"I'll go easy on you" Clark says with a wry smile, assuming a fighting stance, his feet sinking slightly into the dirt beneath him.
"Don't worry about it, I'll handle it" Blackfire replies in the same tone, rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck as faint purple sparks flicker around her hands.
The two stare at each other for seconds that feel like hours. The silence of the place creates an atmosphere of mystery and anxiety to discover who will make the first move. The wind rustling the leaves of the surrounding trees is the main sound at hand, brushing against their clothes and hair. Dust rises slowly from the quarry floor with each subtle movement they make. And then a rock falls from a pile of stones, bouncing noisily across the ground…
Clark and Blackfire run toward each other.
The two clash in a punch coming from both right hands, the impact creating a shockwave that scatters small stones in every direction. Blackfire, still within a second of the blow, surprises Clark with a leg sweep towards his thigh. Clark, in a fraction of a second, dodges the attack, jumping up and twisting his body midair, kicking Blackfire in the face with his foot. She blocks the attack with her forearm and catches his foot, spinning and throwing him to the ground with brute force.
Still lying down, Clark opens his eyes just in time and throws himself to the side, dodging a quick punch from Blackfire that cracks the ground where his head had been. He rolls, plants his hands, and pushes himself back up.
Without hesitation, Clark rushes forward and delivers a kick that hits Blackfire in the stomach. She flies several meters, crashing through a pile of broken stone. Before the dust can settle, she gets up fast enough to dodge another swift blow from Clark, sliding under his arm and hitting him with a kick to his right arm, forcing him back a few steps.
The fight is fast, fierce, like a real battle. The sound of impacts echoes through the quarry as trees snap, rocks shatter, and the ground trembles beneath them. Clark throws a series of punches, each one strong enough to break stone, but Blackfire weaves between them, countering with elbows, knees, and sudden bursts of energy that graze his body.
She leaps forward, attempting a spinning kick, but Clark blocks it with his forearm and responds with a powerful uppercut. Blackfire crosses her arms just in time, still being launched backward, skidding across the dirt. She digs her heels into the ground and stops herself, breathing heavily, a grin forming on her face.
The two exchange punches and kicks for a while longer, neither willing to give ground. Clark suddenly dodges a rapid series of attacks and lands a clean punch to Blackfire's chin, sending her flying into the air. Without hesitation, Clark flies at high speed, catching up with Blackfire in mid-air.
He grabs her arms and throws her back to the ground, following her descent to deliver another blow. Before even hitting the ground, she propels herself with energy spheres beneath her feet, slowing her fall and redirecting her body. The impact still creates a huge cloud of dust that covers the entire area where they had started, shaking the trees and collapsing what remained of nearby stone formations.
After Clark lands, he stands still and begins searching for Blackfire in the dust. He looks to the sides, behind him, and even upwards, squinting his eyes and listening carefully, but seems to find nothing. His breathing slows as he focuses.
Then, a purple energy sphere appears behind him.
Clark turns quickly and catches the energy with both hands, the force pushing him back slightly. He grits his teeth and throws it upwards. In the brief gap where his arms are raised, Blackfire bursts through the dust in front of him and lands a direct blow to his stomach.
The impact knocks the air out of his lungs.
Clark becomes dizzy and begins to take steps backward, protecting his abdomen. He coughs, trying to steady himself. The dust begins to settle, and with that, the silhouette of Blackfire emerges, her eyes glowing faintly as she charges a palm strike, energy swirling around her hand.
Clark, surprised, flies into the sky at the last second, causing Blackfire to cancel the attack and slam her palm into the ground instead, cracking it open.
"That's unfair!" Blackfire shouts, looking up at him. "H-huh?... what are you talking about?..." Clark replies, stuttering because of the pain in his stomach, floating awkwardly in the air. "I can't fly! I'm limited to aerial battles because my powers haven't fully developed yet" Blackfire finishes, crossing her arms in frustration.
"W-what? You can't fly?" Clark asks, completely surprised, as he lands in front of her. "That's right, even being an elite Tamaranean, I was born with my powers not fully developed. They still haven't matured completely. I can't levitate and control my body for as long as I want" Blackfire explains, her tone serious. "But, until recently you were flying during training" Clark replies, confused. "Well, it's just that I can somehow glide for a few seconds if I have external impulses. Right then, you gave me an impulse with your attack, which made me glide for a few seconds until I came down" Blackfire explains.
"I-I understand... well, I thought everyone could fly... that caught me by surprise," Clark says, brushing off the dust from his clothes. "By the way, Blackfire, you fight very well... your attacks were strategic!" "It was nothing, that's the kind of thing I needed to perfect to be confident in hand-to-hand combat... don't take it the wrong way, but I could easily beat you hehehe" Blackfire says with a mocking tone, placing her hands on her hips. "I don't doubt it... your attack hit me squarely..." Clark says, laughing nervously, still rubbing his stomach.
"Well... let's stop here, it's getting late," says Blackfire, brushing off the dust from her arms and legs. "Alright, that's it for today" adds Clark.
The two stretch and complain of aches and pains from the fight. The sun is low, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, and the weather is pre-rainy. The quarry, by the way, had a new look… filled with craters, scattered debris, broken trees, and shattered stone mounds.
Blackfire and Clark leave there tired, but happy for the time they spent together.
"You know, Clark, it's the first time I've fought someone outside the castle" Blackfire says on the way out. "Normally I fight the guards on my parents' orders to become stronger, but I know they're afraid of me and let me win on purpose." "Well... you're the first person I've fought too. I usually fight with pieces of wood I stick in the ground hahaha" Clark says, laughing. "Hahaha thank you for calling me, I really enjoyed fighting you" Blackfire replies. "You're always welcome..." Clark responds happily.
The two follow the Tamaran forest trail until they part ways. The day ends with an air of hope and comfort.
As soon as she arrives at the castle, Blackfire takes a bath and gets dressed for bed. Her body aches pleasantly as she lies down. Moments later, a heavy rain begins to fall outside, the sound of it echoing softly through the castle walls, rewarding her with a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere for sleeping…