The angry bellows of the tyrant sloth echoed loudly. Even though Lem's simulated self was sitting a hundred meters away it made his ears ring.
The moment that the sloth had finished crying out, it charged forward again, swinging its arm down like a hammer on Master Brightflame's ant-like form.
The attack was repelled again, and the sloth was once again sent tumbling through the air, breaking more trees in the process. Lem could tell that the martial elder had blocked the arm directly.
The tyrant sloth showed no signs of harm as it charged forward again. This time, the martial elder avoided the huge arm, allowing it to swing perilously close to his face before he moved a dozen meters out of the way.
The sloth attacked again, swinging its arm in another hammerblow. The claws sliced through the air.
Master Brightflame moved back again, avoiding it by another slight margin.
It was as though they had entered a dance.
And then, the martial elder struck back, and the tyrant sloth was flung through the air again.
The pattern continued. Sometimes, Master Brightflame dodged, and sometimes he sent the sloth flying, but Lem could sense that he was holding back. He was reluctant to kill the beast and risk upsetting a larger power.
It was a surreal experience for Lem's simulated self.
Each time the tyrant sloth attacked and was repelled, it broke apart dozens of trees. The twenty and thirty meter pillars constantly toppling over gave him a strange discomfort.
For all the time that Lem had spent in the forest, they had been fixtures of the environment.
Now, most of the trees in the area had been leveled, exposing a clear sky above the newly cleared field.
As the sloth was sent flying repeatedly, the battle moved farther and farther away from Lem's simulated self.
Moments later, they had vanished from view.
Lem's simulated self could still hear the bellows of the sloth in the distance.
He finally stood up, regaining his feet after what seemed like an eternity. Even though it had only been a few minutes, he had been sent through a whirlwind of events.
His body felt tired and out of sorts. Being pulled through the air at high speeds had strained it in unusual ways.
He stretched his arms, and shook his head, trying to recalibrate.
The bellows of the sloth gradually increased again.
Lem's simulated self frowned and squinted.
Hundreds of meters away, the forest-line was breaking apart. A moment later, the tyrant sloth was sent flying through a few of the trees that were still standing, and back into view.
It stood up and bellowed.
Araa! Araa! ARAAAAA!
The tyrant sloth was now clearly suffering. When it had disappeared moments before, it had looked untouched, but Lem could see that it was now covered in scrapes. Streams of blood were falling down its sides and back.
The martial elder was losing his patience.
BANG!
Lem did not see the attack, but the tyrant sloth was sent flying at an incredible speed, creating an explosion of trees. When the debris settled, there was a visible crater in the ground.
It was obvious where the injuries had come from.
No matter how durable the beast was, if it was flung hard enough, eventually it would begin to bleed.
Lem's simulated self could sense that the battle would be over soon.
And then, it was.
As the tyrant sloth was slowly rising from the crater, Master Brightflame suddenly appeared, slamming it back down with a kick, and then pinning it beneath his foot.
The martial elder did not move, but Lem heard a sickening crunch. The form of the tyrant sloth suddenly caved and separated into two parts.
He did not see what the martial elder had done to finish it off, but it was clear that the tyrant sloth was dead.