DRAGONQUEEN: RISE OF THE SILVER PHOENIX

Chapter 4 - The Edge of Vengance

Rebecca looks up at Marilyn and a memory lashes to the forefront of her mind. A soldier from her old nightmare suddenly stands in front of her. She remembers a black griffon trying to attack her and this soldier holding a magic golden shield between her and the griffon. The soldier that kept her from harm's way has all this time been a woman. The transformation from the soldier to this beautiful red-headed woman in front of her is astonishing.

Rebecca feels her heartbeat painfully in her chest. "Fine," Rebecca says in a defeated tone. "As for my hairstyle, it is quite feminine and is called mid-length bob style." Rebecca pulls her duffel bag closer.

"You should be wearing armor."

Rebecca smirks. "Watch and learn," as she taps the silver bangle on her right wrist. The bangle flashes silver and the words arcane armor engraved on the bangle becomes visible.

"I'll be waiting for you in the courtyard and just to make sure you don't get cold feet my paladin guide will keep an eye on you."

"Urgh, you are worse than my old samurai master."

It did not take long for Rebecca to get ready. She steps outside into the morning sunlight. Marilyn waits with an unsheathed degen styled sword. Simple, elegant, but a clumsy weapon. Rebecca watches as Leticia continues to organize the traveling arrangements.

Rebecca grips the hilt of the katana and slowly unsheaths it. She holds the sword aloft in the sunlight. "Arcane armor!" The air shimmers around her and the next moment she is covered in armor completely constructed out of magic. It looks like full plated armor, made of light.

Marilyn charge her and engaged Rebecca in direct combat. Rebecca defends with lightning speed. Rebecca quickly discovers that Marilyn is a ruthless fighter. Suddenly the battle shifts and Marilyn breaks through Rebecca's defense. There is a shower of sparks as her sword connects with the arcane armor. A line of pain roars up Rebecca's arm. She flinches and backs away.

Blood seeps from an open wound and a clean gapping cut have appeared in her arcane armor. The armor repairs itself, but then she notices a sudden dip in her magical energy. She eyes Marilyn's sword with suspicion. Blue gems have been forged into the blade. Highly unconventional and ill-advised unless the gems are imbued with magic.

Flecks of purple catch her attention before a shadow falls over her. When she looks behind her the purple dragon is sitting right behind her on her haunches like a cat, with its tail curls around her legs. "Be careful. Marilyn's sword has blue amber crystals infused in the blade. Blue amber crystal may not be strong and durable in a fight, but in the hands of someone like Marilyn, it becomes deadly. Even my own scintillating, scaly hide is no match for that. It cuts through magic and steel with great ease. I think she might have done that on purpose, because usually when they train they use the flat of the blade to avoid major injury on the most unless they want to teach someone a lesson. Take note it is a minor cut and it is not deep." The female voice is lively and filled with zest. Now she knows for certain the same voice she heard yesterday belongs to none other than Lila and the dragon just informed her that Marilyn wounded her on purpose. Rebecca swing her sword in an arc and brings it to rest against the length of her arm.

She circles Marilyn with narrowed eyes and Marilyn circles backward keeping eye contact. Marilyn is a dangerous fighter. She thinks out of the box and is fast and agile like a bird. Rebecca smiles, and changed her fighting stance. She bends her knees while seeming to reach out towards Marilyn while raising the katana above her head and pointing it at Marilyn.

She engaged Marilyn in a different fighting style. This time Marilyn finds herself on the back foot. Then Rebecca succeeds in curling the katana around Marilyn's sword in such a way that the point locks around the crossguard of Marilyn's sword. The next moment Marilyn cries out in surprise as sparks fly from her armor at the same place Rebecca was wounded. A golden tornado engulfs the two locked swords. With the flick of her wrist, Rebecca disarms Marilyn in the blink of an eye. At the same time, Rebecca backs away and lets go of the katana in shock. Both swords clatter to the ground and skid away from one another. The golden tornado re-energizes her lost magic and when the mini-tornado disappears the cut on her arm is gone.