Next Up

Chapter 32

The trees and shrubs were a blur as Colson sprinted past. 'I never thought I'd think this,' Colson thought, 'But I'm actually worried about Ivy... maybe more than Zoe.'

Marlin was close behind, elegantly hopping over roots, ducking under branches, and leaping over downed trees—not missing a beat.

After a few more seconds of running, Colson crashed through the treeline into a clearing. He stopped in the middle and turned around to face Marlin, who glanced around the clearing, a slightly nervous look in his eye. 'I don't think there's anyone around here; this isn't an ambush, but I can't shake this feeling.'

Colson removed the bokken off his back, pointing it forward, steadying his breathing, 'Every other time I activated energy, I had to close my eyes for a few seconds, but now I don't think I can afford to do that. If he realizes what I'm doing, he doesn't seem like the type to just wait around for me.' His eyes fixated on Marlin's, not moving at all. 'This would be perfect,' he thought, watching a ray of sunlight shift through the heavy trees around them, landing perfectly across Marlin's face. The water that dripped from it sparkled.

Marlin looked on, unphased. 'Fighting experience and normal physical strength, he's a lot weaker. But...my energy is almost entirely depleted; too many mistakes could make this turn sour.'

Colson marched forward, swinging downward, with Marlin easily evading by stepping to the right and charging his fist with all his might at Colson's head.

Lunging to the side, Marlin's fist grazed the side of his cheek. He followed it up with a forward kick into Colson's chest. Letting the blow connect, it almost knocked the wind out of him, but he wrapped his arm around the leg, tucking it under his armpit, walking forward, and using his leg to trip Marlin.

The blonde man crashed to the ground, his leg still held by Colson. He looked up to see the bokken inches from his face, too close to dodge or block. It hit him over his left eye, and a loud thwack rang out. Lifting the wooden sword, Colson brought it down again, point first, aiming for the other eye. Marlin was ready this time. Slapping it mid-trajectory. The tip of the bokken stabbed itself into the dirt next to his head.

"I'm about to break this thing," he snarled. His hand shot out to grab it before Colson could release it from the dirt. His left cheek was bruised and swelled, slowly forcing his eye closed.

Colson moved backward, attempting to yank it from Marlin's grasp, but his grip strength was too tight.

Grasping the bokken with his other hand, Marlin attempted to snap it in half. 'What?' he thought with a grimace. 'What the hell?'

Colson ripped it from his hands with a big tug, "It's made from a rare strain of Buloke, considered to be the hardest wood in the world. You aren't going to break it that easily." A confident smile crossed his face, "that's also why it hurt so much."

Marlin rolled to his feet and sprinted towards Colson, lunging at him. Colson struck his jaw with an upward swing, jarring him. As the bokken connected, a slight smirk crossed Marlin's face.

Colson felt a crunch and cold pain as Marlin's fist connected with his cheek. He lay on the ground, sprawled, groaning and holding his cheek. Marlin stood over him, "give up."

Kiari's hand extended towards Ivy's face, just inches away. Ivy kicked out, her foot knocking his forearm away. The determined look on Ivy's face told him everything he needed to know. Before he could follow up, Ivy rolled out of the way, getting to her feet, taking off her jacket, revealing a black t-shirt underneath.