Chương 112: 113: Lit fuse III + IV

Evel's entire body screamed from the heat, and his back was badly bruised. Leaning against the tree, he heaved. He'd survived. He took another breath, the cool air a welcome change from his burning skin. The blast had been so powerful, and that was after Colton split his attack in two. Evel would have had a difficult time surviving just one blast of Colton's full power, let alone a shot from the destructive copper rod.

As the dust from the successive explosions settled, the agony across his body faded to the back of his mind. The corners of his lips curled upwards at the sight. Across from him, Colton leaned against a tree, tightly grasping his gut. The clothes on his chest were incinerated, leaving a hole with a vicious burn mark on his skin. He wheezed, his breathing shakier than Evel's. Most striking of all, his aura was no longer active.

The possibility that Colton had turned it off to deceive him r, but would someone as powerful and prideful as him resort to such tricks? Evel was willing to bet his Energy had depleted. Even the bracelet on Colton's left hand stopped humming; he still hadn't figured out what it did, but it was no longer active. Colton's body almost assuredly resisted lightning, but the copper rod's power was so destructive that it blew through his strength and tore into his body.

Evel staggered to his feet as the initial shock dissipated. He was able to ignore the screaming of his body; pain was something he was familiar with. His own energy reserves were low but not depleted, and aside from the punch to the gut he'd taken, the injuries were manageable. The dull headache still persisted, and his clothes were tattered from the various explosions, but it wasn't enough to keep him off his feet. His wobbly vision focused on the copper-haired man before him.

A man who'd be so assured of his own victory.

"Who's afraid of who, now?" Evel snarled. Colton coughed, a blotch of blood splattering across the grass. He sluggishly pushed himself to his feet, wheezing. Evel reached into his pocket— no reason for him to get close. A few more cards and the fight was over for good. Colton's aura surged. What? Evel's eyes widened, his entire body frozen. SHIT. A burst of sparks expanded around Colton before fizzling into his own body. Just as quickly as it came, the aura vanished.

He shook his hands in front of him, then shook his feet, getting back into a battle stance. Evel's heart hammered out of his chest as he staggered a half step backward. No lightning-based attack was on its way; that much was sure. The only difference from before his ability activation was that Colton's movements had grown a little lighter. Did he use his lightning to energize his muscles? Evel bared his teeth. It didn't matter. Colton was now out of Energy and Evel wasn't.

He could still use a few numbered cards or a face value card. It would be even better if he could actually get into close range. Using Eth, Evel had full confidence that he could win a short-range battle. He took out a few cards and stepped forward. He could win from afar; he could win from up close. He'd done it. The fight was over. Colton put one foot forward. Evel raised his cards. Colton twisted his foot. Then, he kicked off the ground. He was… running?

The fearsome powerhouse that he'd been so frantically training to survive was… running away? Snapping out of his daze, Evel gave chase. He stumbled a few times, unused to the pain permeating his body, but quickly found his stride. Did I really do it? The initial shock of the powerhouse running away had faded, but something else replaced it instead. He managed to keep up, but struggled to close the gap at all.

The euphoria of victory slipped faster than it came, replaced by a mounting feeling of dread as Evel realized he couldn't catch up! The fight was far from over. With Evel's poor affinity, it took him much longer to regain his energy than most people. If Colton were able to run away long enough to finally refill his Energy… Fuck. In the end, that's all that mattered. Evel was far outclassed. Colton ran into a dense part of the forest, stumbling on the brush. Finally, Evel, with his superior nimbleness, closed in.

He gripped his hair to push back the intensifying headache as he jumped over roots and sidestepped trees. Talent had always been, and would remain to be, the main thing stopping his path. Dammit. How many times do I have to keep learning this lesson? His grip tightened, the pain of his hair getting pulled dulling the headache. I can work hard to train my body. I can find creative ways to use Eth. I can buy expensive weapons to give myself attacking options. But what does any of it matter?

In the end, he couldn't increase his affinity. No matter how hard he worked, he couldn't do anything! Evel pushed away the dread, realizing the distance between them was shortening. Perhaps he'd panicked too soon. I need to catch up! The distance between them shrank as Evel weaved between bushes, trees and uneven terrain in a way that Colton couldn't. Just before he managed to catch up, just before the feeling of dread fizzled away, a bright light signalled the end of the indigo forest.

