Their fists met again, knuckles colliding with a crack like a tree splitting in a storm.
The shockwave blasted the dust between them outward in a perfect ring.
Karl slid his lead foot forward and twisted at the hips—his next hook coming in low and tight. Lucian shifted his weight just enough for the punch to graze past his ribs, then his palm shot up, fingers curled, striking Karl under the chin with a sharp snap.
Karl's head tilted back but his counter was instant—his other fist swung down in a hammer blow aimed at Lucian's shoulder. Lucian pivoted inside it, the strike brushing his collar as he drove his elbow deep into Karl's sternum.
The sound was like stone cracking.
Karl grunted, then laughed through it, grabbing Lucian by the wrist and yanking him forward. His knee came up for Lucian's gut, but Lucian twisted mid-pull, planting his free hand on Karl's shoulder and flipping over him.
