Alex glanced down trying to see through the sand seeing if he could spot something. Anything. But no apparently either Numia had wiggled her way out of his grip or she’d slipped through his hands. Half worried for a brief moment that he’d squashed her, he parted his arms a brief look of worry that he’d done her some real harm crossed his face and then there was a sharp pain. His entire body tensed for a moment a ripple of pain emanating from the point of contact of her fist.
Alex didn’t move for a brief moment frozen and then something gave way, he went to stand up and ended up falling on his side. The level of pain was roughly on par with taking a sharp biting pinch from a fire ant. But it was less the overall pain more the location of the strike. The plain flooded his body to the point where he felt almost frozen for a moment unable to move. He tumbled to the side and lay in the sand for a moment before a low and deep exhale pained but slow escaped him. His usual light and airy voice much heavier and lower but still airy.
“Not cool Numia…” All he managed to say before shifting his weight back to his feet. Still wheezing heavily he managed to stand. But unable to stand well. His legs wanted to give out at any given moment. “I don’t think I can carry on…” He spoke again before lightly starting to stumble over to a bench. He sat nursing his pride and his injury. However he’d noticed one thing that was true of every time he fought and tried to keep his mind occupied. He wasn’t haunted by the dark thoughts, at least for a while.
“Numia... Low blow…” All he managed to get out before a sudden dark and rather antagonizing thought gripped his mind. What if that had been from Archie, or gods forbid Ball?! He winced visibly at the thought taking a moment to calm his mind from the new wave of dawning imagined pain gripping it.