Forged Destiny [Book 7: Ch. 10]

"Alright, I-" Lisa gasped as I dragged her back suddenly, surging forward to take the knife that had materialised from the crowd, surging straight for her body.

It slammed into the arm I got in the way. The pain was immediate, raw. "Gah!" I gasped and reached out for the one who had attacked me, only to watch the hooded figure wrapped in brown cloth shimmer away before my eyes.

[...]

"We keep moving. Wide, open areas. Get in front of me again. I need to see any attacks comi- arghhh!"

A crossbow bolt slammed into my back.

"JAUNE!"

Shock mixed with agony, originating from the wound in the top of my back, just to the side of my right shoulder. They'd shot on me in the middle of the crowd, with not a care for the people who could have been hit. My cloak had lessened the impact, but not stopped it. The bolt had pierced my skin, though not my bone if I could still move my arm.

[...]

I snatched hold of his hood before he could run by and get to Lisa. The Thief, already trying just that, jerked back with a masculine cry, almost falling. As he did, he reached out, catching the crossbow bolt in my back.

With a horrible squelch and a pained roar, he tore it straight out my back.

"Fucker!" I screamed, spinning and backhanding the Thief. The blow knocked him back past the tip of my sword, which I brought down angrily, fighting past the sudden weakness in my arm.

[...]

I moved without thinking. A hand snatched Lisa's, twisting her out of the way. Crocea Mors came around in a wide slash, more a swing with my own body than my aching arm. "Dividing Slash!" I yelled, slamming it into the spear destined for Lisa's spine.

The spear shattered immediately, metal and wood giving way as easily as one another. The woman wielding it winced and darted out of range before I could follow through. Not that I could. My sword fell, tip scraping on the floor. My shoulder had all but given out after that.

Worse, the Lancer drew a knife.

Bard in front, Thief behind, with Lisa against my back, shaking like a leaf.

And all of a sudden, a soft chuckle.

A figure touched the ground to my left, forcing me to push Lisa back and defend from a third angle.

—Forged Destiny [Book 7: Ch. 10]