The creature came down hard. Its claw swept in a wide diagonal arc aimed at Damien's chest, fast enough that the air moved ahead of it.
Damien's blade was shining with golden light as he covered it with his element densely.
"Grchhkkkkkk!!"
Damien didn't step back. His sword came up to meet it.
The moment the blade connected with the creature's claw a burst of golden light detonated outward from the point of contact.
Not a large explosion. It was ontained and very sharp. The light that hit the eyes and forced them to adjust.
The creature recoiled. It eyes weren't able to handle the bright light.
It stepped back from Damien. Not too far away. But it pulled the arm back and turned its head away from the light source for a full second, the red eyes narrowing, its breathing pattern breaking from its steady rhythm into something more irregular.
It had hesitated before too, just for a moment when Damien's blade had first blazed up. Now it hesitated again.
