The Defender

Thunder tore the sky, the earth rumbling her aggreement from below as the wind lashed once, then slipped through the grasses and trees, whispering a secret to those who would listen to its cry. It beckoned, proclaimed the day had been issued of the reckoning. The Heavens would fall, or they would remain. The earth would give way or remain steady. The Balance of All was at stake, and the contendors had been called. The rampage of hooves upon ground resounded in the chosen valley, surrounded by a peacful lining of trees and life. Those with courage stood there, at the treeline, to watch the earth soak up the blood of the loser, afraid of who the loser might be.

First within the confines of the battlefield was a bright ivory beast, springing forth from gates of pearl, wisps of cloud tangling with its mane. Its muscles rippling with an unearthly power and might, gold-tipped hooves shining, it reared, screaming a cry that bounced off the heavens and fell hard back upon the ground. Tufts of earth were ripped as it pawed the meadow impatiently, single golden horn glowing brightly upon its brow, blue eyes gleaming. The Challenger had come forth.

Mane streaming like a midnight sky over its shoulder, the ebony beast galloped into the meadow from its haven of the forest, through the emerald foliage like an arrow of darkness, silver hooves flashing a reply to the gold of the first beast. Its orange eyes measured the Challenger, raven hide twitching at the other beast as if in irritation. It bugled a cry back, a cry that sent butterflies to wing and caused the deer in the wood to raise their heads, dewy eyes distant. The silver horn upon its brow hummed softly as it nodded, accept the Challenger's challenge. The Defender arched its neck and nodded, waiting.

In a streak of white lightning, the Challenger leapt forward and the battle began. It was a battle that shook the very foundations of the spectrum, leaving wide rips in the ground where hooves struck and restruck, blood from gouged woods splattering the ground. Flesh screamed as it was torn from hide, blood spattering the ground. Ones blood hisses like acid when it hit the earth, and life shrank from it, while the others caused flowers to spring up from the torn earth, glimmering hope. It lasted forever; it lasted for the blink of an eye. It was quiet, and it was fierce, but in the end, when the earth had been ripped apart and violated, there remained only one standing.

The Defender's head was held high as it loomed like a black shadow over the stained white hide of the Challenger, who lay at his feet, gasping and shaking. Blood wept from open wounds where the silver horn had rendered the flesh to pieces, and the silver hooves had plundered the skin apart. But the Defender was not unscathed itself. Its own blood leaked down upon the ground in rivulets. But its pain did not destroy its glory.

The Defender turned then and mercifully plunged its horn into the other's throat, causing the Challenger's jaw to become slack, revealing fangs, a mar in the angelic beauty of the purely white horse. The Defender nodded, satisfied, and headed off, limping. Winged creatures moved forward, grasping the white horse with their pale fingers, feathery wings extending as the gold upon their white robes gleamed, and dragged the white beast back towards their pearly gates with the golden glow, their mouths closed to hide their own teeth, as sharp as the beasts'. The blood smeared on the grass as it was pulled away, leaving a long blackened streak in the grass as the life wept with pain, blackened, and lived no more.

The Defender did not look back as the creatures lining the forest watched it, entranced, as it clipped back into the forest, through its own gate of ivy and trees, its own realm lined with the fierce green beauty of life. Its blood dripped on the torn spots in the grass, and they were restored, white flowers swaying in the breeze as it passed. As its swishing raven tail slipped back through the underbrush, the creatures dispersed in silent homage to the fallen, and silent praise to their Defender. It lived to serve and Served all Life, expecting nothing and giving everything in return. It was the Defender. And if they needed, it would be back.

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