Hyde stood with his arms crossed, his posture calm but commanding. His gaze remained locked on the red-haired Phantom across the lake. Then he turned slightly, his eyes landing on George.
"George," he called. "You're up."
George blinked in surprise. "Me?"
Hyde nodded. "Yes. It's time you tested your Affinity in a real fight. Consider this a trial by fire."
George turned to face the Phantom—Finn. The red-haired creature was eerily humanoid, save for the two blazing horns curling from his forehead. His eyes glowed a deep amber, and his entire body radiated an intense heat, like a smoldering coal.
George narrowed his eyes, focusing his senses. He extended his awareness and felt it—Finn's Lixar, burning and aggressive, comparable to that of Ryan or Saya.
He's strong, George thought. Stronger than any Phantom I've fought before.
Still, he clenched his fists and stepped forward.
Finn, meanwhile, was studying George as well. He smirked slightly. His Lixar isn't fully matured yet. Compared to mine, he's a candle in front of a bonfire. But still… something about him feels… dangerous.
The two combatants faced each other across the shimmering surface of the lake. A platform of solidified Lixar held them above the water, their reflections distorted by the moonlight.
Silence.
Then they moved.
A sharp burst of speed exploded from both sides. George and Finn vanished from sight, reappearing only when they clashed midair. The sound of impact rang out like a thunderclap. George barely blocked a heavy punch by crossing his arms in front of his face. The blow sent him skidding backwards, feet digging grooves across his Lixar platform.
George grunted. That punch almost shattered my guard.
But he recovered fast, launching a counterattack with his right fist ablaze. Flames erupted from his knuckles as he aimed for Finn's torso. The Phantom ducked smoothly, leaped into the air, and used George's outstretched arm as leverage to vault backwards. He landed in a crouch, smirking.
"Fire Affinity," Hyde muttered from the shore, watching intently.
Finn raised a hand, conjuring a deep crimson orb—a Phantom Bomb. It pulsed with volatile energy before rocketing toward George.
George exhaled sharply and met it head-on, punching through it with his burning fist. The orb exploded on impact, sending a shockwave rippling across the lake. George stumbled back, his hand trembling.
Damn. That thing packed a punch.
More Phantom Bombs came in quick succession. Finn hurled them with one hand, each blast faster than the last. George dipped and weaved, barely avoiding direct hits. One grazed his shoulder, singing his jacket.
"George," Hyde called out, voice steady. "Try firing a blast of your own. Use your Lixar."
George paused for a heartbeat. Of course. Why didn't I think of that?
He took a deep breath, centered his mind, and gathered his Lixar into his fists. Flames swirled around him, pulsing with power. Then he hurled a concentrated blast of blue fire toward Finn.
The Phantom reacted quickly, countering with another bomb.
BOOM!
The two projectiles collided midair, creating a fiery explosion that lit the entire lake in orange light. George stumbled backward as a second wave of force hit him.
From the mist, a large Phantom blast tore through the air and struck George squarely in the chest. He was launched into the water, sinking beneath the surface.
Underwater, the world was silent. George's eyes opened slowly, and he could see bubbles rising above him. Pain radiated through his chest.
But he clenched his teeth.
No. I'm not done.
His body surged upward in a burst of energy. KO! His technique exploded beneath him, launching him from the water like a rocket.
He slammed into Finn, delivering a spinning elbow to the Phantom's jaw. The two locked into a rapid exchange of hand-to-hand combat. Punches, blocks, dodges, kicks. Each strike echoed with the force of their Lixar-enhanced bodies.
A hard punch landed on Finn's cheek.
A knee drove into George's side.
George grabbed Finn's leg mid-kick and twisted, throwing him off balance. Using KO to amplify his strength, he yanked the Phantom forward and buried a flaming fist into his stomach.
Finn grunted, then headbutted George. But Gill armor softened the blow, allowing George to rebound quickly.
He wrapped his legs around Finn's neck and hurled him through the air. Finn landed hard, but wasted no time. A Phantom Bomb fired from his palm and slammed into George. Flames engulfed the area.
Yet, from the smoke, George emerged, soaring forward with flames trailing behind him. He let out a roar and unleashed a focused fire blast at close range. It caught Finn in the chest, sending him skidding across the lake.
Finn groaned. He stood up slowly, steam rising from his body.
"You're stronger than I expected," he said, voice heavy. "Your body, your instincts—they're trained. But I'm not done either. I'll show you what it means to survive Hyde."
He closed his eyes.
Flames and lightning spiraled around him. His horns glowed brighter. Above his head, a massive orb of fiery lightning formed, swirling with unstable energy.
Hyde narrowed his eyes. "That technique… is dangerous."
On the opposite end of the lake, George breathed heavily. His body ached. But he refused to back down.
He summoned every last ounce of Lixar he could muster. His blue flames burst around him in a whirlwind.
He gritted his teeth, raised both fists, and prepared his final attack.
The two launched their attacks at the same time.
George's flame surge. Finn's lightning bomb.
The two forces collided midair.
BOOOOM!
The explosion was catastrophic. Light engulfed the night sky. The lake boiled and evaporated, sending steam rising into the air. Trees around the shoreline bent from the pressure. A shockwave rippled outward, flattening the nearby brush.
Silence.
As the smoke cleared, Hyde stood at the edge of what remained of the lake, George unconscious under one arm.
Finn stood across from him, barely upright. His chest heaved, and his skin was scorched.
Hyde looked at him calmly. "You win this round."
Finn gave a tired nod. "I held up my end. You said I could go."
"I did." Hyde looked down at George. "He's not ready yet. But next time you see him… he will be. Stronger than you."
Finn turned and vanished into the mist, his body flickering like a dying ember.
Hyde looked up at the stars.
Three days until the Crane Festival.
A war was coming.
And George's real trial had just begun.
End of chapter.