Battle of the beasts

John was taken aback, his eyes wide with surprise. "What?"

"Tell me what to do, and I'll figure it out. Don't worry," Alex reassured him, perhaps a bit too confidently.

John provided a quick rundown of the basics. "Hit the right arm pad to store energy. When the red light turns green, hit it again to activate your powers. Since it's your first time, it might take a while to adapt."

Eager to grasp the rules, Alex inquired, "And what should I do while waiting for the energy to charge?"

John's advice was clear-cut. "Don't get hit, and don't damage the suit, or she'll kill you. For real."

Alex felt a surge of anxiety as John urged him onto the field. Meanwhile, Ashe's expression dripped with hatred as she muttered, "Of all the suits we have, you picked this one." Her tone grew increasingly hostile, and her anger was palpable.

Panicking, Alex tried to defuse the situation. "I didn't pick it; John did."

Ashe's rage seemed uncontainable. "I'm going to kill you both," she threatened, and the crowd's whispering only added to the tension. Alex glanced at John, who stood near the reserve bench, offering a thumbs-up and a goofy smile.

Mr. Thomas, not helping matters, assumed an overly dramatic tone as he addressed the gathering. "Ladies and... hmmm... students, for sure not gentlemen. We will now witness a battle for glory, a battle for pride, and a battle to decide who will be the leader in the next league, two months from now. So, let us introduce the challenger. He is the new student; he came from far beyond the sea, Alex."

Alex couldn't fathom Mr. Thomas's theatrics, considering this was just a ball game, not a life-or-death battle. The crowd's chants of "POW" only intensified as they directed their anticipation toward him, the one attempting to defeat their cherished captain.

Continuing in his melodramatic manner, Mr. Thomas introduced Ashe. "And his opponent, the leader and the pride of our school. Ashe the Phoenix." The crowd erupted in wild cheers.

The match was set to begin, and Alex's nervousness was palpable. As the gym floor split open, a high-tech metallic arena emerged. John reassured him, "Don't worry; you'll learn the rules soon. Just try to avoid her shots and survive for five minutes."

The referee, holding a dodgeball with peculiar attachments, took his place. Ashe and Alex stood in the middle, resembling basketball players awaiting the opening toss. Alex, distracted by Eve's entrance, saw her smiling and whispering good luck from the sidelines.

The referee finally declared, "Let the match begin!" as he tossed the ball high into the air. Alex leaped to catch it, but Ashe soared far above him, using her suit's capabilities to reach the ball first. She landed gracefully while Alex struggled to regain his balance.

Laughter echoed through the gym as the crowd ridiculed Alex's initial attempt. Meanwhile, Ashe assumed an archer's stance, with the ball still in her left hand. A bow formed from the burning energy she emitted, and she shot the burning string, setting the stage for an intense confrontation.

The ball soared through the air like a blazing arrow, and Alex hesitated to make contact. His fear of catching the fiery projectile or allowing it to strike him was palpable. A concerned John shouted, "Dodge it!" and that's exactly what Alex did. He deftly evaded the ball as it whizzed past, akin to a lethal arrow heading for its mark. However, the ball reached the arena's edge and collided with an electric shield, rebounding off it and smacking Alex from behind, sending him tumbling to the ground. The crowd seemed to find his misfortune amusing.

Struggling to his feet, Alex picked up the ball, half-expecting it to be hot from its fiery journey. To his surprise, it was ice-cold, devoid of any burning marks, as if his previous perception had been a mere illusion. Eve's voice cut through the chaos from the sideline as she shouted, "What are you doing, Alex?"

Alex resolved to emulate Ashe, holding the ball aloft, but nothing happened. Suddenly, a beeping sound filled the arena, and the referee declared, "Position fails, ball switch." The ball levitated from Alex's grasp and into Ashe's. Puzzled by the game's intricacies, Alex looked to John, who nodded toward the scoreboard overhead, displaying parameters he had yet to comprehend. His lack of familiarity with the game left him feeling utterly lost.

The parameters on display included "Hit Points," with Ashe at one hundred points and Alex at ninety-five. A timer counted down from thirty seconds, illuminating the reason for the ball switch.

Annoyed by her opponent's cluelessness, Ashe muttered, "This is ridiculous. To think maybe someone like you can beat me." Her words were aimed at herself, further mystifying Alex.

Alex pressed for clarification. "What are you talking about?"

With evident scorn, Ashe replied, "You're a joke."

Perplexed, Alex stammered, "What?"

With a haughty demeanor, Ashe declared, "I will show you what it means to be somebody because you are a nobody." She pressed a circular button on her arm and knelt down. Strangely, her suit began emitting peculiar electricity, enveloping her in a swirling vortex of air. The vortex grew, morphing into a massive pillar of fire, with Ashe suspended in its center. The spectators erupted in an uproar.

"He's doomed," John lamented.

"Yes, indeed he is," Eve concurred.

Alex sensed their certainty that he was about to face defeat. While a part of him resisted surrendering to the inevitable outcome, the larger part seemed resigned. Ashe released a torrent of fiery power from the phoenix in her hands, poised to incinerate her prey. Alex braced himself for the impending impact.

