Rhiannon - Dragonrider

Chapter Fourty Seven - The End of the Circle

"Wait!" Psion said as I strained to meet Rhiannas's challenge with my sword.

"Wait..." I guess it was as much for himself as for me.

"Wait..." He was managing to stay inhumanly calm.

Rhiannas leapt from his gate.

Psion and I shared this wild, half cerebral scream thing as we did the same.

As we'd guessed, he tried to take control of the fight by going for early height. So Psion dived underneath him. For a moment, the skin on the back of my neck crept, knowing we were utterly exposed. If he could bring his talons or flame to bear, the whole thing would be over before it even started.

Then we were through... and we were climbing steeply behind him. That forced him to turn sharply... and that cost him time... and height. Before he had completed his manœuver we were level with him.

We both circled, slowly and cautiously, for a few moments, just looking at each other. Then Rhiannas leapt across the space between us, gorging flame. I felt my mother's spurs biting true as Psion tumbled to one side to avoid annihilation.

We circled once again. But now Rhiannas had a distinct height advantage. So, when his next attack came, it was even faster.

But, this time, I was ready for him. As Rhiannas gathered his passion to flame, I sent a probing stab into his mind which deflected the force of the inferno away from us.

I was vaguely aware of the onlookers in the inferior ring behind us scattering as the flame fell amongst them. But Psion jumped on that. "Be alert, Young Mistress! Shield our minds!"

So I flipped into the cloud world and began to throw up my most impregnable mind fortress. But when the first attack landed, it still wasn't all that secure. Psion wobbled violently in the air as he threw his will in to support my teetering structure until I could lock it solidly in place.

But, once it was in position, Rhiannas's will crashed ineffectually against my walls. I even had enough will left over to add my own little twist to a mental thrust that Psion threw out in Rhiannas's direction.

It wasn't much but it did the job.

I flipped back into the base domain for a moment. Rhiannas's look of contempt had erupted into incandescent rage. Gouts of flame were spewing, uncontrolled, from his nostrils. "What?" he bellowed. "You continue to defy me!"

Then I felt his hateful implanted node springing to life inside my head. He was going to use it to destroy me from within. I threw out a quick warning to Psion then sank back into my own cloud.

The vile thing started sending out these pulsing, evil waves which wanted to obliterate the very essence of my being.

With the familiarity of months of practice, I quickly rebuilt my tower of strength to meet this new threat. The attacking waves hammered against it, spreading chaos and confusion. But they couldn't break through to get at the crux of my true self.

For a while, it was all I could do to stand against those waves which were trying to obliterate me. But then gradually.... gradually... I started to push my tower out. As each wave crashed and withdrew, I built out my shielded area... just a touch, at first, but it was enough. As I took back control of more of my mind, I grew stronger.... which meant I could push my shield out even further until it wasn't just a tower protecting my crux anymore. Instead, it was a noose, enclosing the despised implanted node.

And now I could start to tighten my grip on the thing... advance and hold... advance and hold... advance and hold...

"The moment will soon be upon us for you to release your passion..." Psion told me... "to make manifest your rage and indignation. Prepare yourself..."