Adam : From a man to a God

In the training grounds, an electric thrill coursed through Adam as he grinned at the prospect of facing off against Eddie. The air shimmered with anticipation as he sprang forward, moving like a comet streaking through the night sky. His legs pumped with incredible speed, igniting in flames that flickered and danced, leaving a blazing trail on the short grass behind him.

Without a moment's hesitation, Adam launched a powerful fist toward Eddie, the fire around his arm crackling with intensity as he aimed to deliver a punch that would echo across the training grounds. The world seemed to hold its breath as the impact rippled through the air. Eddie, quick on his feet, thrust his own fist forward in a defensive counter just as Adam’s strike connected. The collision was explosive—a shockwave erupted from the point of contact, sending a jolt through the ground beneath them. Grass tore away, smoke rising as if the earth itself recoiled from the force of their power.

For a fleeting moment, Eddie was pushed back, his feet skidding across the ground, creating a small spray of dirt and grass that danced in the air. Adam blinked in surprise; he hadn’t expected Eddie to withstand such a force. There was a determination in Eddie’s eyes, a fierce resolve that ignited a competitive fire within Adam.

In a flash, Eddie surged forward, propelled by adrenaline and the drive to prove his strength. Adam reciprocated, dashing towards him, their feet ablaze with shear raw power. The ground beneath them seemed to tremble as they clashed, their hands connecting with a force that echoed like thunder, each trying to overpower the other.

Adam felt the heat radiating between them, a swirling vortex of energy as they both strained against each other, muscles taut and focused. With a determined grunt, Adam dug deep, leveraging his strength and momentum, slowly but surely beginning to push Eddie back. The ground trembled as Eddie’s footing faltered. “You really don’t remember anything, do you?” Eddie snapped, annoyance flaring in his expression.

“Huh?” Adam replied, momentarily taken aback by the sudden intensity in Eddie’s gaze.

In an instant, Eddie closed the distance between them, his movement a blur. He pulled Adam in and delivered a headbutt that resonated through the air like the strike of a hammer on an anvil, a thunderous thud reverberating around the training grounds. The force sent Adam staggering back, his feet skidding to a halt as they dug slightly into the earth, the ground protesting under the raw weight of the impact.

Adam touched his head, groaning in dazed pain, his vision swirling for a heartbeat. His eyes widened as he glanced at his arm—bits of blood seeped from a small cut, and he felt the warmth of his healing powers kick in, steam rising gently from the wound as his body worked to mend itself.

"You really have a hard head," he grinned wryly, looking back at Eddie, the pain fading into a rush of adrenaline.

Eddie's hands suddenly ignited into vibrant flames, crackling ominously. “No holding back, remember?” he said, his voice low and serious, igniting a sense of urgency in the air around them.

Adam’s grin widened at the challenge, flames licking around his own hands, illuminating their faces with an orange glow. “So that’s what you meant when you asked if I remembered,” he replied, feeling a rush of exhilaration. “No holding back.”

As if punctuating their resolve, a light breeze swirled through the training room, swirling around them and carrying the scent of smoldering grass and energy.

The ground trembled beneath them, reverberating with thunderous sounds as blows were exchanged with breathtaking speed. Each strike sent shockwaves through the air, Adam and Eddie’s feet skidding back as they fought to maintain their balance. The atmosphere crackled with energy, fueling their determination as their powers ignited the very space around them.

With a fierce glare, Adam surged forward with immense speed, a whirlwind of flames trailing behind him. He launched into the air, preparing to deliver a flying kick aimed squarely at Eddie’s midsection. Time seemed to stretch as he soared toward Eddie, but in a split second, Eddie slid down, narrowly dodging the attack with barely inches to spare.

In one fluid motion, Eddie put his hands together, his face a mask of concentration. Adam's heart raced as he recognized the impending move—the telltale signs of a powerful counterattack. Gritting his teeth, Eddie summoned a brilliant fireball, its core glowing with a fierce intensity. With a swift motion, he launched it toward Adam.

