Gornax yanked Dreiki off, and sent him flying. Luna slipped in her tail around Rixam’s neck and progressed her armbar. Rixam bashed her into the ground in an effort to make her let go, but Luna was too stubborn.
Crack! CRUNCH!
Rixam’s forearm gave in to the pressure, and Luna slipped off, putting all her weight into the tail choke.
Dreiki twisted in the air landing feet first on the magical barrier. He blasted a wall of fire between Gornax and Rixam to give Luna more time. If she could knock him out that would prove their worth even more.
Unfortunately for him, Gornax didn’t care about getting burned. He jumped through the fire and helped Rixam peel her off his neck. Dreiki rolled onto the ground and darted forward, snatching Luna up and returning to the other side of the battlefield.
He set her on her feet, fatigue starting to hit him already. They were at the halfway point now, and knowing that Dreiki didn’t know if he could make it.
A glob of water wrapped around him like a vest, glowing with healing light. Energy swelled back into his body, “Thanks.”
The winds changed, pouring towards Rixam as he inhaled. His broken forearm mended in seconds. He could even see the wounds starting to close on Gornax as well.
Dreiki lobbed a boom bolt over to them to disrupt their healing, but a wall of stone erected between them.
That didn’t stop him from maintaining the pressure. The more they were on their backfoot, the more time the two of them had to heal.
It was only when Dreiki felt a hand grab his ankle that he realized his mistake. He was pulled underground before Luna could react.
He held his breath and tried to move, but the soil was too strong. It closed in from all sides, squeezing the air from his lungs. Claustrophobia kicked in. His heart began to race, his mind overtaken by the primal fear of being buried alive. He tried to dig himself out, but the ground only pulled him deeper below. Could Luna even reach him this far down?
His lungs screamed in agony, his panicked heart gorging on what little oxygen remained in his blood. He felt numb, his thoughts starting slip.
He only had one option.
Phoenix Plume
Burst.
Wings of fire enveloped his body, a bright flash and a deafening BOOM! The ground expanded around him, he took his opportunity and launched himself upward through the soil. Fresh air greeted him for only a moment before he was swallowed again.
It felt like eternity. He struggled for air again and again, but Gornax kept pulling him back down. Each attempt was weaker than the last.
He mustered up one final push and grabbed for anything that could keep him on the surface. Rixam’s tail just so happened to be in range. Like a revenant, Dreiki climbed from the earth and dragged Rixam down with him. His forearms burned with fatigue, but he knew if he let go now they would lose.
Seeing this, Luna kicked him off his feet, and sent both of them into the ground. There was a change of plans between Rixam and Gornax now. A small pocket opened up to fit the three of them. Dreiki might not need to worry about the ground suffocating him anymore, but now he was trapped in a two on one with these brawlers in close quarters.
He decided it would be best to replace what little air they had with smoke to even the odds. Now it was Dreiki’s turn to have a magical grappling match with Rixam as he tried to manipulate the smoke saturated air. The two of them lunged forward.
There was no way for Dreiki to defend every attack, so instead he protected his liver and his chin. They dug body shots into his ribs, reminding him how sore they were from Gornax’s torment before.
He kept his head moving, feeling a stone covered fist open up a wound on his cheek. Every strike blocked made his arm buzz. Every kick he checked made him feel like his bones would give out. They chopped at his legs, and pounded into his guard. All he could do was maintain the flames on his body to ensure every blow landed was made at a cost to his opponents too.
BOOM! Fwoooshh!
A hole was punched into the ceiling and filled their cavern with water. A giant icy hand snatched Gornax away. He had bought Luna just enough time to summon and ice elemental.
But the new opening allowed Rixam to clear out his smoke. They were up to their shins in water, but that didn’t stop Rixam from layering on his offensive.
Now that he could see where he was punching, every hit connected with dangerous precision. Any blow Dreiki tried to counter with was offset by a strong gust of wind. Rixam had learned to keep his guard up while attack him. He was taking big shot after big shot. Cuts opened up from heavy elbows, his nose broken by an uppercut that slipped through.
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If Dreiki had been told to defeat Rixam in a fight, he never would have been able to do it. If he had nothing to fight for, he would have admitted defeat. If he knew he couldn’t win, he would have conceded to avoid taking more damage.
But he only had to last five minutes.
If he showed weakness now, he would lose without a shadow of a doubt, so he fought like a wolf even if he was just a lamb.
His fist crunched down on Rixam’s nose. One of the only clean hits he was able to land.