The trees opened, and overhead sun illuminated the path. It took a second for Evel's eyes to adjust, but when they did, his face darkened. Before Colton was a small ledge. Below, a river. The very same river flowed across Ichoris City, splitting the upper area from the slums. Because the opposite bank rose so sharply, Evel couldn't pinpoint his exact location, though the general area was one he'd seen. Colton continued his escape along the ledge parallel to the river.

If he kept going, he'd find the shaky wooden bridge near Albert's house. Evel's breathing quickened as he pushed his legs to move faster. He didn't have much time to catch up! Once Colton crossed the bridge, he would wait on the other side and stall as long as he needed to refill his Energy reserves! With that, Evel's death would be a certainty. Dammit! But no matter how hard he pushed his legs, the distance between the two continued to grow wider. With no obstacles in his way, Colton was simply faster.

Even after taking a hit from the terrifying weapon. Dammit, dammit, dammit! His worst fears quickly came as the creaky wooden bridge came into view. His hands shaking with frustration, he pulled out a card from his pocket, launching it forward with all his might. To his dismay, the car never reached Colton, with the distance between them being too far, and Evel's strength too diminished. Without a single thing Evel could do. Colton crossed the upward-slanted bridge.

Upon getting to the other side, his body snapped back to Evel. Colton didn't keep running and simply waited at the end of the bridge, catching his breath. Evel halted, heaving deep gasps of air as he tried to consider his options. He quickly realized his mind wasn't functioning properly. Between the headache and his impending death, there wasn't much else he could think of. Colton rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a small vial. If Evel previously felt his death was likely, now it felt like a certainty.

Shit. He flicked off the cork and downed it in one go. Evel recognized it. A potion that helped increase the natural rate of healing of the body. Every minute, his situation just got worse. The fight was supposed to be over! He'd won! He'd overcome Colton and won! The electrification Colton used for quick energy earlier certainly had a cost, and that, combined with his grave physical injuries, should have made Colton an easy target for Evel's ranged attacks! So how had it come to this?

All Colton had to do was wait for his body to recover with the potion's effects. After he replenished some energy and got his physical strength back, Evel would have no chance of running away from the monster. Can I use my cards? The shitty bridge was slanted. All Colton needed to do was step back and be fully protected from Evel's line of fire. Do I run? If he immediately made an escape and admitted he'd lost, Colton may choose not to chase.

He'd be forfeiting his life in Ichoris, but he'd still be alive, wouldn't he? If he chose to stay and couldn't figure anything out, then he'd never be able to escape. Evel groaned as his headache intensified. Normally he'd be able to ignore such effects, but with his impending death, the pain was somehow amplified even further. He clenched his head as tightly as he could, hoping it would give him at least a few seconds to think quickly. All my options are shitty—this fucking headache isn't letting me think, dammit.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Wait! I have my own potions! They're weak but maybe I c—"You afraid?" Colton spat.

"Aren't you the one running away?" Evel snapped back.

"You caught me by surprise with a cheap trick... you're not anything special. Cross the bridge if you dare." Gritting his teeth, he glared at the Red Eagle soldier. DAMMIT! Colton smirked, "Even if you run, I'll f—" Evel burst forward. The copper-haired soldier's eyes briefly widened, but he didn't hesitate. He slammed down on the creaky bridge, destroying the old rope holding it together in one go. Plank by plank, the bridge collapsed. Evel kept running. Colton's grin widened.

The bridge would collapse before he fully crossed. Even assuming Colton wasn't there, Evel wasn't going to make it. Just as the collapsing planks were about to reach him, Evel summoned Eth. He leaped. For over a full second, he remained in the air as Colton watched with that shitty expression as if he'd won. As if Evel was stupid. As if Evel was inferior. Instead of falling to his death like Colton hoped, his foot stopped in the empty air. Then, as if a foreign force pushed him upwards, he soared!

