Advent of the Dragon - Book 1: Destiny's Call

Chapter 18: The Fire Within

I stayed there by Kevin's side, still grasping the fact that I was alone now. Kevin and Zoey, they were both dead. And it was because of Rallix. We fought so hard against him, but now … now, I had to fight him alone.

Tears surged from my eyes, both in grief and in terror. I didn't know what was worse, the fact that they had lost their lives, or the fact that I was about to lose mine.

"Oh, go on now!" Rallix barked, "You've had your moment! Now clear away this trash, so we can continue!"

Then, something snapped.

Taking the lives of my brother and sister was bad enough, but to insult their memory like this—to taunt me—was enough to push me over the edge. All the fear and all the grief I had felt now turned to rage. I clenched my fist, looking down at Kevin's mangled body, staring into the devastation Rallix had caused.

I could still see those flames engulfing Kevin, and Zoey, sinking below the surface of the lava. The fires of Rallix's wrath had consumed them; they were everything to me. And now, I could feel something consuming me; everything I was. There was a fire burning within me.

Rallix had crossed me, and he was going to pay for it!

"How dare you…"

I set Kevin's body down on the ground and stood up, slowly turning around toward the beast. I wasn't afraid of him now.

"HOW DARE YOU!!!"

He smiled, thinking he was getting just the reaction he wanted from me.

"All the people you've hurt…" I said, "All the helpless lives you've taken … you had no right!"

"I had no right!?" he retorted, "Please, unworthy little weaklings like you have no right to live in my presence! I am the most powerful being that has ever lived! Now tell me, what does a little worm like you have to say about that!?"

I stared defiantly into his eyes, searching for my next move. After the moment I took to harness my fury, I found the answer to his question.

"Nothing," I told him, "There's nothing left to say. Now, we fight!"

His smile grew wider.

"Just what I like to hear!"

He ran in for the first attack, sweeping down with his fist as he came upon me. Then, in a simple reflex, I leaped over his arm, evading his attack, landed on my hands, and sprang both my feet upwards, plowing them both into the side of Rallix's head. He stumbled backwards, while I sprang from my hands back to my feet, barely even short of breath.

I didn't know how, but I managed to get the best of Rallix in that little scrap.

"Hmm," Rallix smiled in fascination, "Interesting. It appears the cornered rat has decided to go on the attack." His smile grew wider. "How amusing."

I clenched my fists even tighter, eager to disprove his idea of me as his helpless prey. I was ready to give him everything I had.

"Very well then," Rallix took a stance, "Your move."

"My pleasure."

I charged in for the attack, while Rallix stayed relaxed.

He sure looks confident, I thought as I kept running, If he keeps that up, he's gonna be in for a surprise sooner or later.

Once I came upon him, he widened his stance and readied his counterattack. I sped up even faster, refusing to give him the opening he needed.

Rallix took his shot—sending another flare shooting straight down at me, while I slid to the ground, watching the blast come blazing just over my forehead. I kept sliding on my heels, going straight between his legs and to his backside, and, while I was still on my back and Rallix was still off his guard, I lifted by elbow and brought it crashing down on Rallix's tail.

Rallix snarled in pain as his eyes squinted and his tail came curling up, and while he was still stunned, and rolled to my feet and jumped out of his reach, eluding any potential retaliation. Rallix spun around, gritting his teeth and glaring at me in fury. He clenched his fist, igniting a roaring flame around it. Then, his scowl turned into a savage smile.

"Well," said Rallix, "I suppose I've underestimated you."

He let out another vicious laugh as he open up his hand, the flame around his palm growing even stronger.

"Then let's turn up the heat!"

He thrust his hand toward me, sending another blaze of fire shooting at me. I reacted on instinct and ducked as low as I could, watched it soar straight over my head—but as soon as I looked back at Rallix, another one was already headed straight for me! I sprang from the ground, just barely missing the blast as I watched yet another flare from Rallix's hand coming shooting at me, just barely able to dodge it by rolling away.

"Oh come now," said Rallix, "This isn't too difficult, is it? I'm just getting warmed up!"

He sparked a flame in his other hand and started a rapid fire of blasts from both his hands, sending a showering torrent of flames shooting at me like bullets from a machine gun. There were almost too many to look at, and Rallix's aim was dead-on. Every time I dodged one, two more came at me! Still, I jumped, ducked, and dove every way I could, desperately avoiding every blast that came at me, missing each one by just enough to singe some of my facial hairs.

