Destined For Doom

Chapter 23 - Red In Tooth And Claw

-23-

-Red In Tooth And Claw-

A bright light shone from inside Koyane's mouth, lighting up the entire corridor as the fire built. Akane would have been roasted alive there and then, were it not for a certain black cat. Sabbath reappeared at that exact moment, launching himself at the side of Koyane's head as the flames began to billow from his jaws. The weight of the Familiar dragged his head to the side, causing the flames to bathe the wall beside him. Sabbath roared, mauling the dragon's giant eye with his dagger-like claws.

Koyane roared in pain as blood gushed out of his right eye, splattering on the floor and bucking wildly to try and shake the Panther off. Akane took this moment to act, retrieving one of his swords and launching himself at the dragon. His leg burned with pain and it was hard to breathe, but he didn't care. Koyane had to die.

He left the ground as Koyane shook Sabbath off, tearing a great wound in the Familiar's flank with his own claws. The cat howled, falling to the ground as Abigail ran forward. She stood over the shrinking cat, creating a wall of flames to shield them from the dragon's wrath.

Akane burst through, landing on the shoulder of the Koyane's blind side and holding onto his thick horns with one hand as the dragon stampeded into the large main hallway. The other gripped the hilt of his sword tightly as Koyane bucked, trying to throw Akane away from where his claws could not reach. Akane held on tight, climbing over the crown of horns to reach the next weak spot. Flames were thrown in all directions as Koyane roared, tossing his head from side to side while Akane clambered onto the front of his face. He stared into the dragon's one good eye, drawing back the sword with both hands in preparation to drive it deep into the weak spot.

Koyane bucked wildly as soon as Akane let go, sending him high into the air. The sword flew from his grasp, striking the roof where it embedded itself in the concrete. Time slowed as Akane flew through the air, reaching the peak as Koyane turned his head upward. His jaws opened wide, preparing to bathe Akane in flames from below. Akane turned his head back to the roof, looking at the blade stuck only a few metres from his grasp. He held one hand towards it, and the other down towards Koyane's mouth. Smoke curled around each wrist, draining the last of his energy reserves to form two black chains. One shot towards his sword, curling around the hilt while the other streaked towards the dragon's maw.

The second chain raced right into Koyane's mouth, striking the back of his throat with enough force to draw blood. Barbs formed on its the length, hooking into the dragon's mouth and holding fast. The shock of the attack was enough to make Koyane pause in his attack, holding back the flames for a critical few seconds. As soon as he was sure the hooks were holding Akane commanded the chains to retract, drawing both ends together with him in the middle. Akane raced towards the ground where Koyane was trying to get the chain free, his sword returning to him gradually as he drew closer.

Koyane clamped his jaws shut in an attempt to break the chain, glaring at Akane hatefully through his one remaining eye. This only made the situation worse, hooking more barbs on the inside of his mouth and giving Akane the target he had been waiting for. His other eye. Akane slammed into Koyane's head with enough force to smash it into the ground, and he was holding the blade in front of him when the momentum was at its greatest. The blade was driven up to the hilt into the dragon's eye, and Akane felt it grind against bone on the other side. Koyane howled in pain as Akane kept moving, still gripping the chain embedded in the dragon's mouth. Koyane was completely blinded, and bucking desperately to survive.

Akane jumped over the horned crown, landing between Koyane's shoulder blades as he roared in agony. Akane grinned with savage satisfaction, bracing his good leg against one of the dragon's spines and pulling as hard as he could. The other end was still embedded in the Koyane's mouth, and his head was pulled back sharply by Akane's effort. The two wrestled back and forth, Koyane with blind rage and Akane with all the strength his hatred could muster. The bloodlust he felt multiplied his strength, amplifying his power to match a dragon's if only for a short while.