Boom!
A stone, bigger than the average human and weighing at least a ton, shattered under Sofya's fist. Its destruction echoed deep in the cold night.
After evading the strike, John landed a bit away and looked at the destruction, smiling wryly towards it. Her eagerness really makes it looks like she wants to kill me.
At the end of his thought, the young man had to sidestep to now dodge a handblade aimed at his neck. But just as he did so, he had to jump backwards to avoid a kick aimed at his stomach.
And even though he avoided the impact, the strong wind coming with it sent him even further than he wished.
One more strike followed when John was trying to land on his feet. It was aimed at his chest, and due to how poor his stance was, he couldn't avoid it.
Damn, she is good… John thought before the impact.
Bang!
Upon receiving the strike, John clenched his jaw. The pain he felt through the bones of his forearms made him regret blocking the attack despite no great damage to his body.
Instead of flying away due to the force behind the strike, John's feet sunk into the dry ground of the nevada desert. Now, it was his turn to give Sofya a gift.
My turn to play. In a single, fluid motion, John retreated his right arm. And just when his fingers closed into a fist, his punch shot forward.
Boom!
The fist pierced through the air, and despite the short distance it ran, Sofya could see the air coalescing around it. In response, the ancient vampire shivered, an instinctual terror taking over her heart.
The fear wasn't a novel sensation, far from it. Sofya had long lost count of how many times Death's long claws clenched her heart.
She remained calm, even suppressing the surprise of witnessing a strength that could bring her to death's embrace in a person she had been imagining to be younger than her.
He isn't supposed to be this strong. She thought, preparing to avoid the strike.
In the vampire's perspective, it seemed like time had slowed down. So much so she could see the very minimal details in the skin of the fist approaching her eyes while trying to avoid it. She bent her knees and attempted to retreat from the attack. However, despite her efforts, her reflexes still lacked a little due to her surprise.
Just barely, the young man's knuckles scratched Sofya's cheek, drawing his share of her blood while she retreated.
Boom!
When John's fist abruptly stopped mid-air, the wind accompanying his movements was set free, sending waves of dust and sand outwards while the air in the area collapsed and tangled with itself.
"Well, that is surprising…" John muttered, locking his eyes on the vampire, who was a few meters away from him now. "I thought I had got you with that one."
Softly, Sofya touched her cheek. "You can say you almost did, though barely." She muttered, eyes narrowed when looking at her own blood on her fingertips.
But before a single blood drop could fall on the sand, the wound suddenly ceased oozing blood. Within a moment, the bleeding stopped, the flesh closed and the skin regained its original tone.
Noticing how fast the process was, John deeply sighed. It's always impressive to look at it. No matter how many times he witnessed things escaping from ordinary, John always was amazed by them.
However, despite expressing a similar amount of surprise as well, Sofya's surprise was innately different from the boy's.
Newborns are not this strong. Sofya rubbed the blood on her fingers on her clothes, cleaning them. Then, how?
Unaware to her thoughts, John spoke to Sofya. "Those were some really impressive reflexes." He honestly said, finding the small break in the time an appropriate time to share his thoughts.
However, Sofya didn't take the compliment well. "Thank you." She dryly said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "But what truly is surprising… is you." She looked deeply at him, her words truthful despite her tone.
John decided to accept the compliment a little exaggeratedly. "My, you will make me blush like that." He said, his words having a lighter tone than previously.
Trying to ignore his behavior, Sofya snorted. "Now, I find myself even more puzzled by who you are." She said, cleaning the remaining blood on her cheek. "I thought you were some young vampire, for you still have that youthfulness that many of us have lost. You are impressionable and naive. But to have that kind of force you just displayed, you must have lived for a long time. However, I doubt that, for I still have to find someone who has lived for so long and kept such traces."
Momentarily, John had a confused expression. "… Should I consider that a compliment or an insult?"
"What do you think?" Sofya clenched her fists, partially to prepare to restart the fight, partially because she was getting angry at the young man.
"I don't really know?" John opened his arms, still not dropping his act. "I don't know if you are impressed by how amazing I am or pissed by how stupid I apparently look like to you."
"A little bit of both." Sofya said. Then, she became a blur.
She is faster than just a moment ago. John narrowed his eyes, immediately taking a backstep.
Boom!
In the place he was just a moment ago, John could see Sofya's ankle sinking into the sand. The force behind the strike raised a small sand curtain that cut her from his sight.
Left. Was all John could think before he raised his left hand, cupping Sofya's fist that was aimed at his ribs.
The young man held his opponent's hand strongly, not letting her escape his grip when he targeted her chin with a right hook.
Whoosh!
At the last second, showing the reflexes fitting of a cat, Sofya dodged the punch by tilting her head to the side. The wind blew her hair away and the moonlight highlighted the color of her eyes.
