Chapter 21

With a thunderous clap, Kaji was sent flying into the wall of the arena, smashing the wall. Skorri stood a distance away now brushing off the flames of the attack Kaji hit him with from his shoulder. His messy, short black hair that had a tuff of storm grey hung in his fiery golden eyes, emitting an aura so fierce it placed fear in a majority of the audience.

Kaji emerged from the rubble, bloodied, and covered in dirt. He placed his right hand on the wall for support while simultaneously igniting a burst of flame beneath his hand.

"I guess it's not hot enough?" he whispered to himself, a sardonic smile playing along his face, revealing his wicked canines.

Suddenly ravenous flame licked all around Kaji's body. Spreading and dancing all through the air as they grow in power and heat. Both combatants took a step forward the groundbreaking beneath each heel as they flexed their tarmata power.

"One shall stand, and one shall fall," Skorri said before blinking from sight.

Kaji instantly responded throwing out his hands fully unleashing the flames, covering the entire arena. Skorri reappeared to Kaji's left, body devoured by the flames, poised to strike with his right. He swung down, blowing the flames off his body at the same time. Kaji brought forth his hand blocking Skorri's strike, the clash completely destroying the ground underneath, and sending a shockwave that could be felt in the crowd.

Rebounding quickly, Skorri let lose a left punch, connecting with Kaji's jaw. The force spun him away, but he utilized the momentum to throw a cascade of flames back. Skorri ripped through the flames with his hands, rapidly charging. Striking with a right hand – parried - a left punch – batted away – followed in with a counter left elbow – caught. The exchanges were fierce and quick, each attack holding immense weight and power. Overhand right – connected- uppercut left to the gut – solid blow – spinning right backhand – blocked.

Once Kaji blocked Skorri's backhand, he unleashed another torrent of flames to create distance. Skorri backed up for a second, starting to feel the heat of the flame, lick his body. The sweat that dripped down his chin was a mix of exhaustion and the flames increasing effectiveness. Skorri barely managed to catch air, using the air to re-focus and reinvigorate his body with his tarmata. Resetting his fighting stance, he blinked away again.

Once again Kaji instantly reacted this time countering the sidekick Skorri attempted with his own. Cloaking his right fist in flame he landed a flush shot on Skorri's jaw, repaying him for earlier. He followed with a left punch – blocked – a quick right-left combination – dodged then blocked – A quick right-hand uppercut – an unclean connection – a side right kick to the gut – a clean hit but grabbed.

Skorri clenched his hands around Kaji's foot and twisted. To prevent him from breaking his leg the spun with the twist, kicking up his left while igniting flames. Skorri quickly stepped around and blasted Kaji in the gut with a monstrous, that sounded like a tsunami crashing up the shore.

Kaji rocketed away, tearing up the ground as he flew back into the wall.

This time he got up much slower, 'Man, this feels oddly familiar,' he thought to himself.

He wiped the blood from his mouth. His composure was menacing and ominous despite his broken and bloodied appearance. His crimson-colored eyes peered from beneath his long black curtain of hair. He flashed his wicked canines once more in a defiant smile as the ground began to quake.

His power increased steadily as flames dispersed across the arena, started to come back to him as he absorbed them. Skorri was finally able to catch his breath as the super-heated air retreated for a moment. He could feel the damage to his body building up as the pain blasted through his muscles, he couldn't understand how Kaji kept going.

Suddenly power erupted from Kaji, forcing the protective tarmata barrier in the stadium to activate in order to protect the crowd. The sheer heat and power glassed the top layer of sand, as Kaji held a purely white flame in his hand enveloped with a bright yellow aura that got brighter and brighter.

'Is he holding the sun in his hand!!' Skorri thought as he shielded his eyes from the harsh light. 'I can't let the battle continue I have to end this now!'

He focused his energy into his right hand as he made a claw-like hand gesture. As he focused, he heard Kaji yell out, "Ready!!!"

Kaji threw his right hand back before yelling, "Touch of the Sun!!!"

Just the sound of the blast releasing shattered the glass underfoot and sent cracks reaching outside the stadium. The sound however came after the actual blast, smashing into Skorri's hand.

Skorri let out a roar holding all his might as he caught the blast and held it. He screamed out "Maw of the deep!!!" as he redirected the blast upwards.

The blast went into the sky parting the clouds for miles, as light filled the sky before erupting to a brilliant display way into space as if a star had exploded.

Before Skorri could recover himself, a thunderous fiery right hook smashed into his face slamming him into the ground. Kaji followed a swift left kick to his gut blasting him into the wall.

Now it was Skorri's turn to emerge from the rubble. His emergence was slow and laborious. His right eye was swollen shut, each breath carrying the weight of the entire sea, various scorch marks and burns covering his body, blood running down the arm that caught the blast, hand blackened from the sheer heat of the attack. Skorri was on his last leg, but he would make it count.

He released a vicious battle cry from the depths of his soul to the sky, before charging in at blinding speed. Kaji stoic and silent met him halfway in a hellzonic blaze. The clash further demolished the arena. The flurry of blows shook the arena.

All attack no defense as each strike blasted the other almost knocking each other out. Right hook – full connect- Left hook to the side to retaliate -solid body blow, braced and still standing – a fearsome blow to the gut – staggering back – follow-up with a quick left jab – flushed hit, dazing – a skillful pivot to a spinning backhand strike to the back of the neck – dropped to their knees – A fiery punch accompanied with a wild battle cry to end the fight.

After the dust settled Kaji stood over the defeated Skorri, earning every inch of that victory through his sheer skill and determination. The flames he had summoned flickered out as he dropped to his knees. The exhaustion of the battle compiling onto him tenfold. The crushing weight of his fatigue finally caught him as he passed out, next to his valent opponent Skorri.