“For his Quarterfinal bout comes the Formidable Fighter at Level 8, Rexler!” Umdarr presented proudly.

Rexler stepped on to the stage without hesitation, giving a single wave to the audience as they exploded with excitement.

“Rexler! Rexler! Rexler!” they chanted, anticipating the fight at the edges of their seats.

“And on the other end of the stage, with a Level 5 and the focus to make up for the difference… The Dealer of Dragon Death…” Umdarr looked Zalan in the eyes and grew mortified. Zalan knew what was coming. Umdarr forgot his name again.

“It’s Zalan!” Zalan shouted in the moment before Umdarr announced. Umdarr nodded to him.

“Zalad!” Umdarr said quickly, immediately facepalming when he realized that he misheard Zalan.

The audience didn’t even notice the look on Umdarr’s ashamed face. They were already cheering as Zalan made his way to the stage. Of course, none of them used his real name.

“Ziyard! Ziyard! Ziyard!”

Evidently, they had agreed on what name to chant this time. Zalan was almost happy to hear them come together under one name. He just wished it was his actual name.

“Fighters, show your gestures of respect,” Umdarr said.

Rexler was already in pose. Zalan had been so distracted by the chanting that he forgot about doing it at the same time. Quickly, he placed a palm over a fist and nodded in respect.

“Let the Quarterfinals… Begin!” Umdarr jumped off the stage.

Rexler darted forward, throwing Zalan off guard by the speed at which he went for the fight. Zalan held up his hands, imbuing himself. Rexler wasted no time in throwing a punch as soon as he was close enough. Zalan barely had the time to get out of the way, leaning just as the arm came forward. He tried to bob to one side, but Rexler anticipated his move and struck him in the forearm.

It stung them both greatly. Zalan cried out. He had never been hit so hard in his life and wondered if his arm was fractured. Rexler hadn’t expected to feel lighting course through him on contact and had to bounce a few times in place to shake the feeling off.

Then, Rexler stepped forward and threw a fist with the full weight of his body behind it. Zalan was hit in the head. He moved with the punch, lessening the severity of the blow, but his vision was still overcome with stars. He was momentarily blinded by the sight, screaming and holding his head with his hand. Rexler exploded in agony, his knuckles burned and singed from the direct contact with painful electric shocks. He growled and took a few steps back, frustrated that he didn’t know what was happening.

“Headshot! He hit me in the head! Probably Elemental,” Zalan said in a daze.

Zalan looked over at Umdarr to call off the fight. He had been struck in the head, just like Trentor. But Umdarr shook his head almost imperceptibly, letting him know that the fight was still ongoing. Zalan couldn’t understand how that was possible. Umdarr didn’t look like he was using any Artifact to detect Elementally charged blows and Rexler had very clearly hit him in the head.

Frustrated, Zalan returned with a few well-formed punches followed by a kick and an attempt to sweep Rexler’s legs. Rexler was able to deflect the first few punches, but was partly paralyzed by the lightning flowing through. Zalan landed the kick, but couldn’t get Rexler on the floor. Rexler replied by swinging his arm around and hitting Zalan in the head again.

Zalan’s head was swimming in pain, not having expected another blow like that. His eyes glanced over to Umdarr who again signaled that the fight was still on. But instead of mounting frustration and confusion, the hit to the head brought about an epiphany in Zalan. Events replayed in his mind in rapid succession.

Rexler had hit someone in the head before and people reacted surprised except for Umdarr. Umdarr was watching the fight closely, but didn’t stop the battle. The only reason that would be the case is if Umdarr knew for a fact that Rexler wasn’t imbuing his fists in combat. He also had to know that Rexler didn’t emit any Elemental Power, no matter how little, on contact. How could Umdarr know that?

Callus also struck someone in the head, but was immediately ejected from the fight. It was the same situation. Most fighters shaped one another up, but Rexler always started his bouts by running in and going straight for hand-to-hand combat, regardless of the Elemental Power of his opponent. Zalan could only come to one conclusion.

Rexler had no Elemental Power of his own.

Umdarr must have been told during registration. Rexler had shown Umdarr his stats when he entered the competition. He probably didn’t even cover his arm to reveal that his Elemental stat read: NONE. That had to be the reason why Umdarr was fine with these strikes, despite being strict about it with others.

“I got you,” Zalan said dumbly, his head throbbing.

Rexler was massaging his hand and went in for another jab. Zalan blocked it with his arms, putting extra imbued power into his limbs as he did so. The hit was solid and Zalan reeled in pain, but so did Rexler, his body flinching violently after having so much electricity zip through. To Zalan’s relief, the pain drove Rexler to one knee.

The audience gasped at the scene. Zalan wasn’t hiding his power anymore. His imbued arms were glowing light blue. Most had never seen this Elemental Power before and were amazed by the sight. They didn’t know that the glow was indicative of lightning. Zalan gripped his bruised arm and retreated from the distracted Rexler. He rushed his way to the center of the ring and Rexler hobbled after him.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Squaring himself up to face Rexler, Zalan got into position to attack. He quickly raised his arms and let out a powerful bolt of lighting from one. Rexler looked startled by the power and he only twisted his body so the bolt would hit his shoulder instead of his whole body. Zalan was surprised that he got a clean hit in and sent out a second bolt. Rexler flinched and twisted as the pangs of the energy shot through him.

Zalan waited with bated breath for Rexler’s response. This would be the definitive proof of whether he was an Elementally Powered individual or not. If he responded by throwing projectiles, there was a good chance that Zalan would be overwhelmed. He was definitely outmatched in hand-to-hand combat. The Level 8 punches felt like they bruised every hit and could have broken something if he wasn’t better trained. If his Element wasn’t lightning, there was a good chance he would have already been defeated. The lightning slowed down Rexler’s attacks enough to give Zalan room to think and escape.