This is ridiculous! I can't keep this up forever! I've gotta get inside his blasts and go on the offensive!

I kept my eyes on Rallix's as I kept dodging his fire. Then, once I made a massive leap, I saw a gap between his blasts.

There's my opening!

I came screeching to a halt and sprang from my feet in the other direction, narrowly avoiding a blast aimed at me during the split second I was stopped. As I came sprinting toward Rallix, he continued to fire at me, while I kept agile enough to barely avoid them. As a blast came to hit me on my right, I sprang from my right foot toward my left. As a blast came to hit me on my left, I sprang from my left foot toward me right. Back and forth, I ran in the same zig-zag formation until I was upon him. 

I screeched to a halt once more, but briefly, keeping hold on my momentum just long enough for Rallix to fire one more blast at my feet. I dodged it as I leaped from the ground, emerging through the smoke to catch Rallix off guard delivering a devastating kick with my left foot straight to his chest, knocking him off his guard. As soon as I landed, I spun around and gave him another kick with my right foot—this time, to the stomach—and stayed planted on the ground, watching Rallix stumble backwards, scrambling to regain his composure.

He grew even more incensed, digging his claws into his fists and clenching his teeth to the point of hurting himself. I could even see smoke starting to slip from his nostrils.

Man, this guy is getting so pissed, he can't even see straight. I dunno what to try to attack, his tail or his ego?

"You think one attack makes you capable of defeating someone like ME!?"

I said nothing. I simply stared into his eyes, practically daring him to try and attack me again. He answered back with that same dare, taking a stance and motioning with his hand for me to come after him.

"Come on, then! Let's see what you've got!"

I ran in for a head-on attack. Rallix seemed ready to counter any attack I might make, but I refused to let up. I stayed agile as I came upon him. Then, to my surprise, he countered not with a punch or a kick, but with a swipe of the tail.

Just the opportunity I needed.

I jumped over his tail, but only just enough to barely elude his attack; once I came back down to the ground, so did his tail—just under the crushing weight of my foot.

Rallix screamed and then spun his head around, glaring at me in fury before raising his hand toward me and launching another flare from it. I rolled out of the way, leaving him nothing but ground to hit. Unfortunately, that meant that Rallix had succeeded in getting me off his tail.

He continued to stare at me in fury; he even looked a bit fatigued.

"You should know better than to leave a weakness like that wide open," I told him, "You're not getting too cocky aren't you?"

It looked like I had gotten to him. Rallix was now fighting with his anger instead of his instincts. As his rage grew, it was clear that he had more than one weakness. As his anger grew along with his ego, he began to make mistakes, leaving him wide open for some well-deserved punishment.

Then, his expression changed, as if he had just realized something.

All of a sudden, Rallix was calm again. He smiled, as though he was onto something. 

"Duely noted," he smiled, "Now then, why don't we continue. I believe it's my turn?"

Damn. Looks like he just figured out that little flaw.

I took a stance, bracing myself for his attack. Rallix leaped off the ground, throwing his arms down by his side as two massive pillars of fire began to shoot from his hands, launching him toward me like a torpedo. He was going to hit me head-on—literally!

I stepped back, preparing a counterattack. Once Rallix was upon me, I thrust my foot upward, right at his chin, but before my kick could land, Rallix stopped, landing briefly on his legs, springing from the ground, and launching those same pillars of fire at the ground, shooting him straight up—almost all the way to the ceiling—and at his jump's peak, he let up on the blasts, warming up an even bigger one between his hands and launching it straight down at me. I didn't see it coming down at me until the flames from the pillars he had launched on the ground right in front of me finally let up, giving me only a split second to react. I dove out of the way, avoiding taking the blast head-on, but not the shockwaves they produced, which launched me even farther up into the air, leaving me to come crashing to my knees.

Once I had recovered, I stood up and looked around frantically for Rallix. Then, he landed—right behind me.

"Here I am!"

I spun around, just in time to see his foot collide head-on with the side of my face, sending me flying over to the far side of the chamber, knocking me against the wall.

Oww … man! He's all over the place! I couldn't even keep up with him. He's … good!

"Well now," Rallix grinned as he crossed slowly towards me, "are you having trouble keeping up? You're not throwing in the towel already, are you?"

