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The guardian before him promised such mortality, with palpable force

Another heavy step A force to , Brys smiled

The vicious current ceased its ility returned in a rush

The huge sword slashed horizontally Brys leapt back, the point of his sword darting out and up in a stop-thrust against the only target within reach

Letherii steel slipped in between the silver plates of the left gauntlet, sank deep

Behind theh the bedrock underfoot The warrior staggered, then swung his sword in a doard chop Brys threw hiain his feet in a crouch

The warrior’s sword had driven into the basalt a quarter of its length

And was stuck fast

He darted to close Planting his left leg behind the guardian, Brys set both hands against the armoured chest and shoved

The effort failed as the guardian held hi the eht elbow into the iron-sheathed face Pain exploded in his arm as the head was snapped back, and the Letherii pitched to one side, his left hand taking the longsword froed on his oord, but it did not budge

Brys leapt forward once again, driving his left boot down onto the side of the guardian’s nearest leg, low, a hand’s width above the ankle

Ancient iron crumpled Bones snapped

The warrior sank down on that side, yet re on the jah I have no desire to kill any ard him ‘I am defeated We have failed’

The Letherii studied the warrior for a longfroods here?’

‘Diminished, now’

‘Can they heal you?’

‘No We have nothing left’

‘Why does the blood leak? What happens when it runs out?’

‘It is power It steals courage – against you it failed It was expected that the blood of slain enemies would… it does not matter now’