Chereads / Unbounded Potential / Chapter 5 - The Past Shadow of the Future

Chapter 5 - The Past Shadow of the Future

The wind howled across the broken battlefield, carrying the distant sounds of collapsing buildings and the echo of destruction. Draziel stood tall, his eyes scanning the desolate scene as he faced Rothan, the man who had once been his ally. Now, they were enemies, locked in a conflict that went far deeper than just physical combat.

Draziel's fingers twitched, the air around him humming with the barely-contained energy flowing through his veins. He could feel it—the power waiting to be unleashed, the strength he could call upon at will. But even with that power, his mind wasn't focused solely on the battle. His thoughts were with his family, the people he fought for. Everything he did was for them, and nothing would stand in his way.

Across from him, Rothan grinned, his eyes gleaming with a different hunger. His stance was casual, but there was an eerie sharpness in his gaze. Rothan's senses were like a predator's—his sight, hearing, and even his intuition honed to perfection. He could see every shift in Draziel's posture, hear the subtle changes in the wind, and sense the rising tension in the air.

"Still holding back, Draziel?" Rothan mocked, his voice dripping with disdain. "You always were too soft. All that power, and yet you waste it protecting weaklings."

Draziel didn't respond right away. He knew Rothan's game—taunts meant to provoke, to unsettle him. But Draziel wasn't one to be baited. He had a purpose far greater than Rothan could understand. He flexed his fingers, the energy surging through him, enhancing his already formidable physical abilities. He could feel his strength multiplying, his speed accelerating, his mind sharpening.

Without warning, Draziel lunged forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet as he shot toward Rothan with blinding speed. His enhanced muscles propelled him like a missile, his fist aimed directly at Rothan's chest. But just as the punch was about to connect, Rothan twisted his body with inhuman grace, his senses alerting him to the attack before Draziel even moved.

Rothan's eyes gleamed. "Too slow."

With a fluid motion, Rothan ducked beneath Draziel's punch, his heightened hearing catching the sound of every muscle fiber in Draziel's arm contracting. He could almost predict the attacks before they happened. Rothan retaliated with a sweeping kick, aiming to knock Draziel off balance, but Draziel's enhanced agility allowed him to jump back, avoiding the strike.

"You think that's enough?" Draziel growled, his eyes narrowing. He felt the adrenaline coursing through him, pushing his body to its limits. He wasn't just fast—he was lightning. With a flicker of movement, Draziel disappeared from sight, his body moving faster than the eye could follow.

Rothan's head snapped to the side as he heard the faint shift in the air. Draziel was behind him. Rothan barely had time to twist away as Draziel's foot slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth where Rothan had been standing.

Rothan smirked, his body almost dancing across the battlefield as he dodged each of Draziel's devastating strikes. "You're strong, Draziel. I'll give you that. But raw power means nothing if you can't hit me."

Draziel's frustration grew, but he kept it under control. He knew Rothan was fast—his enhanced senses made him almost impossible to catch off guard. But Draziel wasn't just brute force. His mind, now operating at an accelerated speed, was already analyzing the fight, calculating his next move.

He charged again, this time with a series of feints, testing Rothan's reactions. Every punch and kick was faster, more precise, each one a blur of motion. But Rothan, with his heightened perception, saw it all. His eyes darted from one strike to the next, his enhanced hearing catching the shift of Draziel's weight with each step.

Suddenly, Rothan countered. His fist shot out, aimed directly at Draziel's ribs, but this time Draziel was ready. His mind, enhanced far beyond normal human capacity, processed the attack in an instant. He twisted his body, avoiding the blow by millimeters, and with a swift motion, he grabbed Rothan's arm, twisting it behind him.

Rothan's eyes widened, but he didn't panic. His enhanced senses allowed him to feel every movement, and he reacted with precision. With a sharp twist, Rothan wrenched free from Draziel's grip, flipping backward and landing gracefully a few feet away. He smiled darkly, the thrill of the fight igniting his ambition.

"You're not bad, Draziel," Rothan said, his voice a low growl. "But you're still too predictable. You fight for family, for love… that's a weakness. I fight for power, for control. That's why I'll win."

Draziel's eyes narrowed, his breath steady despite the intensity of the battle. He could feel his muscles burning, his body screaming for rest, but he pushed it further. His stamina was limitless now, his endurance enhanced to the point where fatigue was a distant memory.

"You talk too much," Draziel said, his voice calm despite the storm raging around them. "You think power is all that matters, but it's not. Power without control is nothing."

With a sudden burst of speed, Draziel closed the distance, his fist colliding with Rothan's jaw in a bone-shattering blow. Rothan staggered back, blood dripping from his lip, but he didn't fall. His enhanced reflexes had allowed him to soften the impact just in time, though the force of Draziel's punch still rattled his senses.

Rothan wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes darkening. "You think I'm the one who lacks control?"

He surged forward, his body a blur of motion. Draziel's enhanced mind tracked every movement, but Rothan's senses were so heightened that his speed was almost supernatural. He moved like a shadow, his strikes coming from every direction, each one faster and more precise than the last.

For the first time, Draziel found himself on the defensive, blocking and dodging as Rothan's assault intensified. The ground beneath them cracked and splintered, the air thick with the sound of fists and feet clashing in rapid succession. Every time Draziel countered, Rothan was already gone, his heightened senses allowing him to anticipate every move.

But Draziel wasn't finished. With a roar, he unleashed his full strength, his body moving at a speed that defied reality. His enhanced intellect guided him, predicting Rothan's movements before they happened. He lashed out with a flurry of attacks, each one faster and stronger than the last.

Rothan tried to dodge, his senses screaming at him to move, but this time he wasn't fast enough. Draziel's fist connected with Rothan's stomach, the force of the blow sending him flying backward, crashing into a crumbling wall.

For a moment, everything was still. Rothan lay in the rubble, gasping for breath, his body trembling from the impact. But even now, he wasn't defeated. Slowly, he rose to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You... you're holding back," Rothan spat, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Why? You could have killed me."

Draziel stood tall, his eyes cold and unyielding. "Because unlike you, I know when to stop. I fight for my family, for those I love. Power is only a tool."

Rothan laughed, though it was tinged with bitterness. "You think that makes you strong? You're a fool, Draziel. Love will be your downfall."

Draziel didn't respond, his gaze hardening as he turned away from Rothan. "Maybe. But at least I have something worth fighting for."

As he walked away from the battlefield, Draziel felt a dark satisfaction. Rothan was defeated, but more importantly, Draziel knew the truth. Family and love gave him strength, but they also gave him control—control that he could use for his own ends. Power wasn't everything, but it was enough if wielded the right way.

And Draziel intended to wield it perfectly.