Chapter 16. The Harder They Fall

Our stalemate was drawing ever closer to breaking as the fight continued. All it would take was one false move and the whole fight could be decided. We must have clashed over 100 times but I refused to let up. My whole body was groaning in protest but I pushed on and let my rage overtake every other sensation. I couldn't let anything distract me from striking down this heartless, power-hungry monster.

The first break in the routine dance we found ourselves in was my fist being ever so slightly faster and hitting him in the face. In the very next instant, my face was also struck but with significantly less force than my own. This short victory was cut even shorter as the man grabbed ahold of my hand. In the brief moment I relished in a successful strike he was able to grab hold of it. I tried pulling back but his grip was iron-tight.

He forced me forward, positioning my arm in between his arm and side. He attempted to use the advantage to deal concise blows but I retaliated by kicking at his legs to knock him down, which worked. To my dismay, however, my arm was still held firm even as he unexpectedly fell. As he went down I felt a sharp pain in my arm from the pressure he was exerting along with hitting the ground just right. While he was still disoriented I used my other arm to throw quick jabs at the arm holding mine. It loosened slightly and I was able to just start to pull it away but as I did so he slammed his fist down onto it breaking it more.

Gritting my teeth in pain, I jumped back and looked down at my dangling arm. Ordinarily, I would be able to heal the damage done relatively quickly but I couldn't spare the energy even if it meant I was now at a disadvantage in the fight. I needed to keep my energy consumption lower than the Muscled Maniacs if I wanted any chance of winning. If I was thinking clearly or at all I most likely wouldn't have done what I did but in the moment it felt like the only path to victory.

Grabbing my injured arm with the uninjured one I pushed my thumb into the skin, got a grip on it, and tore. In one swift motion, I removed the part of my arm that had been badly damaged. Muscle tore and bone snapped revealing a sharp section of my humerus. With forethought, the idea to remove the broken part of my arm wasn't a bad one. It not only lessened the amount of energy I was using to reinforce my body but also gave less of an advantage to the enemy via less of a target and a removed weak point. In my rage, however, the only thing I was thinking was the arm was in my way.

I was at a disadvantage without a second arm but I was now free from some dead weight that would have inevitably gotten in my way one way or another. In this battle of attrition and raw rage, my somewhat mindless action saved me. The Muscled Maniac squinted at me in confusion and just laughed, rushing toward me in his blind rage and battle hunger. He was ridiculously fast, not giving me time to do anything but counter his attacks. Without my right hand, I was being pushed back and forced to exert myself beyond the limit.

Even as I was on the backfoot his speed and strength were starting to slow down compared to the start of this fight. I was also flagging but the disparity was shown when my first punch had connected. It had given the Muscled Maniac an opening and was ultimately detrimental but it was proof I was winning the war.

I looked deep into the monster's eyes as the stub of my right arm sunk into his chest, the sharp bone plunging easily through his defenses. I had slipped past his attack and attacked back with deadly ferocity. He coughed up blood and gave me a bloody grin clamping his hand around my neck. He lifted me up and squeezed with all his might, his other hand coming up to reinforce his grip.

I struggled, kicking and straining against his assault but his iron grip only tightened. Even as a hint of dread shot through me hatred still reigned supreme deep inside. My gaze stayed affixed to his and pierced through his own like I was staring at his soul. His grip loosened ever so slightly and a tinge of fear and exhaustion marred his cold expression. His grin had long been replaced by vitriol but was now showing signs of cracks.

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With his weakening grasp around my neck and retaliatory strikes to his arms, (both bludgeoning and piercing with my fist and sharp bone arm respectively) it was only a matter of time before I was back on my feet. The lack of oxygen was still an issue but I was on the verge of being able to take a breath so I just needed to hold out a short time longer. The hint of exhaustion was now more visibly evident on his face as his features started looking pale. He was hiding his fear but his lack of confidence was evident even so.

Gasping, I finally got a breath of air, my vision had started to blur and my body felt cold, a bit longer and things could have gone badly. Now that my strength was starting to return to me and his grip was getting looser I could free myself. I was able to slip my fingers in between his grip and my neck and then push off of him with my legs. If I were any weaker or him any stronger it wouldn't have worked but I was free.

The Muscled Maniac heaved a breath and steam was rising off him similar to when he transformed the second time. He was also visibly older like he had aged many years. At this moment I took the time to catch my breath and stay on guard for any more potential attacks. As we stood breathing heavily it felt like the first respite in the fight, like we were waiting for the other to make a move but neither of us was going to.

Seemingly out of nowhere a blur of movement shot toward the Muscled Maniac and he fell to the ground. From the brief moment this mysterious person was within my field of view a pang of recognition entered my brain. I couldn't give it any attention as an opportunity had just opened itself up to me and I lunged toward the suddenly prone enemy in front of me. Pinning him down on his back, my legs to either side of him,

I didn't give him a chance to retaliate as my sharp bone of an arm came down right on his face. It sunk in easily and with a wet and satisfying noise. I quickly removed my arm and plunged it down again and again, over and over until I was slamming my arm into the ground of what was once the Muscled Manaics head. I was covered in Ichor and bone fragments but I didn't pay it any mind. My throat was raw from screaming and, inexplicably, tears streamed down my face as I sat on the monster's chest heaving for breath. My arms slumped to their sides and a sudden hunger jolted painfully through me.

Without a second thought, I sat up just enough to be squatted over the Muscled Manaic's lifeless form and placed my hand on his chest. Energy coursed through me and then collected deep in my chest. My arm and any other injuries healed and I felt weak but back to normal. I shook my head and looked around and down at the lifeless body and felt a deep sense of dissociation.

In a sudden burst of wind, two figures were stood in front of me, Jordan and..."Coffee guy?"

"Xavier, I know you just got done fighting and are probably exhausted but do you think you could heal some of the survivors?" Jordan asked, his hands out in front of him in a placating gesture.

My head tilted to the side and I had a confused look on my face. "What do you mean fight, heal...survivors? What happened...why is there blood...why am I covered in blood?"

"You don't remember? It-it doesn't matter, We've got a lot of injured and you can heal them, right Xavier?

"Yeah...I can." I said, more to convince myself I could than to actually answer Jordan.

"Alright, John is going to pick you up and take you to the injured, it may be a bit nauseating to give you a warning."

I nodded but the words didn't quite sink in, I was staring off in the distance a quizical look on my face. The coffee guy, or John, lifted me up and took me to the infirmary where many people were being treated and cared for by Jordan, John, and anyone else well enough to move. After John went back to retrieve Jordan I was guided and told how to help those who were injured.

The first person I was rushed to I recognized as Emily, she was in very bad shape and as I saw her a sudden pain surged through my chest, and head. Tears fell from my eyes and I wiped them away. It felt like a war was raging in my mind, memories flashing in and out but being suppressed at the same time. I grabbed at my chest and head as the pain started becoming unbearable. Before passing out I needed to do something to help those that had been hurt so I put all of my energy into what I hoped would work.

"Xavier? Are you alright? What's going on?" Jordan questioned, concern in his voice.

"Stand back" The unfamiliar voice of John uttered.

John held out his arm to stop Jordan from consoling Xavier as a red-orange glow was emitted from Xavier. When the mysterious glow touched an individual they were miraculously healed. Almost simultaneously Xavier slumped to the ground unconscious.