New World - A New Beginning

Chapter 155: True Freedom

We both shot towards each other with deafening booms that echoed across the vast plain. My eyes locked on the purple irises that mirrored my own, attempting to locate weaknesses in the Elder's posture.

My final battle would be against myself. All the time I had spent training, killing, and living, had all prepared me for this moment. 

The Elder leaped into the air, condensing his bind into a small orb in his palm before unleashing it towards me. The world around me slowed down as I watched the projectile close in on me.

My surroundings were engulfed in shadows. Darkness beset the scene but slowly began clearing up as color returned to the area. I smiled at the irony of the familiar location as my ears were submerged in the deafening cries of an ecstatic crowd. The blaring horns of combat and the robotic announcer followed shortly after.

I snapped back to the fight, avoiding the blast of lightning and anticipating an attack through the dark smoke.

BOOM

The Elder landed exactly where I had predicted. His fist lay in my open palm.

This was an attack I used during my match against One, I thought as I spun around, sending my leg flying into the Elder's ribcage.

BOOM

My opponent immediately recuperated from the strike, shooting back towards me. His clothes morphed before my eyes, the ragged black tunic beginning to shine with a neon glow. Advanced armor covered the Elder as he launched a devastating offensive.

I raised my arms accordingly, deflecting the majority of his attack. An occasional strike would land due to my unfamiliarity with fighting an opponent who was this fast, but I managed to hold my ground. 

I knew the neon armor that lay on his body was merely an illusion. If I could land a hit, whether or not he appeared to be protected wouldn't matter.

A crackling fist came hurling at me, forcing me to narrowly avoid it. I channeled bind into my body, using the awkward position to fuel my momentum for a counter-attack.

I blasted forward, opening my hand as midnight suddenly appeared in my palm. The crowd hollered upon seeing one of the contestants retaliate.

"Electroblast," I muttered, supercharging the black blade with a wave of violet lightning. The speed at which I had reacted and converted my body into an offensive stance had left my opponent unguarded, and I used that split second to slice with the power of a devastating lightning spell.

BOOM

I immediately knew the attack hadn't defeated my opponent. I scowled, feeling my blade completely shatter in my hands.

"Those measly weapons don't work here!" cackled the Elder.

"!"

His eyes widened as I appeared through the smoke, the broken dagger still in my hand. 

"Electroblast."

BOOM

The remainder of midnight disintegrated, but I had created a massive opportunity by sacrificing one of my most precious possessions. The Elder stumbled back in shock of a second explosion.

Only trails of dark purple lightning could be seen as I zipped through my opponent, hitting him from all angles as the image of an asterisk was drawn from the residue of bind. I felt the second part of myself awaken, and I couldn't help but smile amidst the devastation I was unleashing onto the Elder.

I appeared right in front of my dazed opponent, sending an uppercut right into his gut as he shot into the air. The crowd gasped, following the body with their disgusting eyes.

"Asthia!"

Another silhouette appeared right above the Elder's neon body, her eyes swirling with rage as velvet lightning converged onto her fist.

"Don't... rush me!" she yelled sarcastically, unleashing her attack right into the target that had been flying towards her.

BOOM

The Elder's body crashed right into the smooth ground of the arena, cracking the surface and creating a crater from the impact. Asthia followed up on her initial ambush, slamming onto the immobile body with the full force of her newly-discovered element.

BOOOOOOOMMM

The first specs of blood emerged from the beaten body's mouth. We were hurting him.

A massive bolt of lightning struck the Elder, forcing Asthia to retreat and allowing him to regain his footing. He had a ridiculous amount of endurance, but we were slowly chipping away at his spirit.

"Don't get blasted away this time," I said. She scoffed at my comment, a wide smile appearing on her face. Maybe I was beginning to understand humor. 

"Yeah, I won't."

I appeared beside the neon warrior, a flash of energy illuminating the enclosed area as I sent my fist straight into his jaw.

BOOM

Just as he tumbled from the blow, Asthia manifested in the perfect location, pounding him with another fist imbued with lightning.

Not even a second was given to the victim of our strikes as we continuously pummeled the Elder. The spectacle resembled a dance, both artists elegantly playing around each other with a single goal in mind: destroy the Elder Wyvern.

The god was in complete shock at this unforgiving chain of blows. Never once had any of his vessels mutinied against him, but now, he was being destroyed by his own power.

"Impossi-"

BOOM

Each punch or kick sent a booming shockwave of sound across the arena, hammering the minds of the fake spectators as they let out roars of enthusiasm and awe. 

I briefly looked at Asthia's physical state, seeing burns beginning to appear on her skin. I scowled. She couldn't withstand much more of the Elder Wyvern's power. If she were to hold on any longer, she was putting herself at risk of permanent damage.

Asthia, hold him off for a bit, I said, backing away momentarily. The girl didn't respond, not wasting any time as she continued to bombard the Elder Wyvern with attacks. I closed my eyes, feeling every string of bind coursing through my body.

I needed all of it.

I closed my hand, directing all the bind in my body into the fist. I searched deeper, rummaging through my core and extracting everything that had been stored inside it.

My legs began to tremble due to the lack of energy in my body. It felt as if my very life force was being drained, but I continued without hesitation. What would've been the point of so many years of conflict if I couldn't even pull this off?

Lightning began to spark around the fist. I could feel beads of sweat running down my exposed arm, my shirt beginning to disintegrate from the sheer heat of the bind that was jumping around my hand.

When I felt like my entire arm would be ripped off my body, I opened my eyes. I met the terrified gaze of my doppelganger, their trembling irises saying more than words ever could.

I shot forward, every element within Auroria swirling around my fist as I narrowed my vision on a single spot on my opponent's body: their heart.

Asthia felt the absurd amount of energy hurling towards her, immediately backing off as I zoomed past.

Violence had followed me no matter which body I lived in. If my fist were to pierce the body of the silver-haired boy in front of me, would I finally be free?

Show me, Jay, right now, that your life had meaning!

My own thoughts resonated in my ears as I sent my fist flying into the petrified gladiator. I felt my skin crush the illusionary armor, disintegrate the black tunic that lay underneath, and finally impale the sweaty skin of Two.

The person before me, the fighter that had tried so hard to make me lose my way, was Two. With this strike, for potentially the first time in my two existences, I'd truly be free. Was I being naive?

I was.

But I had to believe in something.

I crushed the beating heart of my adversary, feeling his final breaths touch my skin.

BOOOOOOOOOMMMMM