Ascend, ye worthy!

Fist after fist pummeled against flesh, letting out a sound akin to small cannons firing a volley. Shock waves rippled across Zahna’s body from the present and continuing onslaught, although it wasn’t a one sided affair. Bora’s powerful body had sustained many blows, bruising and swelling was well underway. He had been on the backpedal for the start of the fight but his endurance and tenacity were keeping him in the battle, and as his adrenaline surged he was able to successfully turn the tides. Unlike Tambourine, who lost his mind in bitter resentment and boiling rage, Bora’s second wind came with increased focus and grit. He began baiting blows just so he could land a counter, he would sustain damage but be afforded an opportunity to hopefully change the end result in his favor. And thus, Zahna found herself on the back foot.

“Victory is mine!” Bora charged in with a new speed, and stepped low before lunging upward with a rising knee strike. Zahna had only just been able to defend against his attack as it hammered against her left leg and arm, making her spit out some blood.

‘How the hell is he getting stronger?!’ Waves of pain radiated throughout her body, ‘No, he’s just pushing past his limits!’ She leapt backward creating some distance between them, her breathing became heavier. She winced in pain and occasionally drew sharp breaths through her teeth.

His head tilted forward as his eyes raised to his brows, looking just over his fists as he readied himself for another exchange. “Are you ready to admit defeat?”

Zahna spat her blood on the ground and sturdied up her stance while stabilizing her breathing into a controlled fashion. She frowned at him, “If I gave up, then how could I become the strongest?!”

“Then I will force you to!” Bora sprang forward at an explosive speed, swiftly closing the gap between them. He focused his resolve to win into a dexterous haymaker, as his large body gracefully executed his will as if it were a dance of violence incarnate.

A devastating roundhouse was on the way, a strike that Bora felt could win him even more ground if not victory. Gritting her teeth she prepared for a counter. Zahna stopped moving backwards and deftly rotated her body to match his leg as it came closer, “Not yet!” She growled with a piercing fearlessness. Her arms wrapped around his leg as it made contact with her abdomen. His face of confidence was replaced with shock as he felt himself begin to spin! Zahna had managed a reversal, and was now swinging him around. He lost all of his balance as she continued rotating him violently as a tornado, and suddenly she leapt into the air carrying him along. She swung his body diagonally upward as she rose to the air, and slung him as hard as she could on the downswing. Her legs slung heel first towards the sky while her arms threw him at the ground like a slingshot.

Shocked gasps arose from the audience, some even shielded their eyes and yet many more couldn’t force themselves to look away.

His body spun rapidly towards the ground before impacting the earth below with a bang! The ground cracked from the force and a pained yell resounded in unison. After landing, Zahna nearly stumbled to her butt as she attempted to sit on the ground. She propped herself up with her arms as she leaned backward, panting heavily. “I…didn’t kill…you..did I?” She leaned forward to inspect her opponent after letting out a deep groan, clutching her belly with one hand.

“Huff…huff..huff…n-no, I…I’m still alive.” Bora was laying flat on his back, un-moving. The crowd had gone through a roller coaster of emotions, and seeing their champion bested made some adopt much more serious faces.

“Good!” Zahna let out a few more pants as she slowly took to a kneel, “Light Recovery Magic: Rejuvenating Starlight!” her body glowed as a book floated at her side. Shortly after casting her spell she was on her feet, and walked over to Bora. Holding a hand over him, she repeated the same phrase and his body too was enveloped in a soothing glow.

Much to his astonishment, all of the pain that he was steeped in had seemingly effervesced as though it had never been there in the first place. He hurried to his feet and gave Zahna a satisfied smile. “You truly are a wonder! To think, a warrior like you could also be a healer!” His massive hands clasped around Zahna’s, shaking vigorously.

Upa and several others ran over with smiles on their faces, and cheering once again erupted from all around. “Wow! Where did you learn to do that?”, “How come you were riding a broom?”, ”Do you really need a sword too?!” Upa and others fired off a barrage of questions, surely such an attack would leave anyone winded!

They exchanged stories, and learned about each other whilst sharing a celebratory meal. Upa was particularly interested, and didn’t stray too far from her as he wanted to hear everything this strange woman was saying. His father had noticed how much attention his son was giving to the young warrior who had just bested him, and was quite certain he saw him blush more than once as she told stories about the men she usually trained and lived with. Many of the people were interested in her abilities and her broom, which she had used to give a few rides to overjoyed children.

She demonstrated a few of her combat magics, which made Bora’s eyes widen and let out a thankful “phew!” since he didn’t have to face such overwhelming techniques.

Upa apologized for the unfriendly welcoming, and talked to Zahna about a boy named Goku who helped him bring his father back from the dead with the help of the dragon balls, after having defeated his assailant. She could only imagine the mana it would have taken to create such fantastical artifacts. It was a blessing to her that her captors never had such things, as the evil atrocities that they would have committed against the world would have been absolute. The sun was past noon and the evening sky would draw near in just a few hours. Still, their mere existence was enough to make her shudder in fear. After-all, it was why she was here now, and not at the hideout.

Zahna stood at the base of the tower that climbed past the clouds, fully aware that she needed to reach the summit. They told her stories about The God of Martial Arts, and a swordsman who climbed the tower and never returned.

Bora, Upa and a few of the children had come to see her off. She asked Upa to hold on to her broom until she got back. She looked back one last time, ‘They’re fighting for their lives too. Is that all we can do?’ Waving a farewell she set off to climb the ivory pillar.

The people below watched as the young woman expeditiously ascended the ancient structure.

Holding fast to her broom, Upa contemplated this event. “Father, one day…I will climb this tower. And then I’ll come back as a true guardian!” A large hand rested upon the young man's shoulder, a familiar weight, a comfort.

“My son, one day you will surpass me.” His deep honest eyes beheld his son, as only a parent could; Hopeful, wishful, encouraging and full of fatherly love.