Aurelius and Cade ran circles around Solomon, bouncing off each other and coordinating to the best of their ability. All in an effort to get a hit in on Solomon.

  After devoting a few more days to amplification and restriction as well as the development of his technique, Aurelius turned his focus to combat, beginning to spar more against Solomon with Cade.

  Aurelius and Cade were in their element in singles combat, but after a couple of sessions, they developed a special chemistry. They saw each other's intentions and boosted the other or provided a distraction.

  Solomon, who had suggested the exercise in the first place, had had his grin wiped off his old smug face a while ago. That put a smile on Aurelius' and Cade's faces, who carried on while making jokes.

  "Where have your white teeth gone, Master?" Aurelius asked.

  "Shut it," Solomon snapped with an attack faster than the rest. Aurelius was taken aback but managed to block it and kept on laughing as he was sent skidding back through the shallow snow.

  "The hermit's gone mad at last," Cade said from behind Solomon. "Mad and slow!" She threw a lightning-fast kick at his side.

  Solomon didn't seem to pay attention. That's how Aurelius knew it was a lost cause. Solomon blocked the kick, catching Cade's foot in his hand.

  Cade's mouth formed an O shape. Then her hair went flying up, and Solomon hurled her with scary speed and force. As Aurelius came to a stop, Cade flew at him. Aurelius took on the brunt of the impact as she hit him. She shivered as she came to.

  "I think you got him angry," Aurelius whispered in her ear and heard her suppress a giggle.

  "Enough chatting. Have some respect," Solomon spat and gestured for the two to come at him.

  Aurelius and Cade split up and ran at him from the sides. The air around Solomon had changed. Ever since Aurelius' rediscovery, he'd begun to notice the way the essence around Solomon was charged. It was like Gadreel's but more forceful.

  The potential energy around Solomon made Aurelius' instincts scream at him. Lethal!

  Solomon moved faster than Aurelius could see and blocked both of their attacks at the same time. Aurelius ripped himself free while Cade used footwork to rechannel her momentum. They struck again, doing their best to read the other and create an unblockable combination. Solomon rotated back and forth, slapping away their attacks.

  Suddenly he had enough of blocking. His eyes landed on Aurelius as he was resetting. Aurelius panicked, taking a firm defensive stance. He resolved to hold out until Cade got a good opportunity. Solomon came with a piercing blow that Aurelius barely dodged after realizing he couldn't block it.

  The rules of the spar were only to use enhancement and reinforcement, but if there had been a blade extending from Solomon's hand, it would've been through Aurelius' chest.

  Aurelius saw an opening. Using the momentum of the dodge, he counterattacked, aiming a palm strike at Solomon's side. Solomon leaned away. Then Solomon launched an attack. Aurelius felt it before he saw it. A push kick in the stomach. The sound was like stomping on a bag of grain, but a hundred times louder.

  Air escaped his lungs, and spittle flew from his mouth. He was sent back so far he barely kept himself from tumbling down the mountain.

  He heaved for air at his knees before looking up. Cade and Solomon were engaged in an exchange, but Solomon wasn't receiving anything. He dodged every strike before kicking Cade in the thigh, breaking her stance.

  The next moment seemed like minutes for Aurelius.

  Cade lay down on the ground, her expression twisted in pain. Aurelius figured that that was it but saw Solomon move. There was no need for another attack. He had already won!

  Aurelius' mouth went wide, but before any sound got out, Solomon struck Cade's cheek. It resounded in Aurelius' ears as he watched her turn and collapse into the snow, twitching. That indifference struck a chord in Aurelius. It brought a pair of silver eyes to mind and made him tense to the core.

  Before Aurelius knew it, he was on his feet, rushing at Solomon. Streaks of essence coursed around. Air blew in his ears. He bared his teeth. His nose scrunched up. His eyes stung. Images flashed. Blood.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Hey!" Aurelius roared.