I got up off the ground, catching my breath and shaking off the pain.

"Not on your life!" I said back.

"Good," Rallix's smile grew wider, "Killing the helpless does grow quite old. I find it much more amusing to torture my victims into surrender."

He let a sinister chuckle slip through his teeth as he clenched his fist, a raging flame igniting around it once again as his stare pierced into my eyes.

"Let's begin."

He pulled his fist back and came charging toward me—faster than I had ever seen. I didn't even have time to react! In just a second, he had already delivered a scorching punch straight to my chest sending me stumbling backward as I clutched the searing wound with my hand. Only after falling back on my other hand was I able to regain my composure, by which time I had already found Rallix standing right behind me.

"Watch your step," he said from over my shoulder.

Suddenly, his leg came sweeping at my feet, sending me toppling over and landing flat on my back. Rallix, while he was still down low and close to the ground and I was still down, brought his elbow plowing down into my stomach, knocking the wind clean out of me and nearly shattering one of two of my ribs.

I clutched my stomach in agony, while Rallix stood there, watching me squirm. I was helpless to fight back now, and yet he insisted on toying with me.

"Go on," he taunted, "Take your time recovering. I'm not through with you yet!"

Shoot! How is he so fast? Has he really been toying with me this whole time?

What if … What if I can't beat him?

…

No! I've come too far to quit now! I won't let Kevin and Zoey's sacrifice be in vain!

I shook off the pain, and sprang from my back onto my feet, suddenly refreshed and raring to go. Rallix seemed surprised. Even I was a bit shocked. But then again, with the fate of the world and the death of my brother and sister fueling my spirit, such persistence seemed only natural.

However, it wasn't until I went in for the attack that I discovered I was fighting on spirit alone.

The minute I threw a punch, Rallix snatched my arm and pulled it to the ground, kneeing my in the stomach and taking my off my feet. He let go of my arm and spun around to kick me straight into the wall behind me.

"Impressive," he said, "I must say, you are quite persistent. Of course, persistence will only mean even more pain!"

I looked back up into Rallix's smug look, desperate to wipe it off his face. I wanted to show him what little his power meant, but I knew that no matter how many times I would come back for more, he would just toss me aside over and over again.

And yet, that didn't seem to mean anything to me.

For some reason, the thought of giving up didn't even occur to me despite knowing how bleak things really were. All I knew was that I still had to try, no matter what.

I ran in once again, this time waiting for Rallix to make the first move. His foot then came sweeping down at my legs once more, attempting to take me off my feet again. I jumped up to avoid the attack, but instead met with an elbow to my stomach as I jumped over his leg, leaving me to fall flat on my back, out of breath once again.

Rallix stood up, planting his foot on my chest and pressing into the ground.

"Come now," he said, "Is that all you've got? You'll have to do better than that!"

Better than that, huh?

Alright. You want it? You got it!

I sprang back to my feet, still anxious to fight him, shocking Rallix once again. There was even a flicker of fear in his eyes, but soon, it was replaced by zeal. Clearly, this meant only more fun for him.

And I was eager to end it.

I started punching furiously at him, while he effortlessly blocked every attack. He smiled, enjoying the thrill of my challenge, eager to watch me lose my strength and realize how hopeless this fight was.

But instead, my strength increased!

As Rallix continued to taunt me, I could only focus on one thing: taking him down. And with each punch, my determination to reach that objective grew stronger and stronger. Soon, my punches grew faster and harder. Then, I started throwing kicks into the mix.

Still, he blocked my attacks effortlessly.

"Yes," he said as he continued fighting me, clearly enjoying the chance to watch my hopes crumble, "I can see the fire within you! Let it burn forth! I want you to go down FIGHTING!"

Just as he spoke that last word, he threw a blow of his own, landing a burning punch straight to my face, sending my falling flat on my stomach several feet away from him. I clutched the left side of my face, throbbing in pain, as he slowly stepped toward me.

What now? I've given it everything I've got! There's nothing left…

Still, I struggled to get back on my feet, but my arms were almost too weak to hold me on all fours. Rallix saw me struggle and continued to step toward me, smiling even wider.

"Well, it appears you've used up the last of your strength. If that's the case, then there is really no sense in dragging this out any further, is there?"

No … I … can't … give up!

My arms trembled trying to push me off the ground, desperate to get back on my feet and fight him again. But I just couldn't. My arms collapsed, and I fell flat on my stomach.

