Ashenfall was alive with fury and chaos, every clash ringing out against the shattered remains of Ashenfall's desolation. The dust-filled air swirled with energy as intense as the conflicts themselves. Each member of Squad Three was locked in battle, but it was Taiyou's face-off with Zarek, and Aira and Eli's duel with Lyra, that were the epicenters of the violent storm.
The battlefield was littered with debris and smoke, but none of it mattered to Taiyou. His gaze was fixed solely on Zarek, standing a short distance away, gripping his hammer. Zarek's powerful frame radiated a menacing energy, his hammer sparking with an intensity that promised devastation.
Taiyou steadied his breathing, feeling the simmer of his white flames beneath his skin. They pulsed, waiting to be unleashed, but he knew he'd need every ounce of focus and restraint to face this towering opponent.
Taiyou's white flames flickered erratically around him, still unstable but raw with power. He could feel the energy coursing through his veins, but it was unrefined, difficult to control.
With a sudden roar, Zarek exploded forward, his hammer raised high. Taiyou barely had time to react; he dodged, narrowly avoiding the weapon as it came down in a powerful arc that shook the ground beneath him. The impact sent a shockwave of dirt and debris into the air, and Taiyou stumbled backward, eyes wide.
He's faster than I expected.
Taiyou straightened, focusing, but Zarek was already moving. Swinging his hammer with brutal force, Zarek aimed a sideways strike at Taiyou's ribs. Taiyou managed to twist his torso at the last moment, the hammer's edge grazing his side but sending a jolt of pain through his body nonetheless. He staggered, biting back a groan as he tried to regain his footing.
Focus, stay calm.
As Zarek closed in, Taiyou dropped low, sending a sweeping kick toward Zarek's legs, his flames trailing in a faint arc. Zarek leapt back with surprising agility for his size, avoiding the kick, and countered immediately, bringing his hammer down in a powerful, vertical strike. Taiyou rolled to the side, narrowly evading the blow as the hammer smashed into the earth beside him, splintering the ground in a spiderweb of cracks.
Taiyou sprang to his feet, flames flaring around his fists, and darted forward, launching a quick, precise jab aimed at Zarek's midsection. The white flames seared against Zarek's armor, but he barely flinched, retaliating with a swift backhanded swipe of his hammer's handle. Taiyou leaned back, feeling the weapon pass just inches from his face, the sheer force of it brushing his skin with a burst of cold air.
Zarek's movements were relentless, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next. He swung his hammer low, aiming for Taiyou's knees. Taiyou hopped over the swing, twisting mid-air, and retaliated with a spinning kick aimed at Zarek's shoulder. The kick landed, his flames leaving a brief scorch mark on Zarek's armor, but the impact barely fazed him. Before Taiyou could even land, Zarek twisted, bringing his hammer up in a sharp uppercut aimed at Taiyou's descending form.
Taiyou crossed his arms in front of him, bracing as the hammer's edge collided with his guard. The force of the blow sent him hurtling backward, his feet skidding across the ground as he struggled to stay upright. Pain radiated through his arms, his muscles protesting the impact.
I'm losing ground—I need to turn this around.
He planted his feet firmly, eyes narrowing as he watched Zarek approach. This time, Taiyou pushed himself forward with all his strength, flames erupting around him as he closed the distance in a blur of white light. He ducked under Zarek's initial swing, sidestepping with fluid precision, and struck upward with a blazing uppercut aimed at Zarek's jaw. His fist connected, sending a shockwave of flames surging into Zarek's face, but Zarek barely budged, his expression cold and unyielding.
Without missing a beat, Zarek brought his knee up, driving it into Taiyou's stomach with crushing force. Taiyou gasped, feeling the air leave his lungs as pain exploded through his core. He staggered back, clutching his stomach, but Zarek didn't let up. The hammer was already swinging toward him again in a brutal overhead strike.
Taiyou dodged to the side, feeling the hammer brush his shoulder as he narrowly evaded the attack. He retaliated instantly, sweeping low with a fiery roundhouse kick aimed at Zarek's exposed ribs. The kick landed, and his flames flared, but Zarek twisted smoothly, barely reacting as he lashed out with a powerful backhand.
The blow struck Taiyou across the face, snapping his head to the side as he stumbled. Blood trickled from his lip, and he wiped it away, glaring at Zarek through narrowed eyes. He's overpowering me at every turn. I have to adapt—
With renewed focus, Taiyou took a deep breath, watching Zarek's every movement. The next time Zarek swung his hammer in a wide arc, Taiyou ducked, slipping under the weapon and sliding forward to close the distance. He launched a rapid series of punches at Zarek's torso, his fists blazing with white flames as each strike hit with precision. One punch to the ribs, another to the chest, then a swift elbow strike to the neck.
Zarek grunted, taking a step back, but retaliated immediately. He swung his hammer low, forcing Taiyou to leap into the air to avoid it. Zarek anticipated the move and followed up with an upward swing, aiming to catch Taiyou mid-jump. Taiyou twisted his body mid-air, narrowly dodging the hammer as it whizzed past him, and brought his knee up, slamming it into Zarek's shoulder as he descended.
The force of the knee made Zarek stagger slightly, but he recovered almost instantly, grabbing Taiyou by the arm before he could land. With a powerful yank, Zarek hurled Taiyou to the ground, and Taiyou felt the earth's impact jar his bones. Before he could even catch his breath, Zarek's hammer was descending toward him.
Taiyou rolled to the side just in time, the hammer slamming into the ground beside him. He scrambled to his feet, breathing hard, and narrowed his focus. Think faster. Move faster.
He dashed forward, his movements becoming more fluid, more deliberate. Dodging another swing from Zarek, he dropped low and spun, sending a fiery back kick to Zarek's knee. This time, Zarek's leg buckled slightly, and Taiyou seized the opening, following up with a rapid combo: a left hook, a right jab, then a powerful flaming knee to Zarek's torso.
Zarek grunted, finally showing signs of strain, but he didn't let up. He brought his hammer up, aiming a brutal downward strike at Taiyou's head. Taiyou sidestepped, and as the hammer hit the ground, he spun and delivered a flaming axe kick directly onto Zarek's wrist, aiming to weaken his grip on the hammer.
The impact forced Zarek to loosen his hold for a split second, but he quickly regained control, swinging the hammer horizontally in a sweeping arc. Taiyou barely ducked in time, feeling the weapon pass just inches above his head, the force stirring the air like a gale.
He's relentless. I have to be faster.
Taiyou shifted his stance, focusing on his white flames, trying to channel them with more precision. He launched himself forward, weaving through Zarek's next two attacks with fluid dodges, then struck with a quick one-two punch to Zarek's midsection, each punch laced with his flames. Zarek retaliated instantly, swinging his hammer upward. Taiyou jumped back, narrowly avoiding the strike, and countered with a powerful roundhouse kick to Zarek's jaw.
The kick connected, and Zarek's head snapped to the side, but he barely seemed phased.
But it seemed Zarek had finally begun to feel the sting of the white flames, his armor bearing scorch marks as he swung with renewed ferocity.
Taiyou held his ground, feeling the steady pulse of aether and flames through his veins. He was injured, exhausted, but he could sense the newfound control in every breath.
They were at the climax of the battle whoever lost focus right now was going to lose immediately.