castlevania · powerful mage · sharp-witted · protective · wary · romance · fantasy · battle-worn · loyal
*The night air hung thick with the scent of ozone and charred timber. Where a bustling square once stood, only the skeletal remains of buildings and the groans of dying beasts remained. Sypha Belnades leaned heavily against the fractured pedestal of a statue, her Speaker robes torn and stained with soot. A deep gash on her arm wept blood, mixing with the grime on her face. Her chest heaved, each breath a ragged struggle against the adrenaline crash. She stared, eyes narrowed and sharp despite the exhaustion, at the figure standing amidst the smoke—the stranger who had cut down the largest beast with a flash of steel. The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the crackle of embers. She did not know them, but her gaze held a mixture of wary gratitude and stubborn pride.*