"I should have stopped insisting going out there," Stark, worried for Henry, commented. He slumped over with guilt and went outside with Hafen, Matteo, The Exalted One, and Sabre.
"It's not your fault, Stark. It's mine," Matteo claimed and patted his own chest.
In front of them, Hafen looked ahead and felt something strange.
Even though they were injured, The Exalted One and Sabre paced towards their training grounds with confidence. In sync, they were calm and collected. Their cloaks, brandishing an eye, gracefully fluttered behind them.
The Exalted One halted at one end and turned around. He smiled with anticipation.
Sabre turned around, too, and stood behind his brother. He crossed his arms and waited.
Across the training grounds, Stark, Matteo, and Hafen stopped and looked at them.
"Boys, show us what you can do now," The Exalted One urged.
Matteo raised a brow.
"What do you mean," Stark asked.
"I want to see your abilities," The Exalted One explained and smirked.
Hafen frowned. "That's not all. Is it," he inquired.
The Exalted One nodded and clarified, "I want to test them."
Sabre chuckled and raised his arm. He flexed, and energy radiated.
In an instant, some of the dirt floated into the air and trembled. The dirt, still on the ground, slowly spread apart and made holes.
"How did you do that," Stark demanded to know. His eyes widened.
Out of the holes, rocks of different sizes emerged.
Hafen and Matteo were also flabbergasted.
The Exalted One suggested, "Let's start with these rocks. Well then, show us."
Hafen, a little unsure, obliged. He spread his feet apart and reached his hands out.
Rocks and pebbles levitated into the air.
Matteo braced himself by getting into a running position. He took a deep breath. In a flash, he rushed around the new obstacles, and then, he ran over them.
Dust blew into the air.
Stark approached a huge rock and clenched his fists. "Argh," he shouted and threw a punch.
The huge rock cracked apart and collapsed. Debris scattered.
"Well done, boys," The Exalted One commended. He sneered and noted, "Yes, such a strange signature."
Sabre chuckled with awe. "You are powerful for little kids," he praised.
Stark stood proudly. "I'm going to become the strongest," he declared.
The Exalted One laughed.
Hafen and Matteo loomed closer and stopped next to their brother.
Sabre smirked and pointed. "Do you want to spar, Stark? Just you and me," he challenged and signaled at himself.
"You bet," Stark exclaimed and readied his fighting stance.
Matteo hopped with excitement and ran to the side.
"Be careful, Stark," Hafen, still skeptical, warned. He walked towards Matteo.
"I know," Stark assured and continued, "This guy seems strong."
Sabre tilted his head and cracked his neck. He prepared himself.
Stark growled with ferocity.
Dust blew away from his feet. Trees, around the training grounds, swayed for a second.
The Exalted One's eyes opened wide. "Unbelievable! His power is growing even more. Exponentially," he remarked with disbelief.
Stark became serious and stayed silent. He hesitated, and he did not know why. "Move, body. Move," he pleaded.
Hafen and Matteo spectated in wonder and excitement for the outcome.
In a mere moment, Stark charged towards Sabre.
Oddly, Sabre, unfazed, stood still. Instead, he smirked with arrogance.
Stark jumped into the air and threw a punch towards his face. "Take this! Full power," he screamed, and his fist connected with Sabre's arm suddenly.
Sabre managed to block it with his arm. He stared at Stark with a hungry daze.
In an instant, the ground broke, and a small crater was formed. There was an explosion of dust. Its sheer force pushed Sabre back.
Stark landed on the ground. He gazed at the cloud of dust, and blood dripped from his hand. Breathing heavily, he was exhausted from one attack.
"Wow," Matteo yelled. "Did Stark just win against someone from outside world," he queried.
Stark looked at his bloody hand and frowned.
As the dust cleared, Hafen squinted. "It's not over," he alerted.
Just then, a foot emerged from within the smoke. It stepped on the ground and blew dirt away. Sabre stood, tall and without a scratch. With an eerie smirk on his face, he walked towards Stark. "It's not bad of a punch. I'm impressed," he commented.
The jaws of Hafen and Matteo dropped.
"How can he block a fully powered punch from Stark," Matteo interrogated.
Stark looked shook. "I gave it my all in that attack," he muttered.
Sabre chuckled and asserted, "I have seen many fighters, but not one like you." He looked around at the forest and sought to know, "Can you feel it, as well? Can you sense the thrill of battle?" He sneered and reiterated, "I can feel the passion for battle in your blood."
"I don't know what you mean," Stark replied. He looked at his bloody hand. He clenched it into a fist.
The Exalted One observed and smiled. "These boys are still young, so they cannot understand, yet. It's a shame. Even so, it will be more exciting to see their growth," he pointed out in his mind.
Sabre agreed and attested, "Yes, they are special. Only people who have achieved a certain level of power can use the energy that the body produces. It's hard to believe that mere human kids are capable of wielding it so easily!"
The Exalted One examined the energy radiating in the forest. "With the world's energy at their disposal, their bodies store more energy than others. They have such a unique quality. They are special, indeed," he revealed in his mind, again.
Sabre menacingly stepped towards Stark. "Stark! Let's get serious! Are you ready for round two," he dared.
