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When Eight reappears with the duainst the side of ht "Now you’ve got a wounded friend and a dead healer"

I’ve never trained like this before, so Nine coet over that feeling I know Six wouldn’t have just let Nine put that staff up to her throat I need to prove to these boys that even though I don’t have the offensive firepower they do, I can still fight back

With Nine distracted by Eight, I slap the point of his staff away froe forward and punch hih ers back a step as Eight whoops with happy surprise Nine whips his head back around to look at rins

"Good!" he shouts, delighted "You’re getting it!"

"I think I brokedown at my swollen knuckles

"Next tiht says, balling up his fist to de sort of dumb that I’d make such a basic mistake, but also a little thrilled that I just socked Nine right in the face He see at me with a newfound respect as he wipes the blood off his face I touch acy, intensified this time as it passes into my own hand

Nine has picked up the dummy and duain?"

Eight and I huddle up for a second time "Maybe I should introduce him to our old friend Narasimha?"

"Which one is that?"

"Lots of arms, lots of claws"

"Sounds perfect," I say "Keep him busy and I’ll flank hiht immediately transforms into one of his massive avatars His handsoolden rows to about twelve feet, ten ar out of his sides, each of theh his teeth

"Noe’re talking," Nine says "One of your parents ;ra Probably your ravelly roar while in this shape

I stay behind Eight as he stalks towards Nine, waiting for an opening toat Nine with all his ar soht with his staff, trying to keep hi of his own

As Nine twirls his staff for a counterattack, focused on Eight, I see a chance to make a difference I reach out with my telekinesis and yank Nine’s staff out of his hands He’s not expecting it, so the force sends hiht Nine is slashed across the chest, his shirt torn to ribbons, the skin beneath cut open in gashes wide enough to need stitches Both Eight and I hesitate at the sight of those wounds

"I didn’t ht, the syh his lion-head ruh "It’s nothing!" he shouts "Keep going!"

I’ve never seen anyone so excited by the sight of his own blood

Just like that, Nine is on the run Eight gives chase, but he’s lu in this foracy Nine races up the nearest wall and flips over the charging Eight He ht’s back, with one of his are, it’s nearly iet at Nine, which must’ve been exactly what Nine had planned With his free hand, Nine starts punching Eight, aih the tufts of his ht roars in pain and then reverts to his norht

Meanwhile, with Nine distracted, I ht shouts

I hear Nine’s pounding footsteps behind me Behind me and above , trying that sahimself between me and the dummy

Nine’s staff is just a few feet away As he starts advancing towardsat his head

The blow sivingto sprint past hiht back on ht has gotten unsteadily back to his feet

"Slide!" he shouts

Not thinking, just acting, I do as Eight says I slide to the ground like a baseball player would I see Eight start to throw a punch at thin air, but in the ht in front ofoverfull speed and suddenly stopped by a right cross, Nine is flipped head over heels

I scramble to inary wound and shout, "Healed!"

There’s a moment where the roo heavily Eight sits down hard, gently rubbing the side of his face I notice that his ear is swollen closed and his neck is puffy with fresh abrasions froe he endures in his other forular one

Nine lies on his back, groaning His chest is shredded froot a fresh black eye, and I think I notice a trickle of blood froroans turn to laughter

"That esome!" Nine hollers