Preface

She saw him, probably moments after he spotted her. Her heart pounded in her chest, throbbing almost. Adrenalin poured through her veins, drawing her breath faster into her lungs. She watched as he took a single step forward into the light, and there was the villain, Darien, his hungry eyes watching her intently. A tremor rushed through her, and suddenly her fear was gone. However she wasn’t confident, she wasn’t angry, she wasn’t anything that could be described in words. She was filled with energy, and it was such a strong surge that it shook her again and again. The burning started at her chest, where her heart was. From there it surged through her body, filling her veins with the hidden, comforting power. The heat increased as it seemed to come to the surface of her skin. It whipped around her waist, ruffling her shirt, swept up her back, over her shoulder, and swirled around her right arm. The wind that howled about her came on suddenly, tugging at her clothes and hair, so strong she thought it would lift her into the air.

Darien hissed, slinking back as his precious darkness was forced back, leaving him no place to disappear to. The wind pushed out, tearing at him in a violent fashion. A low, deep snarl left his lips and his flames shot out from the cracks in the air, pushing back. The grass caught flame, the heat of it spreading slowly towards the girl in the center of it all. “You,” he growled, clashing more flames against her wind, “It was you, wasn’t it? I should have killed you on the spot, girl.” With another throaty snarl he launched himself forward at her.

Anika screamed, flinching back. Her right arm moved on its own, flinging itself forward. Whatever it was that had coiled around her shot out, and she could feel it’s almost non-existent form slipping around her skin as it launched off her wrist. The transparent form of a white dragon rose before her, halting Darien’s assault with the force of its appearance. Its blonde mane seemed unaffected by the wind the continued to surround and protect Anika.

Darien skidded to a halt, taking several quick steps back, his eyes now focused on the creature before him. He then scoffed. “You can summon him, yes, but he is incomplete,” he chortled, a malice grin coming to his features, “You have yet to find his vessel. Next time we meet, you will die, child.”