Combat Kings

    Harlan opened his eyes to see darkness. After a few blinks, he realized the ceiling was so high that it was cast in shadow. "So... You're finally awake," Hanan commented. Harlan looked at him and groaned. Hanan stood confidently, staring down at him. Harlan gritted his teeth and stood up.

    "We have to stop meeting like this," he groaned. Hanan scoffed.

    "Well then lucky for you..." Hanan stated as he got into a Muay Thai stance. He positioned his left side forward and closed his fists as he raised them to eye level. At the same time he raised his left knee, with only his toes touching the ground. "This will be the last time you see this face." Harlan laughed.

    "Yep. I'm going to make sure of it," he countered, getting into a Swarmer boxing stance. He squared his shoulders, bent his knees, and brought his fists to the sides of his head. He bobbed to and fro, ready to do an all too familiar dance.

    Neither of them made a move forward, staring into each other's eyes, seeing the determination in them. Determination that stated: This will be the last bout between them.

    Harlan took deep breaths as he closely watched Hanan. Who in turn was staring at Harlan with tiger's eyes and a cocky grin on his face. A mask that became second nature.

    On an exhale of Harlan's breath, Hanan leapt forward with his fist cocked back. Harlan remained stationary until Hanan was in range, in which he threw a mighty uppercut with his whole body behind it. Hanan narrowly avoided it and was knocked away by a gust caused by Harlan's punch. Hanan gracefully landed on his feet, only for Harlan to be mere feet away. Hanan warded Harlan off by throwing a knee, which Harlan caught. He then kicked with the same leg, squarely hitting Harlan on the chin. Harlan was knocked back and Hanan took advantage, push-kicking him further. Harlan was rocketed toward the wall behind him. Hanan bounded forward, his eyes becoming predatory. 

    Harlan surveyed Hanan and gritted his teeth. Once Hanan reached him, he defended himself from a merciless flurry of fists, elbows, knees, and kicks. Harlan observed Hanan as this went on. "What's the matter, buddy?!" Hanan venomously spit out. Harlan didn't respond. "As much as I enjoy our encounters, I will relish your ending!"

    "Happy you're letting out your true colors," Harlan simply stated. Hanan gaped at him incredulously before his expression twisted into a look of pure contempt. In this moment, Harlan countered the onslaught with a powerful straight punch, knocking air out of Hanan and pushing him away. Harlan pressed forward, sequentially delivering straight punches to Hanan's gut. Hanan let out a groan of annoyance before throwing his knee and elbow simultaneously, planning to crush Harlan's skull. Harlan weaved out of the way before coming back with a devastating right hook across Hanan's visage. Harlan then came back with a powerful left hook and continued this back and forth blitz upon Hanan, driving him into a wall. After thirty blows, Harlan relented and hopped back. Hanan's form stood slouched against the wall behind him, his head hanging. Harlan watched his opponent warily, breathing heavily, worn out from his charge.

    "Is that all you've got?"

    A chill ran down Harlan's spine and a block of ice settled in his stomach. "Really, buddy..." Hanan then raised his head revealing slit pupils. "I have to say," a twisted smile stretched across his face, "I'm disappointed." Before Harlan could act, he swiftly closed the distance and slammed his fist into Harlan's gut, knocking all the wind out of Harlan. "Doesn't feel good does it?" Harlan threw up on his arm. "Filth." He instantly grabbed Harlan's neck with his other hand and raised him into the air. Harlan struggled uselessly. "Now you can look down on me physically, as well," Hanan commented before slamming Harlan into the ground, creating a crater. "Or can you?" He drove Harlan into the ground, on the verge of snapping Harlan's neck.

    However, he quickly tossed him into the same spot in the wall he himself was backed into. "Ah, symmetry. It's a beautiful thing isn't it?" He then took his time as he stalked toward Harlan. Harlan was on the edge of consciousness, blinking and breathing weakly. When Hanan reached him, he smiled smugly. "Heaven-Sent Harlan has finally fallen." Hanan scoffed. "Now all that remains is Harlan the Hopeless." Hanan laughed at his own wordplay. He sighed and looked at Harlan, contempt and disgust painting on his face. "Goodbye... Buddy." Though, before Hanan could do anything, Harlan let out a breath and went limp. Hanan stared in confused denial. "No... No!" Holding Harlan by his collarbone, he slammed Harlan's body against the wall. "I choose your death! I chose your ending!" A moment of silence stretched between them. Each second feeling like an eternity itself, Hanan believing Harlan to be dead.

    Until Harlan suddenly grabbed Hanan's arm.

    Harlan's expression was blank. "What the hell?" Hanan tried to tear Harlan's hand away, but to no avail. Harlan's hold only became tighter, threatening to snap Hanan's forearm in two. Hanan's confusion morphed into dreadful fear. He looked closer at Harlan and saw a jaded look in Harlan's eyes. "You're not even conscious..." Suddenly, the two traded places, with Hanan against the wall and Harlan having a vice-grip on Hanan's throat. "What?" Hanan struggled to let out. Harlan then swung him around, slamming him onto the ground, creating a crater of his own. Hanan let out a groan on impact. Harlan swiftly switched holds, grabbing Hanan's leg.

    "Wha-" Harlan proceeded to swing and slam Hanan with the effort of swinging like a rag doll, before throwing him against a pillar. Hanan groaned, but got up, readying himself for Harlan's next move. Harlan was still, looking nowhere, before suddenly vanishing. Hanan panicked and darted his sight everywhere in search of Harlan. Only for Harlan to reappear right in front of him. Hanan threw a quick jab, but it went right through Harlan's after-image, disappearing once more. Before effortlessly grabbing Hanan's head  from the side and slamming it against the pillar, sending a ringing pain through Hanan's whole being. He struggled to remain standing, wobbling and swaying like a drunkard. He lashed out, throwing a useless backhand which only connected with air. He barked in frustration which only got him a destructive hook against his skull. Hanan collapsed on the floor, pain resonating throughout his body. Hanan let out a yell in pain and frustration. "Quit toying with me!" When another assault wasn't initiated, he looked at Harlan's still figure, no longer having clear vision. Harlan looked at him with a slew of emotions on his face and in his eyes.

    "Alright, then," Harlan got back into his fighting stance, "This is the end." There was a resonance of finality in Harlan's voice. A resonance so powerful it dropped a boulder into Hanan's stomach. Hanan looked down at the ground, thoughts and emotions stirring about.

    "Get up!" Harlan demanded, and without thought or contest Hanan did so. There was a moment of stillness and silence between them that felt like a vacuum.

    Explosively, Harlan launched forward, faster than the eye could see and faster than Hanan could react. Harlan landed an almighty haymaker in the center of Hanan's body. Though he wasn't finished, for he then went for a powerful left uppercut, lifting Hanan's body off the ground. Then three right uppercuts in a row, that kept him in the air before throwing an all-powerful haymaker into his gut. This punch sent Hanan flying toward a wall, not only killing him, but destroying the wall he collided with. This caused the wall to crumble on top of his body.

    Harlan stood up straight after the punch and hung his head high. He took in deep breaths of gratitude before letting a bittersweet smile stretch across face. He shambled over to the rubble and knelt down to where Hanan's body lay. "May you finally find peace... Buddy..." Harlan rose and continued into the light of day, leaving behind him in his past.