The fireball struck Adam mid-air, exploding into a blinding flash of flames and smoke. The impact sent him hurtling backward, an agonizing cry escaping his lips as he lost control. He felt himself tumbling toward the barrier, the sheer force of the blast propelling him upwards with all the ferocity of the element he wielded.

Yet, even in the chaos, Adam’s instincts kicked in. As he neared the barrier, something ignited within him—a spark of creativity and desperation. He shifted his position mid-air, executing a move that was almost instinctual. Planting his foot against the barrier upside down, he utilized the vertical surface to arrest his fall, defying gravity for those precious seconds.

“I can’t fly yet, but I’m not about to fall without a fight,” he thought, determination flooding his senses. “I can use this to my advantage.”

In that electrifying moment, time slowed, and the world around him shrank to a singular focus. As the clearing smoke began to dissipate, Adam’s feet shimmered with a fiery glow, their intensity deepening to a radiant red. In an explosive burst of energy, he launched himself downwards with incredible speed, resembling a missile streaking through the air as he aimed straight for Eddie. Causing the barrier above to shimmer with a striking blue hue.

Eddie’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment as he watched Adam hurtle toward him, a fiery comet against the backdrop of the training grounds. Time seemed to freeze as if the world held its breath, anticipating the monumental clash that was about to unfold.

With a primal roar that resonated through the very earth beneath them, Adam slammed his fiery fist into the ground right in front of Eddie. The impact was cataclysmic—a thunderous explosion erupted with a force that radiated outward, stretching the air taut with energy. It pushed Eddie away like a leaf caught in a tempest, sending him soaring through the air, helpless to resist the overwhelming wave of power.

The ground crackled ominously, splitting and immediately turning into a crater, as the branches of nearby trees were forcibly pushed back and ignited, engulfed in flames from the raging inferno unleashed by Adam's strike. The roar of the explosion was deafening, drowning out all other sounds, a testament to the raw power of their conflict.

Eddie tumbled backward, colliding with multiple trees as he was tossed like a ragdoll, flipping mid-air before finally landing on one knee. His left leg dug into the earth, struggling against the colossal force exerted by the aftermath of the explosion. Gritting his teeth, he fought to stabilize himself, the world swirling around him, branches snapping and the remnants of fire crackling ominously close.

For a moment, silence enveloped the training ground, broken only by the distant sound of the smoldering trees and the soft rustle of the flames licking at the edges of the crater. Eddie looked up, his eyes widening in disbelief as he saw a towering mushroom cloud rising into the sky, its edges distorted by the barrier above. “Dude! Are you trying to kill me?” he yelled, his voice laced with a mix of shock and humor, a hint of adrenaline-fueled excitement creeping in despite the danger.

Adam slowly pushed himself up from the dirt, brushing off the remnants of the ground that clung to him like a coat of armor. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the devastation surrounding him. He stood in the center of a massive crater, the earth scarred and fractured, a testament to the explosive force he had unleashed. The reality of the damage he had caused hit him like a tidal wave, leaving him momentarily speechless.

He then glanced in Eddie’s direction, his eyes igniting with a fierce red glow. “I thought you said we’d go all out!” Adam declared, his voice ringing with challenge as the dust swirled around them. Eddie caught a glimpse of Adam’s fiery gaze cutting through the haze, a signal of the intensity about to unleash.

“Let’s see if you can keep up with me!” Adam taunted, bouncing on his toes as if warming up for a grand performance. In an instant, he dashed forward, bursting through the dust like a missile, headed straight for Eddie. A trail of fire and chaos erupted behind him, the ground quaking beneath the weight of his speed as the grass ignited and the earth scorched in his wake.

Eddie's eyes widened in alarm, a rush of realization flooding over him—Adam was far faster than he anticipated. With quick reflexes, he crossed his arms to guard himself, bracing for the impending clash. Adam’s hand glowed a fierce orange, reminiscent of molten lava ready to erupt, the heat emanating from it palpable in the air.