He reached the other side in a roll, less than two metres from Colton. He'd used Eth as a stepping stone! With the additional upward force the spectral hand had applied, his Energy was now fully drained. But that no longer mattered. He crossed the bridge, and he could win this fight without Energy. Colton's injuries were far more severe than Evel's, and they were showing. His reactions were slow. Evel wouldn't let such a good opportunity go to waste. He reached into his pocket and took out three more cards.

Between his sluggish thoughts and how long the fight had dragged out, Evel no longer had any inkling to what the cards he grabbed could be. With his Energy completely depleted, what did that matter anyways? His body still lying on the ground, the three cards he shot lacked the power he may have wanted, but they all found his target. One by one, each hit the Redigo 'powerhouse' square in the torso, sending him staggering backwards with a grunt.

Like a hunted deer with a hide full of arrows, Colton fell backwards with a loud thump. Colton's defences and ability to tank through all of Evel's attacks had been terrifying, but between tanking his own rod's attack and all of Evel's cards, he had to be nearing the end of the rope. Evel pulled out more cards and tried to get up on his feet, but his knees buckled, and he crashed to the ground. He, too, was reaching his limit. Baring his teeth, he pushed his body. Regardless of how much his stomach screamed.

Regardless of the searing pain in his skin. Regardless of the deep exhaustion weighing his entire body down. Now was not the time to falter! When he finally landed on his two feet, Colton was already making his escape. His movements were slow. Wobbling from side to side and using nearby trees for support as he ran in Evel's opposite direction. They'd already almost gotten to Albert's house. Letting out a frustrated grunt, Evel gave chase. With each step, a sharp pain pierced through his body.

He wheezed, keeping the oxygen flowing to his muscles to support his failing body. Tensing his muscles, Evel launched another card forward with all his might, the air singing before the metal card dug into his back. The tough fucker didn't even react. Just how resilient was this guy? His body was a canvas of cards, many of which were enchanted. He'd gotten hit by his own weapon's devastating strike, and Evel had even landed a few strikes. The two rapidly approached Albert's house, their movements unsteady.

There were no more trees to use as support, nor for cover. Evel launched another card. Another direct hit. He released a light grunt as his body sank lower. Colton finally reached Albert's fence, stumbling through the old wooden logs. His body bled from all over. The crimson shone off the golden yellow marigolds and sank deep into the fertile dirt. He finally collapsed, releasing a light grunt when he hit the ground. A satisfied grin returned to Evel's face. He'd won. He'd actually won this time.

All the time he'd spent, all the hard work he'd put in, he'd actually made it. He reached for his cards once more.

"Is that all you can do?" Colton gasped, facing Evel with a mocking stare. Evel's hands froze in his pockets.

"You're nothing without cheap tricks and cards," Colton spat, his words raspy.

"Put in some effort and fight me like a man." Effort?

"What do you know?" Evel's face darkened, placing a hand to grip his hair. It helped, replacing his headache's torment with something more manageable.

"I know," Colton said, heaving between each word.

"Y-you couldn't beat me in a fight up close." Colton came from a good family, had a powerful ability, and likely had an amazing affinity. Effort? He was the one who worked so hard to close the gap between them, and now Colton was complaining about him not putting in effort? Colton wore a pathetic smile, and his aura burst outward as bolts travelled around his skin. It was nowhere near the power he'd managed earlier, and it disappeared as soon as it came. Another attempt to re-energize his body.

Evel's breath quickened. The Redigo soldier slowly pushed himself to his feet, using his newly energized muscles to make one last-ditch effort. He raised his arm forward.

"C-Come fight me up close! You're nowhere near my level." His voice was like nails scratching a chalkboard. Effort? Did effort even matter? Evel bit into his lip, the metallic tang of blood filling his mouth. So what if he could beat Colton in a fight? Colton was considered a powerhouse around here, but what did that matter in the greater scheme? Was Evel's strength enough to keep up with Diana? Was it enough to keep pushing forward? Ultimately, Colton was right. Evel's win was based on a cheap ambush.

He wasn't actually stronger. He was nowhere near Colton's level. At long and medium range, Colton's blasts overpowered anything Evel could manage. At short range, Evel couldn't keep up with his massive stature and frequent bolts. Colton was stronger in every regard! Colton's eyebrows knotted, and his voice boomed out again.

