There was no room for hesitation. Kaldov’s nerves screamed at him to stop: every move exerted more energy, let rills of red leak. But he was hellbent: after Vauruk launched, he whirled to track him. And as their fervent faces met, he took off, feet pounding against the sand, body and voice roaring as one as his left foot hit the ground, shoving the earth beneath him. Both of them tore through the air. Vauruk’s leg launched like a lance, poised to pierce through the cracked armor that Kaldov somehow held together. Kaldov’s left arm lowered, loaded like a pistol: hardly had he left the ground than when he shot, fist fired through the air. The wind whistled, and the crowd hardly had time to blink before--! **WHAM!** Fist met stomach, dug, buried itself inside, crumbling the form and force of Vauruk the Formidable. All his arm’s strength Kaldov poured into that shot, and all the air did it suck right from Vauruk’s lungs. All of a sudden they hit the ground again, one firmly, one weakly. But neither was still. “Folks, I—Golalud’s landed a great blow to Vauruk. But, look, it’s unbelievable: he still stands! That unbreakable vigor, it’s pulling him through—“ Sturdily Kaldov landed, but like a tempest he twisted, tearing the sand from the ground, elbow an immense hailstone poised, ripping the air in twain--! **CRACK!** The blow shattered into Vauruk’s cranium, buffeting his head into the breeze, battering him right off one foot, onto the other, off of the other, then-- ***WHUMP!*** In the collision’s chaos sand swelled like smoke. Kaldov skidded to a stop, eyes falling firmly on the warrior bat as his mind dared to ask: _Had he done it?_ ----- **Author's Note**: This is a page from a comic that [Vauruk](https://inkblot.art/profile/Vauruk) and I did for ArtFight 2023. It stars our boys, Kaldov Golalud (by me) and Vauruk the Formidable (by [Vauruk](https://inkblot.art/profile/Vauruk)). We intend to upload the pages of this series cooperatively, alongside the accompanying writing, over the next few days. The content will include violence and mild gore, and pages containing the latter will be tagged as such when warranted. Thanks for following along, and I hope you enjoy this! [|< First](https://inkblotapp.page.link/L5N6TCGxgqLkePyM6) | [<< Prev](https://inkblotapp.page.link/apQwkEGyAxJL59nd6) | Page 13 | [>> Next](https://inkblotapp.page.link/VyNXbqtntChvARUu8)