There was a tense moment in the pavilion, a sharp sound as everyone watching collectively sucked in a gasp as Quinn [i]launched[/i] herself into the air, then a wave of almost deafening hollers when she landed again in one piece. Beneath the surface of her mind, she might even have caught the ripple of panic from the depths. 

Besca was not immune, having stood up so abruptly her chair toppled behind her. She was might have nearly broken her silent pact not to curse in front of her, had she not been paying close attention. 

“[color=gray]Quinn![/color]” 

The word hardly reached Quinn faster than the axe did. A low, horizontal whirl came to an abrupt and violent stop in [i]Ablaze[/i]’s thigh. Not deeply, and skewed sidelong from how far it had been thrown, but to someone new to flesh wounds, judging the severity would be [i]difficult[/i] through the explosion of pain. 

“[color=ec008c]You can’t run from me![/color]” Roaki shouted. And just as Quinn had thought, [i]Blotklau[/i] had indeed covered the space in no time. 

The deflected axe lay discarded, yet unrecalled, perhaps momentarily forgotten. The one in [i]Ablaze[/i]’s leg, however, was left there out of malice. For pain’s sake. [i]Blotklau[/i] came at her unarmed, but it would have been a foolish and final mistake to assume her any less dangerous. 

Something boiled within Quinn, louder than that shunned command to [color=black]KILL[/color]. It wrapped her like a cloak, like a barrier between her and the Savior, and in the same way she’d shoved the voice under before, now it was wrestling to rein in her pain. A layer of numbness came to her, dull, but not ineffective. [color=black]IGNORE IT[/color] it demanded, agonized. [color=black]FIGHT[/color].

Claws splayed, [i]Blotklau[/i] came at her in a flurry of slashes and spearheaded strikes. Where they landed on flesh, even grazing, they carved and sprayed ichor, and in the bottom of her mind she could feel something [i]pulse[/i] each time.

“[color=ec008c]Let me hear it![/color]” Roaki’s voice was ravenous. “[color=ec008c]Scream! Beg! [i]Come on![/i][/color]”