Her arms pulsated with pain. Sweat dripped from her body. Her breath heavy but strong. A victory. So long she had waited for this battle, so long had she felt the pain of her loss. Hate driving her on. Now the battle was won, this was a moment to remember. Revenge was hers, no, not revenge, justice, yes, justice. The Arcon had killed the only one she had truly loved, her life, her soulmate. Now he was avenged.

In her minds eye she flickered back to the memories. When she was taken as a child she feared her captor. As years passed her hatred mellowed, and changed, into love and respect. He had shown her kindness, for a strong warrior he was gentle in love. He taught her to fight, to hold a sword. She learned how to steal with the swift whip and kill without a sound. He taught her to love passionately and to fight just as passionately.

Then the Arcon came. A beast that fought mainly at night, destroying all life in its path. Many weak-willed humans followed it, hungry to share in its victories. Death would come to the young, the weak and the old, it had no honour. Sena and her mate travelled through the vortex it had left, another job to do, another Gateway to close, another Tradic to kill, or return to its own dimension. It would not take all the people of these hills. Yes, they also took the food and the hospitality of these people, but only in exchange for their protection. There was honour in protecting the weak.

They waited, it was only a matter of time. Sena trained the men and women during the daylight hours, and kept watch in the caves at night. And then it happened suddenly two nights later. The families kept watch but so many Followers came, snatching the children. There were too many to hold back. In that one night twenty children were stolen. With so many taken at once, the trail was fresh and easy to follow. Arcon’s first mistake. Sena followed her mate as he tracked the children. Outward, beyond the hills into the sandy, rocky, open ground. With no fear for their own lives they followed on, swords drawn ready for any sudden attack. They were not old, weak or young, they would kill many. So the Arcon Followers stayed in the shadows, they were cowards, afraid of death. It was their fear, and the fear of the victims, that Arcon drank from, he lusted for the emotion of fear. It wasn’t the nourishment of the flesh he fed on, but their fear of death that filled him. Arcon’s Followers wanted the flesh for themselves. There anticipation grew, why fight with these two strong enemies, let them follow, they were not important.

So they trekked on into the night, outwards into the plain, and on towards the mountains. There, sat on a great boulder, in the moonlight, its wings darkening the whole sky was Arcon. It watched as the children came nearer. Some were whimpering, some were crying, some staring defiantly, all afraid. The fear filled the air, it filled Arcon’s lung, he breathed deeply. He rose and swept down towards the nearest child. At the last moment of life, the child saw the creature. She stared, no time to run, no time to move. A swift strike from Arcon’s claws and the child’s fears were no more, but that moment of fear filled him with ecstasy. Arcon rose back into the air as the other children tried to run back towards their home. But behind them were the Followers of Arcon, there was no way passed, no escape. Arcon flew down and gathered up the slowest small child, casting them down screaming on to the rocks below. Many of the Followers seeing the two bodies, forgot the moment, ran toward the children’s flesh, still warm and fresh, the smell of blood leading them. So weak, so easily led by their lusts.

A break in the line. Sena took a chance and pulled three children behind her as she fought her way out leaving four dead Followers, more flesh to be devoured by their own comrades. Sena’s Mate battled on to protect more children. Two more dead, as Arcon rose up for another attack. Not this time to reach out for a child, but to protect his Followers. Down he came. The Warrior stood firm, no fear for Arcon to enjoy. His sword struck into Arcon’s wing, but not deep enough. Up flew the Arcon, another dive, his claws outstretched. A talon sank into the Warriors flesh – deep. Still he fought, the sword biting hard into the claw. A hard thrust, and the claw came away. Arcon screamed in pain, dripping blood it flew off towards the mountains. The Followers, now fearing for their own lives scattered. Sena saw her mate lying where the Arcon had struck. He had fought well, the children cowered around him. The wound was too deep. His lungs filled with blood, he struggled to breathe as he drowned in his own fluid. Sena watched helpless as each breath pushed his life away through the open wound. These children were safe, the Arcon was badly injured, but now a great warrior was slowly dying.

 To save the children from the sight of his death, she took them back to the caves, back to their families and safety. Quickly she returned to her mates now lifeless body. Taking what she needed from him, she buried the body under rocks. Now was the time to follow the Arcon’s trail, now before his wounds could heal, now before her mates heart was taken from her.

Standing here after so many days of hunting, following a trail of destruction, she had him in her sight. In the light of day a sleeping Argon lay surrounded by no more than twenty Followers. Her wings helped her glide silently behind rocks within striking distance of each sleeping Follower. One by one she struck them with her silent whip, one by one they died, until she was left with only Arcon.

So the battle began. A sleepy Arcon suffered the first blow as Sena glided onto its back, plunging hard with her sword. Deep into its flesh, and then pulling back, striking a second time with all her might. Its tail whipped up and caught her, knocking her to the ground. It pulled itself around, awake now, and in pain. Sena did not run, she came forward, her whip wrapping tightly around its throat. She struck home into the soft fleshy parts of his neck with her sword. His head threw her high into the air and away. But it was too late, the Arcon could take no more. Letting out a deep cry of pain, it fell heavily to the ground. Sena watched and returned to take her weapons from the dead carcass. Now she could bury her Mates heart in the ground by this Arcon’s body. His victory, his justice. Her love buried.