The cool night air brushed against my skin as I tightened the laces on my running shoes. The land behind the hotel stretched out in open, quiet vastness—perfect for what we had in mind. The moon hung low in the sky, casting faint silver light over the grass as Zach, Amir, and I stood in a loose triangle, all clad in athletic gear.
Amir spun one of his pistols, his grin almost lazy, but the glint in his eyes told a different story. "You know, Ron, it's been way too long since we've done this. But tonight? I'm going all out. No holding back."
I smirked, drawing one sword from its sheath. Unlike my usual three, tonight it was just me and the sleek blade. The simplicity of it had Amir practically bouncing with excitement.
"Finally!" Amir exclaimed. "No three-sword nonsense. Just one blade versus the best arsenal money can buy. This is going to be fun."
Zach stood off to the side, his stance calm but ready. His hands were wrapped tightly, and his sharp gaze flicked between us like a hunter analyzing his prey. "You two can swing your toys all you want. I'm here to remind you what happens when you underestimate me."
Amir rolled his eyes, stretching his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah, Mr. Essence Prodigy. Let's see if you can keep up."
We all stepped into position, forming a loose circle. A moment passed in silence, the tension building until—
Amir struck first, flicking his wrist as a non-lethal round fired from his pistol. I sidestepped, closing the distance in a flash. My sword moved with precision, deflecting the next shot with a sharp clang.
"Too slow," I taunted, slashing toward his leg.
Amir blocked with a baton, twisting his body as he brought another toward my ribs. The impact sent a dull vibration through my side, but before I could counter, Zach swept in from my blind spot, his speed sharper than I expected.
A low kick aimed for my ankle—I barely managed to pivot away, parrying Amir's follow-up strike.
"You've gotten faster," I admitted, blocking another of Amir's swings.
"You've gotten predictable," Zach countered, landing a light jab on my shoulder before flipping back out of range.
Amir swapped weapons mid-movement, pulling out a staff from seemingly nowhere and spinning it like a whirlwind. "How's this for unpredictable?" he said, thrusting it toward me.
I raised my sword, letting the staff graze its edge before twisting my wrist to knock it off balance. Using the flat of my blade, I disarmed Amir in a clean motion, sending his staff tumbling to the grass. Before he could recover, I swung toward his torso, stopping just short.
"Point," I said, grinning.
Amir groaned, already drawing throwing knives. "Lucky shot."
Zach, meanwhile, wasted no time. His movements were fluid, each step calculated. His punches came in rapid combinations, forcing me onto the defensive.
I barely dodged a strike to my ribs. "Hand-to-hand really is your thing, huh?"
"That and this," Zach replied. Then, with a faint glow, his domain activated.
The air around him shimmered like heat waves rising off pavement. His strikes grew heavier, more precise, as if the world itself was guiding his attacks.
"Level 2," I muttered, narrowly avoiding another hit. "Impressive."
"Enough talk," Zach said, slipping past my guard to land a grazing kick against my hip.
''Point" Zach stated as he appeared behind me with his fist on my back ready to do a one ich punch Bruce lee style.
I activated my own domain in response, energy surging around me like a low hum. The world slowed just slightly as my senses sharpened, my body moving with a newfound smoothness.
Amir whistled, tossing a smoke grenade into the air. "Oh, it's a domain party now? Don't mind if I join!"
The smoke spread quickly, shrouding the field in thick fog. But I didn't need sight. My domain allowed me to feel the shifts in essence around me. Amir's playful energy flared to my right, while Zach's steady, overpowering presence moved in close.
I pivoted, striking upward and knocking a pistol from Amir's grip. A quick twist brought me face-to-face with Zach, my sword stopping inches from his throat.
"Point," I said again, breathing hard but grinning.
Zach exhaled sharply but nodded. Amir, however, was already moving again, flipping back with an acrobatic flourish before landing on his feet, knives in hand.
"Alright, alright, one more round!" Amir said, bouncing on his heels.
The intensity of the fight was building again. Zach's movements became sharper, Amir cycled through weapons faster than before, and I had to rely on pure instinct to keep up. Sweat trickled down my temple, my body fully engaged in the rhythm of battle.
Then, a sharp voice cut through the haze.
"What the hell is going on out here?"
We turned to see Nel and Deya standing at the edge of the field, dressed in loose shirts and sweatpants. Nel's sharp gaze took in the scene, her hand hovering near the hilt of her weapon.
Deya crossed her arms, an eyebrow raised. "You're either fighting or throwing a party. Either way, I want in."
Nel sighed, lowering her hand but still looking unimpressed. "You idiots really decided to have a sparring match in the middle of the night? You do realize we have an actual mission tomorrow, right?"
Amir grinned sheepishly, wiping sweat from his brow. "Just a little friendly free-for-all. You know, keeping the skills sharp."
Nel shook her head but didn't hide the faint smile tugging at her lips. "I'll admit, I'm impressed. Watching you three go at it, I can tell you've been doing this for years. Your coordination, your instincts—they're good. Damn good."
She paused, her tone growing more serious. "But don't let it go to your heads. None of you can beat me one-on-one, not yet. However," she added, her gaze sweeping over us, "if you work together, I have no doubt you could take out anyone who hasn't mastered their skills."
Deya nodded in agreement. "It's rare to see this level of teamwork. You're a solid unit."
Zach rolled his shoulders, his cufflinks glowing faintly in the dim light. "Appreciate the compliment. But you're right—we've got work to do."
Nel gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Now, get some rest. You'll need it."
As she and Deya turned to head back inside, Amir chuckled, clapping me on the shoulder. "Well, Captain, looks like we can't finish tonight."
I unsheathed my second sword, letting the cool metal catch the moonlight. I glanced between them, feeling the heat of the battle still buzzing under my skin.
"We're not done yet. This was just the warm-up."
We shared a knowing grin before wrapping up with a few final rounds, pushing each other harder, refining our movements. The fight wasn't just about training—it was about trust, about the bond we'd forged through battle.
And as we finally headed back inside, the quiet hum of our shared energy still lingered in the air. Whatever awaited us tomorrow, we'd be ready.