Arden stretched, unfolding his broad, silvery wings to the rising sun. Of all the things he loved about being able to walk the earth in freedom, this was truly his favorie. The feel of the sun on his back, the caress of the wind through his wings, toying with his silver hair, and the living scent of the earth that was carried on that wind. Arden smiled, and the light of it all but glowed in his green eyes. Lithe muscles bunched in his legs as he crouched, uncoiling to throw him into the air. At the apex of the leap, his wings flexed, feathers brushing the earth, and Arden was in flight.<br/>The cool rush of the wind reminded him of what he was doing - looking out for intruders to his Lord's chosen demense. Green eyes narrowed, and Arden's handsome features hardened as he pumped his wings, going for height. He was no falcon, to fall swiftly upon his enemies - no. He likened himself more to the great eagles, that soared on currents of air until prey was sighted. His prey ... there. A flash of black, an aura red as blood. Arden drew his sword and flicked his wings back, allowing himself to fall into a dive. The demon - an imp, from the look - was unaware of him until he landed on it, sword crashing through unholy flesh and bone.<br/>As the imp dropped, four more appeared around him, giggling and gibbering as they approached. Arden lifted his sword and folded his wings tightly. One imp was an easy kill - but four would test him. He circled, looking to at least put his back to something solid, but they had him surrounded, and as one, they pounced.<br/>Pain lanced across his arm as imp teeth sank to the bone. Arden lashed out, and one imp died, its black blood spattering on Arden's white robe as he sliced it's head off. A third lept on his back, teeth snapping together on his left wing. Arden screamed and unfolded his wings with a snap, but the imp remained, chewing and slurping as the fourth one went for Arden's face. Arden met that one with the pommel of his sword, and it fell back, screeching and clawing at its broken face while Arden ripped the first one off and gutted it, then tried to pry the third off his back. The fourth screeched again and jumped on him, teeth snapping all too near his vulnerable throat. Arden lurched backwards, overbalanced and clawed the imp off his throat even as he landed on and crushed the one chewing at his wing. He heard teeth snapping off and nearly screamed again at the pain. The last imp took advantage of the distraction and sank it's teeth into his wrist, savaging his arm. Arden dropped his sword and slammed the imp into the ground until it loosened its grip, then began pounding its face in until it finally went limp.<br/>Arden stared at the things, stared stupidly at all the blood - black and brilliant scarlet, painted garishly across his clothes, on the ground, on his skin, before he realised that the blood on his arm was his. 'I should tie that off', he thought, as he went down and blackness took his vision .....