The arena quivered with the brutality of the struggle raging on, the crashing impacts of fist hitting fist and screaming echoing around the vast war scene. Dust and debris choked the air as Cyrus and Axel battled once more, their blows banging like gun barrels. Cyrus struggled with frenetic ferocity, every blow sending the deadly impact of his let-loose anger. Axel, on the other hand, was barely holding his ground, each movement calculated but strained under the sheer force of his opponent.
"You're finished, Sage!" Cyrus roared, his fists smashing into the barrier Axel had ducked behind. The structure shattered, sending shards of metal flying as Axel stumbled back, his chest heaving with the effort of staying on his feet.
Axel wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, his sharp gaze locking onto Cyrus. He could feel the oppressive weight of Cyrus's strikes in his bones, the unrelenting fury threatening to overwhelm him. He needed to do something—quickly.
"This isn't strength, Cyrus," Axel said, his voice hoarse but steady. "You're not in control. You're just a wrecking ball."
"Anything works, just," growled Cyrus, feral snarl on his lips as he launched another assault. Axel avoided the blow by inches, ducking to the side as Cyrus's fist blew a crater into the earth where he'd lain.
Axel knew he couldn't continue doing this. He had no room, no time. Cyrus's power was unnatural; it was something other—killing energy pushing him past his limits. The red vial cut through Axel's thoughts again, wearing away at the fringes of his concentration.
"Your leaving me with no choice," Axel muttered under his breath as he dodged another wild swing from Cyrus. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, his body tense with resolve. "I don't know if you've taken that red vial, but you're not the only one who's used it."
Cyrus's next punch was suspended in the air as the words struck. His sneer hesitated for a moment, and a look of confusion crept over his face. "What are you talking about?"
Axel drew back, his breathing hard but his eyes as sharp as a blade. His clenched fists relaxed, his tensed muscles relaxing a bit. Then he breathed in air and his eyes started to glint—a sharp, bright amber that sliced the battlefield mist.
Axel's air changed, the tension of the arena thickening as if time itself proceeded more slowly. Cyrus's movements, previously a smeared chaos of indignant fury, had become slower and could be anticipated with readability in Axel's eyes. All was crystalline and clearer—the fight and each member on it cut in suspension in a cage of augmented particularity.
Axel made the first assault. He slid under Cyrus's clumsy punch and circled past him, always moving in with fluid and natural ease. Axel caught Cyrus unaware by driving his elbow into the side of his opponent, and the force was enough to propel Cyrus off-balance. Recruits who'd gathered around groaned in reaction as Axel doled out a string of rapider ripostes, and each hit connected with accuracy precision.
Cyrus attempted to go back, thrashing about, but Axel was quicker—much, much too quick. With his last bit of momentum, Axel turned around, landing a gigantic punch in the chest of Cyrus. The force was monstrous, sending Cyrus crashing backward. He slammed onto the earth with a tremendous crash, the punch making a gigantic crater on the ground.
Silence descended over the arena, the cacophony of battle silenced by the mutual shock of the onlookers. The recruits on the sidelines gazed, their faces half wonder, half incredulity. Even Cyrus' teammates stood motionless, their self-assurance rattled by the sheer exhibition of Axel's advanced skill set.
Kaid, at the goal line with Lila and Eli, smiled weakly as he looked out before him. "He's finally getting serious," he grumbled under his breath, a touch of pride in his voice.
Ava, still holding onto the flag, looked over her shoulder, her eyes wide. "What is he." she left the sentence unfinished.
Cyrus grimaced and stood up, his movements stiff. There was blood at the corner of his mouth, but the fire in his gray eyes was not vanquished. "Not bad, Sage," he snarled, wiping his lip with the back of his hand. "But this is not finished."
At a distance, Commander Rourke stood on a platform raised higher above the ground. Arms folded across chest, scarred face a look of impassive constant stare. Coldness in the iris of his eyes seemed to show interest: "It seems Sage has played the trump card.".
Standing beside him, Victoria, the facility's second in command, cocked her head to one side. Her angular features relaxed enough to permit a slight smile. "Interesting. I didn't think he'd trigger it this quickly," she murmured with a gentle curiosity in her tone.
"He didn't have a choice," Rourke answered, his eyes fixed on Axel. "But now the big question starts: can he hold on, or will he crash like the rest of them?"
Victoria nodded, her smile turning serious. "Either way, this will be a fight to remember."
Meanwhile, on the field, Sigma's new recruits had shaken off their initial shock, all eyes of the players back on the game. Ava and Atlas continued with renewed determination, the goal line mere steps away. Kaid and Lila manned the defensive line, repelling Sigma's efforts to launch another counterattack.
But at the center of it all, Axel and Cyrus stood locked in a tense standoff. Axel's amber eyes burned with intensity, the glow flickering as he adjusted to the strain of his ability. Cyrus, battered but unbroken, clenched his fists tightly, his breathing heavy but his resolve unshaken.
"You're not the only one holding back, Sage," Cyrus said, his voice low and dangerous.
Axel remained silent, his intense stare never breaking from Cyrus. There was an electric tension between them like a live wire, and the war terrain became secondary to them as they waited for the next war.