The battlefield was littered with the fallen.
Vaibhav stood panting, his body battered and bruised, but his spirit unbroken. Before him, Vijay, The Demolition's vice-captain, loomed—unscathed and ready to finish the fight.
But before Vijay could move, a voice rang out.
"Kid, you did well. Now, I'll take it from here."
Vaibhav turned, his vision hazy from exhaustion.
There she stood—Shristi.
Her eyes burned with fierce determination, her stance unshaken.
Vijay scoffed, cracking his knuckles as he turned toward her. "And just who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Shristi met his gaze without hesitation.
"I am The Queen of The Shield. And you'll be fighting me now."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—Vijay laughed.
A cruel, mocking sound. "This has got to be a joke. A girl? Do you even know who you're up against?"
But his laughter faded the moment Shristi moved.
---
The Fight: Queen vs. Vice-Captain
The battlefield trembled with tension as Shristi and Vijay faced each other, both warriors poised, muscles coiled like springs ready to snap. The air between them was thick with unspoken challenge, the distant roars and clashing of fighters momentarily fading as their fight took center stage.
Vijay barely had time to react before Shristi moved. Her first strike came like a flash — a High Arc Kick slicing through the air aimed straight at his temple. Vijay barely managed to raise his forearm in time, the impact sending a sharp jolt through his arm. But Shristi was already spinning, her body twisting gracefully yet powerfully into a Rapid Back Elbow that snapped against Vijay's jaw with a sickening crack.
Vijay staggered but refused to fall. Gritting his teeth, he raised his guard, but the next assault came faster than he could prepare for. Shristi dropped low, sweeping her leg in a Low Sweep, catching his ankle and knocking him off balance. Before he could steady himself, she jabbed an Elbow Strike into his ribs, each blow deliberate and precise. Then, with a spin full of fury and elegance, she unleashed a Spinning Heel Kick, her foot connecting solidly with the side of his head.
Pain exploded behind Vijay's ear, and he reeled back, clutching his head. She wasn't just attacking recklessly—Shristi was reading him. Every move anticipated, every opening exploited.
From the sidelines, Eddie's eyes widened, his voice dropping to a hushed whisper. "That footwork… that flow… It's not hers. It's Wick's."
Shristi's feet barely touched the ground as she darted in again, this time with a Double Palm Push, her hands striking Vijay's chest like battering rams, sending him hurtling backward into the jagged remains of a broken wall. Dust and debris scattered, the sound echoing like a gunshot.
Vijay groaned, wiping blood from his split lip. His pride seethed, and fury lit his eyes like a wildfire.
He charged forward with a Heavy Shoulder Smash, a brutal, bulldozing attack meant to crush everything in its path.
Shristi barely had time to react but sidestepped with a breath of space, twisting her body to face him. She turned his momentum against him, delivering a Reversal Spiral Throw—a complex maneuver blending his forward charge into a devastating throw that slammed him hard onto the cracked earth. The impact sent a shockwave through the battlefield.
Boom.
Dust exploded around them.
But the momentary advantage came at a cost.
Shristi's legs trembled. For a heartbeat, her breath hitched, and she staggered back, panting hard, her stamina dangerously low. Her arms shook with fatigue.
Eddie's lips curled into a cruel grin.
"That moment. That weakness. That breaking point," he murmured, eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "A window… A chance…"
Shristi stood alone, wounded but unbowed, her fierce gaze never wavering from Vijay.
Vijay, too, struggled to his feet, blood dripping from cuts on his cheek. His breath was heavy, but his arrogance was unbroken.
"You think mimicry makes you strong?" he spat, venom dripping from his words. "You're no Queen. You're a doll with sharp edges."
With a roar, he launched into a Titan's Charge, a full-body rush powered by raw strength and rage, aiming to overwhelm her defenses once and for all.
Shristi's eyes narrowed. Timing her move perfectly, she slipped aside with razor-thin precision, turning Vijay's momentum into a brutal Reversal Spiral Throw, once again slamming him into the ground. This time, the impact was heavier, the sound of cracking bones muffled beneath the explosion of dust.
But the fight was far from over.
Shristi's breath came in ragged gasps, each inhale a battle won, each exhale a reminder of how close she was to the edge. Her muscles screamed in protest, but her spirit burned fiercer than ever.
Vijay groaned, clutching his ribs. Blood trickled from his mouth, his eyes flashing with a deadly mix of pain and determination.
The two circled each other, predators sizing up their prey.