To escape the young man's hold, Sofya made use of her whole body. She twisted it to gather enough strength and successfully pulled it away.
But before she could celebrate her freedom, the russian vampire saw herself forced to sidestep as a front kick missed her stomach by just a few centimeters.
Making use of a small opening as John moved a little too forward, Sofya decided to counter attack. Followed by a strong stomp to build up momentum, Sofya attacked with a strong high kick targeting the area behind his ear, a softer area in the head when compared to all other locations.
And beyond that, it was a blindspot most people ignored to keep safe. Normally, people preferred to defend the back of their heads and napes, making the area perfect for a surprise attack.
Unfortunately for Sofya, the outcome was not what she expected.
In a literal quick turn, John now stared at Sofya's shin approaching his face at extreme speed.
If Sofya's shin hit John's head, both of them would suffer damage since bone would meet bone. However, the young man would suffer the worst result.
The impact would not only make him confused and stunned for a moment, but potentially damage his brain for enough time that he would become incapable of fighting, even if for a short period of time. Thus, it would be his defeat.
To prevent that outcome, John decided what to do in under a fraction of a second. He raised his left arm and pointed his elbow out, taking the entire force behind the strike with it.
Crack!
Immediately upon contact, a shivering sound of bones breaking echoed through the cold desert, with both fighters suffering from the clash.
Sofya took a step back, her leg limp as the bones of her shin broke apart. But even under the extreme pain, the vampire's expression didn't shift, not even a little bit.
Meanwhile, John couldn't share the same nonchalance expressed by the ancient vampire. The pain was much to him, someone who hasn't suffered injuries outside of the ordinary. The shock of pain spreading through his body as a result of his nerves breaking and veins exploding couldn't compare to when he fell on the floor when he was but a child or having his finger stuck under the door for a second in a moment of carelessness.
Fucking shit! He cursed internally.
Quickly, John could feel his body already in the process of numbing the pain and healing his injury.
At least she suffered similar damage. He thought, quickly lifting his eyes up. Her leg is a mess now, so I– But before John could finish his thought process, he glimpsed Sofya jumping in his direction, attempting an axe kick.
And what surprised him the most in the movement wasn't her flawless posture or how easily she ignored the pain – but the fact the leg used for the attack was the one already broken.
The fuck?! John quickly jumped backwards, avoiding the kick.
Even then, John didn't get any rest. When Sofya landed on her two feet, she leaped towards him, using both legs to give her great impulse.
Boom!
Instinctively, John used only one arm to defend himself. He was apprehensive of the pain that could afflict him if he made use of his injured arm to block that strike.
But choosing to block a strike of two hands with one arm had a heavy cost.
With both of her hands touching over his arm, Sofya put strength in her fingers and drilled them into the young man's skin, trying to pierce through the flesh and reach the bones with her bare hands.
John could immediately feel the pressure over his skin at multiple points. They didn't draw his blood yet, but it was only a matter of time before his arm became a blood mess.
The young man's first reaction was none other than trying to shake his arm to free it from the vampire's grasp, but that was a futile attempt as it seemed she held onto him as if her life depended on it.
Fuck it! Fearing the worst, John jumped at a not so great height. It was just enough for his legs to rise in the air before he used both of them to kick her chest.
Boom!
The strength behind the impact was immense, enough for Sofya to launch in the air for a few good moments.
Shit. John used the small break to look at his right forearm, and there he saw ten red dots of blood leaking from it as they closed in real time.
Lifting his head, John looked at the flying body of Sofya, furrowing his eyebrows when he noticed the ancient vampire was already adjusting herself to land graciously a few dozen meters away from him.
Thud.
Sofya's feet touched the ground. The soft sand silenced the sound of her fall, with her quickly straightening her back.
Her hair slowly parted in front of her face, revealing her bloodlust eyes that immediately locked onto the figure of the young man.
That woman is crazy. John took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Well, she certainly fights like one. Tsk, I should have imagined vampires could fight in such a way. Why care about using a broken leg? It will heal, there is no need to fear it becoming unrepairable.
Sighing, John took a brief look over his forearm. What kind of precision is this? These holes… she targeted them knowing they are where more veins and nerves converge? Really? John couldn't believe in his own thoughts when thinking of it, but couldn't deny the possibility when looking at his own arm.
And while John looked at his own condition, Sofya seemed to be doing something similar.
She raised both her hands in front of her eyes, fingers stretched. Specifically, Sofya was looking at the crimson blood that resembled the petals of a rose covering her fingertips.
Sniff, Sniff…
She neared them to her nostrils, smelling the sweet scent coming off the crimson liquid.
Listening to the sound of Sofya flaring up her nostrils, John lifted his head in curiosity. He was wondering what she was doing.
