A fist dug into Aelon's side, right where his wound was.
He could feel it.
His ribs were broken.
All air was pushed out of Aelon's lungs, and he was catapulted three meters away from the spot he stood a moment prior.
'I couldn't even see him!'
Slowly but surely, Aelon got back on his feet. He was clutching his weapons like a lifeline.
Minos stood at the same spot, watching him.
His side hurt bad, it felt like daggers were stabbing into them, this time multiple due to his broken ribs.
Gasping for air, he got back into a combat stance.
"Back up?"
Minos was mocking him.
Immeasurable anger flared in Aelon, his teeth digging into each other, and veins popping on his forehead.
He ran towards the blonde man, and threw his hatchet, grasping his shortsword immediately, after letting go of his second weapon.
The hatchet flew towards Minos, at a speed that showed practice. Cutting through the air it came closer and closer.
When it was about to touch his head... Minos simply tilted it sideways, the hatchet flying past the Awakened.
But that was in Aelon's realm of expectation.
As soon as his first attack was avoided, he used that opening to attack with his shortsword, which he held with both of his hands now.
Powered by adrenaline Aelon delivered a strike to Minos' throat. Even if he was an awakened, swords, and other weapon could still effectively kill him.
His opponent grasped Aelon's wrist before the short boy completed his strike.
In a swift motion, he dislocated Aelon's shoulder, by throwing him away.
The Aspirant slid across the ground, unable to use his right arm anymore.
He didn't know how to set his shoulder back in place either.
His pain dampened by adrenaline and pure survival instinct, Aelon didn't relent in his attacks. The moment he got up he dashed towards Minos once again.
And for the first time, the awakened grasped his sword, and took it out of it's sheathe.
The moment Aelon's blade connected with the blade of his opponent, he could feel the resonance of both metals traveling through his entire arm, and shaking him thoroughly.
Fighting with tears on his cheeks, he was easily overpowered by his opponent.
Before Aelon could react, Minos followed with a second strike, aimed at his shoulder.
Cold metal, whose wielder was augmented by soul essence got in contact with Aelon's shoulder, biting into it.
A sharp pain came from Aelon's shoulder.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
When he looked down, he saw... his own arm. Laying there. Disconnected from his body.
"Ah..."
"AHH!"
"MY ARM! MY ARM! WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Screaming, Aelon clutched his shoulder tightly, where he could feel his own raw flesh.
Blood was pouring out of his wound at incredible speeds.
The crowds watching them gasped.
He was gonna die.
Minos looked uncomfortable with this whole situation.
"I'll use my aspect now, it'll end the fight quickly."
As soon as he said that, weapon in his hand turned completely blue.
He slowly approached Aelon who was still clutching his own wound, and staring at his own arm on the floor.
Minos raised his sword, and cut.
As soon as the sword came in contact with Aelon, it didn't further injure his body.
It didn't even harm him physically.
It went deeper.
Deeper than his own flesh, deeper than his own mind, deeper than his own fate.
Right into his soul.
This pain... it wasn't physical, no. It was as if his self, he as a person got attacked. A pain so personal, so excruciating, he felt like he'd loose his mind from it alone. The agony was relentless.
Aelon's soul felt as if it was being torn apart, which probably was the case.
His vision went white. The sounds around him blurred, and he couldn't breathe. No matter how much air he sucked in, it just wouldn't enter his lungs.
Aelon fell on one knee.
'So this is death? He said he would make it painless, but it's quite the opposite...'
He accepted his fate, and stopped resistance.
The whiteness from his sight faded, and it regained color.
Multiple seconds passed, but somehow Aelon retained consciousness.
'What? I'm still alive?'
He was sure his soul just got pierced, under any normal circumstances, he should've died right at that moment.
Nothing happened.
Aelon blinked.
When his gaze turned upwards, he saw Minos with his back turned towards him.
The anger from before still hadn't faded.
'I blinked?'
That meant one thing.
In that moment, Aelon pushed himself up with his foot, and... stabbed Minos from behind.
His blade dug deep into the flesh of the awakened, and slipped through his ribs.
Then he felt it, something that previously beat at a moderate rhythm–– his heart, being pierced.
Minos let out a gasp, and his eyes widened in realization.
The awakened's voice came out shallow, as if squeezed.
"H-how..? I d-destroyed your s-soul."
That's when something in Aelon's mind lit up.
[Soft Carapace, Strong Flesh] the attribute that he previously thought useless, and actually a hindrance, turned out to ultimately save him.
"According to the spell my soul stands stronger to other's"
Aelon felt Minos falling forwards, he himself falling with him, consciousness barely there due to blood loss and exhaustion.
Everything hurt. The shoulder of his torn off arm was still dislocated, the hole in his side had reopened when he fought, and multiple ribs were broken.
Not to speak about the fact that his soul was damaged.
Now laying on the ground, bleeding with his adversary, the only thing he heard were the violent cheers of the people watching them.
'Oh how happy I am for them to finally disappear.'
Sweat was pouring down his back, and forehead. It seemed as if the infection had finally caused him fever.
He felt tired, tired enough to want to let go.
[You have slain an awakened human, Minos.]
[Wake up, Aelon! Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal...]