Defeat

Adam lifted his open right hand even higher from his head, and with much tension in his arms, he closed his fists of darkness with a noise akin to shattering glass.

Suddenly, the ball of shadows floating above in the sky began to twitch, and in the very next moment, the twitching stopped. The sound of agony and metal could not have been any clearer. The ball that had once been as smooth as could be was now a dishevelled monstrosity of spikes— like that of a sea urchin. 

'Ha… Ha… It's over!!' Adam cheered and celebrated in his mind, not trying to suppress that monstrous grin of his.

"Heh… Heh…"

Now, there was nothing but silence… His subtle laughter was the only thing entering his ears beyond his own thoughts.

That match had taken out of him more strength than he could have ever anticipated. He closed his sights and took a quick breath to ease the pain of his aching body.