RING! RING! RING!
Rixam’s fist stopped right at his jaw, both of them breathing heavily. He had left himself open with that last hit. Dreiki slumped down into the water. He had cut it close.
“That’s our win then…” He huffed out.
SPLASH!
Rixam sprawled out on his back in the water, “You can take a punch, I’ll give you that.”
“I think I can take about two hundred punches, in fact.”
He laughed, “If only I had one more second to deliver number two hundred and one… Ah well, it’s not over yet.”
Dreiki waded over to him and offered his hand, “You almost had me a few times.”
Rixam smiled, taking his hand, “Yeah, but that one punch you landed made me hesitate for the rest of the match. You hit pretty hard for a little guy.”
“I was trying to knock you out. So I guess I don’t hit hard enough.”
The two of them crawled out of the cavern together. The ice elemental Luna summoned had been shattered to pieces, but she was still conscious nonetheless.
“I hope we’ve proven ourselves.”
“Oh, most definitely.” Rixam said, “But even if you can survive the two of us, we need someone who can beat the two of us. We’ll see how pops does. He’s got better odds since I’m tired as fuck right now, but I aint losing.”
Dreiki thought about it, Savekio had truly given himself every advantage here. If they had just fought for two minutes, Rixam and Gornax wouldn’t have been nearly as exhausted as they were now. Savekio was coming in fresh, while the two of them were on their last legs.
Rixam hopped out of the hole, offering his tail for Dreiki to pull himself up.
“Everyone, take a few minutes to recuperate and heal.” Savekio said, “As for the two of you, tell me when you’re ready for our match. I don’t want any excuses, so fight me at your best.”
“You sure, pops?” Rixam asked, almost afraid of how confident Savekio was.
Savekio tossed a potion over, “Here, just so you don’t take too long to recuperate.”
Rixam uncorked it and sniffed it. Deciding it wasn’t poisoned, he downed it, “You said ten seconds?”
Savekio nodded, “Do you want to discuss for less?”
Rixam shook his head as Gornax downed a potion behind him, “No, ten seconds is good.”
Luna clasped some water over Dreiki, “Sorry I took so long.”
“Don’t worry about it, I survived.”
They sat together. It felt nice to be wrapped in warm healing water after a rough fight like that. Dreiki could feel the ringing pain in his face melting away.
The air filled with a sweet smell, evaporating what little pain remained.
“Figured I’d help you guys heal a bit too,” Rixam said, looking to Luna, “You mind helping us out?”
“You’ve got potions, you’ll live,” Luna said coldly.
Rixam clicked his tongue, “Whatever.”
The timer flickered on again as Savekio stepped into the circle.
His two opponents took every second they could.
Dreiki perked up, realizing something. He looked around, “Where’s Ezo?”
Luna raised her eyebrow, “Sav- Loktiir didn’t tell you?”
He shook his head.
“Ezo’s been sent to pick up materials from a contact Savekio has in Kul Creek.”
Dreiki did remember something about that, “I must’ve forgotten, I was so focused on my own task.”
“Sometimes it’s for the better.”
“Argo, count us down!” Savekio yelled over.
“Right! Three!”
Rixam wreathed himself in violent protective wind.
“Two!”
Gornax donned a full suit of stone armor.
“One!”
They protected each other with their respective magics. The earth and sky working in harmony.
Savekio popped his neck and straightened his back.
“Go!”
The timer counted down
9
Savekio stalked forward at a leisurely pace. Maybe this would be the first time Dreiki saw Savekio use his birth element.
8
When Dreiki thought about it, he had never seen him use magic before. At least, not directly. Rixam and Gornax put up their guards.
7
What element did Savekio command? There was a pause between the three.
6
FWP! CRASH! Savekio hits Rixam to the body, opening his guard for a brutal uppercut. Rixam’s armor and jaw are broken. Gornax erects a stone wall between himself and Savekio.
5
Savekio punches through the wall and grabs Gornax by the neck. Rixam is unconscious on his feet.
4
Gornax tried to crash the wall on top of Savekio, but Savekio yanks him through the stone and into a headbutt. Rixam hits the ground.
3
CRACK! Savekio shatters Gornax’s stone helmet right along with his consciousness.
2
The stones fall off Gornax’s body. Savekio lets go of the unconscious Gornax.
1
Gornax hits the ground. Savekio walks away from the two unconscious teens.
0
Savekio calls for Luna to heal them. Luna begrudgingly complies. To this day, Dreiki still has not seen Savekio use his magic.