The table of essence separating them disappeared and Izir lunged forward with incredible speed. Aurelius let his materialized chair disappear and gritted his teeth as he met him head-on. As they met, Izir extended an arm, a blade extended from the back of his hand. Three slashes followed. Aurelius materialized shields on the backs of his hands as he had done in sparring and deflected each blow at an angle that made the blade slide off.

The barrage didn't end with three slashes, however. Izir rotated and thrust forward a materialized needle. An immediate counter to Aurelius' shields that were meant to redirect. His movements were as sharp as Cade's but even more precise. His technique told of his experience.

But he had underestimated Aurelius. In response to the attack, Aurelius didn't try disengaging. Izir's soldiers hadn't joined in yet. This was his opportunity to end it before it began. Kill him in one move!

The needle came straight at Aurelius' chest while he had strained his position during the earlier barrage, but his balance was firm. So in a split second, he twisted his body, letting the needle graze his shoulder as he counterattacked. A blade materialized as an extension of his open palm as he leaned into the dodging movement and slashed at Izir's neck, keeping his momentum in an attempt to decapitate. Blood spurting from Izir's headless body. That's what he wanted to see.

Aurelius grunted as his spine groaned from the twist and the needle drew blood at his shoulder, but his eyes only tracked his blade. Izir's eyes flew open when he realized the situation and barely managed a flimsy blade with his other hand to redirect the sword just enough to fly past his head.

It came with a price. He lost his footing more so than Aurelius and was caught off guard when Aurelius lunged back into combat. There was an exchange of blows that made the air tremble and sent booming sounds echoing. The movements were too quick for materialization to happen during them, and materializing early was as good as warning the opponent. Fists to forearms, elbows to palms. Too equal. Aurelius had to shift the battle, but Izir's soldiers began to move.

'I have to do it,' Aurelius thought as he pressed Izir, who had been forced to defend due to his bad starting position.

Aurelius blocked a fist and feinted a rotating movement. Izir shifted only to expose himself. Aurelius planted his right foot firmly in the mud and exploded into a palm strike to Izir's stomach.

Aurelius couldn't run to Cade and turn his back to the enemy. He had to make moving back a reaction to Izir's attack. And now it would come.

Izir recovered from the palm strike with a stoic expression as he slid to stop in the mud. Then he went a little lower with his legs and burst forth. His hand tensed and a ball of compressed essence swirled into existence.

Aurelius put his hands together and tensed his body, a shield of essence manifesting. The ball of compressing slammed ragefully into the shield and Aurelius mouth opened in a silent scream as a huge force launched him back tens of meters.

Then his body was jerked to a stop as Cade grabbed a hold of him. Aurelius' head throbbed and he felt a line of blood flowing from his nose. He wiped the blood and steadied himself.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Are we going to fight?" Cade asked as she looked at the soldiers getting into formation.

"You think we can all escape?" Aurelius asked, looking around. Cade didn't respond so he outstretched a hand. "Cade, we need the enhancers now."

"Rey," Cade said, prompting Aurelius to look her in the eyes. "We should escape."

Aurelius opened his eyes wide. Betrayal, shock, fury. He looked at Balgair. A clever little guy. Like a little brother. He had once held himself so importantly. But now he looked down, glancing up at Aurelius, telling him to do it.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Aurelius snapped. "You want us to ditch you, moron? You heard Izir. He's after me. They'll track us down no matter what. Your sacrifice won't mean shit," Aurelius hissed as he glanced at Izir who stood 30 steps away, listening with a disgusted expression. He wanted them to in-fight. He would probably have preferred nothing more than Aurelius dying alone in the mud.

"Hold!" Izir barked at his troops. "Son of Ares, my grudge is with you alone. Your companions may leave unharmed," Izir's commanding voice said loudly for all to hear.

Aurelius paused visibly. Cade's expression dropped, and she opened her mouth, but before she could get a word out, Balgair laughed out loud. He then faced Izir and only stopped laughing when he slicked back his wet black hair. "You think you got honor? Shit, man, you won't even give Aurelius a fair fight. What's the point in revenge if you're sharing it with thirty other dudes? But don't worry, I respect your honor. I care about it so fucking much that I'll stay just to even the odds and make you seem not as much of a loser," Balgair said all others falling quiet. Aurelius tried to grab him and tell him to be quiet, fearing that after this, he couldn't make the deal and let his friends walk out alive. Balgair slapped Aurelius off of him with a whisper. Then he pointed to the mud. "That's your dad right there," Balgair said to Izir. There was a moment. Then Balgair snorted and spat down where he had pointed. He looked back to Izir who ground his teeth and finished off. "Oh, and fuck your whole extended family."

Aurelius looked on with his mouth open in silence. Balgair looked back and winked. "You said it yourself. Your sacrifice won't mean shit, so we fight together. And we win." Balgair reached for the box in Cade's grip and despite Cade's unsure eyes, he took one. "Believe it or not, I've never done hard drugs before."

Aurelius looked back at Izir and readied himself mentally, quieting his mind. Izir had done the same. He was no longer clenching his teeth at Balgair's comments. His eyes were loose and apathetic like he couldn't care less about the repercussions of what was going to happen.

Cade handed Aurelius an enhancer as he stared at Izir. Izir put a hand in his pocket and took out a vial. Aurelius cursed in his mind. The first round had been fought already. What happened next would be something more animal than human.

Both opened the vials and chugged down the warm substance. It was far more than Aurelius remembered. It was as if his chest opened up, and spewed light into the sky. As if he was walking in heaven. From his peripheral vision, he could see as Cade and Balgair did the same. First time for both of them. But theirs didn't seem like Aurelius remembered his feeling like. They seemed to be in pain. Like they wanted to puke it out and forget the whole thing. Their bodies rejected it. They rejected that monstrosity.

For a moment, worry washed over Aurelius. For the well-being of his companions, but also a selfish fear of being rejected for that same monstrosity.

The worry was drowned out when another wave of power hit and Aurelius gathered himself. Warmth and an intensity unlike any other he'd ever felt raced through his body. So exhilarating he had to hold back from smiling.

He looked forward and took a step. Cade and Balgair could take care of themselves. He had more important things to do. Wreak havoc.

He roared as he hastened into a sprint, and Izir hit his chest twice echoed by his men before he made a roar of his own. "TO BATTLE!"