GFantis wriggled in sporadic attempts to free himself from his enemy’s deathly coil. The pressure began to build in his ears as the serpent swam deeper and deeper into the deep, dark depths of the Pacific.
The dragon had no way of knowing the lengths to which the serpent could survive under water, he only knew that his own ability to do so was limited. What’s more, the farther he was dragged from the surface, the less his exposure to the sun. For those reasons, GFantis began to work himself into a frenzy, arching his back and gyrating with a saw-like motion.
Durontus had put all his energy into pulling the invader deep below the surface, but as his enemy writhed, the pain in the serpent’s side began to be too much. With each convulsion, Durontus’ coil began to weaken. His wound burned sharply, blood flowing from the openings and slowly GFantis began to emerge from the serpent’s deadly grasp.
As Durontus’ tail slackened its vice-like grip, GFantis broke free and began a mad dash for the surface. His whole body clawed for life as he thrashed violently upward. But the mighty serpent had not succumbed to his injuries, but instead fought on to defend his domain: the land, sea and air of planet Earth.
Durontus’ serpentine neck shot out, his tooth-filled beak latching firmly onto the meaty ankle of his fleeing enemy. GFantis’ momentum was slowed by half as the massive weight of Durontus acted like an anchor, pulling much of the fight from the dragon creature with the surface still hundreds of yards away.
As GFantis struggled upward, Durontus fought downward, utilizing his wide, webbed claws and scales in their natural environment. Great waves of ocean surged upward as the serpent swam in reverse in an attempt to drown his adversary. Sensing the dragon’s demise, Durontus tightened his hold.
GFantis’ lungs burned with fire, his eyes dimming as his air supply ran low. His energy was draining rapidly and he could not shake the serpent’s bite on his leg. The dragon’s forelimbs compulsively thrashed at the endless ocean, the will to survive ever-present, even when survival was impossible.
But just as the otherworldly creature was near unconsciousness, a crackling, black orb appeared in the corner of his vision, growing rapidly. A spark of recognition ignited in the monster’s brain at the sight of the orb and for a moment GFantis’ strength returned.
A moment was all the dragon needed as he gathered the last of his solar energy and reached down towards the serpent’s head. Durontus let out a gargled bellow as a surging bolt of white-hot electricity arched into the serpent’s face. The blast forced the serpent to release GFantis from his jaws.
While the serpent recovered from the paralyzing shock, GFantis swam with all his energy towards the growing black orb. Lungs bursting and vision failing, the monster lost consciousness just as he propelled himself into the middle of the pulsing, cosmic gate. A bright flash bathed the ocean in white light as the gate blinked out of existence.