As Adam's fist connected, a searing explosion of flames erupted on impact. Eddie felt an overwhelming wave of pain as his wrists shattered under the devastating force, the loud crack echoing like thunder amidst the chaos. The impact sent him flying, a ragdoll caught in a storm of fire and fury, as he was propelled backward, the world around him spinning violently. Adam didn’t hesitate; he sprinted toward Eddie with relentless determination. “Faster, I’ll have to go faster,” he thought, feeling the adrenaline surge within him as he pushed himself to an astonishing speed of 4000 km per hour. In an instant, he closed the gap between them, catching up to Eddie as if time itself had bent.

With a powerful leap, Adam propelled himself into the air, preparing to deliver another devastating blow mid-flight. Eddie’s gaze widened in alarm as he noticed Adam mere inches away, the fiery glow of his eyes a vivid red, and his right hand blazing with searing flames. “He’s too fast!” Eddie’s thoughts raced, panic igniting within him.

Without warning, Adam's fist smashed into Eddie’s abdomen with explosive force, the impact making him gasp sharply as pain coursed through him. The sheer strength behind the blow became a tidal wave, sending Eddie sprawling through the air, his body hurtling skyward before crashing to the ground with tremendous force. Dust and debris erupted around him, a cloud of chaos that enveloped the training ground.

Adam landed with a skid, his feet scraping against the ground as he came to a halt. Breathing heavily, he surveyed the scene, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. “I think I overdid it,” he thought, straightening up to glance over at where Eddie had landed, anxiety lacing his chest as he wondered how his friend would recover from such a brutal hit.Adam squinted through the thick cloud of dust that lingered in the air, unease creeping in as he contemplated the aftermath of their fierce clash. “I should really check if he’s alright; his healing might have stopped,” he murmured to himself, taking cautious steps toward the area where Eddie had landed.

Suddenly, he felt an explosive surge of energy ripple through the air, an electrifying force that set his senses on high alert. The dust was thrust aside by a powerful gust of wind mixed with flames, forcing Adam to shield his eyes with one hand to keep from being blinded. Even as he struggled to maintain his footing, he was determined to avoid losing sight of Eddie amid the chaos.

As the haze began to clear, what emerged took Adam’s breath away. Eddie had transformed. His entire body was engulfed in flames, a brilliant display of flickering fire that danced around him like an ethereal cloak. His dark brown hair now boasted hints of fiery red, an unmistakable emblem of the power surging within him. This was the same form Adam had first witnessed in the testing room—a remarkable sight that radiated raw energy.

Eddie stood tall, his hands and abdomen healed, an aura of confidence encapsulating him as he locked eyes with Adam. The memories flooded back, unbidden; he couldn’t help but recall the friend he had grown up with in the orphanage, time shared under the vast branches of that old brittle willow tree buried deep in his heart.

“Hey, firefighter,” Eddie called out, his voice laced with a mixture of challenge and nostalgia. “You really forgot all about the orphanage, didn’t you?” Eddie, his flames still blazing like a living inferno around him, spoke in a calm voice that cut through the chaos, “What?” Adam replied, shock evident on his face. “So, it’s really you?” he questioned, his mind racing to catch up with the rapid changes unfolding right before him.

Before Adam could digest the implications of Eddie's saying, he was suddenly interrupted by the flash of Eddie’s speed. In an instant, Eddie closed the distance between them, flexing his arm and preparing to launch a punch with devastating force. Adam felt a sense of paralysis grip him, as if instinct had abandoned him entirely in that split second. Confusion and surprise swirled within him, drowning out every thought—how could his childhood friend have been there this whole time without him realizing it?

The punch landed squarely on Adam's nose with bone-crushing impact. Pain exploded through him, and he felt himself rolling backward like a wheel down a hill, his body helpless against the overwhelming force until he finally crashed to the ground, landing hard on his back.

Just as quickly, he bounced up to a standing position as if propelled by some unseen force, fueled by sheer will. “Eddie, how—” he began, but his words were sliced away by Eddie’s calm yet cold voice. Of course you would. While I was left at the orphanage, you lived like a fairytale. You had a happy life with your family, and I was never adopted.”