Annalina's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. "Do you feel sleepy?" she asked, drawing his attention away from the impending doom.

"Why are you asking this now?" Alex inquired.

Annalina pointed out his tendency to close his eyes when faced with adversity. "You always close your eyes whenever something bad is about to happen."

"It's not sleepiness; it's called giving up."

"Then you do give up a lot."

"What can I do at times like this?"

"Fight back."

"How?" Alex retorted, his gaze wandering in search of clues about his current surroundings.

"You've always had the power you need within you; you just need to release it."

Perplexed, Alex sought more clarity. "What power? What are you talking about?" He turned away briefly but found Annalina standing right in front of him upon looking back, their breaths the only thing between them.

"Let me show you," she said softly before blowing air into his mouth, sending him into a dizzying sensation.

Blinking, Alex realized he was floating above the gym, suspended in mid-air, gazing down at his own body. A sense of disconnection enveloped him as he pondered, "What happened to me? Am I dead?"

Annalina reassured him, "Don't worry, you're not dead."

"Then what's happening?"

"I'll show you what you're capable of."

Ashe's fiery phoenix hurtled toward him, and Alex watched in awe as his right arm instinctively rose to block it. Eve and John yelled at him to get out of the way, but he remained paralyzed, torn between disbelief in his own abilities and an overwhelming desire to see what would transpire. The phoenix reached his side, and the ball hidden within its flames emerged, causing a colossal explosion that enveloped the entire arena in red and orange flames, obscuring all sight.

Once the conflagration subsided, Ashe was left standing on her side of the arena, bewildered. "I think it's over," she muttered, turning away.

"Not so fast," Alex heard his own voice emanate from within the dissipating smoke. He emerged from the fading flames, holding the ball with a single hand. The entire arena fell silent before erupting into deafening cheers. They hadn't expected this unexpected twist. Annalina's voice whispered reassuringly, "Don't worry; I won't let you get hurt."

"Are you doing this?" Alex asked, seeking confirmation.

"Who else?" Annalina responded.

Observing the scoreboard, Alex noted that his hit points had dwindled to one, a mere point remaining from his initial score of ninety-five. "I guess she hits pretty hard for a girl," he quipped to himself.

"Keep it to yourself; I can hear you," Annalina chided him.

Ashe, still astonished by his continued presence, inquired, "How are you still standing?" Her astonishment evident, she couldn't fathom what had just transpired.

"It's our little secret," Annalina revealed. "Let's end this," she urged Alex.

Turning his gaze back to his physical form, Alex witnessed his body executing a maneuver similar to Ashe's, hitting the circular button on his arm and kneeling. Dark energy surged from his suit, contrasting Ashe's vibrant display. A swirling vortex of darkness enveloped him, pierced by brilliant blue lightning strikes. The thunderbolts increased in intensity, and the dark energy coalesced around Alex, forming a colossal cloud.

Inside the dark cloud, something stirred—a tremendous roar emanated from within. The cloud gradually dissipated, unveiling a startling sight that left the entire arena in shock.

Before them stood a black dragon with blazing red eyes, its chest adorned with white and golden scales. Its lengthy tail could level the entire arena with a single swipe, and atop its shoulder stood Alex.

The crowd's astonishment escalated as they witnessed a creature that appeared even mightier than Ashe's phoenix—a dragon typically seen only in dreams.

Annalina introduced the dragon with pride. "Let me introduce you, everyone. This is Behemoth. Behemoth, meet your prey."

Behemoth roared thunderously, causing the audience to cover their ears. His mouth turned red, dripping burning magma. The ball began to spin, drawing in the dripping magma until it transformed into a fiery stone. Annalina named it "meteor" as she whispered gently into Alex's ears, urging him to use it. "Let's burn them all," she added.

Alex's body raised its right hand, and the meteor ignited. The magma flow from Behemoth's mouth ceased as the four-legged dragon stood upright, its towering height leaving the gym's boundaries trembling. Behemoth took a deep breath, lowering Alex's right arm. Then he unleashed a fiery blast that propelled the meteor.

Ashe remained motionless, unable to react, as the meteor hurtled toward her at an incredible speed. Alex spotted Eve rushing to her side and leaped to push her out of harm's way. The meteor collided with the ground, resulting in a colossal explosion, its blinding light forcing Alex to shut his eyes.

"It's all yours now," Annalina's voice whispered once more.

When he opened his eyes after the light had dissipated, Ashe and Eve lay sprawled some distance away. Ashe rose to her feet and looked to Eve, who couldn't respond. The audience fell into complete silence. The referee eventually broke the stillness with a whistle.

"Due to external interference, the winner is Alex."

The crowd erupted into jubilant cheers, chanting his name. Alex, however, remained more concerned about Ashe and Eve. John bounded toward him, ecstatic. Alex couldn't fathom why everyone was celebrating his victory over their beloved captain. Would he prove to be a better leader, or would they ultimately wish for her defeat?