"Bare fisted and ready to show you their Viltrumite hearts! We have a true battle ahead of us! A warrior blooded in the fires of war! And an Acolyte eager to bring glory to Viltrum!" Speakers boomed and vibrated from the announcers excitement, palpable in ever word.
Let them show you their might! Let them bring Viltrum it's glory! Let them bring, mercy, to no one! Let them FIGHT!" The announcer blares. and in an instant, battle ensues two forces of nature fighting to the death.
Nathaniels hovering form, blasts forward a shockwave booming from his previous place as he's upon Stirik in a single moment, his fist moving at lightning speeds inches from his face. But this is a Viltrumite, not a mindless beast.
Stirik was quick to react, his head reeling back as his own flight activates, his body being dragged backwards, his feet digging a trench in the sand. Nathaniel's fist meets dead space, a whip cracking in the air.
"You are fast." Stirik says, his eyes narrowed on Nathaniels still floating form. Not entertaining chitchat during a battle to the death he lunged in a blur of white and grey his fist impacting Stiriks face instantly, sending him crashing into a wall. He didn't let up, flying forward at speed.
Shockwaves boomed from their punches, Stiriks massive fists, managing to land onto Nathaniels ribs and jaw, yet unable to gain enough momentum to actually turn the tide of the fight. Nathaniel was too fast, his unique fighting style meaning that his opponent needs to be prepared for a fight in the third dimension as he attacks from below, above behind, at odd angles and even upside-down. Viltrumites know how to fight while flying, but most never have to or learn to fight BY flying. By implementing the free reign of space and positioning their flight gives them, Nathaniel is able to attack no matter what position he's in.
And his hits hurt. The Adult Viltrumites Grey uniform beginning to disintegrate under the power of his blows, fist sized holes showing the purpling skin below it.
Nathaniel's fist impacted especially hard against his thigh, his body literally upside down, his feet where his head should be, Stirik stumbled, the muscles of his leg cramping. Nathaniel went in for the kill, one more good hit and he would be done for, ready to be put out of his misery.
He threw his punch aiming directly at Stiriks face hoping to knock him out instantly, it never lands however. Instead, Stiriks watermelon sized fist, moving fast enough to rip air, slams into his gut, his body folding like wet cardboard he's blasted into the other side of the arena. Slamming into the wall before he can regain his balance Stirik is upon him his fist bashing against his face, Nathaniels head bounced off the stadium walls like a pingpong ball from the punch. His nose twists at an odd angle and teeth begin to break loose as Stirik pounds Nathaniels head into the Arenas reinforced wall.
He had never fought an adult Viltrumite before. He and every other trainee has fought other kids like themselves, most times to the death but only now did he truly realize the difference in power as his head get bounced off the wall like a speedbag. Stirik was older, more experience and his smart atoms have had more trauma to adapt to than his. His vision was blurry, ears ringing from the impacts, his limbs refused to cooperate as he was pummeled by Stirik. Pain hes felt his entire life was amplified ten fold as Vitltrumite brutality was unleashed on him.
A right haymaker crashes onto his jaw, dislocating it with a nasty click. and his eyes find Anissas, high in the sky behind the viewing glass. Her face was a brutal looking scowl, eyebrows furrowed the glass in her hand fracturing from the unconscious pressure she was putting on it. He realized he was losing, and he couldn't stand it. Not in front of her.
Then suddenly. It stops. The ringing in his ear a far away melody, his eyes refocus as his sheer will overpowers the pain, an animalistic growl clawing at his throat. His arm comes up deflecting a heavy punch into the wall behind him, then, slinking his hand around Stiriks head he slams Stiriks face down onto his own Viltrumite skull.
Stirik recoils, a visible dent in his face from Nathaniels skull he groans in pain yet the crowd roars with amusement. Blood oozes from Nathaniels face, all his orifices leaking like a broken pipe yet he remains standing, ready to kill the man across him. The calm, calculated, composed facade he held at the beginning was now gone. In its place, only a Viltrumite remains. Mean, angry, and ready to rip Stiriks guts from his belly and feed them to him.
He feels his jaw hang loose, bringing his hand up he clicks it back into place, testing it a few times before a gurgle of blood rises from his gut. He gathered it up and spit it out disdainfully onto the yellow sand, his eyes narrowing onto Stirik, a deep scowl marring his face.
"And you are strong. But not strong enough." He said. Then, with the precision of a machine, he zipped forward multiple sonic booms erupted behind him the reinforced Viltrumite-ready wall cracking from the power. His torso twisted, fists clenched and muscles flexed like steel cables he moved faster than he ever has before. His smart atoms adjusted and conformed to his will, his body strengthening and flight becoming even more powerful, he moved faster than the other Viltrumite could react. And hit harder than he could take.
His face absorbed most of the damage, what remained was plenty enough force to completely separate his head from his body. Stiriks head fell to the ground, his body joining it just as quickly the Arena now silent.
Nathaniel's breath heaved, his face falling as well, desperately searching for breath. His chest rising and falling, his body trying to cope with the massive strain and exertion it had never experienced before. Blood continued to ooze from his face before it quickly clotted and stopped. It didn't take long before the fatigue and breathlessness also left him, his smart atoms adjusting, permanently stronger now.
The Arena remained silent until the announcer spoke once again, "Horizon wins!." And the stands erupt in cheers and applause. Nathaniel gives a single pass over the crowd then leaves through where he entered from, a nice shower on his mind.. and Anissa.
Anissa first, he decided, this is a 'date' after all. Flicking the blood and meat off his hand he goes back to the staging area, the Arenas noise fading to a dull cacophony in the background. Anissa stands in the same place as before, her drink replaced by a red beverage instead, something strawberry he thinks. She turns away from the glass and eyes him from across the room, watching as he approached her, her eyes running up and down his bruised and bloody form with a twinkle in her eyes.
"That was... Strong."