Sweating, tired, yet still eager to be beat even more.
Khalid is brimming with vigour, ready to charge in again for the hundredth time, to be humiliated by Elena's masterful usage of that wooden dagger. Stab, punch, dodge, rinse and repeat by Elena.
As if Khalid was fighting against his shadow, stabbing and slashing but never connecting.
Gasping for air Khalid says - 'Its been 5 hours straight, let me catch a break for f*ck's sake.'
'You're yet to touch me, no break until you hit me, you're in fact boring me.'
But he had done everything but. He mesmerised Elena, not only has he managed to understand that it is not a fighting style for daggers, he also understood each movement and internalised them fast, faster than Scarlet even - the fallen prodigy of the Crimson clan.
Girting his teeth, Khalid regains his stance and takes in a deep breath.
Elena became puzzled, Khalid's eyes became unfocused.
Is he that tired? No, that can't be it. His stamina is ridiculous.
Ridiculous indeed. For the past 5 hours he has not gotten any slower or faster. This is quite the achievement as he has completely mastered his body, which many people haven't and probably won't.
'To be a master of strength, one needs to understand himself.' - is what Khalid was taught by the treacherous alleys and abysmal life he had. He understood it to be that he needs to control his muscles, efficiency increased to as high as he possibly can, which resulted in him having a large stamina reserve.
Elena stared at him, Khalid looked lost, in her eyes he looked completely detached to the world, as if his brain stopped registering anything.
'I guess I'll have to knock your ass out for you to get the break you asked for.'
Khalid's mouth opened, it hung on his face yet no reply.
Feeling mocked, Elena scoffed.
I really need to teach him how to tempt people better, but for now I guess I can play his little game.
Dashing at Khalid, she faints a low strike to shadow her overhead punch, which has worked a fair bit on Khalid during their session.
Surprisingly, Khalid managed to pull her hand, which she attempted to feint with, and blocked her kick with it. Pulling the arm Khalid goes for a face stab.
Predictable.
Elena dodges the stab and rolls under Khalid's outstretched arm to now find a completely free to hit abdomen.
Knocking Khalid back a little, she pressures his lower legs with short kicks to his calf.
Pulling his leg a little high above the ground and out, putting his shin on the line, Elena tries to flip him attacking his weaker foot with a sweep.
Khalid stomps with his hanging leg and dashes in to close the distance. He learnt in the hard way that in a battle hand to hand he has and will loose, but this time, something was different, his brain, it was comprehending everything.
Low hit, looks short, probably a feint, ill just pick up her hand, block the overhead punch she seems to have loaded. Pull her back and stab face. Sh*t, of course she would dodge that, I should have feinted and swiped. She's kicking my calf, if you're kicking me might as well be on my terms, pull up shin. She's going to go for a swipe, stomp and dash with a stab.
And a stab he goes for, aimed directly at her protected liver, but at the same time, he hid his other hand behind his upper body, loaded for an attack on the other side of her body when she ultimately blocks.
Elena registers these movements and goes for an under dagger dodge, following it up with an explosive attack from under which grazes Khalid's lip, leaving a small wound on the left side of his upper lip.
'Woah, getting me excited now are we.'
Still looking hollow, Khalid did not respond verbally, instead he goes for a long leg swipe which Elena jumps. During her fall Khalid goes in for the face punch, to which she responds with transition into a press up and counters his attack with an upwards slash.
Stepping back, Khalid unloaded his front hand with relentless jabs. Elena followed by stepping back to create distance between them, though, Khalid continued his relentless jabs.
Tightening his grip on the chipped, wooden dagger, Khalid girts his teeth and tenses his legs. He gives a last jab which baited Elena into an inside roll, prompting her to give him a liver blow.
A large grin blows on Khalid's face as he lowers his right hand and points the edge of the dagger towards Elena's dagger. Fist flying towards the fake blade, Elena changes its trajectory to hit Khalid's left thigh, however Khalid moves first and does a right leg flying knee on Elena's face, breaking her rhythm and throwing her off. In attempt to collect herself, she tried to back up a few steps, however, Khalid made no mistake and continued his relentless jabs, occasionally throwing a stab or slash here or there.
Her head still ringing by Khalid's surprisingly strong kick, Elena dragged herself around, dodging each attack by a hair strand's length, unable to load a counter, yet still able to avoid loosing. It would be a devastating attack to her pride if she was to loose to him. He is far too new at this, only a few hours of learning and he caught her. Funniest part is the fact that she was half trying to fight.
Chuckling to her self, a happy grin made itself apparent in her face. 'Not half bad are you? Only took a few years, but we got there in the end. Now lets see if we can do that again.'