  Solomon turned at last. Aurelius lashed out. He twisted at the hips and punched Solomon at full force. Solomon met it head-on, catching his fist in his palm. The impact made a shockwave. Solomon's eyes stayed steady, but Aurelius felt him being pushed back.

  Before Solomon could counter, Aurelius launched a combination so ferocious and persistent, he didn't have a chance to. He targeted the neck, stomach, and forearms with a flurry of punches and kicks that streamed seamlessly.

  It was a regained vigor. One Aurelius had long held back.

  Solomon's eyes opened wider, becoming troubled. He wasn't holding out. He just couldn't find an opening. There was no opening.

  "It's nice to finally meet the real you," Solomon quipped as he defended to the best of his ability.

  Aurelius gnashed his teeth and overextended. Solomon caught his kick. "You're too violent," he said before pushing Aurelius back.

  Aurelius regained his footing. He narrowed his eyes, and they gleamed coldly. For a moment, perfectly still. Then he lunged into movement and never stopped.

  This time, Solomon threw an attack of his own. Aurelius dodged every single one while pushing Solomon back with attacks only increasing in their intensity.

  "Violence isn't the point," Solomon said as though he was still in control. Then he caught a grasp of Aurelius, and they came to a dead stop with their arms crossed. Solomon stared at Aurelius as he seethed. "Killing is the point."

  Solomon changed position and moved. But before he could do whatever he was going to, Aurelius materialized a blade and pressed it to the side of Solomon's neck.

  "You think you're invincible?" Aurelius growled. Solomon's barrier flickered into existence. Aurelius pushed against it. Solomon's eyes grew more intense in the locked position. Aurelius' strained his muscles in the strength battle with Solomon. The shield began to bend and crack.

  Solomon tried to rip himself free once, but Aurelius held him. Solomon whispered something. Aurelius gathered his strength for a final push. Then both tensed, Aurelius slashing out and Solomon roaring.

  At the last moment, Cade ripped them apart.

  "What the hell?!" she yelled, looking back and forth between them. Solomon backed off coolly while Aurelius fumed, the blade still extending from his wrist. Cade pushed him back. "Are you trying to kill him?"

  Aurelius didn't answer. He stared at Solomon.

  "Rey?"

  Aurelius breathed deep and let the blade dissipate. "No, I'm not trying to kill anyone," he answered her, without looking away from Solomon, who stared back at him.

  Cade got out of the middle, and Solomon walked forward, offering a handshake. "No hard feelings."

  Aurelius took his hand and squeezed. Solomon squeezed back. Neither triumphed. Finally, Aurleius said, "You should be a little more careful when sparring."

  "You're the one who cheated," Solomon scoffed, taking his hand back.

  Aurelius' face twitched. "Fuck you."

  Solomon's arm vanished into a blur as he smacked at him. Aurelius' head jerked back out of instinct. He dodged before he even knew what he was dodging.

  Aurelius leaped back. Solomon didn't pursue. He just stood there and tried to hide his surprise. Then he snorted and walked away, shaking his head.

  Aurelius walked back to Cade, who had stayed where she was. He's ready for her to push him. However, she seemed to know why he'd acted that way and already knew he knew that she disapproved, so he didn't bother with it.

  Instead, she asked, "Did you just dodge that?"

  He shrugged.

  ***

  A long trail of footprints stretched for miles in the shallow snows of Metal Water. An old messenger wandered through the forests and mountains.

  At dawn, he settled down to eat dried meat and bread as he watched the white sun and the great fjords that glistened with a hint of turquoise.

  His eyes swept the terrain before stopping. The bread dropped from his hand. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but nothing changed. In the horizon, there was a grand mountain, stark, dark gray, and sharp. And in that mountain there was a gaping, unnatural hole so large it could've fit another mountain.

  The man dropped to his knees and prayed to his gods. He prayed it was not the omen of an apocalypse.