"First, Rain and Linthorn. Take your stance," the sensei's voice came again to begin the combat as Rain and Linthorn were already within the circle. They bowed to each other and took their fighting pose with their fists clenched and their faces straightened.
"You have five minutes for this combat, the winner will be judged by the results of your stats, not the fight itself. Get ready... Fight!"
At the last order, Rain was still calm but Linthorn already made a move to give her a kick to the face with a loud yell. She saw the attack coming and she didn't stand there and let it hit her; she took a few steps backwards, but not leaving the circle because she would be disqualified if she did. Her steps backwards made him lose balance and gave her the upper hand at that moment. She gave him a crescent kick, making the other rangers and sensei give her an uproar but she could not care less about acknowledgments now. Linthorn was still standing before her and she had to change that fact.
With an angered face and being, he punched her face hard, making her stagger backwards. He took the opportunity to give her several punches in her stomach, making her spill blood from her mouth and fall to the floor.
"Rain!" Lilith and Florate gasped. "Linthorn, that's enough," they pleaded from where they stood but he couldn't care less about what they thought. The combat was still on and he didn't plan on losing. He stood there triumphantly, waiting for her to rise, and she did.
Her face was already covered in injuries and her lips and gi were covered in blood but she still did not quit. She raised her face to meet Florate's pleading eyes and his lips moving. He was saying something and she knew well what it was by just reading his lips.
"Quit, Rain. You promised."
Yes, she did promise, but the pain was still bearable and she wasn't planning on quitting anytime soon. She raised her eyes and saw the time; it was only two minutes remaining, she was sure she could keep up and stay till the end.
She rose fully, only to receive another kick from Linthorn which made her fall on the floor again, this time on her buttocks, and it made her groan in pain.
"Rain, please!" Florate yelled again but Rain didn't listen to him. She stood again to attack Linthorn this time with an axe kick, but he caught her leg mid-air and gave her a hard elbow on the face and two punches in her abdomen where she had the internal injury.
She cried out in pain as blood spilled from her mouth again.
"Spare yourself the pain and quit, Rain," Linthorn said to her like he cared. Actually, he did. He and Rain may not be good friends but he hated hurting her as he was doing now, but winning the combat meant more to him.
"Never!" she spat at him.
"Suit yourself then." He gave her another kick which she dodged by falling to the splits and giving him a hard blow on his abdomen like he did to her. He groaned in pain but wasn't maimed yet. He pulled her up by her neck and punched her face so hard that she was sure she had a broken nose, and she lost balance so she just fell to the floor like a tree, laying lifeless.
"It is only twenty seconds left," Lilith gasped with relief. She could not bear to see Rain get hit again and she only hoped Linthorn would give up already and let her be. They were all very sure that Rain was now too weak to attack Linthorn and by the look of things, he won. So he just stood in wait while the time ticked down.
But surprisingly, he still made an attack move toward where Rain lay lifeless.
"Is he mad?!" Florate would have entered the circle and beaten Linthorn up if only it wouldn't get Rain disqualified.
"What is he trying to do? It's just twelve seconds remaining!" he yelled in pain at how he was going to hurt Rain next.
"Ten seconds, you mean," Lilith corrected.
"Stop already, Linthorn," but he wouldn't heed. He stood directly before the seriously injured Rain. He looked at her for a few seconds and made to give her another hard blow when the time was already five seconds. But to everyone's surprise, Rain still had life in her. She grabbed his leg with her right arm first, then with her left before turning over and crossing her legs between his. With that strong hold, she was able to pull him down, throwing him off balance as his head fell to the floor in a loud thud immediately the time hit zero.
"The match is over," the sensei announced, followed by an uproar.
Linthorn looked unconscious while Rain tried to get up. She looked around her and spotted Lilith and Florate running towards her. She wanted to run to them as well but was too weak to, so she just smiled at them after which she felt a bit dizzy and collapsed.
"Rain!" Florate felt like he was losing it. Did she just collapse before him? He rushed and raised her head up. "Rain, Rain, are you alright?"
"She is still breathing," Lilith announced joyfully.
"Good. You stupid girl," he looked at Rain with so much concern. "I asked you to quit but you chose to outdo yourself." He buried his face in her hair.
"The match shall be judged later after the two competitors have been attended to. Next, Florate against Lilith."
"We are next," Lilith gasped.
"Well, I am not ready to leave Rain's side now," he said bluntly, not even looking at her. Just then, the clinic nurses came with their stretchers to carry Rain and Linthorn out of the circle.
"You can follow me to the clinic to be with her if you so wish," the nurse offered, and Florate took it with a joyful heart but his name and Lilith's were called again to begin their combat.
"I am so sorry, nurse, but it is my time to combat. I will come to check on her once my match is over." He pecked her forehead before letting the nurses take her, then he went off to get prepared and ready for his match.
"I will go with you, nurse," Nex walked into the discussion. "My time to combat is not yet close and I would like to be with Rain too." He smiled.
"Good then, follow me..."