Chapter 32: An Impressive Fight in the Woods

Michael’s POV

A quiet woodland several kilometres outside Boston welcomed our arrival.

The night air carried the scent of damp earth and pine, while the surrounding forest remained undisturbed, completely unaware that two Primogens had just stepped into it.

Alaric landed lightly on the thick branch of an old oak tree and folded one leg over the other as though he had come to admire the scenery rather than continue a fight.

"You’ve changed," he said with a sigh.

"I’ve become busy."

He shook his head. "No. You’ve become responsible."

I looked up at him. "Come down."

He smiled and said, "Make me."

"As you wish." I returned the smile.

Without lifting a hand, I released a small portion of my power. The ground beneath the enormous oak shifted violently.

The roots tore free from the earth, and the ancient tree slowly tilted before crashing onto the forest floor with enough force to send birds flying into the night sky.

Alaric had already pushed himself into the air before it landed. He appeared above me almost instantly. Our fists met.

A heavy shockwave rippled through the forest. Trees bent away from us as leaves burst into the air.

Alaric laughed. "There you are." His leg swept towards my side with frightening speed, but I caught his ankle before the kick connected.

Using the momentum against him, I threw him across the clearing. His body tore through several trees before he stopped himself in mid-air as though gravity had suddenly lost interest in him.

The wind around him changed. Thousands of dry leaves rose from the forest floor and gathered around him in a swirling current.

Each leaf became as sharp as a blade. With a simple wave of his hand, they rushed towards me.

I answered by raising a wall of earth from the ground. The leaves struck it relentlessly, producing a rapid series of sharp impacts that echoed through the forest.

Before the last leaf had fallen, Alaric was already standing behind me. "You still hide behind rocks."

"They have never disappointed me." I turned just as his fist came towards me.

Our arms collided once again, and another invisible wave spread across the clearing. The earth beneath our feet caved in several inches, yet neither of us yielded an inch.

Alaric’s grin only grew wider. "I’ve missed this."

"So have I." I truly smiled for the first time this evening.

Then I disappeared.

A blade of compressed wind sliced through the space I had occupied only an instant earlier. It continued into the darkness, severing several towering trees before finally losing its force.

"Too slow," Alaric called.

"I wasn’t there," I shouted back.

His expression changed. He spun around just as my hand landed against his shoulder. I didn’t strike him; I simply pushed.

The force behind that single movement sent him sliding backwards across the forest floor until two deep trenches formed beneath his boots.

He finally stopped and brushed the dust from his shirt. "I’ll admit that one was impressive."

"I know."

"You’ve become arrogant."

"I learned from the best."

He laughed so loudly that another flock of birds took flight. "That’s more like it. There’s my Alpha." He slowly raised a hand. Almost immediately, the wind across the forest shifted direction.

Leaves and loose branches spiralled upwards as a powerful whirlwind formed between us, growing larger with every passing second until it towered above the trees.

I watched it calmly, then I stamped my foot once. The ground answered.

An enormous wall of earth rose before me and collided with the whirlwind. Both forces pushed against one another for several moments before fine cracks began spreading across the earthen wall.

Alaric folded his arms with a smug expression. "Losing?"

"I’ve simply been waiting."

The earth beneath his feet suddenly gave way. Before he realised what had happened, the ground had swallowed him up to his waist.

He stared down at himself before looking back at me. "Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me."

He tried to pull himself free, but the earth refused to release him.

I walked towards him at an unhurried pace before stopping directly in front of him. "I warned you."

"Lucien... I only borrowed your phone."

"You made me destroy my coffee cup."

"Maybe it needed a change?"

"It was my favourite."

"You can always get another one in a good store."

I folded my arms.

"So..." He smiled sheepishly. "We’re even?"

"No." I lifted two fingers ever so slightly. The earth in front of him suddenly erupted. Then a wave of loose sand shot straight into his face. Unfortunately for him, his mouth happened to be open.

Alaric immediately began coughing as he spat sand onto the ground. "You actually made me eat sand!"

"I said I would."

"You planned this from the apartment."

"I did."

He wiped the remaining dirt from his face before pointing a finger at me. "I hate you."

"I know."

For several seconds, we simply looked at each other. Then Alaric burst into laughter. A moment later, I found myself laughing as well.

The forest gradually returned to its former silence.

After pulling himself free, Alaric dusted the last traces of sand from his clothes and let out an exaggerated sigh.

"I need a shower."

"So do I." Then I stretched out my hand. "My phone."

He stared at me for a moment before clicking his tongue. "So cold." Even so, he flicked his wrist lightly.

The phone lifted from his trouser pocket and floated across the short distance between us before settling neatly into my palm.

I glanced at the screen to make sure it was intact before slipping it into my pocket.

Alaric folded his arms. "So... how exactly are we getting back?"

I looked at him and scoffed, "How did you get here in the first place?"

A guilty smile crept onto his face. He clicked his tongue again but said nothing.

I nodded as though that answered everything. "That’s exactly how you’re going to return."

Alaric’s eyes widened. "You’re making me fly all the way back after burying me in the ground and feeding me sand?"

"I am."

"You’re an unreasonable man, Lucien."

"So I’ve been told."

He shook his head dramatically before muttering something under his breath. I paid him no attention.

Turning towards the distant glow of the city lights, I said, "Come on. It’s your turn to make the coffee."

Alaric groaned loudly as he followed after me. "I swear, one day I’ll find a better best friend."

"You won’t."

He thought about it for a moment. "...You’re probably right."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

The next instant, both of us disappeared into the night, leaving the forest in a worse state than we had found it.