"Fight m—""SHUT UP!" His voice was so annoying. So constant. So painful. Evel clenched his jaw and reached into his coat, grabbing his full deck of cards and extending them forward. His body was screaming. His vision was wobbly. His breathing was difficult. His head was screeching. But who cared about effort or pain? Only results mattered! Colton's breathing quickened.

"F-fight me head-on. Th-that's right, you know you can't!" His grip loosened, and the cards released a soft thud as they hit the ground. Maybe he could continue relying on cheap tricks to beat Colton, but how did that help him at all in the bigger pucture?

"I don't need weapons for you." Evel bared his teeth. He wasn't the only one injured. He'd win regardless. Colton sneered, life returning to his eyes.

"Prove it." Wiping off his bloodied lips, Evel splattered it on the grass. He scrounged up every little ounce of strength he had left, taking one deep breath. He kicked off the ground with a screech. With a roar, Colton swung his arm down. Evel lifted his forearm, blocking half the strike and redirecting the other half. He reeled back his other arm. Colton tensed his abs. BAM! The bloodied soldier staggered back, letting out a soft gasp. Evel pushed forward again.

He wouldn't—couldn't give Colton any space to breathe. Colton's arm swung again from the side. Evel ducked, sweeping his legs to crash into his shin. But Colton didn't budge! Instead of dodging the strike, he put his entire weight into that foot to remain as sturdy as possible. Evel held his breath and raised his arms in a block as Colton reeled back his other foot. BAM! The foot smashed into Evel's arms, sending him rolling backward. He groaned, the pain of his forearms mixing with everything else he suffered.

He sluggishly pushed himself to his feet as Colton staggered in place. His eyes darted to his cards a few meters away.

"See?" Colton mocked.

"You're nothing. You'll never be anything." Evel burst forward again, hailing down a flurry of kicks and punches. Colton blocked each one, his gaze now much calmer than before. Evel was relentless, punching, kicking, grabbing—anything that came to mind. Every single time, Colton blocked or parried it. A series of exchanges later, a glint flashed across the soldier's eyes. With one arm, he smacked aside Evel's arm that was overextended from a swing and reeled back the other.

The hand crashed down square on Evel's jaw, sending him flying back; a wide grin spread on Colton's face. Breathing became excruciating. His body was burning in pain, and his jaw was severely bruised. Worse than any of it all was the constant stinging pain in his head that still refused to let go. He hesitated. Was he really just that much weaker?

"Is that all you got?" Colton's breathing was shaky. With a determined cry, Evel charged in.

"RAHHHHHHHHHHH!" After a few short exchanges, he landed a punch on Colton's shoulder, sending him staggering back. In exchange, Colton brought his arm down on Evel's shoulder, causing his knees to almost buckle. In the end, he held on tight. He grabbed onto Colton's extended arm. He twisted, causing the massive man to scream out in a pained roar. Evel followed it up, pointing his fingers and jabbing Colton's stomach.

Either Colton's body was too sturdy, or Evel's strength had sapped because the jab didn't go too far. Colton grabbed onto his arm and swept, slamming his leg into Evel's ankles. Evel yanked back his extended arm with full force, escaping Colton's grip, and drove his hand forward into the stomach area again. Colton stumbled back. Evel almost collapsed, his ankles unable to provide meaningful support after taking the attack head-on.

"You only got this far because you're lucky," Colton rasped. Lucky? Evel leaped forward, sending his entire body without caring for consequences and landed on Colton's torso. His eyes widened as he tried to stabilize his footing, but with Evel's full force, he fell flat on the bed of flowers behind him, crushing them instantly. Evel tried mounting on top of him, but Colton raised a leg, stopping his advance and pushing him backward. The copper-haired man rolled to his side and pounced.

Evel tried rolling away, but Colton wrapped his arm around Evel's collar. Without a second of hesitation, Evel opened his almost broken jaw, then crunched.

"ARGHHHH!" His teeth dug deep into his forearm, almost ripping the flesh in two. Colton reeled back his arm, but Evel jumped atop Colton. He bit down on his shoulder. Another scream of pain.

