Although Lucien had signaled to start, both Raphael and Alexia remained frozen in place, their eyes locked in a tense stare.
"Are you sure you want to continue?" He sneered. "You're free to surrender. I don't want anyone thinking I'm bullying a child."
"Surrender? You must be joking? I'm just getting started, and you're already begging for mercy? What a disappointment." She retorted, her voice dripping in disdain.
"Hahaha..." Raphael burst into laughter.
"Begging for mercy? From you? Sorry, kid, but you're not worth it."
Without further ado, he swung his fists at her, aiming for her midsection with a fierce and brutal precision.
Alexia twisted her body right, missing the punch by merely a hair's breadth. She countered with a punch of her own, but Rapheal was ready, catching her wrists in a vice-like grip.
With a brutal twist, he swung her across the arena.
The crowd gasped as Alexia skidded to a halt, dust billowing around her.
For a moment, she lay still, her chest heaving. She never would have thought that such a burly man could be so agile. She had considered using her speed to defeat him, but now that seemed impossible.
With a newfound resolve burning in her eyes, she forced herself to her feet.
Battered and bruised, she launched herself at the him again, faster this time, hoping to catch him off balance.
But he was still ready. He twisted with a speed that belied his size, his fist connecting with her ribs. The impact drove the air from her lungs, and she fell to her knees, gasping.
But she forced herself up, her eyes blazing with a fierce light.
"What the hell! How is this kid still able to get up despite my punches? And why won't he just surrender? I thought about showing him mercy, but I guess he doesn't need it."
With these thoughts, he launched a fierce kick at her, aiming to end the fight once and for all.
Alexia twisted right dodging the kick, then spun left, landing a sold kick to his knees. He grunted in pain, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.
He retaliated with a backhanded slap that sent Alexia crashing to the ground once more. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, but she wiped it away with the back of her hand, a steely glint in her eyes.
Again and again, Alexia attacked, each time meeting Raphael's unyielding strength and surprising agility. Each time she was knocked down, she rose, more determined than before. Her body ached, bruises blooming under her skin, but she pressed on, her movements growing sharper, more focused.
Raphael's smirk began to fade, replaced by a look of grudging annoyance.
'This boy is just like a roach, annoying and impossible to kill'
Alexia's strikes became more precise, each punch and kick delivered with more strength.
She landed a solid blow to the Rapheal's ribs making him grunt in pain.
She saw her chance and pressed her advantage, only to be caught mid-strike. Raphael lifted her effortlessly, slamming her into the ground with a bone-jarring thud.
Her vision blurred, stars dancing before her eyes.
Struggling, she pushed herself up once more, blood trickled from her mouth and face, mixing with the dirt on her face. Her gaze became hazy, but her spirit remained unbroken.
"This boy is quite interesting, right Liam?" Xavier muttered, turning to Liam.
"Indeed, your Highness" Liam nodded.
"If you were him would you have surrendered?"
"If I were his age, I would definitely have surrendered. He has spirit, but that's not enough to beat his opponent. He'll need a few more years to grow and gain strength before he can do that."
"Hmm...Okay" Xavier nodded, turning his gaze back to the arena.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as Alexia faced Rapheal, her legs trembling in exhaustion but her resolve unwavering.
Raphael advanced, his movements more cautious now. Alexia spun around, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick to his head. He staggered, his eyes widening in surprise.
Summoning every ounce of her strength, she launched herself at him, her fists flying. Each blow seemed to land with greater force, driving Rapheal back step by step.
Alexia could feel something strange, a tingling in her limbs, a warmth spreading through her body. She didn't understand it, but she embraced it, using it to fuel her attacks.
With a primal scream, she delivered a final, powerful kick to Rapheal's chest.
To her astonishment, he was lifted off his feet, flying through the air to crash into the training grounds wall.
"BOOM"
The stone cracked under the impact, and he slumped to the ground, motionless.
Silence fell over the arena.
Alexia stood, chest heaving, her entire body battered and bruised. She stared at her hands, disbelief written all over her face.
The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices a roar of admiration and awe.
"This little boy is so powerful!"
"Did you see? No matter how many times he fell, he always stood up and fought back?"
"This is so unbelievably amazing... how can such a little boy be so strong?"
Alexia stood there, oblivious to the voices around her, her mind racing.
What had just happened? she wondered.
She didn't know, but she felt a strange mix of exhilaration and fear. Her chest pounded with a heartbeat that didn't seem to belong to her, a rhythm that was both familiar and yet, utterly alien.
"For a thief your really good at fighting" a voice said from behind her.
Her eyes widened in shock as she spun around to face the speaker. Before her stood a handsome figure, his features eerily familiar.
"Hey, you're that pretty face from the market, right?" She asked with a knowing smile. She recalled the handsome 'damsel' she had met at the market the other day; it seemed to be the same person.
"'Pretty face?"
"Yeah, you're that...ugh..." Her words trailed off as a resounding slap sent her crashing to the floor, her already battered face now even more bruised.
"You filthy thief! How dare you call His Highness a common pretty face!" a voice thundered from above her, the speaker's anger and disdain palpable.
She held her cheeks and raised her head slightly, gazing up at the person responsible.
As soon as she saw him, a shiver ran down her spine. It was that damn guard who had been chasing her at the market.
Wait, did he just say His Highness?
She quickly turned her gaze back to the pretty face, and upon closer inspection, she noticed he was dressed in royal robes. She then shifted her gaze to the surrounding crowd, which was staring at her with a mix of pity, disdain, and indifference.
"Oh no, you're really dead now, Alexia," she thought to herself.
The guard had recognised her meaning she was in grave trouble and she had even dared to call the demon prince a pretty face.
"What the hell am I going to do now? How do I escape from here?"