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1stDay of Sytarel

128 I.E.

Dane stood in an endless black space. The air was dead. No sound existed here. There wasn't even any mana for him to work with. He had no idea how he ended up there.

He looked around and heard footsteps. He turned and saw Aiden coming towards him. Dane blinked in disbelief and held his breath. He wasn't entirely sure what he was expecting, but he didn't anticipate Aiden talking to him.

"Hello, Dane," Aiden said.

"H-hi," Dane said, not sure of himself, afraid to say anything, afraid of what it meant to be seeing Aiden. He wondered if he was dead.

"You're worrying too much," Aiden said, smiling. He was slowly approaching Dane. "But I wouldn't want you any other way. My sweet, beautiful Dane..." He reached out and cupped the side of Dane's face.

"I couldn't protect you," Dane said, sniffling. "I murdered you. There was nothing I could do. Why do you still love me?"

"Because forgiving someone is part of loving them," Aiden said. His smile drooped a little and his voice dropped low into a whisper. "I only wish you would forgive yourself..."

"I'm not ready to," Dane replied. "I don't want to forgive myself or the orcs that took your life. You were all I had."

Aiden silenced the man with a hug. Dane found he couldn't form the words to what he wanted to say. He remained silent, listening to his mate's breathing and his own beating heart.

"I don't blame you Dane. I never did. I wish you would recognize that." Aiden squeezed him tighter.

"Then why does it feel like you do?"

"Because you won't let go of all that hatred," Aiden replied. "I love you move than anything Dane. Why would I blame you for something you didn't do?"

Dane let his face fall into the crook of Aiden's neck. He was surprised to find that this apparition smelled like the real person he loved. He whispered, "You should blame me, because if it hadn't been for my foolish chase and desire for revenge, I--"

Aiden just squeezed him until the air escaped from Dane's lungs and he couldn't speak anymore. After a few seconds, the man released him. "It wasn't your fault. If I didn't want to follow you into that forest I would have stayed back and protested against your orders. I'm just as at fault as you are."

"But-"

A finger fell upon Dane's mouth, bidding him to remain silent. Aiden looked into his eyes, and he felt lost in those shimmering blue pools. "It's nobody`s fault Dane. I was a soldier. I knew what I was getting into. If you want to blame anyone, then point the finger at the orc who did me in. Just remember that it was one orc, one individual, who killed me. And you got him back, if you remember. So stop this fatalistic quest for revenge."

"But they're attacking Sanctuary!" Dane said. He couldn't believe what his lover was saying. Did he really want him to turn his back on the Empire? "They have to be stopped!"

"Dane..." Aiden shook his head. "It's not about stopping them because they've hurt you, like you've been looking at it. This war you're going through... it's about stopping them so they can't hurt anymore people." He kissed Dane on the lips and ran a hand through his hair. "Don't let our dream die along with me."

"How do I do that?" Dane mumbled, feeling lost.

"Isn't it obvious? You need to wake up," Aiden replied, his voice sounding urgent. "This isn't where you belong." He gestured to the black plane around them. "One day, maybe. One day we can build a new life here. But that time isn't now. Right now what you need to do is wake up."

"I don't want to lose you again..." Dane muttered. He felt strange. Dane's mouth felt dry, and he ran his tongue over his cracked lips. He was tired of crying all the time, but at that moment in time, that's all he wanted to do.

"You've never lost me. You've always had me here." Aiden tapped him on the chest, then on his head. "And in here. You memorized most of my spell book, right?" Dane nodded his head. "And you remember all the times we had together? And you still think fondly of me?" Again, Dane nodded his head to both questions. "Then I'm never far away, love. I'll always be with you."

Dane sighed, and pulled Aiden into another hug. "Thank you. I don't know if I'll remember anything once I-"

"Wake up?" Aiden finished for him.

"Yeah. But I'll try to remember."

"Don't worry Dane, you'll remember once you wake up."

Dane's eyes began to feel heavy, and his body was moving more sluggishly than before. He slumped against Aiden's body, feeling enveloped in the man's warmth. The sound of Aiden's voice chanting 'wake up' echoed in his head and began to fade away as he slipped into blackness.

"Dane? Dane! Wake up!"

Huh?

"Come on Dane, wake up. It's time to get going, the Legion entered the city."

Dane felt someone shaking him roughly, and he instinctively swatted the offending limb away with his arm.