The weight of Eddie’s words hit Adam like a punch to the gut, the last four words reverberating in his mind. He recalled the naive belief he once held—that Eddie had likely been adopted and was living a better life, surrounded by a loving family, unlike his own.

“You're wrong; I wasn’t—I meant I—” Adam stammered, grappling with his emotions.

“Am wrong!?” Eddie shot back, anger flaring in his eyes. He couldn’t believe Adam had the audacity to say that. Out of all the things he could acknowledge, saying he was wrong felt like a betrayal in that moment. Adam felt the seething anger in Eddie's voice reverberate through the air. “Then tell me!” he challenged, dashing toward Adam with incredible speed that matched his own. Adam's eyes widened in surprise at the sheer velocity Eddie possessed, a reflection of the power he had unlocked.

In an instant, Eddie grabbed Adam by the arm, seamlessly rotating and throwing him forward with unimaginable force. Adam felt himself shoot through the air like a bullet, the wind rushing past him, his heart racing. Eddie followed with a speed that was nothing short of astonishing, his ignited feet leaving a blazing trail of fire on the ground as he launched into the chase.

With a powerful leap, Eddie exploded off the ground behind him, utilizing the force of the blast to propel himself even further forward. He closed in on Adam, preparing to deliver a crushing punch. Adam’s instincts kicked in as he realized Eddie was poised to replicate the same devastating move he had executed.

“Tell me which part I said that was wrong!” Eddie called out, his voice echoing with frustration as he unleashed a devastating punch aimed at Adam’s gut.

The impact was merciless, and Adam hit the ground hard, the force of the blow creating a small crater in the earth around him. He struggled momentarily to regain his footing, the pain radiating through his body, with gritted teeth, he pushed himself up, finally managing to stand once more. “Do you know what I had to go through?” Eddie said, taking determined steps toward Adam. “We had each other's backs, but you left, and I was all alone. Do you know what that meant?” His voice rose in anguish, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

Sadly, Adam did know what that meant all too well. At the orphanage, not all the kids were nice; some would come to harass them whenever they had a chance, but when he and Eddie stood together, they felt invincible. Their bond had made them strong amidst the chaos that surrounded them.

“Other kids I knew left, and I was the only one left. Tell me, what makes me different? Am I that annoying?” Eddie's voice trembled, tears streaming down his face, only to evaporate into steam from the heat radiating around him.

“When I got out, every day became harder for me.” He sniffed, voice cracking as he fought back the torrent of emotions. “I eventually quit and—and I…”

But you do really care about me,” he continued, his tone turning bitter. “You’ll never know what that feels like. After all, you’ve had people close to you your whole life!”

The depth of Eddie’s pain hung in the air like a heavy fog. Eddie dashed toward him, fury igniting every step. Adam felt the pain in Eddie's voice echoing within him as he looked down in regret. “You're wrong,” he said quietly, the words barely escaping his lips.

The statement sparked another surge of anger in Eddie's heart. “How am I wrong!?” he shouted, his fist connecting with Adam’s forehead. The impact resounded like a cannon, sending Adam crashing into a nearby tree with a thundering thud.

“You lived a gluttonous life while I had to work for every meal,” Eddie exclaimed, even though deep down, he knew that fighting and hurting Adam felt like a punishment of his own making. It was a volatile mix of anger and betrayal, and each blow seemed to land not just on Adam, but also on his own heart.

Adam stood up, brushing the blood from his lips with trembling fingers, determination flickering in his eyes. “I’m— I’m sorry,” he stammered, his gaze cast downward. “But it’s not what you think,” he said softly, desperation lacing his words.

As Adam looked up at Eddie, his eyes began to sparkle with tears, a reflection of the turmoil swirling within him. In that moment, he felt the intensity of emotion between them—it was complicated. Eddie was right, and yet he wasn't at the same time. Somewhere beneath the anger, there was a shared understanding of their past, no matter how jagged and painful it might be.“You think I had a caring family, but they were the opposite of that,” Adam said, his voice heavy with unspoken pain. “You think I had a great life at school, but I was bullied at every turn. I was never able to make friends. I was beaten up every week—by my peers and, at times, by my own family.” He curled his hand into a fist, anger and frustration boiling within him.

