A/n: Ch ch changes..here's your slightly overdue ruff. Please don't forget the publication contest Animus Storm entry!

Howling Thunder Ch35: Darkness, Wind and Fire

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Like stepping off a dock and into water I slip into my fog. Slowly I spread my dark mist along the shadowed edges of the room. I take note of each torch lighting the room and the large brazier at the end of the hall under a large bird statue.

Whispering through the fog back to Mora, “This hasn’t gone well the last couple times for me,”

Thinking of them repeatedly flapping their wings to push my fog away.

“How well can you see in the dark?”

She smiles, “One torch is more than enough, I’ll handle the guards.“

At this time Kreiz finally notices the fog creeping down the hall and points his saber at his men, “Silence!”

His eyes search the room, “Show yourself Black Pup, I’ve long known about your trickery.”

Half the room now has a thin layer of black fog covering the floor. Along the edges it sneaks past the birdmen, snaking it’s way towards the large pan of fire. In the center of the room the mist swirls and I rise from the floor.

“I’m sorry, I was taking the tour and got lost. I thought this was the way to the shit house...Am I interupting something?”

The young patriarch smiles, “Why no, in fact we were just talking about you.”

His face twitches before shifting into a frown, “By the way little lord, where is my sister?”

My own ear twitches, “She’s a little tied up at the moment, you’re using words like pup and little, I might take offense you know.”

The fog finally makes it to the back of the hall as Kreiz gives a single laugh, “My apologies, I find it difficult to show respect to some little shit fresh from the den who thinks he can grab my sister and then waltz into my home alone.”

Well, don’t know what I expected him to have to say. One more quick count, seven guards, all with short swords, Kreiz has that sabre.

I sigh, “I don’t care for your respect Kreiz, but your fear, that I wouldn’t mind.”

With a quick whisper back to Mora, “Let's be a monster shall we.”

My form quickly drops back into the fog as all the light in the room is snuffed out at once.

Black fog crawls along the ceiling, hiding the last of the light from outside.

Kreiz yells out, “Quick, relight the torches, don’t let him escape!”

I laugh loud enough to echo in the room, “Who said I was running, not when there is some nice wild bird to eat!”

Focusing on the faintest feeling of something remaining around the guard he killed moments ago,

a white flame bursts into being in the air. It glows brighter to reveal the shape of a massive wolf head made of black fog, the flame moves into one of it’s eye sockets. The giant head lunges forward towards the guards, chomping down on the closest one.

Under the cover of my magic, Mora glides in and instantly impales the frightened bird man up through the chin. He barely manages a short scream.

The remaining guards hesitate, Kreiz yells out, “It’s just a trick, the Turul birds have no reason to fear a mere cloud!”

They line up and flap their wings to push away the fog, revealing their fallen comrade on the floor. Mora having dashed to the darkness at the side of the room without being seen.

The ghost light remains lit in place however and begins to slowly rotate around the room. Once more I focus on the fresh kill. Appearing at the side of the body I reach into the air, a second flame forms in my hand, it drifts up to join the other one in slowly drifting about the room.

Kreiz scowls, “If you have any more tricks you best use them pup, do not expect seasoned warriors to fail here tonight.”

Seriously, this prick can’t be that much older than me can he? Ten years, tops, “Your mouth flaps more than your wings Bird Shit!”

Once more my form drops into the fog. The guards spread out warily, occasionally flapping at any fog the creeps near them. One makes his way towards the nearest wall torch were Mora happens to be crouched, hiding in the shadow of a display pedestal for a crown.

Kreiz calls out, “Show yourself you cursed mutt!”

My voice comes from the ceiling above, “Mmm, no thanks.”

In the moment everyone looks up, my fog washes over the guard near the torch like a wave. Mora strikes from the darkness at the same moment. His throat is cut like fabric as she once more hides.

This time not a sound is made, I chuckle, “Another bird has died, perhaps you meant seasoned as in prepped for dinner.”

Another white flame lights up above the body, drawing everyone's attention as it slowly flickers into being and rises into the air.

At the same moment another wave of mist passes a guard on the opposite side of the room. This one barely manages to grunt as Mora’s ice claw tears out his neck.

The remaining men manage to barely glimpse her shadowed figure as she darts back into darkness.

Kriez points and screams, “He’s not alone, close ranks, keep the fog away!”

Four men group up in a curved line in front of Kreiz and beat their wings to fight off the fog.

