August 01, 4021 09:04 [Matriarch 04- Makeshift Arena]

Weightless. Cool air passed through Indra’s hair, causing it to flutter over his face gently. Did the birds always feel this way? Simply catching a stream of wind underneath their wings and lifting themselves high above the earth, away from the realm of responsibilities? Sunlight danced between the clouds as they rolled along a dark blue sky. The morning air was fresh and crisp, street lanterns down in the city still lit during the early hours of the day. He had shut out the world momentarily, no longer listening to the voices below; their presence was forgotten entirely. Indra wished he could stay up here forever; a boundless sky to explore without shackles to bind him to the mortal plane. Freedom. He felt a pang of remorse. If only.

A blur of auburn slammed into him, sending him reeling to the ground. The tiling shattered underneath his body. The pressure was intense, though the DIVE Suit absorbed most of the impact. Indra was sure he would be leaving with some bruised ribs after this. Better bruised than broken. He rolled out of the way as his attacker slammed into the site of his landing, kicking up more debris.

“Stop running! Get back here and fight, coward!” Kaluza yelled furiously.

Indra grimaced. With his resilience and the DIVE Suit, he could absorb most physical attacks from Homunculi without sustaining any damage. When a Trait was thrown into the mix, however, his defenses could only do so much. He would need to find a way to counter his opponent. I’m sparring again, without any lessons to prepare me. What does this have to do with Shakti? They haven’t even taught us how to use it!

They moved at a breakneck pace, neither person letting up on their end. Kaluza released a flurry of jabs and hooks, switching to a series of high kicks which Indra managed to slip through with some effort, ducking and weaving as best as he could. He struck back, returning a volley of punches when the opportunity arose. As the fight progressed, both managed to land a few blows, though none rattled the other too much, keeping focus as they carefully watched their opponent’s movements.

The fighters separated, creating some distance between themselves. Kaluza ground his teeth in frustration, his auburn hair flaring up, burning even brighter than before.

“This is taking too long! You’re getting on my nerves!”

“Ha! I could say the same thing! Why don’t you do us both a favor and forfeit?” Indra taunted.

“Like that’s ever gonna happen!”

Kaluza lunged forward, kicking up dust as he accelerated towards Indra. Though the attack was straightforward, the window to react was just a fraction of a second. Indra barely had time to cushion the blow with his open palms, layering them over his sternum. The force of the punch rippled through his muscles, sending a cascade of shock waves across his chest, running down his arms, and reaching all the way back to his upper spine. The impact would have given him whiplash if not for the DIVE Suit’s built-in spinal stabilization. Indra crashed into the far wall, the compression against his back wringing the air out of his lungs.

Now familiar with his opponent’s aggressive style of fighting, Indra knew there would be no time to recover. Instead, he crumpled to the floor moments before a fist landed where his heart would have been if he were standing upright. Fragments of the wall showered over him as he braced himself. A foot connected with his crossed arms, sending him sliding across the floor. The intervals between Kaluza’s attacks were too short. Indra could only react defensively, relying purely on reflex and muscle memory. The chance for a counter-attack became slimmer the longer this bout went on. His defense would eventually give. He needed a way to stop his opponent’s movements before that happened.

Indra bit his lip, trying to think of a way to interrupt Kaluza’s flow of attacks. It was difficult enough, tracking him at such speeds with only one eye. Now, he would need to pinpoint any discrepancies that appeared as each attack moved seamlessly from one to the other. He analyzed the situation, looking at the fight from an external viewpoint. His opponent seemed to be using momentum to amplify the strength of his attacks. He most likely kept that momentum going by following the path of least resistance, feeding it into his next attack. The seedling of an idea emerged within the depths of Indra’s mind.

He crouched low, taking a grappler’s stance, all the while tensing his muscles. Indra readied himself for another charge. Kaluza closed the gap between them, extending an enclosed fist. Indra released the tension in his muscles, dropping to one knee. He extended his leg past his opponent’s and pressed his weight into Kaluza’s side, lifting his front leg and slamming him to the floor, following it up with a fist to the face as he lay splayed out.

A sickening crack! resounded across the arena as Kaluza’s nose snapped to the side. Blood gushed out from his nostrils, seeping into the cracks and crevices of the tiling underneath. Indra turned to Tengri, expectantly, becoming confused when the Hyena continued to observe calmly. He turned to the audience for some sort of confirmation, singling out Prasanna and Emil. Instead, he was met with frantic gestures of worry. Why were they looking at him like that?

A frenzied shriek came from below followed by a sudden jolt to the head, leaving Indra seeing flashes of black and white spots as his vision blurred. He tried to understand what had just happened, finding himself on the floor once again. An incessant ringing in his ears caused Indra to wince as he picked himself up shakily. He touched an ear gingerly, staring at the murky red fluid on his gloved fingers. He had been kicked in the temple. A foot met with his lower jaw, knocking him off balance. Indra faltered for a moment before steadying himself.

Kaluza stood across from him; blood continued to flow profusely down his face. He had a wild look in his eyes, not unlike Grisha’s.

“You haven’t used your Trait a single time during this fight. Do you think so little of me? Am I beneath you?! Is that it?!” he screeched. “Well, I’ll show you.” Kaluza cackled maniacally.

