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Solaine grinned, exhilarated, his twin blades a blur as he parried the lunges of the reptilian creatures surrounding him. Their dulled claws scraped against his weapons, loose green scales flaking off as they pressed forward with gnashing teeth and guttural growls.

The thrill of battle surged through him. He could handle this.

Then—

"Look out!"

Aristellus's voice cut through the chaos like a whip.

Solaine barely had time to react before a dagger whistled past his shoulder. The blade embedded itself deep into the chest of a third kobold that had leapt from the brush, its body convulsing before it slumped lifelessly to the ground.

Solaine blinked.

Then, before he could even fully process what had happened, Lunaris rushed past him, her expression caught between exasperation and amusement.