"Come on Dane, wake up! We're under attack!!"

With his eyes slowly blinking open, he saw Roweon standing over his cot. He rolled until he was sitting up.

"Are you alright?" Roweon asked. "I couldn't get you to budge and you slept through that boulder crashing through the roof." He was pointing across the room.

"Wha?" Dane said stupidly, and looked around.

There was a large hole in the building where he and a number of soldiers were sleeping. Orange lights and smoke could be seen through the hole, and on the other side of the room was a still smoldering boulder.

The Rogarian barracks had been hit early on during the siege and all the soldiers had to be moved into auxiliary buildings. Not that it mattered to the soldiers though. The Legion had kept their assault going for so long that the Coalition troops hardly knew the meaning of the word sleep these days.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Dane said, feeling a bit dazed. How had he slept through half the building being demolished by ordinance? "What's going on?"

"The Legion finally made it over the trench. We're moving out to meet them in the city." Roweon was silent and had a far away look in his face. "You kept saying the name 'Aiden' in your sleep..."

Dane's face felt hot. He'd never told Roweon about his former lover, and he had no desire to, either. "He was a friend. Someone very dear to me that I lost recently."

"I see," Roweon said flatly. He rose from where he was kneeling and crossed the room. "I'm going on ahead, I'll meet you out there."

Dane grumbled to himself as he got dressed. Roweon had no right to be grouchy about him having a past lover. If he wanted to be passive-aggressive about it, then that was fine by him. He grabbed his equipment and slipped it on as he ran.

* * * * *

Sionache ran over to where Arion was crouched, trying to avoid magefire and arrows behind a crumbling building. He had a hand pressed to an ursar's neck, and could feel his pulse slipping away.

"Come on, Asuran. Just hang in there," Arion whispered gently to him as he used his telepathy to locate a healer. "I'm not going to let you die on me."

"Master, the Legion is coming. We can't stay here much longer."

A roar from down the street came from several minotaur in mid charge. The cub raised an arm and unleashed a torrent of yellow lightning in their direction. She channelled for a few moments to ensure the enemies' demise, then turned back to regard her teacher.

"I won't have too much energy left for that if this keeps up," she said.

"I know," Arion replied, feeling desperate. "I need to save Asuran. I won't lose him like I lost the others."

"Master, we need to move!" Sionache said more insistently. "I can hear more of them coming."

Arion's ears flicked as he picked up the thunder of footsteps and clanking of metal. There was a large number of people headed their way, and he rose from where he stood, preparing to defend his students to the death. Screams echoed down the deserted streets as people were cut down, and still the approaching feet came after them.

"Let's go!" Sionache tugged on Arion's robes, but he didn't budge.

Arion's claws came out. Their edges were still sharp despite the amount of use they'd had recently. He flexed his hands and crouched into a combat stance, putting both hands in front of him and ready to grapple or strike should someone come in front of him.

Asuran groaned and tried to sit up. He spoke through ragged breaths. "Let me go, Master. I'm not worth dying for. I've made my peace. Leave me."

"I'm not letting anyone else die!" Arion replied.

The soldiers were almost upon them, but with the way the streets were set up, the sound echoed from all around them. He had no idea where they would come from. His eyes were darting from left to right. He tried to pick out the life signs but there was so many nearby it was impossible to pick out just a few people.

A large red form stepped out from behind a building and Arion struck. His claws flashed out, but before he could strike, the red beast's hand shot up and gripped his wrist none too lightly.

"Settle down," the being said. When Arion got a closer look at him, he realized it was Odinty. The paladin was shoving him aside so he could get to Nobu's side. There were a number of Lightweavers with him as well, and the dwarves took up a perimeter around him.

"Odinty, why are you here?" Arion asked.

"They let me out before the first attack," Odinty replied. "You needed a healer, didn't you?" His hands glowed with a golden light as they roved around Asuran's body, restoring the wounds that he found.

"Hang in there, Asuran. We'll get you out of this."

"But... why?"

"I still hate you," Odinty snarled, then his voice softened. "But I'm not going to let someone else die just because of that." He regarded Asuran. "How do you feel?"

"Weak," the ursar replied. His breathing had returned to normal. "I think I can move again." He tried to rise, but couldn't do so on his own. Odinty helped Asuran to stand, and held onto him until he was stabilized.

"Get some rest. We're taking over," Odinty said.

