The fight between Abell and Keeko intensified as Abell's newly empowered sword cut through the air like lightning. The winds seemed to shift with his every move, an invisible force building around them, adding weight to the atmosphere. The clash of their wills, mother and son, was just beginning.
"I thought I understood his trait… What is this? Where's this power coming from? Is this what Hugo meant?" Keeko thought to herself, surprised at the intensity in Abell's blows. She braced herself, instinctively preparing for a flurry of attacks.
"Come at me with everything you've got, Abell," she called out, but there was no reply.
He was moving as if the world had slowed for him, his body in perfect sync with his surroundings. He felt lighter, almost like he was floating—his sword no longer a mere weapon, but an extension of his will.
With a single, fluid motion, he closed the gap between them. His sword swept through the air with a force he'd never felt before.
BOOM!
Abell's sword cut through the air with a sizzling hum, but when it met Keeko's arm, a deafening crack echoed across the yard. The force behind the strike sent her stumbling back, but she regained her footing instantly, gritting her teeth against the impact. Her muscles screamed in protest, but she didn't relent. "
That blow… could've injured me severely," Keeko thought, gritting her teeth. She could feel the raw power coursing through her son's attacks, his sword imbued with more energy than she anticipated. She didn't let the pain show, but she knew the fight couldn't go on much longer. "I'll need to end this soon… I'm not sure how much longer my body can take using my trait."
Keeko quickly recovered, but Abell's next strike came before she could fully brace. Each swing from him now had the weight of his emotion behind it—raw, unfiltered fury, determination, and a desperate desire to prove himself.
The power in his blows was relentless. His sword seemed to hum with energy, each impact echoing with intensity. But Keeko, ever the experienced fighter, wasn't going down that easily. She blocked and dodged with precision, but each blow was pushing her back further, forcing her to adapt quickly.
Abell wasn't thinking anymore—he was fighting purely on instinct, it felt like his luminous orb was overflowing with power, he couldn't control each passing moment felt like his body was burning from the inside out.
"Something is clearly wrong." Keeko thought.
With no hesitation she began to advance, her strikes became more strategically placed for knocking Abell out. More attacks headed her way each more powerful than the last. Her forearms were taking significant damage from the pressure.
But Keeko was still a Luminary, and though her body was strained from using her trait, she wasn't finished yet. With a deep breath, she steeled herself. She couldn't let this go on much longer—not when every attack from her son was forcing her to the edge of her own limits.
The fight was far from over.
Abell couldn't think. He couldn't talk. He couldn't react. His mind was consumed with one thought: keep fighting.
"Must... keep attacking... gotta win... it's important."
The words barely escaped his lips, distorted by the pain coursing through his body.
Keeko, reading his disoriented state, knew this battle had to end quickly.
Without hesitation, she closed the gap, her strikes now precise and brutal, aiming to knock him out. But Abell wasn't going down so easily.
His sword swung toward her, but Keeko sidestepped like lightning. The glow around her intensified, making her movements blur with speed. She used his momentum against him, landing a crushing punch to his side. Boom!
The shockwave rattled him. Keeko's body was now fully enhanced by her trait, her skin hardening like armor under the luminous energy.
Each blow she landed felt like a hammer strike. Abell's body screamed, every hit driving him further into exhaustion. His breath came in ragged gasps, but he refused to stop.
Keeko's breath was heavier now. The glow around her flickered, a sign that the toll on her body was catching up. Still, she pushed through, ignoring the pain. I won't stop... I can't stop now.
Her next punch struck him square in the chest, sending him stumbling back. The impact left him gasping for air, his mind fogging over as his body felt like it was burning from the inside out.
Abell's movements were sluggish. His vision blurred, and his sword felt heavy in his hands. His body was giving up. But his will to fight wouldn't let him surrender. He desperately tried to remain on his feet.
Abell's body trembled as he pushed forward, his sword heavy in his grip, his steps unsteady. His vision blurred and his chest felt tight, each breath like fire in his lungs. His sword fluttered weakly, barely holding its form.
Keeko watched her son, her eyes soft with concern, but her expression hardened once he charged again, reckless and determined. She wasn't going to let him wear himself down further.
With a fluid movement, Keeko sidestepped his attack and landed a swift punch to his chest. The force sent him flying back, his body slamming hard into the ground, the air knocked out of his lungs.
Abell tried to push himself up, but his limbs wouldn't respond. His sword slipped from his hands dissipating into the air.
Keeko approached slowly, her expression unreadable, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes as she knelt beside him. She placed her hand gently on his shoulder.
Abell's chest heaved as he struggled to breathe, his mind a whirlwind of frustration. He wanted to keep fighting. He wanted to prove to her, to himself, that he was ready. But his body refused to cooperate.
Keeko's voice was soft, but stern. "You've done well, Abell."
Abell's eyes flickered up to meet hers, filled with a mix of confusion, anger, and exhaustion. His body trembled, his breaths shallow, but no words came.
Keeko's hand tightened on his shoulder as she helped him sit up. "You've passed, I think your ready to leave this town."
The glow around her body flickered faintly as she too felt the toll of the battle. She was exhausted, but she knew this was the moment Abell needed to understand. Not through words, but through the silence of the fight.
Abell looked at her, his vision hazy, his muscles burning from the toll of the fight. He couldn't speak, but his clenched fists and strained posture spoke louder than words ever could. He wanted more. He needed more. But for now, all he could do was nod weakly, his emotions still raw but beginning to shift.
Keeko smiled softly at him, hugging him, "You did great Abell."