After receiving that powerful kick to the head, Zen felt like he was struck by lightning. His head ached in agony and the ringing sound in one of his ears disoriented him.
He couldn't tell his left from his right, and with his eyes still healing from the flash, he was defenceless and prime for a humiliating defeat.
The thought awakened a burning rage within him. After the words he spoke earlier, if he went ahead and let himself be defeated, he would become the laughingstock of the entire academy.
"Get up!"
Suddenly, he heard Alex's voice from afar. Struggling to open his eyes, he pushed through the sting and looked in the direction of where the voice came from and saw Alex move about with his staff held heroically.
'You're too good to kill me like this, is that it?!'
With much difficulty, he got back to his feet. With every move he made, his eyes never left Alex. Somewhere along the strike to his head, he had let go of his dagger, but he cared little about them.