“Your life might have been worse than mine, but that doesn't mean my life was fine.” Eddie felt a flicker of understanding wash over him; Adam wasn’t fabricating these truths. In that charged moment, he sensed a vulnerability in Adam that he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Adam was forced to confront his own hardships, memories flooding back—his struggles at school, the dysfunction of his family, the nagging fear he had endured, and the looming presence of assassins. And at the core of it all was Eddie, his childhood friend, the one he felt he had abandoned in the chaos of his own life.

In the dim shadows, Ragnar watched with a smirk as he noted the large crack forming in the glass prison that held him. Leaning forward, he grabbed his chin and stood up. He placed his hand on the glass wall, a sly smile spreading across his face. Suddenly, a shimmering orange hue emanated from his palm, transforming into fine grains of sand that slipped through the cracks in the glass and vanished into the darkness. “This should be interesting,” he muttered, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

Meanwhile, Tilda opened the door to the training room, stepping into a scene of devastation. Craters marred the ground, and burnt trees lay scattered around as if a fierce battle had taken place. Her heart sank at the sight, worry tightening her chest.

Eddie's hair returned to its normal state as he glanced at Adam, who was staring intently at the ground, lost in thought. But then, he sensed a shift in the atmosphere—a potent change that pulled his focus. Adam’s eyes glowed a fierce red, igniting a spark of unease in Eddie.

Adam began to feel something he had never experienced before; the sensation was both alien and eerily familiar. A massive surge of energy welled up inside him, a burning desire that felt unstoppable. He itched to hit something, his knuckles tingling with the overwhelming need for release. He craved a fight.

With an explosive burst of speed, Adam dashed forward, appearing directly in front of Eddie in the blink of an eye. Eddie’s eyes widened in disbelief, "I didn't even see him move," Eddie thought in disbelief as Adam casually lifted his fist, preparing to punch him. Instinct kicked in, and he crossed his arms to guard the targeted area, bracing himself for the impending strike.

In an instant, Adam's fist connected with a brutal force, impacting Eddie’s wrists with a sickening crunch. The blow didn’t just stop there; it surged through Eddie’s body, the invisible pressure tearing a hole through his chest and shredding the fabric of his shirt. Trees in the path of the force splintered and toppled, showcasing the sheer destructive power of Adam's punch. While Eddie's flesh remained intact, the sensation was gut-wrenching—he felt as if his insides had been shattered.

Suddenly, Eddie was propelled backward with tremendous force, as if an unseen hand had yanked him away. He ricocheted off the ground, the impact sending shocks of pain coursing through him as he broke several bones on his way to the barrier. He hit it with a thunderous thud, blood spewing from his mouth as he gasped for air, feeling utterly powerless.

Eddie slumped against the barrier, resting there as exhaustion washed over him. A sense of helplessness filled him.

Tilda, still processing the devastation around her, felt a massive surge of aura emanating ahead. It pulsed with intensity, and her instincts warned her that something monumental was unfolding in the training grounds.

Adam charged toward Eddie, his speed reaching an astonishing 7400 km per hour the moment he dashed forward. As he raced ahead, he spotted Eddie sitting against the barrier, the glow of healing light absent from his form. But that wasn’t his greatest concern—he felt an insatiable need to hit something, to unleash the raw energy building within him.

Suddenly, flames erupted from Adam's arm, dancing wildly before he instinctively absorbed them back in, the fire swirling around as if seeking refuge inside him. His arm glowed fiercely, the brilliance intensifying. The bones beneath his skin seemed to radiate, glowing an orange hue that tore through his flesh, visible to the naked eye.

His eyes blazed a deep, fiery red, and a twisted grin spread across his face as he raised his glowing hand, poised to crush Eddie where he sat.

“Adam!!!” Tilda called out, her voice cutting through the chaos like a bolt of lightning.

