Gladia lunged again, his massive axe cleaving through the air with a thunderous whoosh. Travis dodged to the side, sweat dripping into his eyes as he narrowly avoided the deadly strike. His body ached, his breaths came ragged, but his mind began to focus. Every swing, every step, every snarl from the minotaur painted a clearer picture of how Gladia fought.

Travis raised his sword, steadying his stance. His heart pounded, but his movements felt sharper now. "Alright," he muttered under his breath. "Let’s even this out."

Gladia sneered, rushing forward with another devastating swing. This time, Travis met the blow head-on.

*Clang!*

The impact of axe against sword sent sparks flying, illuminating their fierce expressions. Travis twisted his wrist, deflecting the heavy axe to the side and stepping into Gladia’s guard. He slashed upward, his blade carving a shallow cut along the beast’s arm.

Gladia roared in pain, rearing back. "You’re learning," he admitted grudgingly, his voice tinged with a mix of irritation and respect.

"I’ve fought worse," Travis shot back, though his smirk was tired.

The two clashed again, their weapons colliding with rhythmic clang-clang-clangs that echoed across the arena. Travis ducked low to avoid a horizontal slash, spinning to deliver a quick counter-strike aimed at Gladia’s legs. The minotaur blocked it with the haft of his axe, retaliating with a swift kick.

Thud! The kick connected with Travis’s side, knocking him back several paces. He winced but didn’t fall, using the momentum to reposition himself.

Gladia wasted no time, charging again. This time, Travis stood his ground, bracing for the impact. When the axe came down in a ferocious overhead strike, Travis sidestepped at the last possible second, slamming his shoulder into Gladia’s side. The unexpected move staggered the minotaur, leaving him momentarily off-balance.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Capitalizing on the opening, Travis spun and delivered a powerful horizontal slash. The blade bit deep into Gladia’s side, eliciting a guttural roar. Blood sprayed onto the sand, dark and steaming, but the beast refused to falter.

"You’re strong," Gladia admitted, his tone begrudging. "But strength alone won’t be enough to kill me!"

He swung his axe in a wide arc, forcing Travis to leap back. The blade carved through the ground with a deafening crunch, sending sand flying in every direction. Before Travis could recover, Gladia closed the distance with a surprising burst of speed, his golden eyes blazing.

The minotaur spun, his axe a blur. Travis barely ducked in time, the blade slicing cleanly through the air above him with a sharp whip. Without hesitation, Travis lunged forward, aiming for Gladia’s torso.

The minotaur shifted his axe, blocking the strike with a resounding clang. Travis felt the jarring impact in his arms but pressed on, twisting his blade to force Gladia’s weapon away. He followed up with a series of rapid strikes, his sword a silver blur as it slashed at Gladia from every angle.

Clang! Thud! Slice! Gladia blocked some, parried others, but a few found their mark. Shallow cuts began to dot the beast’s muscular frame, each one drawing a deeper growl of frustration.

"Enough!" Gladia bellowed, stomping the ground with enough force to send a shockwave rippling outward. Travis stumbled but recovered quickly, his eyes narrowing.

The crowd of skeletons cheered wildly, their rattling bones filling the arena as the combatants squared off once more. Gladia’s breaths came heavy now, his golden eyes still fierce but slightly dulled. Meanwhile, Travis’s exhaustion had given way to a sharp, almost feral determination.

"You’re slowing down," Travis said, circling Gladia cautiously.

"And you’re getting cocky," the minotaur shot back.

Gladia charged, swinging his axe in a brutal overhead strike. Travis sidestepped, but instead of retreating, he stepped inside Gladia’s reach, bringing his sword down in a heavy slash aimed at the minotaur’s chest.

Gladia blocked with the haft of his axe, twisting it to trap Travis’s blade. The two strained against each other, their weapons locked in a deadly contest of strength.

"You think you can outlast me, human?" Gladia growled, his voice a low rumble.

Travis grinned through gritted teeth. "No, but I can outsmart you."

With a sudden shift, Travis released the pressure, letting Gladia’s weight throw him off balance. He ducked low and spun, sweeping his leg in a quick arc that knocked the minotaur’s hooves out from under him.

Thud! Gladia hit the ground hard, his axe skidding away.

The crowd erupted in a mix of cheers and boos as Travis scrambled to his feet, his sword raised. Gladia growled, pushing himself up with surprising speed, but the beast was clearly winded now.

"You’re good," Gladia admitted, wiping blood from his mouth. "Better than I expected."

"Thanks," Travis replied, his tone dry. "You’re not so bad yourself."

The two faced each other again, the air between them charged with tension. Gladia grabbed his axe, his grip tightening as he readied for another round.

And so the fight continued, both combatants moving with renewed intensity, their weapons clashing in a symphony of metal and grit. Travis’s strikes grew sharper, his movements more fluid, as he adapted to Gladia’s patterns. Blow for blow, they fought, the sands of the arena stained with sweat and blood.

For the first time, they stood as equals.

TO BE CONTINUED