Then, as the Aeriel launched the smouldering ball of pure, fiery energy at her, Simani threw herself sideways with all her might, her body shooting out of the range of the attack just as the energy-shell flew harmlessly past the spot she had been standing in moments ago. Had she moved a moment earlier, the Aeriel would have had the time to change the direction of the attack, and the shell would have connected with its victim, obliterating her in a matter of seconds.

The deafening sound of an explosion buzzed in Ruban’s ear as the shell connected with some inanimate target in the distance and went off, flooding the area with sudden, blinding light for a few seconds.

Even as the Aeriel lost momentum and altitude in its moment of exhaustion after the blast, Ruban gripped his sifblade, and raising his hand in an arc over his head, threw the weapon with all the strength and accuracy he could muster at the Aeriel. The creature had its attention fixed on Simani, who was just recovering from her bruising leap, and did not notice the blade until it was too late.

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It connected. The sifblade struck its target right in the throat, lodging itself firmly in the silvery flesh as the Aeriel writhed and convulsed, trying to throw the weapon off its body. The creature collapsed to the floor, its silver hair pooling in the ground as light flooded from its injured throat. Seizing the opportunity, Simani leapt forward and drove her own blade through the writhing Aeriel’s heart. For a moment, the creature remained stock still, moving not a muscle as two sifblades drew blinding light from its body. Then it fell back, dead.

Ruban jumped back to his feet and ran towards his partner, anxious to check on her and retrieve his sifblade. Even without an immediate threat in the vicinity, he felt vulnerable without it.

Barely a moment before he reached her, silver flashed in the corner of his eye, and Simani was lifted into the air and thrown with crushing force across the field. She landed with a resounding crash, her prone form bouncing painfully against the mine wall before landing in an unconscious heap onto the grimy floor. Her sifblade clattered to the ground along with her gun.