The moment the elder's hand dropped, the match began.
Aspen drew his axes slowly, certain that Vayu would wait like his other matches. But this time, Vayu did not hesitate. His body moved on its own, after two months of relentless sparring with his instructor, attacking his opponents had carved into his body like instinct, so he attack first, without stopping.
He dashed forward with both daggers gripped tight, momentum surging through him.
Aspen blinked, startled by the sudden rush, but quickly recovered, his axes swinging up to meet the strike. Steel clashed with steel, the force of Vayu's charge pushed Aspen back a step.
The two now, were not much different in their build, their height's were same, both were strong but Aspen's still looked bulkier than Vayu. Aspen hooked Vayu's dagger with his axe and yanked, pulling him in close. His grin flashed as he swung his elbow, aiming to smash Vayu's face, just like the last time.
But Vayu twisted his neck just in time, the blow grazing past his cheek. His own elbow shot forward instead, cracking against Aspen's face. Before Aspen could recover, Vayu's fist followed instantly slamming into Aspen's jaw.
The crowd gasped as Aspen stumbled back, blinking in shock at Vayu's speed.
He growled, as anger flared inside him, Aspen roared and charged. His axes cut through the air with brutal force, his each swing deadly. Vayu sidestepped the first strike, his body flowing with precision, then raised his dagger to deflect the second attack. Steel rang, his arm muscles straining.
Aspen lifted his axe for another strike, but Vayu was already moving, driving a sharp kick into Aspen's chest. The blow sent him staggering backwards, throwing him off balance.
Gasps and shouts erupted from the stands. Already, the fight was unlike anything the crowd had expected.
Without giving Aspen a single breath, Vayu closed the gap again. His daggers flashed and struck in relentless succession—one strike following the next like crashing waves. There was no pause, no mercy.
Aspen staggered backward under the assault. Every time he tried to plant his feet and counterattack, another attack came slicing in or a sudden kick hitting his leg or chest, breaking his balance again and again.
The crowd roared in shock. Vayu's classmates watched wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing. But the one most stunned of all was Aspen himself.
It was always him. Always Aspen was the one who drove others into defense, who crushed them under the weight of his attacks. But now for the first time, he was the one who was being forced to defend, struggling just make a single attack.
Rage boiled in his chest. He wanted to strike back, to tear Vayu apart. His defense was cracking, at last, with no other choice, Aspen twisted on his heel and broke into a sprint across the arena floor.
He created distance at last, sucking in breath, axes tightening in his grip. But the shame was visible on his face, he had made this decision out of desperation, for the first time he had ran in a fight, for the first time he had turned his back against the opponent.
Humiliation soared through him, turning into fury. His eyes locked on Vayu.
For making me run… I'll kill you
Aspen crouched low, axes raised before his face, his body coiled like a predator ready to strike. He didn't rush in this time. He waited, waited for Vayu to make the first move.
And Vayu came.
Before his dagger could even cut through the air, Aspen lunged. His axe smashed against the blade mid-swing, sending it clattering across the arena floor.
Vayu's eyes widened, but he reacted fast, slashing with his other dagger. Another sharp clang against Aspen's axe knocked away his other dagger too.
With Vayu's both weapons gone, Aspen's arms crossed, then snapped outward in a savage arc. Twin axes carved across Vayu's chest, red streaks spraying into the dust.
The crowd gasped.
Vayu staggered back, blood running down his tunic, but his hands shot down, snatching his daggers back from the dirt. He was half up from ground when Aspen came crashing down on him from above.
The axe descended like a guillotine, aimed straight for his skull. Aspen no longer cared if Vayu lived or died.
With a desperate cry, Vayu crossed both daggers above his head. Steel met steel, the shock ripping down his arms. Before he could breathe, the second axe hammered from above. The impact sent him sprawling to the ground.
Aspen closed the distance, his axes rained down mercilessly, slashing and hacking. Vayu rolled sideways, each strike slamming into the arena floor where his body had been a second before. Dust and splinters exploded around him, the sound of steel tearing the ground echoing in every corner.
He kept rolling, faster and faster, but then, his back hit the boundary wall. His face paled as his chest tightened.
He was trapped.
Aspen's grin stretched wide "No where to run, mutt".
The axe swept low, aimed at Vayu's legs. In a split-second, Vayu tucked his knees to his chest. The blade hissed past.
Then he snapped them outward with all his strength. His heel smashed into Aspen's shin. Aspen bent forward, his balance faltering. But Aspen thrust his knee forward, forcing himself to remain steady. But Vayu didn't stop there, his leg whipped up again, his boot cracking against Aspen's face.
The crowd roared as Aspen reeled back, and he too fell onto the ground.
