ARCEUS PENDRAGON


    I slightly bent my knees and shot towards him. The floor under my feet collapsed into countless pieces forming a huge spider web that shook much of the forest, raising a cloud of dust.


    In less than a second, my right fist covered in blue flames was upon him. Enigma received the blow with his left palm, generating large shock waves that shook the air.


    In an instant, we both disappeared simultaneously.


    I felt his presence behind me and kicked hard raising my left leg. He appeared below my leg, with his torso bent. I raised my arm, blocking his right fist with the palm of my hand, when we disappeared again.


    We moved throughout the sky, our bodies were just two lines that quickly collided with each other from left to right. The thunderous blows resonated across the battlefield, knocking down trees and raising dust clouds.


    ?His speed is incredible?


    Enigma did a flip in the air while directing his right fist to my face. I tilted my neck dodging his powerful blows. In a blink, I had to duck to evade his flying kick.


    I moved my right arm and hit his mask hard, making his neck tilt backward, my blue flames enveloping the impact. But I immediately received his counterattack when his left fist crashed into my face, forcing me to lean back in the air.


    Dozens of thunderous blows resonated in the atmosphere before we finally separated. I panted while trying to stabilize my breathing, my chest rising and falling agitatedly.


    Our gazes crossed for a moment before disappearing simultaneously, turning into rays of light that collided with an explosion. Our fists collided with a thunderous sound that shook the forest. We threw another blow with the left hand almost at the same time.


    BOOM!


    The shock waves exploded simultaneously while blue flames emerged from my fists and accumulated in my arms in an attempt to knock him down.


    ?I have to find an opening.?


    Suddenly, Enigma kicked towards my chest. I raised my leg and counterattacked by kicking his calf. Both of us forcefully stopped this movement in the air while shock waves moved through the forest.


    We separated immediately. I saw how he stepped back a few paces. Suddenly, the ground rumbled as if an intense earthquake had been unleashed.


    Dudududududu!


    I opened my eyes forcefully upon feeling where the trembling came from. Adelaide''s battle against the Nightmare was affecting the rest of the battlefield.


    In my moment of distraction, Enigma shot out like a rocket towards me, leaving residual images behind him.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    BOOM!


    We were both faint shadows continuously clashing and separating in the sky, creating thunderous echoes. I managed to connect a high kick to his chin, making his torso lean backward in the air, but his right fist found my face with equal force, tilting my body backward.


    A thunderous blow resonated when his fist impacted my right cheek at the same time that my left arm covered in flames found his left cheek. Our legs collided in the air simultaneously in a high kick while the energies clashed and dispersed between each other.


    I tried to hit him again, but he jumped and counterattacked with a flying kick. I had no choice but to do a backflip. When I raised my head, he had disappeared.


    Before I could react, his elbow powerfully crashed against my nose. My body flew backward while I struggled to maintain balance.


    ?He''s very fast, I couldn''t see anything?


    My expression twisted while evaluating the situation, feeling my broken nose. Blood was dripping and I quickly cleaned it with my hand.


    ?I won''t give up so easily?.


    I shot out like a comet towards him, hitting his head at full speed. However, he disappeared in an instant. I felt his presence behind me just before a sharp pain pierced my right cheek, he had hit me with such power that it made my face spin.


    He vanished again while I looked in all directions. A kick came from the sky and crashed against my abdomen.


    —What''s wrong with you? Why don''t we have some more fun? Are you already tired of fighting? —his voice sounded mocking behind me, making my body shudder.


    ***


    ARCEUS PENDRAGON.


    Everything happened too quickly for me.


    Time seemed to slow down when I saw that the illusion spell reflecting Adelaide''s face and figure had disappeared, revealing a man whose robe was dark with burn marks, with the hood half-raised over his bald head.


    The bright red of his eyes was interrupted by dark spots that seemed to float on their surface, matching darker spots, ashen gray in color, that marred his cold, marble-like skin. I saw his hand approaching at an inhuman speed, felt paralyzing terror course through my body, and in that instant, I knew I was going to die.


    A sharp, burning pain exploded in my abdomen. I looked down to see the hands protruding from my stomach, while I watched the blood, my blood, staining my clothes and dripping to the ground.


    —Arceus!! —Anastasia''s desperate cry seemed to come from far away.


    —Uwaaaaahhhhh... aaa! —it was a cry of pain.


    My legs gave way, and I fell to my knees.


    The world around me began to blur, sounds became distant and muffled. I could feel life escaping with each beat of my heart, with each drop of blood leaving my body.


    Fear, cold and paralyzing, took hold of me.


    Come on... I can''t allow myself to die here.


    I didn''t want to die, not like this, not now. There was so much to do, so much to live for. Desperation took over my mind as I struggled to stay conscious.


    —Please, —I silently begged, to any power that might be listening—, I cannot die here. I can''t leave Anastasia alone. Please, I need a miracle.


    Unfortunately, time was fair to everyone and reality was cold and indifferent.


    —...Haha.


    The pain was paralyzing beyond imagination, but still, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.


    Should I say this was too unfair? No, I had been too greedy, hoping my enemy would be soft or lenient with me.


    Damn it...


    There was no escape.


    In reality, no matter how much I racked my brains, I couldn''t think of any way to save myself.


    I didn''t care if others criticized me for being pathetic or behaving like an insect.


    I want to live...!


    As long as I could survive, I couldn''t let go of that desire, even when death''s footsteps were getting closer and closer.


    Then...


    With my trembling lips...


    —...Help...


    Grabbing the grass below as if it were straw...


    —...Please...


    While softly panting and moaning through my teeth...


    —... Please help...!


    I screamed loudly.


    Helplessness overwhelmed me as I realized I couldn''t do anything to change my situation. My body refused to respond, and I felt darkness beginning to envelop me.


    Is this for real? Was it really going to end like this?


    I don''t want...


    ...to die...


    I heard Anastasia scream my name one more time, and then... silence.