Aarav's fists burned, the heat rolling off his skin like waves of liquid fire. His opponent—the armored guard—stood motionless, blade poised, measuring him.
The Hollow Dominion had no room for weakness. Only the strong survived.
The air grew thick with tension.
Then—the guard moved.
Aarav barely had time to react before the blade whistled through the air, aimed at his throat. He twisted, narrowly dodging, but the sheer force of the attack sent him staggering.
Fast. Too fast.
The guard wasn't just testing him. He was trying to break him.
Aarav's mind snapped into focus. If he didn't fight, he was dead.
His muscles tensed. Flames roared to life around his fists.
The guard smirked. "Show me what you're worth, outsider."
Aarav launched forward, swinging his right fist. The flames exploded outward.
The guard vanished.
Aarav's eyes widened—where?!
SLASH!
Pain tore across his side as the blade ripped through his flesh. Aarav gasped, dropping to one knee.
Too slow.
The guard stood behind him now, completely unharmed. He spun his blade lazily. "Disappointing."
Aarav gritted his teeth. Blood dripped onto the ground.
His vision blurred for a second.
The pain was real. The fight was real.
And if he didn't adapt, he'd die right here.
The Harbinger's voice echoed from the sidelines. "Get up."
Aarav exhaled sharply. He had taken worse hits before. He wasn't done yet.
Breathe. Focus.
The guard lunged again. A silver flash.
But this time, Aarav moved.
He ducked.
The blade missed by an inch.
Aarav twisted, planting his foot into the guard's ribs. BOOM!
The flames surged—the impact sent the guard flying.
Aarav staggered, panting. His side throbbed, but he stayed standing.
The guard rose from the ground, dusting himself off.
Then, for the first time—he grinned.
"Finally."
The real fight had just begun.
Aarav wiped the blood from his side, his breath steady despite the pain. His opponent—the armored guard—rolled his shoulders, the smirk still lingering on his lips.
This isn't just a test.
The realization settled in Aarav's mind.
It's a hunt.
The guard wasn't trying to assess his strength. He was trying to kill him.
Aarav's fingers curled into fists, flames licking his knuckles. His body ached, but his instincts screamed at him—Move. Fight. Survive.
The guard tilted his head. "That was better. But not enough."
He vanished again.
Aarav's eyes darted, his heartbeat hammering in his ears.
There!
A flicker of motion to his left—too late!
The blade carved through the air.
Aarav pivoted just in time, the steel barely missing his neck.
CLANG!
Sparks erupted as Aarav blocked with his forearm, the fire around his body flaring brighter. The force of the attack sent him skidding back, but this time—he was ready.
The guard pressed forward, his strikes relentless. Each blow was faster than the last, each movement refined and ruthless. Aarav barely dodged the first, blocked the second—
The third cut into his shoulder.
Tsssh!
The pain shot through him, but he gritted his teeth and swung a flaming punch toward the guard's head.
Miss.
Damn it!
The guard's boot slammed into Aarav's ribs.
CRACK!
Aarav was sent flying, crashing into the stone wall with a sickening impact. His breath hitched—his ribs were definitely cracked.
He slumped to his knees, blood dripping from his wounds.
The guard sighed. "This is the best you can do?"
Aarav coughed, spitting blood onto the ground.
The fire around him flickered.
No.
Not yet.
A memory surfaced—his sister's voice.
"If you hesitate, you die."
Aarav's body trembled—not from pain, but from something deeper.
A fire that refused to die.
The guard sighed, twirling his blade. "Stand up or stay down. Either way, I'll end this soon."
Aarav lifted his head.
His body hurt. His bones screamed.
But his eyes burned.
The guard took a step forward.
Aarav exhaled.
Then—
BOOM!
The flames around him erupted like an inferno.
This fight wasn't over.
Aarav's flames roared to life, brighter, hotter, deadlier. The ground beneath him cracked from the sheer intensity of the heat.
The armored guard's smirk vanished. His grip on the sword tightened.
He felt it too.
A shift. A breaking point.
Aarav's breathing slowed. The pain was still there, but it no longer mattered.
He wasn't fighting with just his fists anymore.
He was fighting with everything he had ever survived.
The guard lunged. A blur of silver and death.
But this time—
Aarav didn't retreat.
He stepped forward.
The blade slashed toward his throat, but Aarav twisted at the last second—**too close, too fast—**and instead of dodging completely, he did something insane.
He let it graze him.
Sssth!
A shallow cut, barely deep enough to matter.
But in that instant—the guard was open.
Aarav struck.
His fist, wreathed in flame, slammed into the guard's chest.
BOOM!
The explosion sent the guard hurtling backward, crashing through the stone pavement with a thunderous impact.
Dust and fire swirled in the aftermath.
Silence.
Then—a cough.
The guard rose to his feet, armor scorched, breathing heavy. He looked at Aarav, his expression unreadable.
Then, to Aarav's shock—he laughed.
"Not bad."
Aarav steadied himself, blood dripping from his wounds, his body screaming in pain.
The guard sheathed his sword.
"You pass."
Aarav blinked. "...What?"
The guard tilted his head. "What? Did you think I was going to kill you?"
Aarav's fist clenched. "That's exactly what it felt like!"
The guard chuckled. "Good. That means you understand what kind of place this is."
The Harbinger finally spoke from the sidelines. "You're lucky, Aarav. He held back."
Aarav's breath hitched. That… was holding back?
The guard turned, waving a hand. "Come. The real test begins now."
Aarav exhaled, stepping forward.
His trial wasn't over.
It had just begun.
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