Tryst with Destiny: The End of the Beginning

120: The Spar

(Next Morning)

"Wtttiinnnggg," echoes throughout the battered stadium. This sound keeps repeatedly resounding as two swords fiercely clash against each other. Diantha, Cynthia, Oak and the others watch is stark silence as sparks fly everywhere each time the two blades clang against each other. Dawn and the others gulp as they see Ash and Serena sparring with each other using real swords.

Such swift and precise is their swordsmanship that everyone watches in stunned silence as they see the deadly spectacle unfold in front of them. Each strike is full of power, precision and aggression. Each block is firm, resolute and iron clad. But what completely shocks everyone is the lack of mercy and remorse in duelists' eyes.

Serena spins behind as she avoids Ash's lunge. The very next second she slashes at Ash's upper abdomen. Ash merely bends backwards on his back as Serena's swing passes mere millimetres above Ash's nose. Ash immediately recovers the next second, turns around and attacks only for Serena to parry it away.

Ash then spins and aims a spinning back kick on Serena. Serena gracefully crouches to her knees as the kick passes above her head. The very next second she spins upwards and slashes her sword at Ash's feet only for Ash to jump to a safe distance. Everyone's eyes go back forth in an anxious manner as the sparring session continues or rather escalates. Serena then charges with a barrage of powerful blows as Ash retreats while raising his sword each time to block Serena's hammering attacks. Ash then decides to go on the offensive and counters with a murder blow only for Serena to jump to the side. Ash then presses his offensive and manages to trap Serena's hands in a complex hold following which he manages to knock Serena's sword out of her hand. Serena without losing a moment delivers a series of short rapid kick following which she spins in the air and with one final well placed kick, knocks Ash's sword out of his hand.

"Not bad, Sere. Not bad at all," Ash says as takes a physical fighting stance.

"Indeed, I did not see that murder blow counter attack coming. Very well timed," Serena says as everyone, who's going to attend the meeting, watches in shocked silence.

"We aim to please," Ash says as both he and Serena circle each other, not taking their eyes off one another.

Looker and Lance who've studied close-combat martial art techniques analyze Ash and Serena's fighting style.

"She's using the Seviper fist," Looker mutters as he sees Serena's palms with all finger aligned with each other perfectly.

"And he's using Arcanine Claw," Lance says as he sees Ash's fingers curled in the form of razor-sharp claws.

Both Ash and Serena let out a cry before they engage in a fierce hand to hand combat session. Ash swipes left and right with his aggressive fighting style while Serena parries his attacks like a slippery snake. With every passing moment, the combat becomes more and more serious. The spectators watch, hypnotized by the raw power of the display in front of them.

Ash attacks with a barrage of Arcanine grip attacks. With every attack, one of Ash's claw-like attacks tries to close itself Serena's face. Serena using her supple dispensing snake like fighting style manages to parry all the attack away mere centimetres away from the fist. With both, she and Ash locked in a stalemate kind of situation Serena decides to go on the offensive using her feet. Ash seeing Serena's plan, immediately breaks from the stalemate lock and retreats, parrying the kicks as he retreats towards a better position.