Nomi complied without question. Rhiana and Noon were no longer able to protect her, as they had to fight for themselves. She drew the sword, surprised at its weight, and crouched before the stricken Serian, facing the advancing creatures, ready to lash out should they come near.

Oh, for Ramus's cursed words right now, she thought.

The tall creature on the left darted for Noon. He feinted with his sword, then flipped out his left hand, launching two throwing stars at its face. One missed, the other sliced across its cheek and ricocheted away. The thing screeched but kept coming, and the spinning pouch went from being a slingshot to a club. It battered at Noon's head and he rolled to one side, striking with his sword and catching the thing across one knee.

The two other creatures launched their slings at Rhiana. She ducked one stone but another hit her on the foot, the impact flipping her over sideways.

Beko, still blinded but obviously not deaf, drew a knife from his belt. Nomi touched his shoulder and squeezed. He could not even sit up.

One creature snapped up another rock and loaded its sling again, swinging it at Rhiana, while the other darted in with hands outstretched. Rhiana rolled and avoided the rock, slashing up and around and catching the creature across the underside of its hand. It screamed, and three fingers flopped down, dangling by shreds of skin. Rhiana stood, and the thing backed away.

Noon screamed. His enemy had one of its big hands wrapped around Noon's face, arm extended to keep Noon's sword away from its body. The Serian swung, but the thing caught his arm and twisted, crushing his hand and forcing him to drop the weapon. It uttered something that may have been a laugh, and Noon's other hand thrust up, the spike of a throwing star protruding between his fingers. It struck the creature's underarm and blood misted the air. Noon drew his hand back to stab again, but before he connected, the thing kicked out with one long leg, heel connecting with Noon's chest.

Nomi heard the appalling crunch of bones, and the Serian flew back several steps before falling into the short grass. She wanted to shout at him to pick up his sword, to watch out, but then she saw the blood bubbles at his mouth and the dreadful wound in his chest, and she knew that he was dead.

“No,” she said, because everything was falling apart. They had overcome the greatest obstacle in Noreela for this? To be slaughtered by these things? “No!” she shouted, standing and hefting the sword.