Page 77 of Powerless

“Hello, Brax. Nice of you to stop by.”

He tips his head towards me in that same way he always has. “Evening, Kai.”

The Brawny has never been one for talking, instead choosing to patiently observe before uttering a word, making both him and Sadie oddly similar. We slowly begin to circle each other in silence, sizing one another up.

“So, I’m assuming you’re here for my band and not a friendly chat,” I sigh, taking a step towards him.

“Your assumption would be correct.” He tosses a glance at my cooking rabbit. “If you offer it to me, I’ll leave and let you get back to your meal. There’s no need for this to get messy.”

I don’t see any weapons on him, so I refrain from reaching for mine. We’ve known each other since we were boys, and I’d like to keep knowing him if I can help it. “You and I both know I can’t let you have my band, Brax.”

Because it’s my mission to win these Trials.

I think I see him nod in the growing darkness before he is suddenly charging at me. I drop low and use his momentum to throw him over my shoulder, hearing him hit the ground with a heavy thud.

I’ve trained with Braxton for years. He’s predictable, but that doesn’t make him any less powerful. He’s back on his feet in a flash, fists raised and ready to knock my teeth out.

And then calculated chaos ensues.

Fists fly, heads bob, feet weave. A dance. A brutal, bloody, beautiful dance. We are currently equals in ability, seeing that I’ve let his power escape from my veins and flood to the surface. My blows are brutal and swift in the flickering firelight.

His fist connects with my jaw, nearly breaking it, causing hot blood to pool in my mouth. I stagger back as he steps behind me and he wraps his massive arm around my throat in a chokehold. I can feel his hesitance before my head snaps back, skull meeting his nose with a sickening crunch. Now he’s staggering, blood streaming from his nose and into his mouth.

I use the split second to pepper him with swift blows that he can barely block. He recovers quickly, jabbing at my ribs with a powerful fist. I duck under his next swing and land a blow to his jaw.

It’s a vicious cycle. I hit him. He hits me back. To his credit, I’m impressed. I’ve never seen him so focused, so determined. This is the best fight I’ve had with him to date. It’s a shame I’ll have to put an end to it.

A dark hand comes flying straight at my face. I easily take a step back, my heels connecting with something, as heat warms everything from the back of my legs to the nape of my neck.

The fire.

He’s cornered me against the fire.

Clever.

I bob under a fist intended for my nose and bury my own deep into his stomach. He grunts, doubling over but grabs my arm in one swift movement. Then he twists, pulling both my arm behind my back and my chest towards the fire. Pain laces up to my shoulder as the flames glow in front of me.

Maybe I should have tried harder.

He kicks in the back of my knees, hard, before the even harder ground sends a jolt up my legs when I collide with it. The flames are close to me now, nearly licking my bare chest.

“Just let me cut off the band, Kai,” Braxton says from above me, sounding like a plea. It’s good to know that he doesn’t exactly like the idea of burning me alive. “This can all be over.” His voice is deep, but I catch the slight quiver in it. He’s caught off guard, shocked that he has me hovering over the flames like the now burnt rabbit beside me.

I was sloppy and tired, a fool who underestimated him, but now he has the future Enforcer at his mercy. “This is the best fight we’ve ever had, Brax. I’m impressed, truly,” I pant, the heat of the fire drawing beads of sweat down my face. “But you’re going to have to burn me before I let you have my band.”

He heaves a sigh. “I had a feeling you’d say that.” A pause. “And I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

Flesh meets fire.

Skin meets searing, hot flame.

I expect a scream to tear from my throat, but nothing but a strangled cry slips past my lips. Braxton’s knee drives into my back, angling my body and forcing the left side of my chest into the flames.

I’m burning, boiling, blistering as he holds me there before finally pulling me back, allowing cool air to wash over me. I’m gasping as he reaches with his other hand towards the sword at my side, ready to draw it from its sheath and cut the band from my arm now that I’m dazed with pain.

Oh, but I’ve known pain far worse.

His arm reaches beside me, and I grab it, standing to my feet in the same motion, adrenaline drowning out the ache of my burned flesh. I pull his arm over my shoulder and tip my body forward, using my momentum and Brawny strength to lift him off the ground and send him flipping over my back and straight into the flames.

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