Then, when he saw what she was doing – smelling his blood – John suddenly felt a strange tingling on the back of his head.
"This blood…" Sofya muttered, a realization coming to her through the smell. Slowly, she lifted up her head. Her eyes locked at the masked figure, the discovery showing in her expression. "You are not a vampire, are you?"
…Oh, shit. John's brain malfunctioned for a moment, trying to process the situation.
"The smell – it is similar to a human's, but it's not the same." She said, bringing her fingers close to her mouth.
As a surprise to the young man, Sofya's lips instinctively parted and her tongue stuck out. It moved fluidly, removing a small, insignificant, blood drop off her index finger.
Right on the moment when the blood invaded her mouth, Sofya was struck by the sweet and intoxicating taste that attacked her tastebuds.
The taste was so surprising and great that Sofya didn't resist her instincts and consumed that drop of blood in one single movement.
Gulp…
As the drop of blood ran down her throat, Sofya felt her heart beating faster. Immediately, her eyes changed as dark veins surged around them and her canine teeth enlarged.
Right now, Sofya couldn't stop herself from showing her true face, the true expression of every vampire.
"Grr…"
What reminded the young man of a growl was heard as the woman attempted to regain control of herself.
It was a slow process, one that lasted a very few long seconds as Sofya fought against her primal instincts. In the end of those seconds, she was back to normal, with her appearance of a human again.
The fuck was that? John thought, a little incredulous at how things have developed in this fight.
Sofya was experiencing a similar feeling, with her looking at her own fingers once again. At the same time she wanted to know how a drop of blood could make her lose control of her own body, a very far voice in the back of her mind sought that same sensation once again and tempted her to lick the blood.
However, before that voice could consume her mind, Sofya widened her eyes at the sight before her.
The wet and viscous blood on her fingers suddenly dried right before her eyes, forming small shells around the tip of her fingers before breaking apart in small particles similar to dust.
These particles scattered in the wind, seemingly ready to follow the course of the air and travel to wherever it leads.
However, every single one of these tiny particles seemed to have their own conscience as they started moving in patterns, converging into one single location – atop of John's palm.
The tiny little bits of dried blood gathered above his hand, coming together to form a tad bigger small droplet of blood, but its size still wasn't comparable to some pebbles.
Quietly, John looked at his own blood, fascinated by it. He could feel connected to it, sense its warmth despite it not running through his veins at the moment.
Impressi… Even in his own mind, John couldn't fully express his awe when a sensation of threat alerted him, making him raise his arms in a rush.
Boom!
Feeling the force of the strike, John clenched his jaw. But this time, he couldn't hold it back.
"Fuck!"
Before John could think of anything else, a gust of attacks followed the kick, forcing him to keep the defensive position regardless of his wishes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Urgh!" John grunted in pain, a fist connecting to his liver.
Making use of his lack of posture due to the pain, Sofya threw a left hook that connected to the young man's chin, sending him upwards in the air.
Whoosh!
Yet, Sofya didn't stop. She jumped a little higher than what the young man was thrown in the air, floating above him for a moment.
Shit! Was all John could think when he saw Sofya's heel descending towards him, threatening to shatter his solar plexus and possibly killing him by damaging his heart.
In the last possible moment, John crossed his arms in front of his chest, both suffering the impact and damage that could threaten his life.
BOOM!
An impact, louder than any of the ones before, echoed far and wide under the cold night of the desert.
Amidst the sands, John was sprawled, finding himself in a small crater and with both arms having multiple bones shattered.
Sofya walked to the border of the crater, looking down at the bloodied figure of the young man.
"I will ask you to give up." Sofya spoke, her voice neutral. "For I am not aware whatever you are, and I don't want to risk potentially killing you permanently."
This bitch…! John growled inwardly in pain, his eyes bloodied.
Truly, what mostly impeded him from moving wasn't the damage to his body, but the absurd pain that followed multiples of his broken bones.
"I… am not… done." John raggedly said, coughing some blood in between his words.
Looking at his poor state and how slow his healing was now, Sofya tilted her head. "I disagree."
"Well, granny…" John bit his lower lip, trying to make use of the pain to force himself to stand up despite his hate for the sensation.
Sofya didn't stop him. She watched him with interest, her eyes drawn to his blood most of the time.
When John stood up on both feet and looked up at Sofya, he exchanged glances with those two eyes that looked down at him. And for an obvious reason, he felt angered by them.
"… You don't know half of my tricks."
"So there is more you can do." Sofya muttered, eyes narrowing.
Smuggly, John smiled.
Boom!
Suddenly and without alert, Sofya was sent flying, her figure cutting through the air.
"Heh, bitch." John smirked.
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A/N
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