"Let's go," Vlad said, tapping lightly on Max's back. Max was still processing what he had just seen, his eyes fixed on the dust settling over Noah's crumpled form.
Vlad had only taken two steps forward when a voice came from behind.
"So you aren't just all talk."
Vlad pivoted on his feet and found Noah lying on the ground with an amused smile spreading across his face. The earlier daze was gone, replaced by something closer to excitement.
Noah bent his knees, drawing them close to his chest. Then he suddenly hurled them forward, slamming the soles of his feet against the ground. His back formed an arc as he pushed himself upright, rising to his feet in one fluid motion.
"It's round two," he declared, pulling his sleeves upward. The fabric bunched around his elbows, revealing his wide forearms.
