(V 2) Beaten

Diana stood in the center of the makeshift arena, faced with a daunting foe Kanote . He stood tall in his gleaming armor, an immovable wall of steel and determination. He stared at her with an unyielding gaze, his dark eyes seeming to burn through her every thought. His arms were crossed, and he seemed unconcerned with her presence.

But Diana stood her ground. She had come this far, and she would not be intimidated. She readied herself for battle, her rage and confusion warring within her. It seemed as if the odds were stacked against her; she was outmatched and outgunned in every way.

The general's voice boomed from within his armor. "Well, Diana. What do you say? Are you ready to take me on?" He scoffed and shook his head. "I must say, I'm disappointed. I thought you would put up a better fight."

Diana clenched her fists and stepped forward. "I didn't come here to disappoint," she spat. "I'm here to fight."

The general laughed. "Very well," he said. "Let's see what you have, then."

He stepped forward, his heavy armor clanking as he moved. Diana stood her ground, waiting for him to make the first move. She watched closely, her eyes following his every move.

He made a feint toward her, but she was ready for it. She side-stepped and counter-punched, her fist finding purchase on his metal breastplate. She followed with a flurry of punches, but each one was met with a deft parry. He easily dodged her every move, his reflexes quicker and sharper than hers.

Finally, the general had enough. He swiped his arm across her face, sending her sprawling to the ground. She felt the hot flush of humiliation wash over her. The crowd cheered, and the general looked down on her with contempt.

"You're too slow, Diana," he sneered. "You can't hope to beat me like this."

Diana scrambled to her feet and attacked once more. She landed a few punches, but he simply shook them off. He took a step back and let her come at him, dodging her swings and countering with punishing blows. She was pushed back and forth by the assembled stone soldiers, her arms and legs growing heavy with fatigue. Finally, the general ended it with an uppercut that knocked her out cold.

The crowd roared its approval, but Diana lay still on the ground, her body numb with humiliation. She heard the general's voice again, this time with a note of admiration.

"You know, Diana, I should really thank you for this," he said. "If you didn't break my body in our last fight, I would never have been this strong."

Diana was too dazed to respond, so she simply lay there until the crowd dispersed and she was able to gather her wits. She eventually made it back to her feet, her bruises and cuts stinging in the cold air. She looked down at the ground and saw the general's armor, shined and gleaming in the moonlight, and knew that she had been well and truly beaten.