I pressed my hands to the ground, making yet another desperate attempt to get back on my feet.

"Oh come now," said Rallix, "You should know by now that there is no point in prolonging your suffering. Just surrender, and we can finally put an end to this."

Maybe … Maybe he's right. Through this whole fight, Rallix has just been toying with me. No matter how determined I become, no matter how strong I get, he just batters me away without even breaking a sweat!

Even if I were to suddenly become twice as strong as I was before, I still wouldn't be a match for him.

It's over … I've lost…

I collapsed on the ground once again, this time, for good. I laid there, flat on my stomach, waiting for Rallix to finish me off.

So that's it?

Then, there it was! That voice, inside my head!

But, it wasn't the Black Knight's voice. This one was different. It sounded familiar.

Come on, man. The David I know would NEVER give up this easily.

Then, it hit me.

"K-Kevin!?"

Heh. Took ya long enough. Look, we both know Rallix is strong, but we also know you're the best chance our planet has.

"How? If you and Zoey couldn't take him down together with me, then what chance do I have alone?"

Don't gimme that! You saw just as well as I did what strength you were able to reach into before! The more determined you got, the stronger you got, and that strength has NO limit!

"But what good did it do?"

Rallix laughed, "What delusion is this? Talking to yourself!? I must have hit your head a little too hard!"

It did more good than you know. Now take all the pain Rallix has caused for you. What he did to us. Make THAT your strength. Dig deep! Feel that pain and unleash it on him!

Suddenly, I was back on my feet!

"What!?"

Rallix's smile suddenly turned into a horrified scowl.

"Rallix!" I shouted out, "You've taken the lives of my brother and my sister! You've tortured me just for your own amusement! And all you go on about is this so-called power you have! Well, I don't care how strong you are! I will NOT let you win! I'll make sure you pay for all the people you've hurt!"

Rallix took a stance, expecting to batter me away just as easily as he did before, still scowling at me with a look of confusion and frustration.

Once I ran in for the attack, I caught him off guard.

He came punching down at me, missing me by a mile as I came sliding under his fist and plowing my elbow into his stomach, almost knocking the wind out of him. I wheeled around with a roundhouse kick to his chest, sending him stumbling backwards, and once he was off his guard, I ran in to finish him off, reaching up to grab his shoulders and pushing with all my strength.

His face suddenly twitched with astonishment, shocked by the power I was displaying. Soon, this shock changed to fear once it sank in that I finally had the upper hand on him. He clenched his teeth and squinted his eyes in fury, summoning forth the bulk of his power to fight me back as his shock and fear changed to pure rage.

He then proceeded to grab my shoulders, attempting to push me back. And still, miraculously, I held my own. In fact, I was still able to push him forward!

Now, Rallix was getting even more nervous.

I saw him glance in the direction behind him, knowing full well just what I was pushing him forward to—the pit of lava! He dug deeper, pushing me back with even more strength. Still, I persisted, reaching deep into my will and finding strength I didn't even know I had, pushing him farther and farther toward the edge. The closer he came, the more desperate I could see Rallix become.

His heels soon went over the edge as he finally put forward every ounce of strength he had to avoid his fiery fate, eventually reaching a stalemate with me. Neither of us would budge, never even thinking of giving up. The deeper I reached, Rallix reached even deeper to match it. Just another inch—one more inch—and Rallix would go tumbling into that pit of lava and into his death, and he knew that too. The rage in his eyes now turned to fear and desperation.

Then, as I pushed even harder, I could feel Rallix starting to slip; I was going to win!

But then, he yanked that chance out from under me as he unleashed a furious breath of fire at my feet, breaking my grip just long enough to leap over me and thrust his feet into the back of my head, knocking me down to the ground, and leaving him to escape without a scratch.

Once again, my attack had failed.

No! So close! … I was … so close!

I couldn't believe it. The one brief chance I had for victory had just slipped through my fingers, as did that massive reservoir of strength I had just found. I could have finished him off, but I hardly did any damage at all.

Then, as I clenched my fists in the dirt beneath me, I looked back at Rallix and saw that I was wrong. I could see him clutching his arm. He wasn't attacking me! Not yet, anyway. He actually had to recover from the attack I had made on him!

And judging from the expression I saw on his face, I didn't just damage him. I damaged his pride.