For the first time in the fight, both the fighters were down.
Vayu scrambled back to his feet, chest heaving, and across from him Aspen did the same. For a heartbeat, neither moved—just the sound of their ragged breathing filling the arena.
Then Aspen lunged, torso low like a bull charging.
Vayu slashed with his dagger, but Aspen's axe knocked it aside. His shoulder slammed into Vayu's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Before Vayu could recover, Aspen sat on Vayu and attacked him, his axe raised high. The first strike came down like a hammer. Vayu's dagger barely caught it with his dagger. Aspen snarled and pressed harder using his other hand to push it near Vayu's throat.
Vayu brought up his free hand to support his block, but the pressure was crushing. Slowly, the axe inched closer to his throat.
Sweat trickled down Vayu's face. He could see the edge gleaming just above his skin death a inch away.
With a desperate surge, Vayu snapped his legs upward, locking them around Aspen's throat and pulled him back with all his strength. Aspen gagged, losing balance, and toppled sideways.
Vayu rolled free, gasping, his hand touching his throat. No blood. No cuts, he let out a sigh of relief.
Aspen rose too, nostrils flaring, his chest pumping like a beast's. Every time he tried to crush Vayu he slipped from his grasp, rage burned hotter. With a roar, Aspen throwed both his axes while charging in.
Steel spun through the air but Vayu ducked, both blades hissing past. Aspen closed the distance in an instant.
Vayu tried to slash his chest, but Aspen caught his wrist mid strike and in one smooth motion, he twisted his hips, flipping Vayu clean over his body and slamming him on the ground. The slam echoed across the arena. Dust exploded as Vayu hit the ground, his daggers flying away from his hands.
Before he could scramble up, Aspen seized his legs and began to twist, intent on snapping them like twigs.
But Vayu kicked him with his free leg, his foot hitting against Aspen's grip. As his grip loosened, Vayu quickly `rolled away and sprang to his feet.
Both men now stood weaponless, just like last time.
Aspen stormed forward, grabbing Vayu's tunic. He drew back his hand for a punch, but this time Vayu was the one who striked first. His fist crashed into Aspen's cheek, snapping his head to the side and his other fist followed, slamming into his jaw.
Aspen spat blood, before turning his head back and met Vayu's eyes with his own his face displaying a savage grin. Then his own punch smashed across Vayu's face.
The world spun for Vayu, but he didn't retreat, he swung back.
The two locked in a brutal exchange, fists hammering, blood spraying, sweat and sand clinging to their bodies. Neither backed away an inch. One blow after another—three, four, five, six, seven—until at last both loosened their grips, stumbling back, their faces swollen, lips split, blood dripping onto the dirt.
They stood there, gasping, taking deep breaths their hands on their knees, but their stayed locked.
The crowd was silent.
This was no longer a contest, It was a war of wills.
Both rushed in at the same time, their hands shooting forward to grab each other, but instead their palms locked together like two wrestlers struggling for dominance. Aspen slowly forced Vayu backwards, his strength pressing him down like an unstoppable tide. Vayu drove his knee into Aspen's abdomen but he showed no reaction so Vayu slammed it again but this time Aspen blocked it with his shin, freed his hand, and slammed a punch into Vayu's face.
Vayu staggered back, stars flashing in his vision. Aspen twisted and slammed an elbow across his cheek, then followed with a brutal uppercut that lifted Vayu off his feet. His body reeling backwards, but somehow he steadied himself but next instant came Aspen's kick crashing straight into his chest. Dust flew as Vayu slided backwards digging his heels into the ground, refusing to fall, his hands reaching to his sides.
Aspen roared and charged, leaping high, fist ready to finish the match. But Vayu's got hold of his nunchaku spun his body, and then crack! The strike smashed into Aspen's face with bone-shattering force. His cheekbone gave way, and his body went limp in mid-air, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Vayu stood, chest heaving, sweat and blood dripping down his skin, waiting for Aspen to rise. Aspens body rose up sluggishly, he hands dangling like there was no life between them , he turned towards Vayu, his pupils white, he had lost consciousness but his will to win was so strong that his body moved on its own, his hands although lifeless swung with his body but his body lost balance and he fall again, Seconds passed, A minute, Two, Three minutes passed but Aspen didn't move.
"Aspen, get up, or Vayu will be declared the winner!" the Fifth Elder's voice boomed across the arena.
"GET UP, ASPEN!" the Third Elder roared, his voice trembling with desperation.
But Aspen lay still, unconscious.
Vayu stepped forward, crouched, and rolled his body onto his back. His face was swollen, blood streaking down from his cheek, his body unmoving. The arena went silent.
Finally, the Fifth Elder raised his hand.
"Winner… Vayu!"