"LUCKY?" Evel demanded with a shriek. Evel lifted his torso, sitting atop Colton's chest. His entire body was drenched in blood, and each of his movements came with immense pain, but Evel felt nothing but fury. His fist crashed into Colton's face, smashing his jaw.

"LUCKY?" He raised his arm and crashed his fist down again.

"MY ABILITY—" His breathing became difficult.

"—IS HARMLESS." Crash.

"I HAVE NO FAMILY." Crash.

"MY AFFINITY IS—" His vision blurred. Crash.

"—TERRIBLE." Crash.

"AND YOU SAY I'M LUCKY?" Crash.

"DO—" He choked. Crash.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD I—" Crash. Evel shrieked, unable to finish his sentence as he raised his fist back into the air. Crash,"AND—" His voice cracked.

"And even then…" His eyes stung as the world looked as if it had been submerged under water.

"Even then…" His fist crashed down again. And again. No matter what he did. No matter how hard he trained. No matter what he sacrificed. Nothing was enough. Nothing could fill the gap of being born without talent. In the end, no matter how hard he worked...

"I'll be left behind again," he whispered. His fist crashed down. And again. And again. And again. Until finally, a heavy hand pressed down on his shoulder.

"Evel." A calm, familiar voice accompanied by a soothing feeling.

"The fight's over." Evel shakily turned over his shoulder to see Albert, who stood with a pained smile, his soft aura brushing on Evel's skin. He looked a little blurry. The whole world did. Evel swallowed, dry and heavy.

"I can still win… I—" Albert motioned to the side, and he followed his teacher's gaze to the man he was sat atop. Taking a sharp breath, Evel stumbled backward.

"I–" In the heart of the vibrant garden lay a shattered form, its face unrecognizable. The boundaries between copper hair and bloodied skin had faded, leaving behind a grim image of flesh and gore. The bones were shattered, and any recognizable feature was gone. Around it, every nearby flower had been coloured with a dash of crimson. Colton was no longer breathing.

"I…" Evel never finished that sentence.

"You're not to use Sunken Vials or rest pods for a month." The marigolds around Evel crawled up his skin, sending a soft sensation through his body, like he'd been hugged by a warm blanket. All the pain became just a little bit more bearable.

"Without the vials, I won't be able t—""I'm commanding you this time," Albert interrupted. His voice was like his ability — soothing, but firm. Evel opened his mouth to argue. If he couldn't use Sunken Vials or rest pods, then his training would be greatly limited. He'd just keep falling further and further behind. Everything he'd worked so hard for would be reduced to nothing, and he'd be useless forever. The words withered in his tongue. He was just so tired. Albert's gaze lingered on him for a few more seconds.

"It's been too long since you've had proper rest. Go to sleep." Evel swallowed quietly, his throat dry and his head heavy. His eyes travelled to his bloodied hand. It matched Colton's face, bones shattered and covered in loose flesh. Once again, he'd taken another life. He lowered his head. The bloodied flowers drifted in the wind.

"I don't know," he whispered, his throat tightening as he struggled to get out his words.

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do." His chest heaved, but no air reached it. Something hitched in his throat, and his eyes got full. His one good hand shakily wiped his face, but all that accomplished was to smear it with blood.

"I, I'm sorry, I—" His body curled forward. He wiped his eyes again, his breathing shaky.

"I…" He never finished his thought. A strange noise squeezed out of his mouth, and the tears rolled down his face faster than he could wipe them. He pressed his hand on his eyes, but the streams slipped through the gap between fingers regardless. From afar, the river's gentle murmur spread across the garden, interrupted only by an occasional sob. A deep sigh sounded from behind, followed by the pressure of a warm hand rubbing his back.

"You'll be alright, Evel." Albert's aura intensified. The long stems completely surrounded his body. With every passing second, his eyelids grew heavier and his mind numbed. Exhaustion finally claimed what was left of him, until he had no more tears to give. Maybe just this once, he could allow his body to rest. His heavy eyelids fell, and his body tilted sideways. The river's soft ripples faded to silence before he even touched the ground.