Chapter 025: Adrian vs Guardian part: 01

Adrian sighed as he stepped out of the dockmaster's office, his shoulders slouched like he'd just been caught sneaking out past curfew. His eyes met Guardian's, who stood rigid, the light from a nearby lamppost reflecting off his golden helmet. 

"Wow," Adrian asked. "That was quick. How'd you find me? GPS in my fried chicken or something?" 

Guardian didn't respond. He moved faster than Adrian expected, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him hard against the cold steel wall of a shipping container. The impact sent a sharp pain through Adrian's back as he grimaced, but what made his blood run cold was the familiar sensation crawling across his scalp. 

He didn't need to see it to know what it was—a G-Gnome. Its tiny, clawed limbs gripped his head, and its glowing red horn bored into him like it was digging for treasure in his mind. 

They're trying to mind control me.

The thought hit him like a lightning bolt, and his body reacted before his mind had fully processed it. His bones shifted beneath his skin, sharp spikes erupting from his skull like curved horns. The bone tore through the G-Gnome's soft body with a sickening squelch, warm blood dripping down Adrian's face as the creature let out a final, shrill squeal before falling limp. 

Guardian took a step back, momentarily caught off guard, and that was all the opening Adrian needed. He planted his foot against the container and launched himself forward, slamming a kick into Guardian's chest and sending him stumbling backward. 

"Looks like you can't just come quietly."

Adrian smirked, wiping more blood off his face. "Sorry, I'm not a slave to anyone," he said as bone spikes sprouted from his knuckles like jagged, makeshift brass knuckles. "So you'll have to kill me right here, right now, because there's no way in hell I'm going back." 

Guardian didn't flinch. His shield shifted into a defensive stance, ready for impact. 

"Then I guess this is where it ends." 

The two stared each other down, the air between them heavy with tension. The distant hum of machinery and the faint crashing of waves against the docks faded into the background as their focus narrowed on each other. 

Without another word, Guardian charged.

Adrian barely had time to move before Guardian's shield swung toward his head. He ducked, the air humming as the shield whooshed past, inches from his face. He retaliated with a bone-covered uppercut aimed at Guardian's ribs, but Guardian pivoted smoothly, catching Adrian's arm and twisting it behind his back. The pressure on his shoulder was immediate and excruciating.

"Gotta admit," Adrian grunted, wincing, "you're good at this."

Guardian didn't respond. He shoved Adrian forward, slamming him face-first into the side of a shipping container. Metal clanged, and Adrian felt the cold steel bite into his cheek. But he wasn't done. He slammed his elbow backward into Guardian's ribs, loosening the hold just enough to spin around and deliver a brutal knee to the man's gut.

Guardian staggered but recovered quickly, slamming his shield into Adrian's chest. The impact sent Adrian flying backward, his body crashing onto the hard concrete. His breath hitched, the wind knocked out of him as he gasped for air.

Stay down, his body seemed to scream. Stay down or you're dead.

But Adrian wasn't built to stay down.

He pushed himself to his feet, coughing. Blood dripped from his lip, but he didn't wipe it away. Instead, he spat it onto the ground and smiled through the pain. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted, raising his fists. "I thought you government types were supposed to be scary."

Guardian's eyes narrowed behind the visor of his helmet. He charged again, faster this time. Adrian braced himself, dodging to the left as Guardian's shield crashed down where his head had been a second ago, splintering the concrete. He countered with a bone-covered punch to Guardian's jaw, but Guardian blocked it with his forearm, twisting his body to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick to Adrian's ribs.

The kick landed hard, sending Adrian skidding across the ground. Pain flared through his side, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to scream. Instead, he scrambled to his feet, his vision swimming.

"Damn," Adrian coughed, laughing despite the pain. "You've got some moves. Aqualad give you lessons?"

Guardian didn't take the bait. He moved in again, this time swinging his shield horizontally. Adrian ducked and lunged forward, driving his shoulder into Guardian's midsection and tackling him to the ground. They hit the concrete hard, rolling across the ground in a tangle of limbs. Adrian straddled Guardian, raining down a flurry of bone-covered punches. One hit connected with Guardian's helmet, leaving a dent, but the man was too well-trained to let the assault last.

Guardian shifted his weight, bucking Adrian off and flipping him onto his back. Before Adrian could react, Guardian's shield came down, pressing against his throat like a vice.

Adrian gasped, clawing at the edges of the shield as his airway constricted. His mind raced, desperate for a way out. Then he saw it—Guardian's knee hovering just above his torso.

With a sudden burst of strength, Adrian drove his knee upward, slamming it into Guardian's groin.

Guardian grunted in pain, his grip loosening just enough for Adrian to twist free. He rolled to the side, coughing and sucking in air as he scrambled to his feet. "Dirty move?" he asked between gasps. "Yeah, I know. But I'm not here to play fair."

Guardian, still recovering from the low blow, raised his shield just in time to block another bone-covered punch. But this time, Adrian didn't stop. He unleashed a flurry of attacks, aiming for any exposed area he could find—ribs, knees, neck. His fists moved like wild animals, and for a moment, Guardian was forced on the defensive, stepping back as Adrian pressed the assault.

Author's Note:

If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at P@treon.com/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support