XXXIII

The desire to win had always been something Kaji felt strongly about. Being as strong as he naturally was only buried that desire. Victory upon victory dulled his senses, his fervor. His aptitude for his flames only placed him further ahead of his peers. Defeat had become foreign to him and thus his desire to win. Or so he thought, it lurked just beneath the surface of the mountain he built through victory.

But now, he heard it clearly once more. Battle after battle, wearing down the mountain of victory, weathering away the stone that became the mausoleum of that fervor. The pain, the fatigue, and the anguish were the wind, water, and storm that broke down his mountain. And beneath that lay a flame, so pure, so intense, it burned everything that touched it…

As the blade made its contact it touched not flesh, but flame. Fire erupted all-around Kaji covering him, no in fact it was coming from his body. His skin darkened to coal as flames erupted from his pores, his hair turned into a living breathing flame and his eyes became white-hot coal set ablaze.

The pain that blasted through his body was unbearable but somehow, he stood. No, it wasn't somehow he knew why he stood it was nothing but the pure desire to win that pushed him through the agonizing pain.

Lycurgus jumped back pulling Kentari to the defensive. As he landed, he used his pivot to spin around seamlessly transforming Kentari into Tamari. Sending a blast of wind, his most powerful yet. The wind blew out the flaming figure. The ashen being snuffed out till it inhaled breath re-igniting the flame even hotter than before.

Kaji moved slowly, a loud creaking sound like that of burning wood bucketing from weight, came from his body. Lycurgus wound up another blast of wind, but Kaji moved so quickly he didn't even the get chance.

Slamming into Lycurgus sending him into the wall, with enough power to tear down the stadium. Lycurgus could barely manage to stand as he patted out the flames on his chest. He stumbled down forward before catching his footing.

He planted Weaver's Spindle into the ground to brace himself. With his free hand, he wiped the blood that was coming from his mouth. He could feel his vision growing blurry, his strength and will slipping from his body.

'Is this it? Is this how far I can go?' Lycurgus thought to himself.

His eyes slowly drifted upward, and there he saw it. The face of his father staring at him. He couldn't discern the emotion on his face, so contorted it look like it hurt. But that was all he needed. A reminder of what he was fighting for, this wasn't just to test his strength. This was a battle to save his family. His mother and his brother.

His vision refocused on the flaming being that was Kaji. He could hear the creaking, popping, and crackling of the flames burning up his body.

He pulled Weaver's Spindle from the ground and turned it back into Kentari.

He knew this would be the final move, he was at his limits and Kaji surpassed his limits entirely. Neither one's body could keep up. He felt the thread he bonded into Weaver's Spindle pierce his hands and wrist, giving him strength.

It was a strange strength, animalistic, fast, and powerful. It flowed through his body and remembered this power it was the power that the red-lancer held. His grip tightened on the handle.

A loud creak and groan could be heard from Kaji's body as he prepared another strike. The flames sputtered as he moved to only comeback fiercer once he stilled.

"Let's end this Lycurgus!" Kaji's voice was a mix of a scream of agony and the loud roar of flames crackling in an immense fire.

Lycurgus loaded all his energy, everything thing he had to the highest level, and launched himself forward, just as Kaji did.

An explosive flash blinded the crowd, destroying the stadium. The explosion drowned out the screams of the crowd as they feared for their lives. Each chief and personnel that was available strengthened the protective barrier with everything they had.

After the flash ended and the dust cleared, both fighters were stationary in the center.

"Are they both dead?" Harika asked as her eyes scanned the carnage.

Lycurgus was frozen in a downward slash, Weaver's Spindle stuck in the ground. His hair hung in his face, caked with dirt and blood. His eyes peered through the veil to look at Kaji. Cracks formed along his body as though he were a piece of firewood that had been extinguished. He stood in a position as though he had thrown a punch. But behind him was a large gouge in the ground that traced the path of Weaver's spindle slice.

His vision was hazy, his body in more pain than he thought imaginable. His silky black hair was now ashen gray, but his eyes still glowed like amber coals. His will had not wavered, but his body had. He knew he couldn't move anymore, what's more, he realized he had missed.

Lycurgus had turned his body in a way he didn't pay attention to, moving his whole left side behind his right shoulder to create a perfect downward slice. Kaji anticipated a sidewards counter slash. The same motion he had been downing all battle.

In the last swing, Lycurgus combined the forms of Tamari and Tarsori to form a hyper-offensive wind slice, that blew away the flames and weakened the attack.

Kaji managed a painful smile, as he lost consciousness, and his body gave out on him. Before he hit the ground Lycurgus managed to catch him.

His own body shaking and on its last leg, Lycurgus felt heavy himself. Lycurgus turned his head to look behind him to see the whole left quadrant of the arena had been destroyed along with the entire wall.

Lycurgus could barely believe it but the words came slowly, gradually. At first, they were nothing more than a whisper unto himself, but the second time they were words that came out loud,

"I won"