Knives in hand, Abhi and Gowthami stepped onto the battlefield, the tension between them electric. The air was thick with anticipation, each step deliberate as they moved into position. Abhi, confident in his skills, cast a quick glance at Gowthami, trying to gauge her readiness.
"You have nothing to worry about," Abhi reassured her with a cocky smile. "I'll take it easy on you. This won't be hard."
Gowthami met his gaze with a calm, confident grin. "No worries, brother. Try your hardest on this," she replied, her voice steady, unbothered by his bravado.
Her words struck Abhi. She encouraged me to give it my all in this endeavor; she doesn't fear suffering harm; after all, she was just getting hitched just with in couple of days ' ! he thought, mildly surprised. There was something different about her—a calm assurance he hadn't expected.
"Alright," Abhi responded, a bit more seriously now. "But don't blame me if you end up getting hurt." He spoke carelessly, still not fully convinced of her skill. Turning to Rajeev, he added, "I won't be responsible for anything if she gets injured."
Rajeev, standing on the sidelines, flashed a bright, confident smile. "Come on," he said, his voice filled with amusement, "let's see who gets hurt first."
Abhi couldn't help but feel a flicker of doubt. Is Rajeev really that confident in her? he wondered. If he is, then I won't hold back either.
Ram, watching eagerly from the side, was practically bouncing with excitement. "If you're done with the small talk," he said, his voice impatient, "shall we begin?"
He couldn't wait to see who would prevail.
He couldn't wait to see how this would unfold. He knew Abhi's abilities inside and out. Abhi had trained him, after all, and he had never managed to defeat him. But today was different—today, Gowthami was stepping into the ring. And while Ram had heard rumors of her skill, he hadn't witnessed it firsthand.
Would Abhi, the undefeated black belt, finally meet his match? Ram couldn't help but wonder, his curiosity and excitement rising with each passing second.
The battlefield was silent, except for the soft rustle of leaves and the distant hum of the wind. Abhi tightened his grip on the knife in his hand, his muscles tensing as he locked eyes with Gowthami.
"Let's see what you've got," he muttered under his breath, preparing for what was sure to be an intense match.
Gowthami smiled again, her composure unshaken, and with a swift movement, the battle began.
Both Abhi and Gowthami moved into combat stance, their bodies tense, blades gleaming under the fading light. Gowthami twisted her blade with ease, her movements fluid, as if she was more than accustomed to wielding it. Abhi, not to be outdone, rolled his blade in his hand and advanced, eyes sharp and focused.
With a swift motion, Abhi raised his blade, feigning an attack to draw her attention before launching a real strike. But Gowthami moved quickly—too quickly. She dodged his blows with a speed that took Abhi by surprise. Her movements were graceful, precise, almost like a dance as she sidestepped each of his attacks with ease.
Abhi felt a spark of excitement as he saw her deflect his strikes, her agility impressive. "I see you're good at dodging," he said, a hint of respect in his voice as they continued their battle. He hadn't expected this level of skill from her.
From the sidelines, Sashi, Rajeev, and Ram watched the match unfold with keen interest. The tension was palpable, and every movement was observed with rapt attention.
Ram, however, grew frustrated as he watched Gowthami repeatedly dodge Abhi's strikes without returning a blow. "Why isn't she fighting back?" he muttered, his brow furrowing. "She's just bolting away?!"
Rajeev, standing calmly beside him, grinned. "Wait and keep an eye," he said confidently. His eyes never left Gowthami, and there was something in his tone that suggested he knew exactly what she was doing.
Sashi watched the match unfold, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and confidence. As she observed Gowthami's skillful maneuvers, she couldn't help but think, "I anticipate she possessed a few swordplay skills, but I have no doubt she can't overcome my spouse."
A thought sparked in her mind. "How about a wager?" Sashi asked, glancing at Ram with a challenging gleam in her eyes, She is certain that her spouse will triumph.
Ram raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Are you prepared to wager that your spouse will prevail?"
" Of all, no matter how skilled she is, my spouse is a tremendous fighter; do you guys lose sight of that? ", Sashi most likely mentioned her spouse.
"Yes, sister, I'm prepared for it" , Ram said. " But be prepared to lose the wager."
"Unthinkable, my spouse is a world-renowned swordfighting specialist", Sashi said.
In reality, Abhi was indeed one of the best sword fighters around, having never been defeated in a match. Sashi's faith in him was unshakeable; she had seen him train tirelessly and perform with incredible precision.
Ram, however, couldn't resist the thrill of a challenge. With a wicked smirk, he leaned closer, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Let's see how this plays out."
The tension between them grew as the match continued, each side eager to see who would emerge victorious. Sashi felt a mix of pride and anticipation, her faith in Abhi unyielding as she watched her husband face off against Gowthami.
As the fight progressed, Sashi couldn't help but wonder if Gowthami would surprise them all. But deep down, she knew that Abhi had the upper hand—and she was ready to prove it.
..
"I'm getting drained, so come on, get your sword," Abhi remarked, his tone a mix of frustration and challenge.
"Do you really want me to attack back?" Gowthami asked, grinning as she effortlessly ducked and dodged his strikes.
"Yes," Abhi shot back, a bit more exasperated now. "I want to see how you fight. It's no fun if I'm the only one attacking and you just keep dodging like this."
"Alright, if that's how you like it." With a dangerous glint in her eyes, Gowthami tightened her grip on her blade, her movements becoming sharper. And then, with a sudden burst of speed, she launched her counterattack.
Abhi was caught off guard by the sudden intensity of her strikes. Her blade flashed through the air, moving with such precision that Abhi struggled to keep up. His sword rose to block her onslaught, but Gowthami's strikes were too fast, too controlled.
Before he knew it, her blade knocked his sword from his grip. Abhi's sword spun through the air, helpless, before clattering to the ground. And in an instant, Gowthami's blade was at his neck, poised but controlled.