"Thank you..." Asuran said, and slowly hobbled towards the back lines so he could recover.

Odinty watched him for a moment to ensure his safety, then turned to Arion. He was glaring at the monk. "I still refuse to forgive you for what you did. But I'm not so foolish as to let my emotions cloud my judgment."

"Could've fooled us..." Sionache said, exasperated.

"Let's work together for the time being." Odinty extended his paw to Arion, and they shook hands.

"I'd be happy to."

Odinty scoffed. "Of course you would." He looked into the distance, where an explosion ignited the night sky. "We should get going."

With that, the group was off, heading back to the front lines. Arion had plenty of energy to spare, but he was concerned for Sionache. He regarded the cub with a worried expression, and once she noticed he was staring at her, she beamed a thin smile at him.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I need to go back up there. Mom and Dad are waiting."

Arion nodded and they continued onward. They met with heavy resistance in the streets, but fortunately their numbers were greater than the scattered Legion troops they encountered. He and Sionache worked in unison, coordinating their attacks to keep as many of the enemy soldiers occupied as possible. A flurry of kicks brought several of the enemy soldiers low, and the Lightweavers were quick to finish them off.

He watched Odinty work, seeing his new sword sing as it cut through orcs and minotaur alike. His hands glowed again as he recited a prayer and unleashed a pillar of holy fire from the sky, striking an orc in the skull. The stench of melted iron and scorched flesh filled Arion's nostrils as the soldier fell over, dead from his wounds.

The group came to an opening in the streets, and suddenly found themselves surrounded by numerous soldiers. There was a small unit in each street, and the enemy charged at them as soon as they were noticed.

Arion reached out with his telekinesis and gripped onto a ruined building, it's walls already crumbling from the damage it sustained during the siege. He tried to pull and drop it on one of the Legion units, but he struggled to uproot the wall from its foundations. Sionache realized what he was trying to do, and she added her strength to his as the Lightweavers engaged the enemy in the other streets. Sweat formed on Arion's brow as he tugged with all his might, and he could hear the cub beside him groaning as she tried to rip the wall down.

_Almost... we almost have it!_Arion thought. With a roar and one final heavy pull, the stone wall began to fall in one solid piece. The few orcs that didn't realize what was going on were crushed by the falling rubble, but the others were able to get out of the way. It blocked most of the street, and slowed their advance.

"That took... way too much out of me," Sionache panted.

"Then fall back," Arion suggested. "We can deal with the rest here." He didn't give her a chance to respond before he took off to join the Lightweavers in exterminating the Legion forces.

A sheath of mental energy surrounded Arion and he was able to deflect arrows with ease as he charged. He leapt into the air and slammed a foot into an orc's face with considerable speed. He could feel the crunch beneath his footpads as the being fell under him. A burst of telekinetic energy swatted a minotaur into the side of a building head first. Claws swiped at and mauled several more soldiers, covering his arms and the ruined cobble streets with blood.

The wall next to Arion burst open and he felt a thick hand clutch his neck. It took all his energy to keep the being from crushing his windpipe by putting a thin barrier between his neck and his foe's hand. He was carried some distance by an ogre and slammed into a wall. Arion could feel the air explode from his lungs, and heard Sionache cry out for him. The cub had no energy left to attack the ogre, and when Odinty tried to incinerate him with holy fire, the ogre swatted the spell away like he was shooing away a fly.

It's a mage! Arion thought, surprised. His feet came up to strike the ogre, but he was held in a position in the air so that his feet could only strike the being's thick stomach.

When the ogre mage realized that it couldn't crush Arion's throat, he brought up his other thick, scarred hand as fire began to gather around it. It said something in a language Arion could scarcely understand and sneered. The ursar's hand shot up and slammed a fist into the ogre's face several times and he tried to slice at his neck, but he couldn't get the leverage to do any substantial damage.

Just before the mage released the fireball, a crossbow bolt struck the ogre in the head and the beast fell over, carrying Arion down to the ground. He ripped the ogre's hand away from his neck and breathed heavily, gasping for breath.

There was a chuckle coming from down the street. "Always needin' someone t' bail ye out, don't ye, ye pompous ass?"

"B-bartholomew?" Arion wheezed as he stood up. The street was swiftly cleared as a fresh unit of Olaraan soldiers joined with the Lightweavers.

