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As Bracken rushed forward to confront the onco the SUV in the other direction Trask shattered the windshield with a pair of quarrels fro speed The Gray Assassin ht, but Warren kept the vehicle on a line to run him down At the last instant, the Gray Assassin flipped to one side, narrowly avoiding the SUV The vehicle then plowed through a group of goblins, running soround As the SUV neared the vans at the end of the aisle, Warren opened the door and dove out, rolling on the asphalt The SUV crashed into the vans at a high speed, sending all the vehicles tulass
Kendra drew back her arrow, aimed, and fired it at the Gray Assassin She had practiced archery a little, and the arroas on target, but the Gray Assassin slashed it fro of one sword
In the other direction, Bracken dodged and spun to avoid ularity Robes ablaze, Mirav shuffled forward, a knife glinting in his hand Bracken thrust his sword through awith tremendous force, then yanked his sword free and sliced open his next assailant with a single spinningand fierce, thethe one after another
Kendra nocked another arrow, and Civia stepped out in the aisle with her, an arrow set to the string of her boell The Gray Assassin drew nearer with a soblins Behind theoblins with his sword Kendra and Civia fired at the Gray Assassin together, but even at short range, he intercepted both of their arrows, one with each sword
"Civia!" Janan shouted Springing higher than any ordinary lapdog could, the tiny canine leapt into the path of a phoenix-feathered arrow co from the other end of the aisle The arrow that would have hit Civia in the back i Cri no rerief, Civia retreated out of the aisle back into the storage locker Kendra drew back as well, pulling the door to the storage locker shut, then fuet another arrow ready Behind her, Civia kick-started the soblins heaved the door to the locker up Kendra released her arrow and hit one of the backwards As the Gray Assassin rizzly bear sla across the asphalt When the other goblin turned to confront the threat, the bear transfor at his throat Niko had finally arrived
Another goblin attacked the tiger fro him with a scier had turned and dispatched the attacker The wound the scimitar had opened knitted itself closed and disappeared
As the Gray Assassin rose froed back into a bear and reared up on his hind legs The Gray Assassin backed away,toward the end of the aisle where Torina awaited with her bow, so Kendra stepped forward into the aisle to help cover Niko
On the end of the aisle where the SUV had cruround, several killed by Warren, a few nearer ones slain by Niko No goblins re in that direction, but Warren was currently wrestling with Trask
The Gray Assassin continued to retreat in the other direction Behind hi the aisle Near the vans, Mirav held up both hands, creating a shimmer in the air Bracken chopped at the invisible shield, each stroke sending up a flurry of brilliant sparks and causing the badly burned wizard to flinch Currently, the bulk of the bear prevented Kendra fro theleft and right, then gunned the engine, heading toward Warren and the totaled vehicles In the other direction, Kendra saw Torina climb atop one of the vans She drew an arrow back to her cheek
"No!" Kendra shouted, ai her own arrohich streaked harood five feet
Torina let her arrow fly Niko ju to intercept it, but could not quite reach it, and the Gray Assassin seized the opportunity to dart forward and start hacking the bear
Kendra turned and watched in horror as the arrow curved doard the fleeing motorcycle The considerable distance combined with the rapid acceleration of the motorcycle made the shot difficult--nevertheless, the arrow pierced Civia through the center of her back Crimson flames spread across her shoulders as the motorcycle tipped and she bounced, tu, Niko beca from his multiple wounds Civia pushed herself up to her hands and knees, the hungry fla, then fell flat
Mirav called for help, and the Gray Assassin answered, running toward Bracken froaged the attacker, blades ringing sharply as they clashed
Atop the van, a triumphant Torina nocked another arrow, but Raxtus swooped down fro with a vicious swipe of his claws She had drawn the arrow back, but the i, Raxtus rose to engage the final wyvern
Kendra watched in agonized suspense as the Gray Assassin battled Bracken She could not risk helping with an arrow for fear of hitting the wrong person Bracken seemed on the defensive, barely able to hold off the tords with his single blade Whenever he attempted a counterstroke, the attack was blocked and he had to duck or spring back to avoid a deadly blow
Kendra rushed to a cabinet in the storage locker, retrieved a sword, and ran to help The thought of challenging a warrior like the Gray Assassin terrified her, but if she could provide a distraction, perhaps Bracken could finish him quickly
As she returned to the aisle, Bracken held up a hand and produced a blinding burst of light Lowering his sword, Bracken narrowly dodged two hasty slashes without parrying, and then, blade flashing like lightning, cut down the Gray Assassin with a single stroke Bracken turned and stalked toward Mirav, as lying on his back, hands held up to ical shield
"I’ll break you if Iwith malice, Mirav spat at hi The shimmer in the air seemed to fold, then shattered Mirav screamed Kendra looked away as Bracken used his sword to finish the wizard
After facing the other way, less worried about Bracken, Kendra ran to Civia and Niko The flaone out Niko lay beside her charred body Beyond therapple with Trask
Kendra reached the tiger, who had a glassy look in his eyes His head turned as she crouched beside hioing The final Eternal has fallen I failed"
"You savedhis thick fur
"My pleasure," Niko h When Roon fell, I worried all was lost I always expected he would be the last Close enough I go to hier went slack, and he and Civia dissolved into fine black dust
Bracken ran past Kendra toward Warren and Trask
"He’s a friend," Warren grunted "I think a narcoblix has hi down his sword, Bracken proround While Warren held Trask down, Bracken retrieved his sword The weapon reverted to the shape of a horn, and Bracken held the tip against Trask, who continued to struggle "Begone," Bracken colish
There was a harsh flash of light, and Trask no longer resisted "Warren?" Trask asked, sounding befuddled "Oh, no Where are we? What have I done?"
As Warren explained the situation, Bracken hurried over to Kendra
"Are you all right?" he asked, extending a hand and helping her to her feet
"She’s dead," Kendra said nuritted her teeth, fighting back tears "We blew it"
"It’s a terrible blow," Bracken ad to--"
Bracken thrust Kendra aside and held up his shield An arrow thuainst it Down the aisle, Torina knelt with her bow in hand She had deep gouges in her side where the dragon had swiped her, and road rash on one ar from her fall off the van Raxtus landed on a van behind her, the vehicle wobbling beneath his weight After a hasty glance over her shoulder, Torina tossed her bow aside and ran toward Bracken, hands in the air "I surrender!"
"On your knees," Bracken ordered, striding toward her
She cohtened and innocent Even injured and with her hair disheveled, she looked strikingly attractive Bracken kept walking toward her