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"Kara!" Mzatal called out in a warning, but it was too late for ave a sharp cry of anger, and tore at the barrier
I backed hurriedly Damn it "Boss!" I called out "No tih clenched teeth
"Don’t have it!" I sed heavily and took another step back
"Channel everything you can into the barrier," Mzatal said "Then move behind me" In a furious swirl of his hands, he slurred the last three sigils together and called for the union of the rings
"It’s going Shit!" I felt as well as saw h it I scrambled to move fully behind Mzatal
Rhyzkahl lifted his hand the instant the barrier cleared and made a vicious cast at the shikvihr Mzatal swept his arnite the pattern even as the attack struck it
The shikvihr flared blindingly, then collapsed on itself with an earsplitting crack and a concussive jolt that threw asped in pain and shock, watched a drop of blood from my nose splat on the stone beneath ered back in the aftershocks, clearly off balance and at a disadvantage I lifted my head and saw Rhyzkahl look frout told me he didn’t want to hurt ave a shit about e his "tool" Cop- it Maybe
I scraered to Mzatal Rhyzkahl stepped forward as he called potency to his hand again, beautiful features hardened to ugliness by what could only be hatred
"Kara," Mzatal said, his breath co "Get behind me"
"The hell I will," I said "I don’t stand a chance without you, and he needs me alive" I only shook a little as I pulled Mzatal’s left arm over my shoulder and across my chest in the same way he’d held me when I faced Vahl Except that noas a huh I sure as hell wasn’t ready to die, it also positioned ot even worse Going to Rhyzkahl was not an option
Dissonance abruptly flooded h every cell in my body suddenly awoke and vibrated at an uncoave in to the ie fah the discoritted teeth, eyes locked on Rhyzkahl as he stood statue-still Hopefully the hu hiripped his arhtened his ar as though in pain "But I…feel the grove"
Even as he said it I could aly and Mzatal’s aura, like trying to see soedRhyzkahl lowered his head and pulled et aroundus leisure tiure out this dissonance
The fail series on the beach, the discordance I’d experienced there "Boss," I gasped "It’s like a series out of alignment"
He inhaled sharply, and in the next instant I felt hi to hi Mzatal’s h I felt that more harmony waited just beyond ht then Adjustrove-fueled poith Mzatal’s potency required all ether," I told Mzatal with newfound confidence as I leveled htly to hi his understanding of what I’d done--e had done--on all levels
Rhyzkahl cast a strike at us, and Mzatal deflected it as if it had been no rove, intaking breath at the ease hich it flowed intohim a deep reservoir to use as needed I felt as ht hand
He extended his hand before us, opening his fingers wide as he channeled power into a wall of interwoven green, gold, and purple strands of light, erected between us and Rhyzkahl Breathing deeply, Mzatal exerted arcane pressure on the wall, pushing
I smiled as Mzatal forced Rhyzkahl back a step, and I openedthe aze slid overfaintly, as though the sigil scars had goose buain, and I dove into the connection with the grove, ireen iridescence overas I focused, added a layer to the arcane wall, and pushed with Mzatal
Rhyzkahl fought to ainst the dual force, face hard and deter the extreme physical effort that acco half-step, he retreated into the tree tunnel, unable to stand fast in the face of our united effort
"I will have you," Rhyzkahl growled, the words carrying to us and thepure hatred like a fountain of flarove power scorched through me, welco strike that lanced forth in a scintillating burst of green and gold Rhyzkahl took the blast fully in the chest, and his strangled cry twisted with the sharp crack as it took hi power like a vast, still sea respond to my deep need as he sprawled to his back Now I had hi in pain this tiy, willing hiainst Mzatal, sle to shift from the supine position A grove potency between the two lords Rhyzkahl was h the grove awareness, I knehat Rhyzkahl felt: invisible pressure closing in on hi his breath I tasted his first flickers of fear, androve washed it aside, raw and wild and torrential My breath cah ht to enter the tree tunnel, to reach the Tor none to enter No one would touch hi my name, but the words burned away as soon as they reached me He shouted to Vahl, to Ilana, to Amkir, but my focus was on the vile sack of shit who even now could barely draw a breath
A sudden resistance slid between the Toreance My eyes narrowed and I pushed harder
Kara! Kara, you o!