"Aye. Ain't ye lucky I showed up when I did?" Bart said, snorting. He wore a smug expression on his face, and his beard was scruffier than usual with blood coating it. He'd clearly been fighting for some time already, and Arion wondered if his unit were reservists or not. "Ye ain't as all powerful as that."

"Nice to see someone else who can't stand you," Odinty said with a laugh.

Bart regarded the paladin and sneered. "Oh, yer one o' them Lightweavers, ain't ye?"

Before Odinty could answer, Bart's CO piped up and said, "We don't have time fer introductions. Git movin'!!"

Bart snarled, and said, "Ye'd best be stayin' alive, monk. I be th' only one that gets ta kill ye." With that, Bart's unit headed off to meet the enemy elsewhere in the city. As they left, Odinty cast a self-satisfied smirk over his shoulder as he ran.

"We should go too," Arion said to Sionache.

* * * * *

At the back of the Legion camp, Xellik was suiting up in his armor. Fippy stood nearby, as did Oni. It was time to make another sortie, and he planned to end the battle this time.

"I don't understand why you won't let me go in!" Oni snarled, his voice deepening as he spoke.

"Because I need you elsewhere," Xellik replied. "I'm not wasting good soldiers here when I need them in Kitair." He tightened his breastplate and donned his helm. "Why do you want to go out so badly?"

"Because I want to fight!" Oni replied. "Isn't that what one of Sytarel's followers is allowed to do?"

"You can't go," Bytej said simply. "That is the Warlord's orders."

"Why you old codger...." Oni roared. "You're taking the stupid mutt there and you're leaving me behind?"

"Who are you calling a stupid mutt, you monster?" Fippy reached for his kamas, but Xellik stretched an arm out to separate the two.

"Enough!" the orc roared. "Bytej, take Oni outside and deal with him. I'm heading to the front lines. Let's go, Sabertooth."

The gnoll hesitated for a moment, then muttered, "Yes, Warlord."

Xellik opened up a portal, and the swirling rift displayed the burning city of Sanctuary. Fippy stepped through first, and Xellik was quick to follow.

When Bytej and Oni were alone, the werewolf said, "Are you looking to die, old orc!?"

"Enough, Swiftclaw," Bytej said. His voice exuded power, and the command brought the werewolf to his knees. "You were given an order by Sytarel's Chosen and you shall follow it to the letter!"

Oni tried to resist the commanding words, to stand back up, but he found he couldn't. "Who are you?"

Bytej's voice shifted when next he spoke. It sounded arrogant and female, which was quite the contrast from the collected, elderly orc. "I am the one who granted you your power, remember?"

Oni's eyes shot open. "You were the one who stopped my fight with those Rogarians!"

Bytej smirked, and his form began to shift. His robes unfurled and became bat-like wings. Hair sprouted and cascaded down to his back. His calloused red skin turned soft and pink. His body's weight shifted as it became more feminine.

"You're the succubus!" Oni said, then lowered his head. "M-my apologies."

"You're much too valuable to lose on the battlefield, Oni," Nazridia said once she had fully shifted out of her Bytej persona. "I know those paladins are the only thing that can fully kill a werewolf. I'd rather not have you lost in the battle when we still have use of you."

Oni gulped, and kept his eyes on the floor. "What do you ask of me?"

Nazridia smiled. "Head to Kitair and wait for orders there."

"That's it?"

"Yes, that`s all. Don't worry, you'll get your chance to fight," Nazridia reassured him. "Now go. Your Mistress commands it."

Oni nodded his head and said, "At once."

* * * * *

Once they were all suited up, the 81stMobile Infantry Division was among one of the first fresh battalions to meet the Legion forces in melee combat. Dane stuck close to Elizabeth and the others, and they made sure to cover each other to keep from being flanked by attackers. Every time someone would over-extend slightly and leave their backside open to a counter attack, another soldier would rush in and fill the gap. They'd all worked together for the better part of the year, and no one was willing to let their allies fall if they could prevent it.

Dane hadn't seen Roweon on the way to the battlefield, and the man was no where to be found when they finally reached the front line. He wondered what had become of the man, but he didn't have time to worry about it as the Legion forces surged around them, filling the city streets.

"Dane!" Elizabeth shouted, calling his attention. She slammed her shield into the face of an orc and her sword lashed out at the opening of his armor. She quickly indicated a direction to the southwest before parrying an axe blow from a skeletal human.

