She is quick, quicker than he anticipated, and the blow catches him right in the center of his chest; he is knocked backwards, striking the trunk of a tree with his shoulder and tearing out a chunk of it with a terrible crack. He never hits the ground, however, but beats his wings once and is gone, tugging space around himself.

The fact that this abomination can touch him is both abhorrent and exhilarating. Abhorrent because it is a disgusting, vile creature the likes of which his Father would have found hateful in His sight. But it has been a long, long time since he has had a challenge in a fight, and longer still since that challenge has been someone other than a beloved brother. Fighting Michael or Gabriel had always been tainted by the fact that they are family and he loves them, loves them fierce and sick, but this?

This is practically righteous smiting.

The next instant, he unbends space around himself and is before her again, using the momentum of flight as he lashes out with his fist towards her midsection.