The Elementalists

26.

Numbers dwindled quickly. Only four of us were left in our Tier. We would face off against each other eventually. The leftover Fire contenders were all seated as far away from each other as well could. Eyes moved to my as my name was announced. I already knew who my opponent was.

Light.

Francis McSomething. I wasn't listening beyond the first name. He had a sleazy smile and a weak handshake. I smiled back out of courtesy and he winked at me, eliciting angry screams and yells from the crowd. The same red group. I think I had fans.

We stepped back, away from each other and I hit my pose once the ref flagged us off but Francis stayed relaxed.

He crossed his arms across his chest. "Really? Brawling? You're going to have to work harder than that to get me."

My only reply was a swift attack towards him. He dodged a few punches, I feinted and pulled up a kick to his side but it passed right through him. Confusion passed through me as his figure shimmered slightly, he winked again before he vanished in a shimmery haze.

"What the..." The colours around me were fading. The ground underneath me went first. Within a few moments, everything had faded and I was surrounded by pure white. Either he's knocked me dead within a matter of seconds and this is heaven or...

My eyes widened as I realised he was playing with my sight and I immediately twisted around, uneasily moving forward.

I didn't see the first punch till it found itself in my gut. His body brushed against me and he paused as he moved past to whisper in my ear. "Your fight ends here, underdog."

I growled in anger and immediately swung my fist out but it caught only air. Ignoring the throbbing in my gut, I raised my guard again but each time it was the same result. He would punch me or kick me, laugh, and vanish again. I didn't know what was coming from where. I couldn't dodge, my guard was useless. Even listening was useless. The crowd was too loud. All his attacks were landing square on me— if this kept up I wouldn't last long.

Frustration and anger made me randomly slash out. The crowd was annoying me, I barely managed to make out a 'left' amidst the boos and cheers.

I immediately twisted with a roundhouse kick and it connected to what I assumed was his jaw. There was a pained grunt as I made contact. Then he vanished again. It scared me a bit at how close he was standing. The whiteness faltered. For a moment, I made out an angry scowl with one hand cradling the jaw. I took my chance, moving ahead I launched a hard punch right where I assumed his midriff was. It connected again, but not fully. There was another grunt of pain but he was gone again.

His attacks came more frequently now. I'd angered him. I couldn't make out a pattern. My entire body was throbbing and my frustration reached a peak. After what felt like the umpteenth punch, I yelled in frustration, the area around me lighting up with waist high flames. There was a scream of pain to my right and I immediately ran towards it in a tackle.

My arms locked around Francis and I knocked him to the ground. The heavenly backdrop finally disappeared as I started barraging his face with punch after punch. It felt so satisfying to tear into him after all the pain he'd just put me through. The pain from my knuckles splitting disappeared in the sick satisfaction of watching his nose break and lip split.

Francis tried to push me off him but I wasn't budging. As a last resort, he flashed something in my eyes causing me to pause and jerk away in surprise. He punched me in my ribs and pushed me away. I stifled a pained cry and managed to twist and grab his ankle. I pulled with my entire body and he fell smack right on his front. His head knocked against the ground and he moaned in pain. I clambered onto him while he was still disoriented and pulled his arms behind his back in a tight nelson. One hand fisted in his hair as the other held him hostage.