"Got it!" Dane had seen what she was pointing to. A gnoll in dark robes was working magics to raise the dead to fight back against the Coalition. He threw his sword down, planting it in the hard-packed dirt road as he drew his bow from off his shoulders. With one hand, he readied the bow while the other simultaneously grabbed an arrow. A skilled mage would have wards against spells to protect himself, but he was banking on the fact that the sorcerer wouldn't have any protection against an arrow.

He fired and held his breath as the arrow flew. He exhaled only as it struck his target square in the head. Before he slung the bow back on his shoulders, he fired off several more shots into the Legion's troops, picking off soldiers one by one. When confronted by an enemy minotaur, he blocked an attack with his bracer before unleashing a fireball from pointblank range against the bullman who had swung at him.

Dane picked up his sword once again and the blade came to life as lightning kissed its surface. His attacks left a slowly growing pile of seared bodies in his wake as his sword worked to carve a path through the Legion's forces. Dane channelled a spell and summoned a geyser of water that flung several opponents up into the air, only to have them come crashing down atop their own allies. He could sense another mage nearby and followed the trail of magic use back to its source, dropping several lightning bolts on the area to ensure the spell caster's demise.

The bodies before him lit up in flames and he spotted a fireball careening towards him.

I was wondering when they'd catch wise to my spell work.

He thrust his hands forward, as if to catch the flaming sphere. A ward of magical energy appeared before him and dissipated the fireball as it struck, turning it into a harmless cloud of steam.

"Let's see you use that trick on me!"

Dane looked to his side to see a fully armor clad orc charging straight at him. He thrust a hand forward and launched a magical arrow from his palms, striking Dane in the shoulder. A sword materialized within the orc's hands and Dane was slow to parry the first swing to come at him.The orc thrust his weapon at Dane's midsection. It would have struck had the man not side stepped the attack.

Dane snapped a finger to call down a bolt of lightning on the orc. It dissipated around an invisible bubble of energy, and left nothing more than scorch marks on the ground.

"Magic won't do you any good, Rogarian scum!" the orc said, and easily parried an attack from Dane's sword. "I've been waiting a long time for this!"

Ignoring his words, Dane pulled back and swung again. He missed, but managed to knock the orc's helm off his head, revealing his clan tattoo. The man gasped as he saw the familiar fangs that haunted his childhood.

"You're a Fleshgorger!" His sword was knocked out of his hands by a fierce swing from the orc, and he was forced to block with his bracers. He shoved the orc's next swing away and grabbed the staff that had been in a sling over his back. He brought the staff around and parried another swing. The weapon felt awkward in Dane's hands, but he needed something to protect himself.

"I am no mere Fleshgorger clan orc. I am Warlord Xellik Fleshgorger! Your kin destroyed my home, and now I'll destroy everything your people have worked so hard for in return!"

Dane was inexperienced with using the staff, and he failed to defend against the thrust made near his collar. The blade scraped against his armor, and the impact had enough force behind it to knock Dane back a step.

"You destroyed Tran!" Dane shouted, and ducked underneath another wide swing from Xellik. "You have no place to talk, filth!"

"Oh? So you were there?" Xellik grinned, "You look pretty young. Were you one of the prisoners?" He brought his sword down and Dane leveled out his staff over his head to block it. The two of them clashed and the orc leaned forward. "Now I remember. You're the little snot I beat when I was nothing more than a whelp. Dane Trueshot, wasn't it?"

Dane remembered that moment in time, when he was stuck in the holding pens at the Fleshgorger's camp. An orc child had called him out, among all the other children from Tran. The two couldn't speak with each other because of their language barrier, but they had managed to exchange names. Hearing Xellik speak his name stirred long dormant memories in Dane's mind, and he could remember the orc's face clearly.

"I'm not that little weakling anymore!" Dane bellowed. He began to cast a spell, but was swiftly cut off mid-incantation as Xellik kicked him in the sternum with such force that it sent him rolling back, nearly impaling himself on the weapons of the fallen. His staff fell from his grasp and landed several feet away.

"You can't win. I am Sytarel's Chosen! Your weak sorceries are of no use against a true warrior!"

Dane gasped and wheezed, feeling as if his chest was about to cave in. It was difficult to move with the new batch of broken ribs. An orc was nearly twice as strong as a human and he was feeling that difference in raw power as he tried to stand back up.

