It blew past his neck like a soft breeze. He felt an unwavering presence loom over his shoulder, just as his body had time to register, she spoke.

“I haven't even had a taste of fun yet.”

Ilinore drove her fist into his back. A powerful explosion of wind ruptured from his back in a wave of pressure. Each time he hit the ground his body would spin uncontrollably and send him another few rolls across the ground.

Zephier crashed into a wall and cracked its surface. Large layers of dust fell over the corner of the room where he rested.

Her rage-induced expression settled into a grin and raised her arm in front of her. “Even in this false body, I hold the power of a demon general. I won’t be taken lightly by mere dragons and humans!”

A commotion in the dust cloud scattered its body throughout the room. A figure emerged from within its retreating veil.

“Man~ you sure do talk a lot, is it cause you’re a girl?” Zephier moaned.

Although he was covered in scratches and dirt, there wasn’t a glimpse of pain anywhere on him. He casually picked his nose while his other hand rested loosely at his side.

Ilinore snickered. “You don’t fool me little dragon. I know that you’re in pain, just look at your hands. What kind of dragon hurts themselves with their flames?” She glared eagerly.

She pointed towards the distinct red markings around his arms. It was no ordinary burn marks, those were far more severe. They were deep burns, every inch sent stings to the deepest crevices of his bones.

It took everything he had not to let it show, there were even a few times he nearly let it slip. He had to keep his cool but even talking took a lot from his concentration. It was slipping…

The corners of his mouth twitched lightly and Ilinore's theory had been confirmed. Her wicked smile ran rampant over her face.

“It must kill you to feel so weak, does it not? Your brother is much stronger from what I sense. If only you could be as strong as your mother.”

The moment she finished her sentence, a bolt of fire hit from behind. Ilinore’s reactions saved her and she ducked just in time.

Akai had released a powerful bolt of fire that struck the air past her head and collided with the wall. The resulting power left a hole and no wreckage. It destroyed every part that it touched and left nothing behind.

Arga flinched at the sound of impact and turned to Akai with a frightened look. She saw an aura around him, it wasn’t magic…

It was something else, something simpler.

Rage.

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An unbridled rage seeped out from his core and bubbled into the anger that Arga cowered away from.

“Don’t you dare speak about my mother,” Akai muttered terrifyingly.

His quiet yet powerful tone brought Ilinore to silence. Just for a moment.

…

She glanced at Zephier and gestured to Akai. “I guess I was right, he is the stronger dragon between you two,” Ilinore added.

“..Shut up!!” Zephier roared.

He burst forward from where he stood and brought a fist into the air beside his head. He dove in through the air and followed with a wound-up punch.

The air moved away from his fist as it rushed towards her. She stepped back and cleared a massive gap between them.

The power behind his punch had shrunk to a weak thump against her open palm. She gripped down on his fist and pulled him closer. He was practically pulled off his feet.

Ilinore’s long ivory hair waved across his face and blinded him. Nothing but pink ends and white strands of hair ran across his vision, but then suddenly—

“—Gyah!” He coughed.

A trail of spit flung out of his mouth as she drove her fist through his stomach. Nothing broke but it felt worse than anything that he had experienced before.

She smiled. The hair that loomed across his face was cast out behind her as she faced him with a sudden turn. She twisted her body and showed her backside to him.

With an opening in sight he didn’t wait, he stepped forward and sent another punch her way. The last thing he saw was a glimpse of her smile over her shoulder.

Another wave of hair wrapped across his eyes. The room of closed-off walls suddenly vanished and the only thing that graced his eyes in that moment was ivory fields of soft white.

“What are you…Ugh!” He howled.

The hair that loomed over his face was taken away, just as his wind was. Ilinore danced through the air with nimble movements. She disappeared into the sides of his eyes and reappeared behind him with another fist in his back.

Spine-splitting pain—something she seemed to deliver far too easily—coursed through his body.

Zephier couldn't keep his eyes open any longer and blacked out for a moment. Once his eyes opened again he saw the pink glare of Ilinore’s fists pierce through the air towards his face.

Her fist hovered in front of his eyes and wriggled slightly as it was forced to stop, merely a breath away.

Her eyes followed up the arm of the hand that held her wrist. Crimson hair and a fierce scowl that challenged her own, it was nearly demonic.

Nearly.

It was the fierce glare of a dragon, something that could not be matched.

Akai’s eyes lit up with a raging flame and his hair stood up. The aura around him flowed out from his body and covered him in a rich glow.

“I think I’ve let you run wild long enough, demon!”

She responded with an eager grin. She welcomed his anger and matched it with a wicked smile.

“Do you take the demon army lightly? Have you forgotten who took your mother in the first place?”

Akai gritted his teeth and tightened his grip over her wrist. Light flickers of flames danced across his face as the fire around him grew.

He glared at her and his anger increased at the double. They locked eyes and…Akai’s anger subsided. The fierce aura and flames surrounding him vanished into the air by his will.

“I know about you, even the most common dragon knows about the demon generals—and their highest-ranking leader, Ilinore. From what I’ve heard, you’re quite cunning. A good planner and an even better strategist, right?”

“…”

“…you're distracting us, aren’t you?” Akai asked.

Ilinore's wild expression fell blank and a cold exterior followed. Her real expression was revealed.

“There’s a smart one out of the lot after all. Well…two of you.” She shot a wary glance at Edward.

The ground rumbled beneath Akai’s feet. His eyes widened as he realised what would come next and dodged out of the way.

A large stake of solid stone was erected from the ground in his place. Ilinore placed the glowing artifact in her palm against her waist where it attached with ease. She rubbed her wrist at the same spot where Akai grabbed and grimaced.

“No use hiding it. Yes, I’m merely the diversion in this case.