I whisper to Mora, “Time to go all out, you handle the guards, I’ll get Kreiz.”

She nods, licking her lips. Her breathing is heavy, the scaly grey tail flicks back and forth behind her. Her predator blood must be thrilled with this game so far.

My now four wisps of white fire slowly come to a stop and line up over the heads of the guards, seemingly unaffected by their wings.

Just as they nervously look up, the flames fire downwards at their heads causing them to shout in surprise. In the same moment Mora dashes from their side, her ice covered spear finding the exposed ribs of the first distracted man. Before he’s even finished slumping to the floor she breaks off the tip of ice begins her wild melee with the remaining three guards.

Her moves are graceful yet vicious as she combats multiple enemies, mixed between spear thrusts she sends out torrents of icy kicks and whips from her tail. Every time one man thrusts forward to slash at her she agily curves back around her spear in time to block, almost like dancing. It’s beautiful in the most violent of ways.

Barely taking the moment to admire my Valkyrie partner I wait in the fog just behind Kreiz.

In the moment he raises his fist, about to shout to his men once more. I strike out with my trident glowing in red arcs.

The corners of his eyes seem to spot me in the reflection of his blade. He spins just in time to parry away my strike.

He grins, “Finally, here you are.”

His hand reaches towards his belt and he unsheathes a second sabre that had been hidden by those damn golden brown wings. Each one has a golden enclosed hilt to protect his scaly hand. Unlike a normal sword he holds them in reverse, the curved blades perfectly resting along his wings.

Another shout, “Come Nox, show me what it means to be the son of the bastard Fenrir!”

From behind me another burst of black fog in the shape of an open wolf maw attempts to bite him, only to be blown away with a flap of the wings.

The fog falls away but so have I, he frowns, spit flying from his mouth as he yells, “You damn coward, get out here and die like a good dog!”

Red arcs fire out from above him as I drop down at his head from the black clouds. The arcs leave black marks on the white stone floor as he rolls away. He immediately reverses his rotation, spinning towards me with a flurry of blades. Unsure how to block I grin at him as his blades seem to cut through nothing but black clouds.

I reform behind him again hoping to rile him up even more. Him leaving an opening in frustration is my best bet. Glancing at his guards I see that another one has fallen to Mora.

He lets out a sharp yell as he cartwheels back at me before I can say anything.

Purely on reflex I fog shift only to be buffeted away once more by the wind pressure of his wings.

More red sparks fly out from my trident as I attempt to blast him in the face. He manages to quickly duck under my torrent of energy and in a spin he strikes up to hit my trident, nearly knocking it from my hands.

His second blade in the spin strikes precisely the same spot as the first hit did, slicing off the right fork. Sparks spray out uncontrolled, some landing on the nearby golden drapes. Flames immediately race up the fabric illuminating the room in a red glow.

I glance at my ruined weapon and frown, Patra is not going to be happy.

Kreiz chuckles and sheaths one of his sabres, “These blades are passed down in my family, blessed to never dull. Unfortunately it seems I’ll need more than a sharp edge to leave a lasting cut on you. Hopefully Lord Zephyr will forgive my borrowing his daughter’s scepter.”

He walks towards a thin crate that was on the floor behind the altar he was standing at when we first arrived.

Reaching in he pulls out a long silver haft, as he stands it up I see that the head seems to be carved of some glasslike white stone in the shape of a sharp feather.

He knocks the staff against the stone floor, a gust of wind begins to circle around us. I feel a gentle yet warm breeze tussle my dark fur. Unfortunately it also begins to blow away my fog leaving me exposed with a broken weapon.

His saber flickers with the light of the flaming curtains as he suddenly lunges forward.

A single breath feels like forever as I carefully dodge his endless strikes and slashes, each time I use my trident to block I notice another chip get cut away. Finally Kreiz gives another shout and cuts the broken head from my weapon clean off.

He smiles wide, “Any last tricks black pup, or are you ready to be the first dead dog tonight?”

To the side I hear a pain filled yell as one more guard falls to the ferocious dragon girl.

Kreiz frowns at the sight.

Yelling out over the sound of the wind and flames, “Mora, throw me the spear!”

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A/n: grr, the challenges of an engaging fight scene. Looking forward to the comments! This is the last week of the official publication contest by inkshares, give Animus Storm's entry a look. I'll make it a full book one way or another. Also would love to find an artist so I can actually have a cover.