As if her words had snapped a tether, Adam felt Tilda's presence wash over him, breaking through the haze of fury. His eyes shifted from a fiery glow back to their familiar brown, confusion and clarity battling for dominance. In that moment, the weight of his actions loomed heavily on him, the urge to strike faltering as he became aware of the consequences of his power. In a split second, Adam's left hand shot out to grab Eddie's shoulder, pushing him out of harm’s way just as his right fist smashed into the barrier. The impact detonated with a cataclysmic force, producing a deafening boom that reverberated across the entire training ground. The sound was akin to a thunderstorm cracking open the skies, echoing in a series of shuddering waves that rattled the very bones of the earth.

The barrier shuddered violently under the pressure, creating a shockwave that radiated outward, knocking everything in its path aside like leaves caught in a tempest. Trees that had stood tall and proud were uprooted, their trunks snapping like twigs as they were flung into the air, reduced to mere splinters and ash. The ground beneath Adam quaked violently, fissures snaking through the earth’s surface, sending dirt and debris spiraling into the air.

Eddie was sent sprawling, propelled by the invisible force as if he were a ragdoll, tumbling yards away before crashing into the ground with a heavy thud. The sheer power of the blow generated a powerful visible pressure that crushed everything around them—rocks shattered, soil erupted, and the air itself seemed to thicken, filled with dust and swirling particulates that caught the light like confetti of chaos.

As the devastating pressure began to dissipate, a heavy silence fell over the aftermath, broken only by the distant sound of falling branches and the faint crackle of smoldering wood. Adam stood amidst the wreckage, taking deep breaths to regain his composure, his hands trembling slightly as he tried to process the whirlwind of destruction surrounding him.

The glow of the bones in his lower body pulsed dimly, a fleeting reminder of the power that had surged through him. But then, without warning, a sharp jolting pain erupted, coursing through every fiber of his being. The cracks spiderwebbed across his lower body and hand—fractures spreading like a dark omen. As Adam screamed, the sound cut through the haze of destruction, a primal wail echoing within the vast crator. The pain intensified within Adam, each wave crashing over him like an unforgiving tide. His screams grew louder, echoing through the chaos until his endurance finally shattered, and he succumbed to the darkness, collapsing to the ground with a haunting thud.

Tilda rushed toward Adam, fear gripping her heart as she found him lying motionless in the dirt, the devastation around them a stark reminder of the battle that had unfolded. Just as she knelt beside him, something unexpected occurred—the barrier roared to life, resonating with an otherworldly sound that felt almost like an expression of pain. A crack appeared at the point of Adam’s strike, its edges glowing ominously as it began to grow, spreading like a spider's web across its surface.

“Oh no!” Tilda exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock. This had never happened before; the barrier had always stood as an unyielding shield. Panic surged through her as she quickly lifted Adam onto her back, the weight of him grounding her amid the chaos. As the crack widened, she felt an unsettling energy emanating from it, urging her to act swiftly.

With a sudden jolt, she sensed another faint presence nearby and sprinted toward it, Adam securely on her back. The urgency of the moment fueled her speed as she arrived at the spot where Eddie lay, barely clinging to life. Blood dripped from his eyes and nose, and he coughed, struggling for breath.

Without hesitation, she wrapped her right arm around his waist, lifting him with as much strength as she could muster. Deserted debris and ash swirled around them as she dashed away from the imminent danger of the growing crack in the barrier.

Behind them, the barrier shattered spectacularly, leaving only an ominous darkness in its wake. The void surged forward, spreading like a dark tide intent on consuming everything in its path, flourishing out of existence with a chilling hunger. Tilda felt the tendrils of shadow racing behind her, and she instinctively increased her speed, her eyes shimmering a brilliant gold.

As she burst through the entrance of the house, the silence inside was abruptly shattered by her explosive arrival. With a powerful jump, she descended the stairs, landing heavily on the floor with a resounding thud, Adam and Eddie cradled safely in her arms. The impact reverberated through the space.

She breathed heavily, the strain of her feats evident, but relief washed over her as she took in their surroundings. “I made it,” she murmured, a mixture of exhaustion in her voice.