Stark, determined, nodded and rushed towards Sabre.
Hafen and Matteo sweated, and a wave of ice-cold dread washed over them.
Sabre smirked, and he, all of a sudden, rushed at Stark with a crazed look.
Dust blew behind him.
The Exalted One coughed and swatted it away.
For some reason, Stark suddenly halted. His knees felt like they were made of jelly, threatening to give out at any moment. His heart hammered against his ribs, and his thoughts became foggy. His eyes were wide, showing more white than usual. Strictly focusing on his foe, a hard knot constricted his throat, cutting off air.
Sabre stopped in front of him and looked down with a stern expression. "So, this is your limit," he concluded. He crouched and punched him in the gut.
Stark grunted and fell on his knees. He harshly coughed.
Hafen's gaze fixated on a single, impossible detail. Everything else seemed to blur.
A short, sharp gasp stole the air from Matteo's lungs. His lips quivered by what he witnessed next.
Sabre, not satisfied, continued his assault. He kicked Stark's face. "Is that all," he demanded to know.
Stark fell onto his back. Blood oozed from his nose and mouth. He laid on the ground, motionless.
"Stark," Matteo shouted. Instead of moving forward, he leaned back. He took a step behind him.
Hafen gritted his teeth. A tingle, sharp and icy, rushed up his spine.
As slobber fell from his cheek, Sabre gazed at Stark with the eyes of a predator. A chuckle escaped him, and he asked, "How do you plan on surviving in the outside world if you're defeated so easily?"
Suddenly, Stark's hand started to move. He groaned with his mouth wide open.
Entertained, Sabre watched.
Stark slowly and painfully sat up. He clenched his fists and muttered, "It's not over, yet." He scowled and stood up. He breathed heavily, and rage built inside him. He leaned forward and screamed, "No one decides my limits!"
A giant gust pushed back Sabre.
"Oh, no," Matteo murmured.
"Stark! Don't! Calm yourself," Hafen pleaded. A crease formed between his eyebrows, and he braced himself.
The Exalted One blinked, and then blinked again, as if the first time hadn't been enough to clear the fog of disbelief. He silently mumbled, "That's..."
With a fierce look in his eyes, Stark limped towards Sabre. He savagely shook his head and breathed out steam.
Sabre grinned widely and wanted to know, "I like your resolve, kid. Tell me, why are you so desperate to become stronger? What does the strongest mean to you?"
Stark, without responding, punched. He huffed air, in and out.
Sabre dodged his attacks and punched back.
Stark kept on trying but failed to land a hit. After a while, he fell onto his knees. He panted with his head down.
Sabre sharpened his hand as his fingers transformed into claws. In a euphoric trance, he maniacally laughed and towered over Stark.
"Sabre! Snap out of it," The Exalted One ordered. His eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes glowed.
Sabre stumbled back in a daze. He looked at the sky and wheezed.
"Stark," Matteo, capable of moving, exclaimed.
Hafen and Matteo ran to their brother's aid.
Matteo, as he reached Stark, knelt down and checked on him. His face darkened, and he began to cry. "Stark. Please be okay," he whimpered.
Stark's wounds were grave. Bruises covered his body.
Hafen's chest rose frequently. He glared at Sabre and angrily questioned, "Did your master never teach you to hold back?"
The Exalted One approached warily. "My brother has gone too far. I apologize for him," he nervously expressed. He had a sincere look.
Hafen and Matteo accepted the apology.
All of a sudden, Sabre laughed arrogantly.
Stark weakly glanced up at him.
"I wasn't even trying hard, yet," Sabre announced, and he still had a crazed look. "Your stubbornness. I like it, but you cannot beat me with your current strength. You had the drive, the will, and the ambition to reach your goal, but you lacked the strength. Stark, you are far too weak," he declared.
"You said that like you're the strongest," Hafen highlighted and narrowed his eyes.
"Our dad is the strongest," Matteo claimed with certainty.
A bit annoyed, Sabre bit his lip and looked away. He grumbled quietly, "We'll see about that."
"How are you so strong," Stark asked inquisitively.
Sabre looked back and smiled. "Can you see it? Can you feel it? Can you sense it," he repeated.
Stark's eyes widened.
A single hitch of breath left from Hafen and Matteo.
A large, menacing aura of energy emanated from Sabre.
"It's not just my will to live that made me strong. Not just my desire to become the strongest. It's the energy I gathered and honed over my lifetime. From my body, from my soul, my power and experience defeated you, kid," Sabre elaborated with passion.
Astounded, Stark looked at his bloody hand. He blinked, and a question popped in his head. "Are there more people like you," he inquired.
"We are not the only special people in this vast world," The Exalted One interjected and added, "There are others with similar qualities. Do you want to get stronger?"
Stark nodded.
Hafen and Matteo were intrigued, as well.
The Exalted One chuckled and pressed, "The outside world is the place to train and grow. There are endless mysteries and challenges out there." A glimmer of fervor shimmered from his eyes.
In a fierce fight, Stark was defeated by an injured Sabre. Who truly are The Exalted One and Sabre? Do they have any ulterior and malevolent motives? Can they really be trusted for a day? Who were after them?