious.
Lyrianna stood there for a moment, her knees trembling, trying to catch her breath. The world spun around her, but she knew she couldn't stop. She turned and left the cave, ignoring the pain and exhaustion, just running away.
Lyrianna felt the pain explode in her leg when she tried to move forward. "It's time to end this," the voice came from behind her, a deadly chill in his voice. "Damn it... you won't catch me..." Lyrianna muttered, trying to gather strength. Her body screamed for rest, but she knew she couldn't give in. Not yet.
With a desperate movement, she spun, summoning her sword, trying to surprise him. But he was ready. His blade met hers, and the force of the impact sent her sword flying from her hands, bouncing off the cave's rocks.
Lyrianna staggered, her vision darkening. She felt the other leg give out, and she fell to her knees. She had made a grave mistake, turning her back in desperation to get away from her enemy, she had failed. She wouldn't have done that naturally, but the circumstances led to it, she could only blame herself for her failure.
"I told you that you would lose," he growled, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "You're no longer worthy of your legend, Lyrianna."
Lyrianna looked at him, the cold of his power beginning to fade. She was cornered. "Go to hell," she cursed, her voice trembling with hatred and desperation.
"Ah, but before that, you'll do me a favor," he replied, his blade cutting through the air and lightly touching her neck. "You're coming with me."
She tried to get up, but he grabbed her by the hair, pulling her up brutally. Pain shot through her body, and she tasted the bitter taste of failure. "Your luck has run out, Ice Goddess."
He dragged her into the dark forest, swallowing them as he led her into the darkness. Every step was a struggle against the fading consciousness. Her thoughts turned to her daughter.
"Sara... I hope you're happy... this mother of yours won't see your face again, I'm sorry." Lyrianna thought, they were her last thoughts before she completely passed out...