Shristi's mind raced, calculating, adapting. She knew her stamina was waning—each strike, each dodge was draining the last reserves of her strength. But surrender wasn't an option.
She attacked again with a Rising Knee Strike, aiming for Vijay's solar plexus, followed swiftly by a Hook Kick sweeping low to knock him off balance. Vijay barely blocked the knee, grunting in pain, but the kick caught him in the thigh, throwing off his footing.
Shristi followed up with a Palm Strike to his chest, pushing him back another step.
But Vijay wasn't finished.
With a guttural yell, he countered with a Hook Punch, catching Shristi's jaw with brutal force. Her head snapped sideways, pain flaring across her skull, but she stayed upright, eyes blazing.
From the sidelines, the noise of the battle dimmed. Fighters and onlookers alike watched with bated breath.
Eddie's eyes never left the two combatants, calculating his next move.
Suddenly, Vijay launched a Spinning Back Fist, a deadly blow aimed at Shristi's temple.
Shristi barely ducked, rolling forward into a Sweep Kick, catching Vijay's ankles and toppling him again.
The dust swirled as he crashed down, groaning, but he wasn't out.
Shristi advanced, breath coming fast, sweat dripping from her brow. She moved with a fierce grace, her strikes blending power and elegance.
She delivered a Tiger Claw Strike to Vijay's shoulder, ripping through muscle and skin. He hissed in pain but grabbed her wrist, twisting sharply.
Shristi winced but didn't let go.
With a swift pivot, she twisted free and landed a Flying Knee to Vijay's chest, knocking the air from his lungs.
He stumbled back, struggling to catch his breath.
Shristi pressed her advantage, launching a Rapid Jab Combo, each punch snapping with precision and power.
Vijay blocked as many as he could, but some broke through, cracking ribs and drawing blood.
Yet, despite the brutal assault, Vijay's eyes burned with defiance.
He lunged forward, driving his shoulder into Shristi's midsection, knocking her backward.
Shristi gritted her teeth, resisting the pain, and countered with a Rising Elbow, hitting Vijay under the chin.
The two fighters were locked in a fierce dance of offense and defense, each refusing to yield.
Around them, the sounds of battle resumed — distant shouts, clashing steel, cries of pain.
But here, at this moment, the entire battlefield seemed to narrow down to the raw, primal struggle between the Queen and the Vice-Captain.
Shristi's legs shook as she planted her feet firmly.
Her eyes searched for an opening.
Vijay, sensing her fatigue, prepared to end the fight.
He roared, pulling back his fist for a Devastating Overhand Smash.
But before the blow could land, Shristi twisted aside, grabbing his arm and spinning him into a Judo Hip Throw, slamming him hard onto the cracked earth.
Vijay gasped, stunned, but he rolled quickly, coming to his feet.
Shristi's chest heaved, sweat pouring down her face.
She wiped a strand of hair from her eyes and smiled—a fierce, unwavering smile.
"Is that all you've got?" she challenged.
Vijay's glare was ice cold.
"Not even close."
They charged again.
Fists and feet flew in a blur—each attack more desperate, more brutal.
Shristi's moves blended the elegance of dance with the lethal precision of a warrior.
Vijay's strikes were heavy, powerful, relentless.
The two were evenly matched, locked in a deadly rhythm.
Sweat, blood, and dust coated their bodies.
Their breaths came fast and ragged.
The battlefield faded away.
Only the fight mattered.
---
While Shristi and Vijay were locked in their fierce battle, Eddie's eyes flicked toward the only vulnerable target left—Vaibhav.
The boy was barely standing, chest heaving, blood dripping from his mouth.
Eddie's grin twisted into something cruel.
Perfect.
He cracked his knuckles loudly as he began to stride toward Vaibhav, slow and deliberate, savoring the moment.
"Sorry, kid," Eddie sneered, voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Wrong place, wrong time."
Without warning, Eddie lunged forward like a predator, aiming to crush Vaibhav with a brutal strike.
Vaibhav, struggling to keep his balance, raised one arm—not to block, but to salute.
A small, quiet gesture that stopped Eddie dead in his tracks.
His smirk faltered, confusion flashing across his face.
"What the hell are you doing?" he growled.
A sudden hush fell over the battlefield.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Then, breaking the silence, a voice rang out—calm, clear, and commanding.
"With all due respect…"
The temperature seemed to drop.
Every fighter's skin prickled with goosebumps.
The hair on their arms stood on end.
That voice carried something ancient, powerful, and unstoppable.
Then came the words that froze the blood in their veins.
"The fight begins now."
To be continued...