The fight started abruptly.
Alicia's much smaller figure shot from the ground and was already preparing to sweep my legs with a low kick. But as she neared she slid against the ground and pivoted with the help of a hand to the ground, before launching a foot at my stomach.
Admittedly, I didn't see that coming. Thank goodness I didn't really need to with supernatural powers.
Nine options overlapped in my head in response to Alicia's aggressive opening. Side-stepping perfectly, my foot raised before stomping hard where her torso was.
In a narrow escape, Alicia rolled away and brushed her grass-stained pants. Quick to retaliate, she launched herself at me prepared to out-CQC me.
The way she approached in a straight line, I felt a trap. A feinted punch led Alicia to crouch and load a power punch towards my gut. With a prompt step back, her much smaller reach found no purchase with her uppercut.
I entered back into close quarters as quickly as I left. My lower legs pumped with power as I charged into her figure, my arms tucked readily to grab at her. But my dive was countered as she slipped into the air and kicked off my chest into a safer position.
"You know grappling techniques?"
"Not at all." I quipped.
A grin blossomed as I answered truthfully. Your opponent won't know what they don't know. So one better use it against them.
My answered seemed to amuse Alicia as her stance opened up and her palms revealed themselves. Was she really going to do this to me? With a mischievous grin on her face, the pink-haired girl charged back at me.
"Didn't you already show me how to counter this?" I joked.
With a lift into the air, I attempted to kick against her momentum and flee like she did. Yet, I couldn't. My feet landed on no body.
With the help of my nine subconsciousness', I witnessed a crazy sight.
Having dodged my kick, this chick flung herself into the air and expertly grabbed at my foot. Bringing her legs mid-air around one of mine, I instantly knew I was done for and outmatched.
Landing with a hard thud, pain instantly coursed through my leg as Alicia twisted her body, her hands holding my ankle in a flying foot lock.
Damn.
Where had my revenge gone?
...
...
His spear clanged to the ground.
Damian's gaze looked to the grassy floor in disbelief, eyes wide. This... couldn't be.
Snatching his fallen glasses from the floor, Damian looked at his opponent and scrutinised his face. His pride scrunched as the other person's face was barred from any sweat or show of effort. He was clearly being ridiculed.
Why why why?
When he was watching the final exam, Arthur never showed this level of swordsmanship. Never this level of expertise or power. How had this guy suddenly improve seemingly over night?
"You... do you finally give up? This is a waste of our time, just accept the result." The fact his voice sounded so unimpeded annoyed Damian. He wasn't someone that was supposed to be trampled on.
Training for years under his mentor, this guy shouldn't have dismantled all his techniques that easily. They were ingrained into him and were executed perfectly. There was nothing wrong with his performance.
Unless it wasn't his performance, but the level of technique learnt?...
"No.... I'm not finished yet." Regardless of whether he was some genius or scammer, Damian couldn't just let him take Ella like that. He wanted to spar with her, talk with her some more.
It was unfair. Why was Arthur given this chance and not him?
Grabbing his spear, Damian staggered to his feet and followed the tugging of his heart. A power from his dual-innate ability granted control over willing subjects and that included himself. Although riskier considering he now had to manually pilot all his systems, he had practiced this before and this allowed him greater control.
A cold sensation rushed over his body as his systems all simultaneously shut down for a split second only for a revitalising force to pump the body a start. Damian's heart pulsed steady, his lungs compressing and expanding rhythmically.
"If that's what you want, then if you can take this attack, I'll give the decision over to Ella." Hearing Arthur's voice, one would think it was her choice in the first place.
But for Damian, he couldn't afford any other thought than keeping himself alive and the scorching desire to impale his opponent with his spear.
Arthur looked on to his opponent that slowly grew more and more agitated. His face blushing red and his white-knuckled grip on that long spear of his. A voice from within seemed to caution him, a power seeping into his limbs and partially guiding his sword.
Taking his chance, Damian lunged forwards and drove his spear domineeringly. His cells and muscle fibres all acting in accordance to his will, a seemingly perfect thrust aimed itself towards the white-haired swordsman.
Yet, fate was ever so cruel.
A silver flash ripped through the air, its trajectory trailing a mystical energy. An image of a crescent moon imprinted onto those watching.
Damian's heart tugged to a stop. His eyes looked blankly to the ground, his Crimson Spear lying on the grassy floor. Then his eyes drifted to his chest.
A sword had imbedded itself into his chest, entering from his shoulder and cleaving through his torso. Pain was absent in the training ring, but something still hurt.
As if years of his life left him.
...
...
From my lip dribbled a line of blood. A brush from my knuckle acted as a quick fix before I sent myself flying towards Alicia's direction. All pretences of holding back and acting nonchalant were thrown out the window.
This chick wasn't just called a fighting prodigy for no reason.
"You're getting better," Alicia slid from a punch thrown. "you know that?"
"Yeah right." Her attempt at getting under my skin was hastily ignored. Was she purposely teasing me now?
My leg lifted to block a low kick and a punch threw itself smoothly. Yet the girl weaved and threw a high kick. Stepping into her space I reach out to grab her once again, but despite having a leg in the air for a kick, Alicia hopped on a single leg and tapped her body away using my thigh as leverage.
Feelings of irritation seem to take hold as I charged incessantly. A punch thrown, a kick there. Blocking another kick and stomaching an elbow to the side, I began to feel for the flow of fighting.
Unbeknownst to Alicia, my body soon began integrating my Desert Drifter Arts into my movements. Moving strangely against the ground as if there were invisible footholds on the ground, the pressure I placed on Alicia increased. Yet despite this integration of my skill, she persevered.
As if she had this supernatural sixth sense. She never took a blow from me and never engaged without a move to fall back on. Rotating between varying marital arts and combat styles, I was thoroughly impressed how skilled she was outside of her using a scythe.
Seeing how outmatched I was, barely holding on thanks to my blessing, I decided it was time to let go. Just embrace the fight. This chick was too hard to win against.
And so as soon as I began immersing myself into the fight, something strange happened.
My heart tugged
and memories surged through me.
Of two people.