The air around him seemed to freeze. Bjorn advanced like a living storm, his hammer surrounded by crackling electricity. Alex, wrapped in his whirlwind of wind, knew this confrontation surpassed him in experience and power. But something inside told him he couldn't give up.
"Come on, boy!" Bjorn shouted as he swung a blow at Alex.
Alex barely dodged in time, Bjorn's hammer slamming into the ground and creating an explosion of lightning and earth. The impact, however, left him staggering.
Bjorn grinned eagerly.
"Is that all? If this is your limit, then you're not worth Thor's effort."
Alex was breathing heavily, feeling his strength fading. But then he heard a voice in his mind, clear and powerful:
"Your potential doesn't lie in the wind, but in your conviction. Call upon my power, Alex. Invoke your true strength."
It was the voice of Quetzalcoatl, resonating like a deep echo.
Alex clenched his teeth, closing his eyes for a moment.
"True strength…?" he murmured.
The symbol on his chest began to glow more intensely, radiating golden light. The wind around him changed — no longer a simple whirlwind, but now dancing in serpentine patterns, as if alive.
Bjorn stopped, watching the change with interest.
"What are you up to, boy?"
Alex opened his eyes, now glowing with a golden hue. He extended his hand, and the wind gathered in his palm, slowly taking shape. First a beam of light, then an elongated shaft, until finally, a majestic spear appeared.
It was a divine work of art: its shaft was golden with green accents resembling scales, while the tip took the form of a feathered serpent that seemed alive, its feathers shimmering in emerald and turquoise hues. The energy radiating from the spear made even Bjorn shudder.
"What the hell…?" Bjorn frowned in surprise.
Before he could react, a flash surrounded Alex, and his body was clad in golden and emerald armor. The armor mimicked the form of a feathered serpent: the shoulders looked like outstretched wings, and the chest bore the design of a fanged snake. The divine energy it emitted was overwhelming.
Bjorn let out a loud laugh, mixed with astonishment.
"By all the heavens! How did you materialize your weapon and armor so quickly? It took me months to reach that point."
Alex, now wrapped in the power of Quetzalcoatl, no longer looked unsure. He held the spear firmly, and the wind around him roared like a hurricane.
"I don't know," Alex replied, pointing the spear at Bjorn.
"But if this is what I need to face you, I'm not stopping now."
Bjorn stepped forward with a toothy grin.
"Now this is getting interesting! Let's see if your power can match my hammer."
The Divine Duel
The battle intensified instantly. Bjorn hurled his lightning-wrapped hammer directly at Alex, but with a swift movement of his spear, Alex deflected the attack. The spear didn't just cut the air — it left a trail of sharp wind that nearly struck Bjorn.
"That was close!" Bjorn shouted, exhilarated.
Alex charged forward, moving faster than before. His spear seemed to dance with each motion, sending waves of sharp wind that forced Bjorn to stay on guard.
Bjorn slammed the ground with his hammer, creating a field of electricity that expanded like a wave. Alex jumped just in time, using the wind to propel himself and land behind Bjorn.
"Not so fast!" Bjorn spun around, blocking a direct strike from the spear with his hammer. The clash of their powers created an explosion that lit up the clearing.
Despite Bjorn's strength, Alex was beginning to adapt to the rhythm of the fight. Each strike of his spear was more precise, each movement more fluid. The power of Quetzalcoatl was awakening within him.
Bjorn stepped back, breathing slightly harder.
"I'll admit it, kid. You're way better than I expected. But don't think that's enough."
Bjorn raised his hammer to the sky once more, and this time a storm began to form above them. Lightning rained in every direction, filling the field with wild energy.
Alex gripped his spear tightly, his armor glowing brightly.
"No matter how much power you have… If I didn't give up before, I'm not going to now."
Bjorn smiled.
"That's what I want to hear!"
Both launched at each other again, their weapons colliding with a force that shook the earth. The battle would continue, but one thing was certain: this clash would be remembered as the moment Alex began to show his true potential.
End of Chapter 4