Nova winced in pain as she felt a throbbing sensation behind her eyes, an immense pressure forming there. As such, Nova had to give credit where credit was due. Orosu was either in the same boat or in an entirely different sea altogether.
"Infinite possibilities," Orosu spoke. Nova's head tilted up to look at him.
"Did you say something?"
"I did." Orosu responded, "The concept of there being a virtually unlimited outcome of the same situation is a fascinating one. It's the very heart of unpredictability. And in all the possible futures… You had to end up with that technique." Orosu's tone turned sour. Putting more emphasis on certain words. Every word laced with disgust. "Is there a reason why people like you exist? Is it to make the rest of us feel like garbage in comparison to those who were born naturally gifted? Prodigies, talented thinkers, geniuses. All of it makes me wanna hurl it all up in their damn faces. Whatever slop you forced me to swallow for my whole life, I would gladly call it trash straight to your face. Because the truth is, Nova Rust… I hate-"
"You hate me?" Nova cuts Orosu off, "Believe me, feelings' mutual."
"Have you… by chance, ever had your parents read you a bedtime story?" He asked.
"Yes. Why is that your concern right now?" She replied, feeling uneasy.
"And have any of the books told you that love or the power of friendship… conquered all?" Orosu continued. Not waiting for a response. "That statement is nothing but a hoax. Love was never the deciding factor. Instead, it is the will to continue despite anything. Even when you are outmatched in every way possible. It's the ones who get up, over and over again. They smile through the pain because they know it isn't going to get them anywhere but the afterlife. The power to force your body to stand even if every bone in your body is nothing but fragments."
As he kept talking, Black smoke started to pour off Orosu in waves. Swirling around him, my life snakes, coiling, enveloping his upper body first, then his lower. Only his face remained.
"Nova… I hope you survive." Orosu said under his breath. "Because I'm not done with you yet."
And with that. Orosu was consumed by the back smoke as it tightened around his ligaments. He couldn't move. His body remained still as the smoke crept up his face, almost clawing at it. Orosu grinned calmly. The black smoke had stopped moving; it did not keep squeezing his limbs either. Everything seemed to be at a standstill. Until Orosu cracked his neck to the left, then right and finally settled in the middle again. Exhaling, as red cracks, the same ones as on his headband, appeared and plastered themselves all along the smoke.
The black cloud that once had a hold so tight on his head was now settling down on top of his robe, but it was also solidifying. The stadium reacted with amazement as the dark smog now turned into a full-body armour. The plates had no gaps in between. They were durable yet flexible, allowing for full body movement.
During this transformation, Orosu's face was now covered by what looked to be a knight's helmet. Or a dark variation of it. It was not something you'd see on a hero, full of youthful vigour. This looked like it belonged to a knight who had strayed from the path of righteousness and taken up the mantle of something much more inquisitive and terrifying. The helmet had a completely black visor with no slits in it. Although I could sense Orosu, I could see just fine. The ends at the top of it curved outward, then in, like a recurve bow. They appeared to be devil horns. Those same red chasms were now carved into the sides of the helmet. It looked brand new but worn and dusty at the same time.
The visor suddenly split in two. Retracting into the cheek guards of the headwear as Orosu's face appeared yet again. His eyes held the same scarlet glow as the cracks in the armour.
Nova stood headstrong against the undeniable presence and pressure the new form was giving off. She wasted no time and immediately fired several rounds aimed at Orosu's chest. In the end, it was all but futile. Nova watched in horror as all of the bullets struck their mark, but got sucked inside the suit, disappearing into the void, never to be seen again. She looked up in desperation to see any semblance of worry on her opponent's face, but he just stood there, menacingly.
Nova took a step back. Then two more. Two turned into four and four turned into eight. She was trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and this… thing. Whatever it was.
Orosu suddenly spoke.
"Please watch where you are going. You should say sorry to people you accidentally bump into."
A blink, and Orosu was not where he was before. He was now directly behind Nova. Another blink. He had her by the back of the head. My eyes stayed open after that, but I wish I had just kept them closed.
Orosu forced Nova, face-first, into the platform. Blood splattered everywhere, the concrete platform now had a crater in it the size of Nova's face, as small chunks of the fighting stage dropped beside it. My eyes went wider than saucers. My mouth hung open in utter disbelief. A void of emptiness filled my soul. I screamed, but even among the loudest of shrieks that rang through the stands, it was drowned out by the crowd of 100,000 people.