The programs that you want to get are probably going to cost you thousands of dollars. If you are willing to fork out that much cash, go ahead and do so, but you'll be losing on it unless you're making graphic design a full time career. If you do want to use the programs, I do suggest grabbing some, and if you need help, PM me. On a further note, using the programs, or "borrowing", is acceptable in my book. There are plenty of programs that I've used pirated for a while, and I ended up purchasing a license to use legally. There are many reasons that I did that, one being to support the creators that make the program that I love to use.
On Topic: Is that Fenrir in your latest work? If so, kick-ass. I've been playing Smite for like a year, and Fenrir is an awesome god, in terms of lore and gameplay.
On On Topic: The lighting effects that were used are nice, and blend well. The only thing that I could see that may improve your graphics is to make it blend with the background more. Add some layer styles to your text to give it that glimmer that it's missing. Other than that, good render used, good effects, just blend it more smoothly with it's surroundings. Make that focal point stick out more than the background.