"Incredible," he said to himself, "Never before have I faced a mere human with this much power. Let alone a child. There's something about him that neither of those other two brats possessed. He's not like the others. He's … different. He's fantastic!"

I saw him struggling to bring himself to look back at me. 

"…Could it be?"

But just as his stare met mine, he turned away.

"No! That bloodline means nothing! He's just a child!"

His head turned again, just enough to gaze at me from the corner of his eye.

"Still, he is no ordinary child. He is still the most powerful opponent I have ever faced. And he has the will to match that power."

Rallix then looked down at his fist as he clenched it, a roaring flame sparking around it.

"I must finish him off now!"

He turned back toward me, clenching his fist even tighter. He just stood there, snarling at me, while I stared back at him, waiting for his rage to explode.

"FILTHY CHILD!!!"

He roared at the top of his lungs, sending flames shooting outward from his arms and flaring upward from his mouth. As I felt the heat, I could see exactly what he was about to unleash on me, and I knew I was done for.

Great. Now I've gone and pissed him off.

Then, just as suddenly as those flames had started, they stopped, vanishing from Rallix's body as his furious expression turned to a terrifying stare. The fire was now in his eyes. As I finally got back up to my feet, he slowly stepped toward me, a stern look of fury stamped on his face.

Then, when he was only a few feet away from me, he stopped.

"I must admit, I'm impressed," he said, "Never before have I had an opponent push me like that before."

He clenched his fist even tighter.

"And I…"

He raised his fist.

"…find that…"

He opened his hand.

"…quite…"

A raging flame ignited around his hand.

"…INFURIATING!!!"

He swung his hand down at me, sending yet another blade-like mass of flames swinging down at me. Too weak to avoid it, I took the blast full in the chest, sending me falling backwards, even weaker than before.

I squinted my eyes open, watching Rallix slowly walking toward me, helpless to resist him any longer. There was nothing more I could do.

He wrapped his tail around my throat, nearly choking the life out of me as he lifted me off the ground. I gasped for breath, barely able to attain it as Rallix continued to stare at me, delighting in my agony. He squeezed me tighter, while I struggled more and more for breath, until suddenly, his fist came plowing into my stomach, taking all the breath out of me.

The pain was excruciating. Through that one punch, just for a second, I felt as though he had broken every bone in my body, and all the breath I had just gasped for was knocked right out of me. Then, just when I managed to draw in another ounce of breath, I felt his fist digging into my stomach again, sending all that breath flying back out of me and torturing me even more. Another punch, this time, before I could even gasp for breath. Then another. And another.

Over and over again, he punched me in that same spot in my stomach. Every time his fist dug under my ribs, I felt as though my insides were crumbling, and I spent the split seconds I had to recover desperately trying to gasp for breath, only to have it knocked right back out of me.

Soon, with every punch, blood came spurting from my mouth, dripping from my face, some of it even hitting Rallix in his face, which he then swept up with his tongue and into his mouth. He continued to smile at me, eager to quench his appetite for blood—my blood. He couldn't wait to watch me die.

What's he waiting for…?

"Well now," he finally said, "Had enough?"

I squinted my eyes open, still staring defiantly into his eyes. Even though my situation was hopeless, even though I was suffering beyond my worst nightmares, I was not about to give him the satisfaction of seeing me give up.

Rallix scowled at me once again, throwing me to the ground with his tail. I gasped for breath, clutching my stomach in agony, desperately trying to recover and gain whatever fighting chance I might still have.

But Rallix wasn't about to give me that chance.

After a mere second's reprieve, I felt his foot pressing my head into the ground. I screamed in pain, blood pouring out of my nose and my mouth. The pressure made me feel as though my head was about to explode. The harder he pressed down, the more I begged for it all to end. I could already feel my skull starting to crack. Soon, blood wasn't the only thing surging from my face. Tears came from my eyes, dripping from my face as Rallix continued to squash my head like an insect.

Then, he let up.

Rallix's foot lifted off of my face, and miraculously, my head was still in one piece. He kicked me in the stomach, rolling me over to the ground's ledge, my face just barely peaking over it and into the pit of lava. I could feel the heat radiating from it, hoping that Rallix would finally finish me off.

"You're a stubborn little brat, aren't you?" he said, still frowning, "I don't know why, but somehow, I still feel compassionate enough to put you out of your misery."

He grabbed my shirt, lifting me up mere inches away from his face.

