The duel between Septimius and Isak concluded in the most predictable way imaginable — an overwhelming, almost effortless victory for Septimius.
Few among the audience had ever doubted the outcome. Only a handful of Septimius's rare detractors, driven more by envy than reason, had clung to the desperate hope that the foreign Hero, Isak, might somehow prevail.
After all, Isak was no ordinary man. He was one of the Heroes summoned by the Gods themselves, a being whispered to possess divine blessings and power that transcended mortal limits. His name — and that of his fellow summoned — had spread far and wide, carried on the tongues of bards and travelers across continents. Tales of their extraordinary feats had stirred the imagination of even the Romans, who prided themselves on their might and discipline.