That blow should've caved in my ribs, he thought, but he had no time to question it as the armor-clad orc was barreling after him. He crisscrossed his bracers and focused as hard as he could, hoping to strengthen the magic runes on it with some of his own mana.

"This is the end for you, Rogarian!" The orc's sword came down, and sure enough the mana shield held, just barely. His arms shook with the effort of trying to keep the orc at bay, and he could sense, ever so faintly, that there was a radiation of power coming from his chest where the pendent lay hidden. Even it was lending strength to the man, and helping him hold Xellik back. Perhaps, Dane thought, it was also what saved him from being mortally injured by the orc's kick.

Some soldiers tried to intervene but Xellik conjured a ball of shadows that exploded with enough force to knock them away. As he did this, he raised a foot and stomped on Dane's lower body, slowly applying pressure to his pelvis and stomach. Dane screamed as he could feel his bones threatening to break under the increasing pressure. Xellik laughed, sure that his victory was close at hand.

"Dane!" he could hear Elizabeth shouting from somewhere nearby, but chances were she couldn't get to him in time. He was trapped with no way out. If he wasn't killed by the trauma to his lower body, he'd eventually lose the power to hold the orc at bay and be killed by his sword.

"Get off him!"

A tall form slammed into Xellik foot first and knocked him away from Dane. The man gasped for air and lay there for a moment to make sure his feet could still move.

<What are you doing? Get up!>

The voice was inside Dane's head, as if it came from nowhere and everywhere at once. He looked around, wondering where it came from.

"I'm not letting you kill anyone else, Xellik!" the same voice spoke out loud. Dane finally got a good look at the person responsible for saving his life and immediately recognized it as the ursar from the House of Commons the other day, Arion Clothspinner.

"Get out of my head, bear!" Xellik snarled, the swings of his sword bouncing harmlessly off of Arion's mental barriers. He flung a hand upwards and fired a flare spell into the sky. The spell's brilliant light shone over the battlefield, and after a moment, a howl rose up over the din of the battle raging around them. "I already know of you, Arion. I'll have Fippy deal with you personally." Xellik shoved the ursar away, trying to keep his distance.

All around them, several ursar and numerous paladins joined the battle. "Form an absolute defence line!" Arion ordered. "I'll deal with this one myself. Don't get near him."

"Arrogant fur ball!" Xellik shouted. His hands were limned by a green aura and a spire of earth shot up from the ground beneath Arion. The ursar was able to deftly avoid the spell, but was caught off guard as the rock exploded and struck him in the side. "I am Sytarel's Chosen! None shall oppose me!"

A host of gnolls began to descend upon them from all directions. The Peacekeeper monks managed to keep them at bay, preventing them from interfering with Arion's fight with Xellik.

<Keep using your magic, Dane Trueshot! I'll keep him at bay while you deal with his troops!>

Dane got back on his feet, but it was hard. His entire body ached with every movement and he feared that he would pass out at any moment. He grabbed his staff and used it to push himself up. The ursar before him was a sight to behold as he fought, simultaneously fighting Xellik while deflecting mage fire and thrown axes with magical barriers.

<Come on! I can't keep my shields up forever!> Arion said in his head, and with that Dane got to work, weaving his spells and staying close to the ursar to ensure his work wasn't disrupted by any Legion forces.

Lightning crackled and ducked in and out of darkening clouds above the clashing armies as thunderheads began to roll in. Bolts screamed down onto the battle field and struck Legion troops with impunity as Dane called down one after another. He panted and leaned on his staff as the exertion began to take its toll.

"Dane, you're okay," Vedray said as she stumbled towards him, panting.

"In a manner of speaking..." He looked up to see his defender as the ursar began to be pushed back by Xellik's attacks. His barriers weren't strong enough to hold him back for so long, and it was apparent that it was taking everything in his power just to maintain them.

"Arion, here!" Dane lobbed the staff towards him, and without turning to look away from his attacker, Arion jumped backwards so he could spare a moment to snap his wrist in a come-hither motion that telekinetically carried the weapon to him.

The ursar gripped the smooth mithril staff in his paws and began to use that to deflect the enemy's attacks. The whistling piece of metal moved in a blur as he worked to parry the attacks as he saw them coming, and began to counter-attack. Dane supported him using his bow while Elizabeth jumped in as well to fight beside Arion.

Everything will end if we kill Xellik! Dane thought, determination creasing his brow as he concentrated on thinning the Legion's numbers. This is all because of him. He must_die!_