The Ouroboros Cycle

Step 001/01

NOW

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The sword in Aaron’s hand flashed, and with a dull roar it tore across the room towards where Calvin stood. He jumped backwards, knocking it away with the butt of his spear sending a shower of sparks cascading across the ground. Aaron pulled up and flames leapt from the blade in all directions, forcing Calvin to spin around to avoid them. He gripped the back end of the spear and spun it over his head as he came to a rest, and the tip of it barely missed Aaron as he too danced away from the end of the long weapon.

Calvin swung low, the spearhead just narrowly missing Aaron’s left thigh, and his momentum carried him forward slightly. Off balance, he caught a glimpse of the flaming red steel falling towards him and hit the ground, rolling to dodge the burst of fire as the Aaron buried the sword into the ground. With no shortage of effort, Aaron lifted the sword again and brought it down again, and again, and again, each time forcing Calvin to scramble backwards from the inferno. He found an opening, and quickly scrambled to his feet. Rearing back in the moment before Aaron brought the sword back around, he loosed the spear.

The air in the room grew tight suddenly, and there was a low, dull sound that seemed to pull all other noise out with it. A moment later there was a bang, and the spear was buried in the wall across from them, the impact having sent long jagged cracks through the stone. Aaron looked down at his arm and saw blood and ash – the spear had nicked him as it passed. He turned back towards Calvin, who was also staring at Aaron’s arm. Without hesitating, he pulled the sword to the left and fire leapt from the edge of the blade, billowing around like a curtain drawn over Calvin’s body. He leapt to the side and avoided it, but Aaron was upon him again, drawing up for a killing blow. In desperation, Calvin threw out a hand to stop the blade from falling on him-

-and then the spear was back in his hand, catching the flaming sword as it crashed down onto it. Aaron, surprised, hesitated in drawing back again. Calvin pushed up on the spear with both hands, knocking Aaron backwards and giving him the opportunity to swing the razor end of the spear around at him from the side. Aaron ducked, and then caught the next pass with his sword sending sparks cascading across the ground.

The Overseer went on the offensive again, taking long, sweeping cuts towards Calvin as he ducked and rolled out of the way of the streaking fire. He skated around the long table with thirteen chairs as flames lapped up the wall of monitors, melting them and turning them jet black. When he turned back Aaron was upon him again, but this time the golden sword came from below, not above, and caught Calvin in the side. He shouted and twirled away, the long end of the spear forcing Aaron back. He could feel hot blood beginning to soak through his shirt. As he gathered himself, Aaron stopped and brought the sword down to his side.

For a moment, the two of them stood breathing heavily, each eyeing the other carefully from opposite sides of the room.

“You are an incredible testament to the will of the Insurgency,” Aaron said slowly, never taking his eyes off Calvin. “A younger me would've been envious.”

Calvin wiped blood off his mouth with the back of his hand. “What do you have to be envious of?”

Aaron crouched down. “When I was younger, I made mistakes - costly mistakes. I always thought those mistakes were because my resolve wasn’t strong enough – but here you are. Your resolve is every bit as strong as mine, maybe stronger, and here you are, standing exactly where I stood, making those same mistakes.”