"So what do you say?" he said, smiling, "Care to surrender?"

I squinted my eyes open, still mustering up every ounce of will I had to wipe that smug look off his face.

"N-Never!"

His smile then turned into a look of frustration and rage as he flung me in the other direction, throwing me against the wall.

He … he won't quit. I won't stop until I give up.

But I can't! Everyone in the entire world depends on me! I can't give up. Even if there's no way I can win against him, I have to try!

Again, Rallix began to walk toward me, while I pushed my arms against the ground, desperately trying to lift myself off my knees.

"You're quite a stubborn little fool, aren't you? How you can even move is beyond me, and yet you insist on dragging out your torment even more."

He stopped, just standing there, his arms crossed, waiting for me to finally get back on my feet. I pushed harder, barely about to get my left foot on the ground, then, putting all my weight on it, I was able to get my right leg off its knee and on its foot. I was standing—for now.

Rallix smiled.

"Come on then," he said, "Let's see what you've got left."

I stood there, gasping and wheezing for breath, barely able to stand, let alone fight, trying desperately to think of some kind of move that would give me even a remote chance of beating him.

But in the shape I was in, there was nothing I could do. I was at the end of my rope.

Come on, David. You should know by now that going after a guy like him head-on is no way to fight!

There it was again! The voice! But it wasn't Kevin this time.

"Z-Zoey?"

Heh. Did you think I'd let Kevin get all the credit here? Look, you and I both know you didn't get this far by just charging blindly into battle.

"What do you mean?"

You took a page out of Kevin's book by not giving up. Now you need to take a page out of mine. Quit fighting hard and start fighting smart! Remember, it's not always the strongest one who wins the fight!

Suddenly, I paused, knowing immediately that she was right. After all, I managed to outwit him before, when his overconfidence got the best of him. But how could I do it again?

"But … what else is there?" I said, "I've already exhausted every tactic I had against this guy. He's just too good…"

I may not have the answer.

My heart sank, knowing that if even Zoey could come up with a strategy against Rallix, there was no way I could.

But I know you can find it.

"What? But … how?"

Your determination goes far beyond both Kevin's and mine. THAT'S what got you this far! THAT'S why you're still alive, and we aren't! Our will might not have been enough, but yours is! If anyone can summon up the strength and the wisdom to beat him, it's you.

I paused again, wrestling with myself over whether to believe what Zoey had just said. On determination alone, I had been getting beaten and battered left and right, but at the same time, I had come closer to winning than anyone ever has—closer than even the Black Knight himself. I didn't know how I would win, but I knew that Zoey was right, as long as I had the will to keep fighting, I still had a shot.

"Zoey," I finally said, almost to myself, "I don't know if I can be as smart as you, or as strong as Kevin. I don't even know how I've managed to stay alive even when you lost your lives to him, fighting only on determination."

I looked back up at Rallix.

"But I do know that, as long as I still have a shot, I have to find a way to win."

I still don't know how though. In my shape, I can barely stand, let alone fight. In a head-on battle, there's no way I can win. And there's nothing else holding him back.

Then, I caught a glimpse of something, just out of the corner of my eye. I looked up.

Wait a minute. Yes there is!

I looked at the ceiling, straight up at the crack, where Rallix had been trying to break through the seal. When we first arrived, it was one shot away from being shattered, but now it looked far from broken—and getting farther! As the uprising of geothermal energy began to pass, the seal was regenerating itself. Once it was healed completely, Rallix would be trapped there forever.

I didn't have to win! I just had to make Rallix lose!

"Excuse me," Rallix snarled, "But if you're done with your little daydream, perhaps you would like to get back to the battle at hand!"

That's it! If I can just stall Rallix long enough for that gateway to our world to seal itself again, Rallix won't be able to leave, and the world will be safe!

I kept looking up at the ceiling, watch that crack—slowly, but surely—becoming smaller and smaller. It would be only a matter of minutes now.

So far, he's been all caught up in getting me to surrender to him that he insists on torturing me until I do. If I can just keep that up, then I've got him!

Rallix clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, quickly losing his patience.

"STOP IGNORING ME!!!" he roared.

Rallix charged in, and with one swipe of his arm, sent me tumbling back down to the ground. It wasn't until I hit the wall that I stopped rolling, and I was once again in excruciating pain.

