The Crystal Swordsman: Alfheim's Awakening

Flourishing Firepower

Spriggan King, Warrior, Crystal Swordsman: K

I swooped in and pulled up last second to allow my feet to land firmly on the sand beneath me. I looked around at the dunes and distant cliffs as small sandy typhoons swirled about here and there.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice." I heard a voice.

I turned to face it and saw Kureha standing innocently with her hands together in front of her.

"So what's this about?" I put a hand on my hip and asked with a smirk.

"I want to test my full strength against yours. I've undergone many of my own adventures now and I feel that I have the experience necessary to hold my own against you." Kureha spoke certainly.

"Is that so?" I merely confirmed.

"Yes, but don't hold back like when we were kids. I want to combat you at full power." Kureha iterated.

"Hm. Alright, Pinkie. I'll play." I limbered up a bit.

"Flames only." She established the rules.

"Flames only, eh? Well then... Test your might!" I poised myself to fight.

Kureha shut her eyes for a moment as she inhaled and exhaled a breath of collection. She readied her dominant hand and ignited it in her flame. To my surprise tho, it was pigmented pink. Kureha waved it around as she spun and advanced on me. I could tell she was trying to break my line of sight from her burning fist, but I was too quick. She dipped down last second, hopped up and spun into a deadly fire chop towards my neck. I leaned as I caught her wrist with a burning fist of my own. I looked at it and laughed as my gaze met hers. She sneered and yanked back, spinning into an uppercut towards my stomach. I immediately stopped her knuckles with my palm but the impact force from us both caused a slight explosion which pushed us both back. I shook the reset blow off easy and watched as Kureha reeled back and summoned a pink fiery spear. I just smiled and braced my footing. Kureha yelled as she threw not one, but two spears of fire. I smirked, ignited one hand and flattened it out to cut both spears into embers. Kureha fumed at this and began rapidly throwing more at me. I realized the increase in intensity and upped my fire from purple to red. I sliced thru every single casted spear even as she threw multiple at a time. Kureha was dumbfounded at first that I could move fast enough to deny her but she let this fact blind her judgement. She summoned a long curved sword of fire and immediately pushed me with it. I smirked in that moment and created a fiery sword of my own. Mine however was shaped more like it's crystal counterpart. Kureha spun in order to maximize her force and momentum as she brought her blade down towards me. I raised mine and blocked her only to have her spin again for a follow up. I denied the next, and the next, and the next until Kureha changed her tactics yet again. She ignited her legs and used them to boost her overall movement speed. Kureha bolted and dashed around me, trying to get little jabs and hooks in where she could. She landed a few, but I started to understand her pattern of attack. I caught her next punch to which she counteracted by throwing her other fist towards me. I caught that punch too but within the blink of an eye, I let go and lifted Kureha up by her throat. She struggled and grabbed my wrist with both hands. I just looked up at her seriously. She shook her head frustrated.

"Don't hold back." Kureha struggled to say.

"You don't want that." I shook my head too.

She just nodded, still struggling thru her clenched teeth. I let out a gentle sigh and simply let her go. She fell to her knees on the ground in front of me.

"You've got a long way to go." I turned to walk away but she grabbed my pants to stop me.

I peeked back to see her still on her knees, breathing emotionally as she recover. I just stayed still for a moment while she fought back tears. I couldn't bare to see her this way.