The dragon’s grin then turned to a snarl as he realized what was happening. Noticing the light coming from the gem above the fae’s hypnotizing eyes, he opened his jaws and inhaled deeply. The rainbow light became blinding as he blasted hell’s flames onto it and he had to close his eyes in fear of losing his sight. Bryze did not end the current of flames, though, and it buffeted the swirling, smoke-like colors relentlessly. A sudden burst of white light flashed even past his eyelids, and he shook his massive, horned head in pain, spraying flames everywhere. His claws dug into the earth as he impatiently blinked and rolled his eyes, trying to regain his vision. A soft sound came to his sensitive ears through the inferno, much like that of an owl’s wings as it hunts for a meal. Bryze moved too late as something collided with his chest, and he growled in pain as razor sharp teeth tore at the soft flesh under the hard, bony scales of his jaw.

Inhaling sharply, he released another burst of flames as he finally regained his vision and saw a streak of silver flit past him and out of the flames’ way. Lunging at the quick creature, it easily dodged his attack and flew in another circle around him, then shot upwards and past the restricting trees. The moon was bright and full in his wounded vision, but many dark clouds constantly covered it as they lazily crept by. The glare of the moon was brilliantly reflected by the silver-white creature’s fur as it swiveled around to face him from above.

Time seemed to stop for a moment as they faced each other; the two most powerful beings in the physical world. Complete opposites, one designed to kill, the other sent to give life. She knew, but his mind was clouded by centuries of hopelessness and evil. She felt his pain as if it was her own, but she knew what she was created for. Analyzing him with hardened eyes, she pinpointed every weak spot on his rough, reptilian body. There were few. She’d have to be smart; her flesh was much, much more vulnerable than his. But she was sure of her speed, especially in the air. Her smooth, quiet wings glimmered iridescently as she hovered before the beast, a sudden wind whipping her long mane about her. It formed a sort of halo around her angular face and accented her glowing black-lidded eyes. Arching her neck, she bared her long, pointed fangs just as a flash of lightning struck in the clouds behind her. She roared a warning to the demon, her voice almost like the thunder that boomed a moment later. Another gust of wind blew her forelock back, revealing a crystalline horn about seven inches long. Like the gem on her human forehead, many colors swirled behind an amethyst-like surface. It glowed even brighter than her eyes as sparks shot from it and crawled around her face and into her forelock and mane, the static making her look like a beastial goddess.

Answering her challenge with an equally ferocious roar, the demon released a jet of flames straight to the fae’s face as he lunged for her. Three bolts of lightning simultaneously shot past her from above and struck Bryze, shocking him out of concentration and ending the torrent of flames, giving the fae just enough time to swerve out of their way. She tossed her head and pricked her ears at the demon as he numbly tried to flap his bat-like wings and stay airborne. White foam dripped from the corners of his agape jaws and his long, forked tongue lolled from between jagged teeth as he fell to earth, unable to regain control of his body.