"Bring your guard up and protect your left side, human," I shout as she drops her shoulder again. If I hadn't pulled back, she'd have a gaping wound.

"I'm trying, you blue demon," she says while gasping for air. "And you're human too."

I give her my finest smirk. "Don't let this outstanding human body fool you. I'm all dragon, sweetheart." I twist my wrist and her sword flies over the side of the tower.

We've trained each day for a week and spend hours building ...