I kept the gun trained on her, moving to find different points that might be weaker. Places where armor joined body, joints, places where she was thinner, and places she was already injured. As capes got in my way, I pulled my finger away from the trigger and focused on other areas that were more open, if less vulnerable.

Fliers and other movers were facilitating, rather than doing the damage themselves. Sticking close to a group of capes who were atop Titan Skadi’s back. I saw Sveta on the top of her, doing just that. Tristan was on the ground somewhere, adding stone to the walls and creations that hemmed in Skadi’s actions.

I wanted to think we were doing what Tristan had suggested, working together. Putting emotion aside. Being removed from things with a heavy weapon in my hands helped a bit in that regard.

I saw the colors change. Shadows shifting and disappearing—and I had to find them in the gloom. I fired a brief pulse of my laser at the side of her ‘stomach’, and the light of it provided enough of a clue to see where she was going. The bridge, where capes were helping people down through the cracks.

Where she’d disappeared, capes had already positioned themselves to land on Gibbet’s crane or other constructions below. Sveta joined fliers and other movers caught some of the ones who weren’t positioned so well, rescuing them from falls or getting them to perches or safe ground.

I fired a sustained shot directly into Titan Skadi’s face. It was bright enough in the gloom that shadows chased my eye movements.

Fuck, come on! Flinch! Come for me!

She wasn’t reacting enough, and the other capes who joined me in attacking her were slowing her down, but not enough to outright interrupt or stop her.

Being flying artillery wasn’t in my skillset. In a fight where I was using my forcefield and strength, I’d usually have ideas for options. I—Victoria Dallon, Glory Girl, Antares—didn’t often run into situations where I was in position but what I could do wasn’t enough. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, if I could get up close and if they couldn’t get away, I could do exactly as much damage as I wanted to.

I needed a plan, I had to reach for examples for battle plans. I wasn’t familiar enough with Legend to be inspired by him.

Crystal then. I could remember debates where my aunt and kid cousin had been annoyed at Crystal’s habit of dipping into the fight.

I dipped. I dove, letting my laser cannon fall more than I carried it.

Cold wind whipped past me as I closed the distance on Titan Skadi, who had her back to me. I started shooting as I got closer.