The breeze carried dust and scattered leaves across the arena, swirling lazily between the three combatants. Ren, the calm boy, and the injured boy stood locked in a triangular stalemate, none daring to make the first move.
The seconds stretched into an eternity. The wind hissed through the shattered rocks, carrying whispers of the crowd's muted anticipation.
Above them, the serpent dragon coiled in mid-air, its glowing eyes narrowing as it fixed on Ren. Its body gleamed like polished ivory, its movements slow and deliberate, like a predator savoring the moment before the kill.
Leizage, perched on a nearby boulder, growled low, the feathers along its scaled body bristling with energy. Its tail lashed against the ground, cracking the silence like a whip.
The tension snapped with a deafening roar from the serpent dragon, its cry a challenge that echoed through the arena. Without warning, it lunged, streaking through the air like a bolt of white lightning toward Ren.
Before it could reach him, Leizage leapt into action. With an explosive burst of speed, the lizard-like beast met the serpent head-on. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground as Leizage sank its teeth into the serpent's flank, twisting and slamming it into a nearby rock.
Dust and debris exploded from the impact, obscuring the two beasts as their snarls and hisses filled the air. The serpent writhed, its tail lashing out to coil around Leizage, but Leizage's spiked body glowed faintly, forcing the serpent to recoil.
The human fighters remained still, their eyes fixed on the chaotic clash of their beasts.
Ren's voice broke the silence, steady but laced with curiosity.
"You know, this is starting to feel a bit personal. Since we're about to beat each other senseless, might as well know who I'm fighting. Got names?"
The calm boy tilted his head slightly. He had an serious look on his face but he answered.
"Alaric is who I am."
"Then I'm Ren. Nice to meet you, Alaric."
The injured boy, clutching his shoulder, gave a low chuckle that quickly turned into a grimace.
"Name's Kael. Not that it'll matter much when this is over."
"Cocky for someone who's already bleeding."
"Don't worry about me. I've still got plenty of fight left."
Alaric's eyes flicked to Kael for a brief moment before returning to Ren.
"Well, now that introductions are out of the way…"
His voice trailed off as he raised his hand, a faint glow emanating from his palm.
Ren shifted into a fighting stance, his smirk returning.
"Guess that means no more talking."
A serious expression crossed Alaric's face as he flicked his wrist and extended his glowing hand forward. He released a burst of blue energy from chin that cut through the air sharply as it emitted a high-pitched keening sound.
Turning his body sideways, Ren rolled away as the energy impact hit the ground he had just vacated, causing a blackened depression in the ground's surface. A wave of hot air washed over him from the impact.
Although he was injured, Kael moved simultaneously and rushed to the distant corner. He was somewhat stiff in his movements and ungraceful due to the injury on his shoulder and the difficulties it caused in his range of motion.
But Alaric did not stop. He continued to lift his hand in wide sweeps while the blasts exploded down onto them like they were caught in the middle of some never-ending hailstorm.
Ren skidded to a stop behind a jagged piece of rock, pausing to catch his breath as debris continued raining down.
"You want to tag-team him, or should I just rush him myself?"
Kael didn't respond right away. He dug into his belt, pulling out a small dagger that had a faintly glowing blade with a greenish hue.
"You distract him. I'll take care of the rest."
"Sure. Leave the fun part to me.
He charged straight at Alaric, weaving unpredictably to avoid the incoming projectiles. Alaric's attacks came faster, every shot carving through the air with deadly precision.
In the background, Kael moved in the shadows of the battlefield, closing in on his prey from the back, dagger in hand, ready to strike.
Ren, catching sight of the growing orb of energy, leaned harder. "Oh, no, you don't," he muttered, leaping to the side just as Alaric launched the sphere.
The blast tore through the ground, kicking up a cloud of smoke and debris. For a moment, the crowd gasped, the arena falling silent.
In the roiling haze, motion blazed across one another's view—fast, fast, too fast for the eye to track.
Before Alaric could even react, a hand shot out of the smoke and grasped around his neck, compressing a vice lock.
"What—?!" Alaric's words were cut off as he was slammed to the ground with an audible thud.
Cheers and gasps of unbelieving voices filled the air as the smoke cleared, and Ren doubled over Alaric's body, his hand holding a most iron firm grip across the throat of his opponent.
Alaric's shining hand seemed to contort and flex in a dull struggle to send forth another attack, but Ren heaped pressure upon the boy with his knee, pinning him to the cracked arena floor.
Kael, who had been creeping closer for a sneak attack, froze mid-step. His dagger trembled in his hand as he stared at Ren with wide eyes.
Ren didn't spare him a glance, his piercing gaze locked on Alaric. His smirk had vanished, replaced by an intensity that sent a chill through the arena.
"Guess I'm not just talk, huh?" Ren said quietly, his voice cutting through the chaos around them.
Alaric's eyes flashed with defiance, his lips curling into a straining, stiff grinning as he fought against Ren's hold.
Kael shifted, the moment of hesitation only a second before his hold on the dagger constricted. His eyes went flicking between Ren and Alaric, weighing his choices.
The tension in the air was electric. The anticipation was thick in the air. And then, Ren moved his hand.