If I knew how to use it, I would, you maniac. A steady stream of smoke began to evaporate out of Kaluza’s mouth. Indra eyed him suspiciously as he gathered his bearings. What was he planning? Kaluza’s silhouette abruptly disappeared, a flash of auburn flitting before Indra’s eye. His confusion morphed into surprise as a strike landed near his shoulder, crushing his clavicle. Pain shot through his collarbone, spreading to his neck and arm muscles as another blow landed on his ribs, then his scapula. A barrage of attacks hit him in quick succession, breaking him down piece by piece. He couldn’t follow his opponent's movements any longer. Kaluza ricocheted off the walls, the floor, and the railings in erratic and unpredictable patterns.

Indra grimaced, driven to one knee as his guard broke again. His opponent would keep whaling on him until he was unconscious. There would be nothing left of him if this continued. Where did this change come from? Was it Shakti? As he searched for a solution, his ears pricked up, twitching as Kaluza flew past him. He closed his eye, listening intently for the tapping of boots on concrete and the light whiff! as Kaluza sailed through the air.

Seconds went by, feeling like an eternity when only moments ago the interval between attacks felt impossible to discern. Sweat dripped down his temple as he concentrated, straining his ears. Fwip!

Indra’s eye flew open as he twisted his body, the rush of adrenaline staving off the pain momentarily. His foot connected with something solid as he drove his heel deep into it. Kaluza slammed into the wall carried by his momentum, coughing up blood and sputum. He used the wall for support, lifting himself up. Indra rejoiced; he had found his mark. Kaluza clutched his face, his orbital red and swollen.

“You think” —he panted, out of breath— “that this is going to stop me?”

Indra’s smile faltered as Kaluza bent low, readying himself for yet another charge. I can’t take another hit. His eye darted around the arena, looking for an avenue of escape. He clicked his tongue. There wasn’t a viable way to evade Kaluza’s attack, not in his condition. He could barely move, and the adrenaline was wearing off. Indra winced as the pain returned. Not good. Think! His mind raced as Kaluza propelled his body forward, accelerating even faster than before. There was no other way. He called out to Usha.

I need your help. Lend me your strength. There was no answer, as expected. How long are you going to stay closed off? What happened to your ambition? You had enemies to deal with, remember? You’re free! There are no chains to hold you! Answer me!

A booming voice echoed through his skull, causing Indra to clasp his ears out of reflex.

“I will never be free! So long as the Devas live. They hide, staying out of sight. They refuse to answer for their crimes, so I shall punish them myself and make them pay with their blood! They will suffer!”

You won’t be able to punish anyone if I die!

Usha paused for a moment. “His attack will merely incapacitate you. You will recover in time.”

We don’t have time, you bastard. If I’m indisposed during these next ten weeks, there’s a good chance I won’t master Shakti in time. I’ll be damned if I don’t do something to prevent that.

“I refuse. My strength isn’t to be used for mere scuffles. I must save it for an opportune moment to annihilate the gods.”

Do you even know where they are? Plus, if we encounter one, how am I supposed to fight a fucking immortal without knowing the basics of Shakti, let alone how to use your powers? Hello? I need a way to practice, right? This is the opportunity—

He felt his ribs crack. The heel of Kaluza’s palm forced Indra back, ripping up even more tiling beneath his feet. Indra leaned forward, digging his fingers into the ground to stop himself from flying back further. He grit his teeth, the pain almost unbearable now. The room was spinning, his vision became blurry, and the flashing black and white lights reentered his vision. I’m not going to be put to sleep again.

He steadied himself once more, glaring at Kaluza. Both fighters stood their ground, the match coming to a standstill.

Power. I have none, but you…You have too much of it. Greed never sat right with me. If you’re going to use my body as a Vessel then I’m going to use you as a source of energy.

“Choose your next words carefully, maggot.”

You need me, otherwise, why would you house yourself in here, instead of being out in the world searching for gods to defeat? In reality, you’re scared—

“Quiet, you! You do not understand what you are talking about!” Usha snapped.

I do. I saw the walls you put up. I know what you felt. You’re afraid that you’re not strong enough to defeat them on your own. You need me and I need you, but your pride will never allow you to relinquish your power willingly… So I’ll take it by force!

Indra’s right side erupted in shadow, black flames engulfing his arm. Plumes of smoke billowed around him. The hairs on Kaluza’s neck stood on end. Fear crept into his heart as he stared at the Homunculus before him, sensing a sinister aura. He no longer seemed mortal. Indra’s Conduits glowed brightly, his hazel eye burning with energy.

Sweat dripped down Kaluza’s brow as he bent low, positioning himself in a three-point stance. He tensed his muscles, waiting for the smoke to clear, but the acrid smog kept flowing. Kaluza was resolute in finishing the fight quickly, convincing himself that his opponent was weak, and simply trying to put on a display to intimidate him. Shedding his fear, he bolted forward, launching himself at Mach speed towards the smoke, hoping to end their stalemate with a single decisive blow.

Indra’s glowing eye followed him with meticulous precision, its focus perfectly tracking his movement without so much as a moment's hesitation. Kaluza cocked his arm back disregarding the warning signs. One strike was all he needed. He could take another punch. His opponent could not. At least, that was how it was before Indra’s transformation. Kaluza’s vision was met with darkness as a smoldering black fist emerged through the smoke.