Rexler stood, the steely confidence in his gaze shaken.

“Are you powered or not?” Zalan decided to ask outright.

Rexler flexed his arms, judging whether he had full control over them. He watched Zalan closely. Zalan raised a hand and prepared to blast more power at him. Rexler’s silence was off putting. Zalan’s hands shook lightly, not certain whether he should try and shoot more lightning at the man or go for another strategy. Zalan continued speaking to remain confident.

“I think you can just yield. You’re out of your leag—”

Zalan stopped as Rexler charged forward. Zalan blasted a bolt in shock, but Rexler was ready this time. Rexler weaved away from the lightning and Zalan wasn’t good enough at redirection to hit his new position. Rexler closed in just as Zalan shot off another blast of lightning. It hit, but Rexler’s momentum carried forward and tackled Zalan. The air was driven out of Zalan and he gasped as he crash landed on the arena. He couldn’t focus enough to keep the lightning imbued throughout his body. He groaned for only a second, then tried to get up. The second he hesitated was too long. Rexler had pinned his arms, a fist aimed for Zalan’s face.

“Yield,” Rexler demanded coldly.

Zalan wanted to imbue his arms, but knew he'd take a full-force punch to the face if he did. He would be out cold, or worse. But he didn’t want to lose. Not here. Not before Slauson was taken out of the tournament. He grew frustrated as Rexler looked down on him. He let his rage simmer and rise to his head, making him act before he thought. He had just discussed with Rep how he wanted to have better control of his anger, but he let it take over this time. His anger had served him before, it would do well in this dire circumstance.

Zalan let his face fall to the side and his arms go limp, looking as though he had given up. Rexler relaxed ever-so-slightly at the sight, and Zalan stretched his ankle as far as it would go to point it at Rexler. He fired lightning from his foot, striking Rexler in the small of his back. Rexler spazzed with teeth grit, his body leaning forward in response. Zalan used the imbalance to throw off Rexler and fully imbue himself in lightning. It was the most power he ever put into the imbue. Little sparks popped across his body. Rexler tried to turn around, but Zalan kicked him in the same injured spot on his back. Rexler called out in suffering and fell flat on his face.

“Call the fight or I’ll grab him!” Zalan demanded of Umdarr.

His body raced with tiny spots of lightning running up and down his clothes. Umdarr looked ambivalent, but shook his head. None of the conditions for a win had been met.

“Fine,” Zalan grabbed Rexler by the back of his neck.

Rexler screamed in agony, the lightning blasting him like a taser. He trembled in immense pain and tried urgently to speak.

“I…” Rexler managed, his body convulsing.

Zalan didn’t let up, enjoying his power over someone else. His abilities with lightning didn’t need to have additional utility. He didn’t care about being able to bring someone from the brink nearly as much as the power brought him agency over his life. He was lost in the moment. Lighting was everything.

“The battle is over!” Umdarr bellowed in his face. “You won.”

Umdarr blasted him off of Rexler with a powerful force of air.

Zalan was confused. Rexler hadn’t said “I yield” yet. Rexler stopped speaking before yielding, and Zalan had stopped paying attention to anything but that. He looked down at his opponent and saw Rexler face down with a black handprint scorched into him. A small bead of smoke lifted from the macabre mark. Rexler wasn’t moving. Had Zalan been zapping someone who had gone unconscious? He would have noticed, right? Or did the body keep twitching, regardless?

Umdarr dropped prize money in his hands and personally went to assist Rexler. He wouldn’t look at Zalan. Zalan looked up at the audience and saw that they were uncertain how to react. They gave him tepid applause. Some were amazed by the sight of someone with Elemental Lightning, but most looked concerned. Scared, even. It made Zalan feel even angrier. They came to watch a tournament! And he won! Didn’t they like what they saw?

Zalan stomped his way down the stairs, keeping hold of his prize money if the audience didn’t appreciate him. Exiting the arena, he met with Rep who was waiting to be called for his fight with Slauson.

“Are you all right?” Rep asked, concerned.

“Yeah, I’m good. Didn’t you see? I just won,” Zalan snapped.

“Right, but you hurt Rexler. Badly,” Rep murmured, disturbed.

“In a fight! What, you want me not to hurt someone during a fight? Isn’t that the whole purpose of this thing?” Zalan asked, annoyed.

Rep frowned, unsure how to respond.

“Go and beat Slauson, all right?” Zalan said. More demanding than asking.

“Are you sure you are fine?” Rep asked. “You do not look well.”

Zalan felt how tight his face was. The locked position of his eyebrows pointed downward and the rage in his heart pumping away. If he looked anything like he felt, it was a terrible sight.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I didn’t mean to hurt him so bad, okay? Seriously, my power just got away from me,” Zalan tried to shake the feeling off.

The rage was powerful, but it was also intoxicating. He needed to get a better hold if he wanted to use it in battle. His immense rage was a tool. He had to make sure not to use it out of battle as well. Especially not toward Rep.

“Have a good fight,” Zalan encouraged Rep. “Remember, you’re a great fighter. You can take him.”

“Thank you,” Rep nodded, looking a little more relaxed as Zalan cooled down.

Umdarr picked up Rexler and put him in Kashir and Brashir’s arms. He looked over Rexler one more time. He was definitely alive, but he looked terrible. He threw Zalan one last glance, disappointed in the fighter. Kashir and Brashir left the stage. Umdarr put on his best face, trying to liven up the concerned audience.

“Get ready for the next match!” Umdarr called from on the battlefield. “It is looking to be an incredible one!”