But I shook it off, standing up once again and facing Rallix, saying nothing. I could already tell that simply refusing to stay down was making him furious. As long as he was blinded by his anger like this, there was no way he would see through me.

"You know, I can't possibly fathom what might be going on in that tiny mind of yours."

He grabbed my shirt, nearly lifting me off the ground.

"And I don't like it!"

His knee then came plowing into my stomach, sending blood gushing from my mouth as my breath was once again taken away, leaving me to collapse on my knees, clutching my stomach in agony, practically bowing at his feet.

Unnhhhh … I don't know how much longer I can last like this.

I looked up, taking another glance at the crack in the ceiling, still dwindling, but ever so slowly.

Just … just two minutes. At the most … if I can hold him off for two more minutes, everyone will be safe…

Then, I felt his hand grabbing my hair, practically yanking it right out of my head as he pulled me up, as a sinister smile spread across his face.

"Don't grovel at my feet just yet," he said, "I'm still not through with you!"

He lifted his hand in front of my face, igniting a flame just inside the palm of his hand, and, at point-blank distance, he fired it. With no way of squirming free, I took the full blast head-on, practically feeling the skin getting blasted away from my face. As the blast hit, Rallix released my head, leaving me to fall flat on my back, covering my face in agony.

Then, just as I began to lower my hands, peaking over them as I squinted my eyes open, I saw Rallix's foot come crashing down on my chest, nearly shattering what ribs weren't already broken, and sending even more blood pouring from my face.

"Well now," Rallix said, "Had enough?"

I lifted my head, still retaining that defiant stare as Rallix's savage smile turned into a maddening grimace. He hardly even knew how to take fighting an opponent who refused to give up. All he knew to do was torture me over and over again, hoping to get the response he wanted. He clenched his fists.

"Very well!"

He grabbed my hair once again, lifting my head off the ground but still leaving my stomach laying flat. And as he tightened his grip more and more, his fist soon came plowing into my stomach. He punched me again. And again. And again. Each time, the pain grew worse and worse. Both blood and tears were surging from my face, while my entire body felt like it was about to finally cave in.

Still, my eyes stayed on one thing and one thing only: that weakened seal. At all costs, I just had to keep Rallix occupied for just a couple more minutes.

Another punch—this time, a much harder one. All my scratches, burns and wounds pounded with each blow to the stomach, and each blow was worse than the last. I could see Rallix growing more and more furious every time his cruel torment failed to draw out my surrender.

Then, he let go, leaving my head to fall back to the ground as he stepped back, watching me in disgust.

"You really are quite the bothersome little fool," he eventually said, "Despite the pain I inflict on you, you still hold the absurd thought that you can actually win."

I mustered up every ounce of strength I had left, and miraculously, I was still able to get on my feet—but just barely.

"Look at yourself!" he scoffed, "You can hardly move, let alone defend yourself! What delusion is it that brings you to think that you still have a chance to defeat me? Can you not see that all you have managed to do by resisting me is stall for ti—"

He broke off, as if suddenly realizing something. The minute the word "stall" came out of his mouth, the thought of such a plan hit his mind immediately. He looked up at the cracked ceiling, watching it slowly regenerate.

Rallix clenched his fist, gritting his teeth as his eyes grew wide and even became bloodshot with rage. It was right then and there that I knew he saw right through me. He turned back toward me with a savage smile.

"I see," he said, "You never intended to beat me at all, did you?"

No … not now! I need more time!

"Yes, I can see it by the look in your eyes! You were just trying to stall for time so you could keep me trapped in here!"

I had to do something. If I didn't act now, he would finish me off and escape this place long before that seal would heal up. Mustering up the sudden jolt of urgency that hit me, I ran in for a final desperate attack—only for him to grab my arm before it could even land a punch, stopping me dead in my tracks.

He looked me dead in the eye.

"Transaction cancelled."

His foot came wheeling around, nailing me in the side of my chest, and sent me tumbling several feet away. I struggled to look up, seeing his finger pointing at me. Once I knew what move he was about to make, I made a desperate attempt to roll away and dodge the blast.

But it was too late

By the time I had made my move, that blast had already hit its target, emerging from the back of my shirt and leaving a clear hole where it had made its impact.

I fell to the ground, my eyes closed, drawing breath no more.

"Finally," said Rallix, staring down at his vanquished foe in disgust, "Destiny is mine! After 1,000 years, destiny is MINE!"

