Continuing the journey
1094 Words
Oar was persistent. He started by throwing jabs. But Zohaifa could dodge it fluently. Suddenly a heavy right came in. Zohaifa dodged it by the width of a hair. Oar realized Jabs and crosses won't be enough to defeat this guy. So, he took a squared-up stance. He started throwing jabs from both hands. Zohaifa shifted his speed and reflex to the next gear. But eventually, one of the punches got to him.
Oar smiled at his first success, forgetting that Zohaifa is yet to attack. Zohaifa shifted to the offense. He threw a jab. Oar tried to block it, but the punch already entered through his guard. Ignoring the effect of the punch, Oar held a tight grip on Zohaifa's arm with both his hands,
"There isn’t much you can do from that position though," Zohaifa introspected.
Thus, Zohaifa casually swung hooks to his body and the left side of his head.
When Oar was unable to handle it anymore, he used 'Reverse Rocket' to dash backward. A gush of air rushed out from his feet to let him move fast.
'Lightning Velocity,' used Zohaifa to catch up. But there more lightning was created than expected and it burst out of Zohaifa's fingers. He crashed with Oar and both of them fell down.
"What the? My lightning powers are stronger now. But I didn't even train Lightning!" That is when Zohaifa remembered the first days where he constantly created lightning. That must have toughened him up.
But by the time he was absorbed in thoughts, Oar flew to midair to attack from above. "He can fly, huh?"
Zohaifa threw a plasma blast at Oar causing him to fall down.
"Okay then, we are at equal grounds now," said Oar.
Oar started charging himself up for the Orange smoke. Zohaifa is ready to counter it with the Yellow Splash.
"This is it. We will see which legend is more legendary. Lazuli or Smomb?" exclaimed a villager.
'Yellow Splash' a bright yellow liquid splashed out of Zohaifa's hand.
'Orange Smoke' a dark orange gas burst out of Oar's hand.
As soon as Zohaifa's Yellow Splash and Oar's Orange bomb touched each other, a dark reddish smoke covered the area with a scorching sound. Everyone was in anticipation of what will happen next. But when the smoke cleared, Zohaifa stood out on top. Oar's dress is torn at the chest where the Yellow splash had hit.
"What? This can't be. The Yellow Splash is greater than Orange Smoke?" said a flustered villager.
"No, we must've chosen a bad representative," replied another.
"Oar would have won if he was serious. He always gets stronger when the rubber hits the road."
Oar punched the ground in frustration. Zohaifa went on to Oar and lend out his hands. He immediately smiled and accepted it to stand up.
"I should've expected this from Lazuli's student. But remember, you are the student of Lazuli herself while I never even met Smomb. So, don't think Yellow Splash was better," said Oar.
"I won't," said Zohaifa, thinking Yellow Splash was indeed better than the Orange Smoke. In fact, he considered it as an evolution.
"Hey Oar, can you find me a place to stay for the night?"
"You can just stay at my home. I would be happy to shelter a warrior like you in my home."
"Thank you."
Zohaifa chuckled being addressed as a warrior.
The night came. Zohaifa was having dinner with Oar’s family. He had a fairly normal one, one where the parents have high expectations from their son. But being a very strong warrior, not only his parents but also the entire village had great expectations from him.
“Hey Oar, have you heard of any instances where a being not from Cant World uses auras and elements like Cant people does?” asked Zohaifa while chewing his meal.
“No, I haven’t,” he answered.
“Such a bummer. As I said I am not from the Cant world. I am a human and humans can’t control auras and elements. Yet I can somehow. So I wanted to find the answer.”
“Well, if you got such an awesome gift, accept it. Why question it?”
“I need to know. I feel something abnormal in my heart.”
“Oh, guilt?”
Zohaifa couldn’t find an expression for a moment. Then he replied, “No, I didn’t mean philosophically. I physically feel something odd.”
“Oh, I see. Is it painful?”
“No. But I wonder if this is indicating a side effect.”
Zohaifa stayed there for the night and departed the next day early in the morning.
"Leaving already? I wanted to train with you."
"Sorry I am off to exploring Cant World. In this vast world, my answer must be lying somewhere."
"But you will get lost."
"I won't. I have been going in one direction from Yellow city. As long as I don’t change directions, the road is easy to remember."
"Ok, take care."
Then Zohaifa got out of the village again through the tornado. He smiled at the fact that he could defeat someone who was letting out that strong of a presence.
"That must mean I can defeat Flirtic too. I wonder if others also feel a presence when they encounter me," he thought.
He then moved on through the desert. It took him a day. He thought he would die starving. At last, he resorted to eating spiders and other bugs.
"Eww! This is so disgusting. But I will probably die if I eat nothing. I can already perceive myself as a Zombie. I should have stayed in the forest."
He could see greeneries in front at a fair distance. That motivated him to rush forward, to see another day filled with adventures. He had to crawl over to get there.
"Finally!" he exclaimed finding a river. The chilly water moistened his tongue and quenched his thirst as it splashed the walls of his throat.
"So, relaxing!" saying which Zohaifa splattered the water drowning his face. "I will have to be more conservative now."
He crossed the river after collecting fish. He conserved them this time. The journey led him to another forest. It was easier to survive there. He ate fish and birds. He, at last, came across a town. At the top of a signboard, it is written: 'Crazy town.'
Zohaifa entered Crazy town with great enthusiasm.
"How is this town going to be? Of course, it will be crazy," Zohaifa happily thought to himself.
- Writer
