Battle

He was actually. That only dawned on him later, when the lady had already poured the bucket of water towards Dust who was now stunned, his mouth opening slowly.

SPLASH!

The water was on Dust who gave out a loud scream and lunged forward, landing on the table and breaking it to pieces.

A few drops met Axel who panicked a bit, fearing something might happen to him. He felt that water, at that moment, was deleterious to his body.

Closing his eyes and hoping for the worst, Axel fell backwards, holding his neck gingerly now, completely out of breath. He knelt by the wall and extemporaneously, Dust was doing the same, his body slowly dissolving to sand.

The lady looked frightened and so she ran out of the building, panting very hard like her life depended on the breathing.

Dust was cursing under his breath, murmuring, saying; 'No!' He did so repeatedly holding his stomach.

Axel just sat where he was, his face almost purple like in colour, his breathing was also hard and heavy. Dust now was crawling out the door and Axel, seeming like he would die, felt bolstered by the scene. He staggered after him and so, they went out of the building.

Outside, the villagers were perplexed, they stared at the scenario, too stunned to even say a word.

Dust was trying to leave now, he seemed to not be fighting anymore. Axel wanted to leave him, he too was tired but then he heard Dust mutter:

"Boss won't be happy, I'll be in trouble."

Axel furrowed an eyebrow, so he was actually here for something and not to just steal. He decided he would not allow him to go free, he would have to pull up a fight and find what he came here for.

Axel discovered he wasn't with his sword anymore. He felt alarmed. The sword seemed special to him, it sort of possessed his power. He must have lost it fighting Dust. He decided to abandon following the villain and do look for his sword.

He flew in the air, his hands downwards, steadying himself. His eyeballs moved around his eyes, trying to find his sword. And then, his eyes now closed and focusing greatly, he sensed something. 'Perhaps another power was at work?' he thought.

He looked backwards, out of impulse actually his eyes peering with great effort at Dust's direction. Hidden in his inner skin, like a camouflage, was his sword.

Axel was appalled. He swiftly, even forgetting to breathe, dashed at Dust who was now making a silent unsuspecting runaway. The wind blew the flames on his body sideways and it lighted him up the more, setting his head ablaze.

The villagers stared in astonishment, not knowing what to say. Soon, they started to clap their hands repeatedly. It was an applause. Axel was too appalled to notice. He did but didn't take it to heart, he didn't take it seriously.

Dust was starting to increase his pace now, jogging and breathing fiercely the dusts around him rose up. They entered his nose and he drove them out, with great force by the way, causing a torrent of dust to roll around him. He wasn't looking backwards, but he knew he was being followed.

Axel had to give him credit. He was living up to his name. As someone with powers of dust, he was quite strong. Well, Axel bet he was stronger.

He plunged at Dust who, just stealing a glimpse backwards, dashed forward now.

Axel felt like he was sweating but how could he, when he was covered in flames. He eyed his sword, which was well held under the hands of Dust. They were well outside the village now. They could still see the little gate though but that was it, nothing more.

Their surroundings were now barren, same with where Axel first found the sword. The horizon was dark and cloudless and there was nothing again, just a large empty landscape. It seemed that the village was the only sign of life in this realm, but he doubted that actually, he knew there would be more, only that he hadn't really checked the place.

Axel finally, after contemplating on how to stop Dust, spinned around him. He did it swiftly, carrying a large amount of wind with him. The wind coupled with the flames burning on his body and it seemed to blast forward, at Dust who halted now, almost falling.

"Give me my sword!" Axel shouted at Dust.

Dust only smirked. "You do not merit it, you do not value it. You are not fit to use it!"

Axel only blinked. He tried to be calm but it was hard doing so. He seemed to have a disadvantage. Would he call it his weakness? He was hot tempered. He hadn't actually seen it on bigger occasions as he just got his powers not far from an hour ago, but he knew he had it and now he would have to learn to control it.

"I am the rightful owner," Axel said. "You see, I own the sword and you have no right to it."

Dust smiled. "You sound childish. You seem to be a child silhouetted in a hero's body."

Axel acted like he was paying attention but he was actually calculating his next move and how to get back his sword. At least he was good at physics back in high school and he guessed it would be quite helpful in this situation.

Dust was rising to the air now, Axel's sword was in his right hand, well gripped.

"I'm sorry mate," Dust said. "But you're not getting your sword".

Axel squinted his eyes, looking at the skies. He didn't know why but he wasn't moving. Dust was laughing now, he was slowly getting away. Axel remained calm, he was sniffing something and it was something good.

Dust laughed more menacingly now. He raised up his hands to the sky and looked at Axel, now smiling because he was surprised why he wasn't doing anything.

"Seems you're dumb also. Won't you put up a fight for your sword?"

Axel smiled. "I don't think I have to."

Dust was disturbed now. "Why?"

Axel only pointed to the sky. Dust looked at it. It was drizzling. It dawned on him and before he could react, a downpour of rain had started.