The silence stretched between them like a taut wire, broken only by the distant sound of her squad calling to the escaped prisoners. Matta kept her stance low, her powerful legs ready to propel her in any direction, but something about the stranger's casual confidence made her hesitate.
MTA: So you know who I am. Mind returning the favor?
SLZ: Where are my manners? Salazar, bounty hunter. Specialization: fast-moving targets with poor decision-making skills.
His smile revealed teeth that were just slightly too sharp, and Matta caught the faint scent of sulfur on the air. Dragon. That explained the confidence, the way he stood like gravity was optional, the heat shimmer that she now noticed distorting the air around him.
MTA: Bounty hunter. Let me guess, someone wants me alive?
SLZ: Alive, yes. Intact? Well, that depends on how cooperative you're feeling.
He rolled his shoulders, a gesture that seemed casual until she noticed the way his jacket stretched across his back. There was something moving beneath the fabric, something that wanted to unfold.
MTA: And if I'm not feeling particularly cooperative?
SLZ: Then we do this the fun way.
Matta's ears flicked forward, catching the subtle shift in his breathing, the way his weight distributed across both feet. He was getting ready to move, and she'd learned long ago that the best defense was a good offense.
She exploded forward, her legs driving her across the twenty feet between them in a blink. Her fist was aimed at his solar plexus, a strike that would drop most opponents before they even realized they were in a fight.
Salazar caught her wrist an inch from his chest.
SLZ: Fast. But predictable.
He pivoted, using her momentum against her, and sent her tumbling across the courtyard. She rolled with the throw, coming up in a crouch, her eyes wide with surprise.
MTA: How did you-
SLZ: You're not the only one with enhanced reflexes, rabbit. Though I have to admit, that was impressive. Most people can't even see me move.
He flexed his fingers, and she saw the faint shimmer of scales along his knuckles. The air around him was getting warmer, and she realized with growing alarm that he hadn't even broken a sweat.
MTA: Dragon-born. Should have guessed from the ego.
SLZ: Half-dragon, actually. The human side keeps me humble.
He launched himself at her, not with her explosive speed but with the fluid grace of a predator. His movements were economical, precise, each strike calculated to test her defenses rather than overwhelm them.
Matta ducked under a sweeping punch and countered with a rapid series of jabs to his ribs. Her fists connected with what felt like armored plating, and the impact sent shockwaves up her arms.
SLZ: Good form. But you're hitting like you're sparring, not fighting for your life.
His elbow came down toward her head, and she barely managed to roll aside. The blow cratered the ground where she'd been standing, sending up a small cloud of dust and debris.
MTA: Trust me, I'm taking this seriously.
She sprang backward, putting distance between them, and began to circle. Her speed was still her greatest advantage, but he'd already proven he could track her movements. She needed to find another angle.
SLZ: You know, I've been studying your techniques. The way you move, the way you fight. You're holding back.
MTA: What?
SLZ: All that speed, all that power, and you're still trying to minimize damage. Even now, you're pulling your punches.
He was right, and the realization hit her like a physical blow. Even in life-or-death situations, she found herself restraining her strength, afraid of what she might do if she truly let loose.
MTA: Maybe I just don't want to hurt you.
SLZ: How considerate. Unfortunately, I don't share that remorse.
He breathed out, and the air around him began to shimmer with heat. The temperature in the courtyard spiked, and Matta felt sweat beading on her forehead despite the morning chill.
SLZ: Let me show you what a real fight looks like.
He moved then, faster than before, his form blurring as he closed the distance between them. Matta tried to dodge, but the heat was making her sluggish, her enhanced reflexes struggling against the oppressive temperature.
His fist caught her in the stomach, driving the air from her lungs and sending her skidding backward. She gasped, trying to recover, but he was already there, his knee coming up toward her chin.
She managed to get her arms up, blocking the strike, but the impact sent her tumbling again. This time, she didn't recover as quickly. Her chest was burning, not from exertion but from the superheated air she was being forced to breathe.
MTA: What... what are you doing?
SLZ: Dragon fire isn't just about flames, rabbit. It's about heat. About making the air itself your enemy.
He stalked toward her, and she could see the scales along his arms becoming more pronounced, taking on a bronze-like sheen. The heat radiating from him was intense enough to make her vision waver.
MTA: That's... that's cheating.
SLZ: That's survival.
She tried to spring away, to use her speed to escape the bubble of heat surrounding him, but her legs felt heavy, unresponsive. The superheated air was sapping her strength, making every breath a struggle.
SLZ: You're not used to fighting someone who can match your speed and exceed your power, are you?
His voice was conversational, almost gentle, but she could hear the excitement underneath. He was enjoying this, the challenge of facing someone who had been considered untouchable.
MTA: I'm... I'm just getting started.
But even as she said it, she knew it wasn't true. Her enhanced physiology was betraying her, her body struggling to cool itself in the face of his escalating heat. She was breathing hard, her movements becoming more sluggish with each passing second.
SLZ: You know what your problem is? You've been fighting humans too long. You've forgotten what it's like to face someone who operates on the same level as you.
He reached out, almost casually, and grabbed her arm. The contact was like touching a furnace, and she cried out as the heat seared through her fur and into her skin.
MTA: Let go!
She tried to pull away, but his grip was like iron. The scales on his arm were fully manifested now, bronze and beautiful and utterly unyielding.
SLZ: I could end this right now. Cook you from the inside out. But where's the fun in that?
He released her, and she stumbled backward, clutching her burned arm. The pain was excruciating, but more than that, she was struggling to breathe. The air around him was like standing inside an oven.
MTA: You're... you're insane.
SLZ: I'm thorough. My employer wants to know exactly what you're capable of. Can't do that if I take you down too quickly.
He took a step forward, and she took two steps back. For the first time in her life, she was outmatched. Not just physically, but strategically. He had planned this, studied her, prepared for every advantage she might have.
MTA: Who... who hired you?
SLZ: Someone who appreciates talent. Someone who has plans for skills like yours.
The heat was becoming unbearable now. She could feel her strength draining away, her enhanced metabolism struggling to keep up with the demands of fighting in what amounted to a furnace. Her breathing was coming in short, desperate gasps.
SLZ: You're done, rabbit. Accept it gracefully, and this doesn't have to get any worse.
But Matta wasn't ready to give up. Not yet. She had a squad depending on her, prisoners who needed rescuing, and a reputation that had been built on never backing down from a fight. Even when she probably should.
MTA: I'm not... I'm not done yet.
SLZ: No? Then show me what you've got.
The challenge in his voice was unmistakable, and despite her body's protests, despite the heat that was making her vision swim, Matta forced herself to stand straight.
She was barely able to breathe, her lungs burning with every inhalation. But she was still standing, still fighting, still refusing to give up. And from the look in Salazar's eyes, the way his bronze scales were beginning to take on a deeper, more ominous hue, she had a feeling he was just getting started.