He turned around, his tail now facing me, and looked up at the weakened seal above his head. He paused, and then looked back down at me, then at Kevin, and then at the pool of lava where he had finished off Zoey, once again with a grimace.

"I still can't believe those brats were able to do this to me. No foe has ever dealt me this much pain before. That old fool Leona did say they were strong. I suppose now I see why…"

Then, his grimace curled into a sinister, triumphant smile.

"But then, even they were not enough to stop me."

He looked back up at the weakened seal, warming up two massive blasts of fire in his hands, ready to propel him upward for the final blow he needed to blast right through it.

"Now then, time to reclaim what is rightfully mine!"

He crouched down, ready to take off.

Just the opportunity I needed.

I suddenly jerked out of the state of defeat that I had feigned and reached forward to grab the one opportunity I had to finally defeat him—his tail! I grabbed it with my right hand and squeezed it with everything I had, suddenly stopping him dead in his tracks and bringing him crashing to his knees in pain, he turned back toward me, his eyes squinted and his teeth clenched in rage, shock, and agony.

"WHAT!?" he shouted, "But … how!?"

I stood up, smiling—even laughing—at the trick Rallix had fallen for, squeezing his tail even tighter, watching him writhe in pain, still wondering how I had survived his attack. Finally, I stretched my shirt out by my side, showing the small hole that his attack burned through it.

"Heheheheh," I laughed, "You were careless!"

I lifted my shirt up, showing my bare torso, which was completely unharmed by his blast. Thanks to my maneuver, he managed to hit my shirt, but not my body.

"NO…!"

He continued to stare at me, enraged, but now helpless to throw any kind of attack at me as long as I had his tail in my grip. He squeezed his eyes shut and collapsed on all fours, grunting and groaning in pain and getting weaker by the second.

"I told you Rallix!" I said, "You killed my brother AND my sister! You threatened to take over the entire world!  And there's no way I was going to let you get away with that! And now…"

I grabbed his tail with my other hand, wrapping both my arms around him and squeezed with every ounce of strength I had, leaving Rallix to collapse on his stomach, helpless to fight back or even move.

"…I've finally got you!"

Then, with what little strength he still had, I saw him turn his head toward me, and he was smiling!

"Actually…" he said through his clenched teeth, "I've got you!"

At first, I thought he was bluffing; there was no way he could have fought me off, but then, in just a few seconds, I knew he wasn't. There was something fighting me off—not something I saw, but something I felt—and it burned me!

That same flame he always ignited in the palms of his hands and on the tips of his fingers was now around his tail, searing through my arms and leaving me to collapse on my knees.

Still, I held on.

Despite the pain I was already in, even though this burning sensation was even more torture than all the rest of the pain Rallix had dealt me, I refused to let go. I tightened my grip even more, desperate to make this last chance count.

No! Can't … let … go! Not now! … This is … my last chance … to beat him!

I looked at Rallix's face, seeing that he was still staring at me with that savage grin of his. He even laughed.

"This must be hard to do with all those burns and wounds, isn't it?" he taunted, "I bet this makes them BURN!!!"

I screamed out in pain as the flame around his tail suddenly grew ten times more intense. Even with the stranglehold I had on him, Rallix still had the upper hand on me! But I couldn't give up. No matter what, even if I died trying, I still had to hold on.

I kept my eyes on Rallix's face, watching to see how his stamina was holding out compared to mine. He still kept that smile of his, but for mere split seconds at a time, I could see him wince in pain. Even though he was tormenting me even worse than before, I was still inflicting plenty of damage to him.

Got to … hold … on…!

I could feel each separate layer of skin on my arms practically burning to cinders. I knew that if this were to keep up, I was sure to die. But even so, if all I could do was continue to stall for time, I still had a chance of stopping him.

And even if I didn't, I still had to try.

Even as my very body fell apart at the searing pain he was inflicting on me, my spirit still held together. I couldn't even think of anything else other than winning. All I wanted was to stop him, even if I knew I couldn't—even as I felt my arms slipping away.

In fact, I could almost feel my entire body leaving me—my spirit slowly drifting away. And yet, even then, all I could think about was beating him, still holding on.

But as the heat continued to burn me away, I could feel my body and my spirit drifting further and further. Eventually, I was almost looking down at myself, still keeping my hold against his tail. Further and further, I drifted, still watching myself.

That was me down there, still holding on…

That was me…