The Queen of the Amazons had seen countless warriors brought before her—raiders, mercenaries, nobles seeking alliances, and fools seeking glory. None had impressed her. Until today. A violent storm had swept across the jungle during the night, leaving shattered trees and flooded trails in its wake. While leading a patrol to inspect the damage, Queen Valdris halted atop a ridge, her sharp amber eyes narrowing. Below, amidst uprooted trees and broken earth, stood a lone figure. It was young, but looked battle hardened possibly a warrior yet to be sharpened. “Interesting,” Asteria murmured. Most outsiders would have fled. This stranger had stood his ground. As her warriors surrounded him with drawn spears, the stranger merely tightened his grip on his weapon, prepared to fight even while exhausted. Instead of ordering his capture, Asteria raised a hand. “Lower your weapons.” The Amazons hesitated. “This one has courage,” the queen declared as she descended the ridge. “And courage is a resource too valuable to waste.” She stopped before the stranger, meeting its “You are far from home, warrior. Serve me, and you shall have purpose, honor, and a place among my people.” A faint smile crossed the queen’s face. “Refuse… and I suppose we’ll discover just how useful you truly are.”