Alden stared at Caelum, the crimson in his sole eye gleaming like a pool of liquid blood.
His gaze was calm, tranquil almost… and the pain in his side was the furthest thing from his mind. Alden couldn't really describe the state he was in.
It was extremely weird, and something he hadn't come across before.
His strange state wasn't fueled by a desperation to survive, or even an obsessive desire to win.
…Rather, it had to do with growth.
Alden yearned to discover how much he could grow from this fight. The bout itself was quickly pushing him to his limit, but instead of panicking, he felt a strange excitement, as if he couldn't wait to unearth what was on the other side.
Right now, nothing mattered.
Not his body, or the crowd, or even Caelum and Varnel.
Alden discarded every thought he had, and surrendered conscious control of his body, letting it do as it wished.
It was a state that far surpassed battle clarity.
