Keiser had half a second to kick the princess just to make her stumble out of the way. He also twisted, caught the young beast girl's claw mid-swipe, yanked her off balance, then pivoted to parry the dagger aimed at him.
The blade met his with a sharp clang, and he turned the flat of his sword to shove Lenko's head down, just in time for another hiss of unseen mana to slice through the air where their heads had been.
"You're attacking the wrong person right now," Keiser scoff, irritation cutting through the ringing on their ears.
The princess's expression froze in shock, right before her entire body flared with purple fire. It roared to life around her, spiraling.
Keiser's first thought was that she'd been hit, but then the flames burst outward, forming a dome that shielded them all as mana slashes carved into it, sparks scattering through the haze.
The air sizzled. The heat pressed heavy against his skin. His mind screamed to move, but his guts warned him to stay still.
