The atmosphere inside the grand hall grew increasingly steamy, and a mist began to swirl in the air.
Leah, Yelena, and Alisha felt their bodies heat up and beads of sweat forming, while Aizel and Tommy locked eyes in a fierce gaze.
Their fierce spells clashed with equal strength, and neither could overpower the other.
Aizel charged forward, his eyes locked on Tommy, as the other warrior did the same.
Tommy's longsword sliced through the air, but Aizel deftly parried the blow and stumbled backward under the force of the strike. The weight and power of the weapon were still proving difficult for him to handle.
As Tommy prepared to swing again, Aizel surprised him by hurling his own sword through the air. Tommy quickly raised his longsword to parry the incoming blade, but Aizel's lightning-quick kick struck the grip of the sword with full force, sending it flying from Tommy's grasp.
Tommy's left hand crackled with lightning as he launched a lightning-fast jab at Aizel's face, but his quick thinking made him dodge the attack with a swift movement of his head.
Seizing the opportunity, Tommy delivered a powerful kick with his left leg, but Aizel reacted in time and blocked the strike with his right forearm.
Despite his quick reflexes, the impact of Tommy's lightning kick was heavy and fierce, sending a shock of pain through Aizel's bones.
Seemingly unfazed, Tommy followed up with another jab, which Aizel managed to block with his forearm shielding his face.
Aizel launched a lightning-quick uppercut at Tommy's chin, but he backed away just in time to avoid the blow.
They both launched a simultaneous right-hand strike, each deftly dodging the other's attack by shifting their heads.
But in the process, their forearms became entangled, and they both struck with their left hands, slamming into each other's ribs with lightning speed.
As they pushed each other away, Aizel gritted his teeth in pain but remained determined to capitalize on the moment.
Tommy seized the advantage, striking Aizel with a powerful punch straight to his stomach. The impact was like a thunderclap, knocking the wind out of Aizel and causing him to fall to his knees.
With lightning coursing through his body, Tommy followed up with a brutal knee strike to Aizel's face, shattering his nose and sending blood spraying through the air.
Aizel felt his head swimming with dizziness as he collapsed to the ground. His mouth was filled with the metallic taste of blood, and the caustic aroma of his own terror rose up from his sweat-drenched body.
He knew in his mind that if he took a single moment of rest, Tommy would kill him without mercy.
Like a bolt of lightning, Aizel rolled with the speed of a striking serpent, his body coiling with the raw power of electricity. The air crackled with energy as he came to a stop, his senses buzzing with the thrill of his own velocity.
As he staggered to his feet, Aizel's senses were reeling with pain and disorientation. He tasted blood in his mouth and spat it on the ground with a grimace.
Through his blurry vision, he could see the shape of his opponent closing in on him once again. Tommy was like a force of nature, a whirlwind of water and lightning that propelled him forward like a rocket.
As they charged towards the grand hall, Aizel could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins. With a powerful grip on his waist, Tommy led the charge, and together they broke through the towering walls.
The hall shook and crumbled under their might, causing debris to fly in every direction. As they soared out of the castle, their bodies collided with nearby homes, shattering them into rubble.
Aizel gazed in terror as innocent bystanders were crushed beneath their feet. "This fucker!"
As they crashed to the ground, a deep crater formed beneath them. Aizel quickly rose to his feet, ready to face Tommy once again.
Aizel darted to his right, his hands ablaze with fire as he hurled fireballs toward Tommy. But the nimble man dodged and weaved through the air, getting closer with each passing moment.
Suddenly, Tommy conjured a small stream of water in front of Aizel's foot, causing him to slip and lose his balance. In an instant, a tentacle made of water shot out and wrapped around Aizel's neck, slamming him face-first onto the ground.
Before he could recover, Tommy was upon him, delivering a powerful kick to his ribs that sent him hurtling through the air like a cannonball.
The impact of his body against nearby homes reduced them to rubble, leaving destruction in his wake.
Aizel lay sprawled in a ruined house, pain writhing through his body as he registered the fact that his ribs were fractured from the force of the impact.
*Cough* *Cough*
His coughs echoed with agony, and he tried to rise. He noticed a young child, similar in age to Emma and the others, clutching his sister tightly and weeping.
His eyes met Aizel's as he watched him with hatred.
Aizel had made up his mind to do whatever it took to save Emma, even if it meant leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. He had shown no mercy to anyone who stood in his way.
Even still, a twinge of sadness pierced his heart when he witnessed the child grieve over his deceased sister.
With a heavy heart, Aizel left the ruined house, knowing that the child would never forgive him for the destruction he had wrought.
He had made his choice, and he was willing to pay the price, even if it meant facing the wrath of the child in the future.
As he walked away, he heard the child's anguished cries ringing in his ears, and his heart burned with a fierce mixture of guilt and rage.
Gritting his teeth, he let out a shout.
TOOOMMMYYYYY, I WILL FUCKING FEED YOU TO THE DOGS!
Aizel's fists were ablaze as he called forth spear after spear of fire, which soared through the air in an arc like a flock of arrows. Tommy reacted quickly, weaving between them with incredible speed.
But Aizel moved faster, still managing to close the distance until they stood face-to-face, inches apart. Tommy's eyes widened in terror.
Aizel harnessed the energy of lightning and wind to propel himself toward Tomas.
He reached out with one hand and formed a raging chain of fire that clung to Tommy's foot. With each tug, Tommy spun helplessly through the air before crashing into the ground, over and over again.
Tommy frantically twisted his leg with all of his might until the metal spikes that bound him clanged to the ground and blood oozed freely from his ankle.
Tommy rushed towards him while kicking him with a left and then a right kick, which Aizel dodged by backing away.
Tommy used water and lightning to propel his right kick again with speed toward Aizel's right ear, which he quickly blocked with his right forearm.
Tommy tried to jab him in the face, but Aizel saw it coming and dodged sideways, quickly grabbing his right arm and punching him in the face with his right fist.
He made Tommy roll with his hand on the ground along with him and then started punching one after the other in his face.
Tommy quickly responded as he kicked him away.
He kicked Aizel on his left rib; a small grunt escaped from Aizel's mouth as he clearly felt the pain.
Tommy's foot connected with Aizel's ribs once again, and he followed it up with a brutal punch to the face. But Aizel refused to give up.
Seizing the opportunity, Tommy aimed another kick at Aizel's already bruised ribs, but Aizel was ready this time.
With a deft movement, he grabbed Tommy's leg and used a powerful gust of wind to send him crashing to the ground with bone-shattering force.
*Thud*
As Thomas struggled to rise, Aizel closed in, determination etched on his face.
In a blur of motion, Aizel delivered a swift, powerful kick to Thomas's face, the impact sending his head spinning 180 degrees and breaking his neck in an instant. Thomas's body slumped to the ground, lifeless.
